The Xbox 360's online service,Xbox Live, was expanded from its previous iteration on the original Xbox and received regular updates during the console's lifetime. Available in free and subscription-based varieties, Xbox Live allows users toplay games online; download games (throughXbox Live Arcade) and game demos; purchase andstream music, television programs, and films through theXbox Music andXbox Video portals; and access third-party content services through media streaming applications. In addition to online multimedia features, it allows users to stream media from local PCs. Several peripherals have been released, including wirelesscontrollers, expandedhard drive storage, and theKinectmotion sensing camera. The release of these additional services and peripherals helped the Xbox brand grow from gaming-only to encompassing all multimedia, turning it into a hub for living-room computing entertainment.[19][20][21][22]
Launched worldwide mostly between November 2005 and December 2006, the Xbox 360 was initially in short supply in many regions, including North America and Europe. The earliest versions of the console suffered from a highfailure rate, indicated by the so-called "Red Ring of Death", necessitating an extension of the device's warranty period. Microsoft released two redesigned models of the console: the Xbox 360 S in 2010,[23] and the Xbox 360 E in 2013.[24]
The Xbox 360 is theninth-highest-selling home video game console in history, and the highest-selling console made by an American company and byMicrosoft. Although not the best-selling console of its generation, the Xbox 360 was deemed byTechRadar to be the most influential through its emphasis on digital media distribution and multiplayer gaming on Xbox Live.[22][25] The Xbox 360's successor, theXbox One, was released on November 22, 2013.[26] On April 20, 2016, Microsoft announced that it would end the production of new Xbox 360 hardware, although the company will continue to support the platform.[7] On August 17, 2023, Microsoft announced that on July 29, 2024, the Xbox 360 game marketplace would stop offering new purchases and the Microsoft Movies & TV app will no longer function, though the console will still be able to download previously purchased content and enter multiplayer sessions.[27][28]
History
Development
Known during development as Xbox Next, Xenon, Xbox 2, Xbox FS or NextBox,[29] the Xbox 360 was conceived in early 2003.[30] In February 2003, planning for the Xenonsoftware platform began, and was headed by Microsoft's Vice PresidentJ Allard.[30] That month, Microsoft held an event for 400 developers inBellevue, Washington to recruit support for the system.[30] Also that month,Peter Moore, former president ofSega of America, joined Microsoft. On August 12, 2003, ATI signed on to produce the graphics processing unit for the new console, a deal that was publicly announced two days later.[31] Before the launch of the Xbox 360, severalAlpha development kits were spotted usingApple'sPower Mac G5 hardware. This was because the system'sPowerPC 970 processor was running the samePowerPC architecture that the Xbox 360 would eventually run underIBM'sXenon processor. The cores of the Xenonprocessor were developed using a slightly modified version of thePlayStation 3'sCell Processor PPE architecture. According to David Shippy and Mickie Phipps, theIBM employees were "hiding" their work from Sony and Toshiba, IBM's partners in developing theCell Processor.[32]Jeff Minter created themusic visualization programNeon which is included with the Xbox 360.[33]
The Xbox 360 was released on November 22, 2005, in the United States and Canada;[5] December 2, 2005, in Europe and December 10, 2005, in Japan. It was later launched in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, and Russia. In its first year in the market, the system was launched in 36 countries, more countries than any other console has launched in a single year.[34]
Critical reception
In 2009,IGN named the Xbox 360 the sixth-greatest video game console of all time, out of a field of 25.[35] Although not the best-selling console of the seventh generation, the Xbox 360 was deemed byTechRadar to be the most influential, by emphasizing digital media distribution and online gaming through Xbox Live, and by popularizinggame achievement awards.[22]PC Magazine considered the Xbox 360 the prototype for online gaming as it "proved that online gaming communities could thrive in the console space".[19] Five years after the Xbox 360's debut, the well-receivedKinect motion capture camera was released, which set the record of being the fastest selling consumer electronic device in history, and extended the life of the console.[36]Edge ranked Xbox 360 the second-best console of the 1993–2013 period, stating "It had its own social network, cross-game chat, new indie games every week, and the best version of just about every multiformat game ...Killzone is noHalo and nowadaysGran Turismo is noForza, but it's not about the exclusives—there's nothing to trumpNaughty Dog's PS3 output, after all. Rather, it's about the choices Microsoft made back in the original Xbox's lifetime. The PC-like architecture meant the early EA Sports games ran at 60fps compared to only 30 on PS3, Xbox Live meant every dedicated player had an existing friends list, andHalo meant Microsoft had the killer next-generation exclusive. And when developers demo games on PC now they do it with a 360 pad—another industry benchmark, and a critical one."[37]
The Xbox 360 began production only 69 days before launch, on September 14, 2005,[44][45] and Microsoft was not able to supply enough systems to meet initial consumer demand in Europe or North America, selling out completelyupon release in all regions except in Japan.[46][47][48][49] Forty thousand units were offered for sale on auction siteeBay during the initial week of release, 10% of the total supply.[50] By year's end, Microsoft had shipped 1.5 million units, including 900,000 in North America, 500,000 in Europe, and 100,000 in Japan.[51]
In May 2008, Microsoft announced that 10 million Xbox 360s had been sold and that it was the "first current generation gaming console" to surpass the 10 million figure in the US.[52] In the US, the Xbox 360 was the leader in current-generation home console sales until June 2008, when it was surpassed by the Wii.[53][54][55] By the end of March 2011, Xbox 360 sales in the US had reached 25.4 million units.[39] Between January 2011 and October 2013, the Xbox 360 was the best-selling console in the United States for these 32 consecutive months.[56] By the end of 2014, Xbox 360 sales had surpassed sales of the Wii, making the Xbox 360 the best-selling 7th-generation console in the US once again.[57] In Canada, the Xbox 360 has sold a total of 870,000 units as of August 1, 2008.[58]
In Europe, the Xbox 360 has sold seven million units as of November 20, 2008.[59] The Xbox 360 took 110 weeks to reach 2 million units sold in the UK, generating £507m in revenue.[40] Sales in theUnited Kingdom would reach 3.2 million units by January 2009, perGfKChart-Track.[60] The 8 million unit mark was crossed in the UK by February 2013.[61] Sales of the Xbox 360 would overtake the Wii later that year, topping 9 million units, making the Xbox 360 the best-selling 7th-generation console in the UK, as well as making it the third best-selling console of all time in the region, behind thePS2 andNintendo DS.[62][40][41] Over 1 million units were sold inSpain across the console's lifecycle.[63]
The Xbox 360 crossed the 1 million units sold in Japan in March 2009,[64] and the 1.5 million units sold in June 2011.[65] Lifetime sales of the Xbox 360 in Japan stand at 1,616,218 million units. While the Xbox 360 has sold poorly in Japan, it improved upon the sales of the originalXbox, which had total sales of 474,992 units.[42] Furthermore, the Xbox 360 managed to outsell both the PlayStation 3 and Wii the week ending September 14, 2008, as well as the week ending February 22, 2009, when the Japanese Xbox 360 exclusivesInfinite Undiscovery[66] andStar Ocean: The Last Hope,[67] were released those weeks, respectively. Ultimately,Edge magazine would report that Microsoft had been unable to make serious inroads into the dominance of domestic rivals Sony and Nintendo; adding that lackluster sales in Japan had led to retailers scaling down and in some cases, discontinuing sales of the Xbox 360 completely.[68] The significance of Japan's poor sales might be overstated in the media in comparison to overall international sales.[69]
According to data fromCircana, Xbox 360 sales in the United States have surpassed 42.7 million units as of October 2025.[70][71]
The Xbox 360 sold much better than its predecessor, and although not the best-selling console of the seventh generation, it is regarded as a success since it strengthened Microsoft as a major force in the console market at the expense of well-established rivals.[25] The inexpensiveWii did sell the most console units but eventually saw a collapse of third-party software support in its later years, and it has been viewed by some as a fad since the succeedingWii U had a poor debut in 2012.[22][72][73][74][75] ThePlayStation 3 struggled for a time due to being too expensive and initially lacking quality games,[76] making it far less dominant than its predecessor, thePlayStation 2, and it took until late in the PlayStation 3's lifespan for its sales and games to reach parity with the Xbox 360.TechRadar proclaimed that "Xbox 360 passes the baton as the king of the hill – a position that puts all the more pressure on its successor, Xbox One".[22]
The Xbox 360's advantage over its competitors was due to the release of high-profile games from both first party and third-party developers. The 2007Game Critics Awards honored the platform with 38 nominations and 12 wins – more than any other platform.[77][78] By March 2008, the Xbox 360 had reached a softwareattach rate of 7.5 games per console in the US; the rate was 7.0 in Europe, while its competitors were 3.8 (PS3) and 3.5 (Wii), according to Microsoft.[79] At the 2008Game Developers Conference, Microsoft announced that it expected over 1,000 games available for Xbox 360 by the end of the year.[80] As well as enjoying exclusives such as additions to the Halo franchise andGears of War, the Xbox 360 has managed to gain a simultaneous release of games that were initially planned to be PS3 exclusives, includingDevil May Cry 4,[81]Ace Combat 6,[82]Virtua Fighter 5,[83]Grand Theft Auto IV,[84]Final Fantasy XIII,[85]Tekken 6,[86]Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance,[87] andL.A. Noire.[88] In addition, Xbox 360 versions of cross-platform games were generally considered superior to their PS3 counterparts in 2006 and 2007, due in part to the difficulties of programming for the PS3.[89]
TechRadar deemed the Xbox 360 as the most influential game system through its emphasis of digital media distribution, Xbox Live online gaming service, andgame achievement feature.[22] During the console's lifetime, the Xbox brand has grown from gaming-only to encompassing all multimedia, turning it into a hub for "living-room computing environment".[90][20][21]
Microsoft announced the successor to the Xbox 360, theXbox One, on May 21, 2013.[91] On April 20, 2016, Microsoft announced the end of production of new Xbox 360 hardware, though the company will continue to provide hardware and software support for the platform as selected Xbox 360 games are playable on Xbox One.[92] The Xbox 360 continued to be supported by major publishers with new games well into the Xbox One's lifecycle. New titles were still being released in 2018.[93] The Xbox 360 continues to have an active player base years after the system's discontinuation. Speaking toEngadget atE3 2019 after the announcement ofProject Scarlett, the next-generation of Xbox consoles after the Xbox One,Phil Spencer stated that there were still "millions and millions of players" active on the Xbox 360.[94] After the launch of theXbox Series X and S by the end of 2020, the Xbox 360 still had a 17.7% market share of all consoles in use in Mexico; comparatively, newer systems like the Xbox One andPlayStation 4 stood at 36.9% and 18.0% market share, respectively.[95]
Hardware
The Xbox 360 E model, announced atE3 2013, shares many aesthetics with theXbox One.
The main unit of the Xbox 360 itself has slight double concavity in matte white or black. The official color of the white model is Arctic Chill. It features a port on the top when vertical (left side when horizontal) to which a custom-housedhard disk drive unit can be attached.
On the Slim and E models, the hard drive bay is on the bottom when vertical (right side when horizontal) and requires the opening of a concealed door to access it. (This does not void the warranty.) The Xbox 360 Slim/Ehard drives are standard 2.5"SATA laptop drives,[96] but have a custom enclosure and firmware so that the Xbox 360 can recognize it.[97]
The Xbox 360 uses the triple-coreIBM designedXenon as its CPU, with each core capable of simultaneously processing twothreads, and can therefore operate on up to six threads at once.[98]Graphics processing is handled by theATIXenos, which has 10 MB ofeDRAM. Its main memory pool is 512 MB in size.
Originally, the Xbox 360 was equipped with only 256 MB of RAM, butEpic, theGears of War developer, demonstrated to Microsoft that the console should have 512 MB of RAM to deliver much better performance. When asked about this, Epic Games Executive Vice President Mark Rein said in 2006: "So the day they made the decision, we were apparently the first developer they called; we were at Game Developers Conference, was it two years ago, and then I got a call from the chief financial officer of MGS and he said 'I just want you to know you cost me a billion dollars' and I said, 'we did a favour for a billion gamers'."[99]
Various hard disk drives have been produced, including options at 20, 60, 120, 250, 320, or 500 GB.
Many accessories are available for the console, includingboth wired and wireless controllers, faceplates for customization, headsets for chatting, awebcam for video chatting,dance mats andGamercize for exercise, three sizes ofmemory units and six sizes ofhard drives (20, 60, 120, 250 (initially Japan only,[100] but later also available elsewhere[101][102]), 320, and 500 GB), among other items, all of which are styled to match the console.
AKinect sensor device. The Xbox 360 E revision has an additional Xbox logo to the left of the Xbox 360 branding.
Kinect is a "controller-free gaming and entertainment experience" for the Xbox 360. It was first announced on June 1, 2009, at theElectronic Entertainment Expo, under the codename,Project Natal.[104] The add-onperipheral enables users to control and interact with the Xbox 360 without agame controller by using gestures,spoken commands and presented objects and images. The Kinect accessory is compatible with all Xbox 360 models,[105] connecting to new models via a custom connector, and to older ones via a USB and mains power adapter.[106] During theirCES 2010 keynote speech, Robbie Bach and Microsoft CEOSteve Ballmer went on to say that Kinect would be released during the holiday period (November–January) and work with every Xbox 360 console. It was released on November 4, 2010.[107]
Xbox 360 Chatpad from the Messenger Kit attached to a wireless controller
At launch, the Xbox 360 was available in two configurations: the "Xbox 360" package (unofficially known as the 20 GB Pro or Premium), priced at US$399 or£279.99, and the "Xbox 360 Core", priced at US$299 and £209.99. The original shipment of the Xbox 360 version included a cut-down version of the Media Remote as a promotion.[6] The Elite package was launched later at US$479. The "Xbox 360 Core" was replaced by the "Xbox 360 Arcade" in October 2007[108] and a 60 GB version of the Xbox 360 Pro was released on August 1, 2008. The Pro package was discontinued and marked down to US$249 on August 28, 2009, to be sold until stock ran out, while the Elite was also marked down in price to US$299.[109]
Two major hardware revisions of the Xbox 360 have succeeded the original models; the Xbox 360 S (also referred to as the "Slim") replaced the original "Elite" and "Arcade" models in 2010. The S model carries a smaller, streamlined appearance with an angular case, and utilizes a redesigned motherboard designed to alleviate the hardware and overheating issues experienced by prior models. It also includes a proprietary port for use with the Kinect sensor.[23][110][111] The Xbox 360 E, a further streamlined variation of the 360 S with a two-tone rectangular case inspired byXbox One, was released in 2013. In addition to its revised aesthetics, the Xbox 360 E also has one fewer USB port, no AV connector (and thus is HDMI-only), and no longer supportsS/PDIF.[112]
Three red lights on the Xbox 360's ring indicator representing a "General Error requiring service of the Console or Power Adapter", commonly nicknamed the "Red Ring of Death"
The original model of the Xbox 360 has been subject to a number oftechnical problems. Since the console's release in 2005, users have reported concerns over its reliability andfailure rate.[120][121][122]
To aid customers with defective consoles, Microsoft extended the Xbox 360's manufacturer's warranty to three years for hardware failure problems that generate a "General Hardware Failure" error report. A "General Hardware Failure" is recognized on all models released before the Xbox 360 S by three quadrants of the ring around the power button flashing red. This error is often known as the "Red Ring of Death".[123] In April 2009, the warranty was extended to also cover failures related to the E74error code.[124] The warranty extension is not granted for any other types of failures that do not generate these specific error codes.
After these problems surfaced, Microsoft attempted to modify the console to improve its reliability. Modifications included a reduction in the number, size, and placement of components, the addition of dabs of epoxy on the corners and edges of the CPU and GPU as glue to prevent movement relative to the board during heat expansion,[125] and a second GPU heatsink to dissipate more heat.[126] With the release of the redesigned Xbox 360 S, the warranty for the newer models does not include the three-year extended coverage for "General Hardware Failures".[127] The newer Xbox 360 S and E models indicate system overheating when the console's power button begins to flash red, unlike previous models where the first and third quadrant of the ring would light up red around the power button if overheating occurred. The system will then warn the user of imminent system shutdown until the system has cooled,[128] whereas a flashing power button that alternates between green and red is an indication of a "General Hardware Failure" unlike older models where three of the quadrants would light up red.[129]
Six games were initially available in Japan, while eagerly anticipated games such asDead or Alive 4 andEnchanted Arms were released in the weeks following the console's launch.[138] Games targeted specifically for the region, such asChromehounds,Ninety-Nine Nights, andPhantasy Star Universe, were also released in the console's first year.[139] Microsoft also had the support of Japanese developerMistwalker, founded byFinal Fantasy creatorHironobu Sakaguchi. Mistwalker's first game,Blue Dragon, was released in 2006 and had a limited-edition bundle which sold out quickly with over 10,000 pre-orders.[140]Blue Dragon is one of three Xbox 360 games to surpass 200,000 units in Japan, along withTales of Vesperia andStar Ocean: The Last Hope. Mistwalker's second game,Lost Odyssey also sold over 100,000 copies.[141]
By 2015, game releases started to decline as most publishers instead focused on theXbox One. The last official game released for the system wasJust Dance 2019, released on October 23, 2018, in North America, and October 25 in Europe and Australia.
As one of the late updates to the software following its discontinuation, Microsoft will add the ability for Xbox 360 users to use cloud saves even if they do not have Xbox Live Gold prior to the launch of theXbox Series X and Series S in November 2020. The new consoles will have backward compatibility for all Xbox 360 games that are already backward compatible on the Xbox One and can use any Xbox 360 game's cloud saves through this update, making the transition to the new consoles easier.[143]
The Xbox 360's originalgraphical user interface was theXbox 360 Dashboard; atabbed interface that featured five "Blades" (formerly four blades), and was designed byAKQA[144] andAudiobrain. It could be launched automatically when the consolebooted without a disc in it, or when the disc tray was ejected, but the user had the option to select what the console does if a game is in the tray on start up, or if inserted when already on. A simplified version of it was also accessible at any time via the Xbox Guide button on the gamepad.[145] This simplified version showed the user's gamercard, Xbox Live messages and friends list. It also allowed for personal and music settings, in addition to voice or video chats, or returning to the Xbox Dashboard from the game.
On November 19, 2008, the Xbox 360's dashboard was changed from the "Blade" interface to a dashboard reminiscent of that present on the Zune and Windows Media Center, known as the "New Xbox Experience" or NXE.[146]
Since the console's release, Microsoft has released several updates for the Dashboard software.[147][148] These updates have included adding new features to the console, enhancing Xbox Live functionality and multimedia playback capabilities, adding compatibility for new accessories, and fixing bugs in the software. Such updates are mandatory for users wishing to use Xbox Live, as access to Xbox Live is disabled until the update is performed.[citation needed]
At E3 2008, at Microsoft's Show, Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg and Marc Whitten announced the new Xbox 360 interface called the "New Xbox Experience" (NXE). The update was intended to ease console menu navigation. Its GUI uses the Twist UI, previously used inWindows Media Center and theZune. Its new Xbox Guide retains all Dashboard functionality (including the Marketplace browser and disk ejection) and the original "Blade" interface (although the color scheme has been changed to match that of the NXE Dashboard).[149]
The NXE also provides many new features. Users can now install games from disc to the hard drive to play them with reduced load time and less disc drive noise, but each game's disc must remain in the system in order to run. A new, built-in Community system allows the creation of digitizedAvatars that can be used for multiple activities, such as sharing photos or playingArcade games like1 vs. 100. The update was released on November 19, 2008.[150]
While previous system updates have been stored on internal memory, the NXE update was the first to require a storage device—at least a 128 MB memory card or ahard drive.[151]
Microsoft released a further update to the Xbox 360 Dashboard starting on December 6, 2011.[152] It included a completely new user interface which utilizes Microsoft'sMetro design language and added new features such as cloud storage for game saves and profiles, live television,Bing voice search,[153] access to YouTube videos and better support for Kinect voice commands.[154]
Multimedia
The Xbox 360 supports videos inWindows Media Video (WMV) format (includinghigh-definition andPlaysForSure videos), as well asH.264 andMPEG-4 media. The December 2007 dashboard update added support for the playback ofMPEG-4 ASP format videos.[155] The console can alsodisplay pictures and perform slideshows of photo collections with various transition effects, and supports audio playback, withmusic player controls accessible through the Xbox 360 Guide button. Users may play back their own music while playing games or using the dashboard and can play music with an interactive visual synthesizer.
Music, photos and videos can be played from standard USBmass storage devices, Xbox 360 proprietarystorage devices (such as memory cards or Xbox 360 hard drives), and servers or computers withWindows Media Center orWindows XP withService pack 2 or higher within the local-area network in streaming mode.[156][157] As the Xbox 360 uses a modified version of theUPnP AV protocol,[158][unreliable source?] some alternative UPnP servers such as uShare (part of theGeeXboX project) andMythTV can also stream media to the Xbox 360, allowing for similar functionality from non-Windows servers. This is possible with video files up to HD-resolution and with severalcodecs (MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV) andcontainer formats (WMV, MOV, TS).[159]
As of October 27, 2009,[160] UK and Ireland users are also able to access live and on-demand streams ofSky television programming.[161]
At the 2007, 2008, and 2009Consumer Electronics Shows, Microsoft had announced thatIPTV services would soon be made available to use through the Xbox 360. In 2007, Microsoft chairmanBill Gates stated that IPTV on Xbox 360 was expected to be available to consumers by the holiday season, using theMicrosoft TV IPTV Edition platform.[162] In 2008, Gates and president of Entertainment & DevicesRobbie Bach announced a partnership withBT in the United Kingdom, in which theBT Vision advanced TV service, using the newerMicrosoft Mediaroom IPTV platform, would be accessible via Xbox 360, planned for the middle of the year.[163] BT Vision's DVR-based features would not be available on Xbox 360 due to limited hard drive capacity.[164] In 2010, while announcing version 2.0 of Microsoft Mediaroom, Microsoft CEOSteve Ballmer mentioned that AT&T'sU-verse IPTV service would enable Xbox 360s to be used as set-top boxes later in the year.[165] As of January 2010, IPTV on Xbox 360 has yet to be deployed beyond limited trials.[citation needed]
In 2012, Microsoft released the Live Event Player, allowing for events such as video game shows, beauty pageants, award shows, concerts, news and sporting events to be streamed on the console via Xbox Live. The first live events streamed on Live were the 2012Revolver Golden Gods, Microsoft'sE3 2012 media briefing and theMiss Teen USA 2012 beauty pageant.[citation needed]
XNA Community is a feature whereby Xbox 360 owners can receive community-created games, made with Microsoft XNA Game Studio, from the XNA Creators Club. The games are written, published, and distributed through a community managed portal. XNA Community provides a channel for digital videogame delivery over Xbox Live that can be free of royalties, publishers and licenses.[166][167] XNA game sales, however, did not meet original expectations,[168] thoughXbox Live Indie Games (XBLIG) has had some "hits".[citation needed]
When the Xbox 360 was released, Microsoft's online gaming service Xbox Live was shut down for 24 hours and underwent a major upgrade, adding a basic non-subscription service called Xbox Live Silver (later renamed Xbox Live Free) to its already established premium subscription-based service (which was renamed Gold). Xbox Live Free is included with allSKUs of the console. It allows users to create a user profile, join onmessage boards, and access Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and Marketplace and talk to other members.[169][170] A Live Free account does not generally support multiplayer gaming; however, some games that have rather limited online functions already (such asViva Piñata) and games that feature their own subscription service (e.g.EA Sports games) can be played with a Free account. Xbox Live also supports voice, a feature possible with the Xbox Live Vision.[171]
Xbox Live Gold includes the same features as Free and includes integratedonline game playing capabilities outside of third-party subscriptions. Microsoft has allowed previous Xbox Live subscribers to maintain their profile information,friends list, and games history when they make the transition to Xbox Live Gold. To transfer an Xbox Live account to the new system, users need to link aWindows Live ID to their gamertag on Xbox.com.[172] When users add an Xbox Live enabled profile to their console, they are required to provide the console with their passport account information and the last four digits of theircredit card number, which is used for verification purposes and billing. An Xbox Live Gold account has an annual cost of US$59.99,C$59.99,NZ$90.00,£39.99, or €59.99. On January 5, 2011, Xbox Live reached over 30 million subscribers.[173]
The Xbox Live Marketplace was a virtual market designed for the console that allows Xbox Live users to download purchased or promotional content. The service offers movie and game trailers,game demos, Xbox Live Arcade games and Xbox 360 Dashboard themes as well as add-on game content (items, costumes, levels etc.). These features are available to both Free and Gold members on Xbox Live. A hard drive or memory unit is required to store products purchased from Xbox Live Marketplace.[174] In order to download priced content, users are required to purchaseMicrosoft Points for use asscrip;[175] though some products (such as trailers and demos) are free to download. Microsoft Points can be obtained through prepaid cards in 1,600 and 4,000-point denominations. Microsoft Points can also be purchased through Xbox Live with a credit card in 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000-point denominations. Users are able to view items available to download on the service through a PC via theXbox Live Marketplace website.[176] An estimated 70 percent of Xbox Live users have downloaded items from the Marketplace.[177] The Xbox 360 Marketplace was discontinued on July 29, 2024.[178]
Xbox Live Arcade is an online service operated by Microsoft that is used to distribute downloadable video games to Xbox and Xbox 360 owners. In addition to classicarcade games such asMs. Pac-Man, the service offers some new original games likeAssault Heroes. The Xbox Live Arcade also features games from other consoles, such as thePlayStation gameCastlevania: Symphony of the Night andPC games such asZuma. The service was first launched on November 3, 2004,[179] using a DVD to load, and offered games for about US$5 to $15. Items are purchased using Microsoft Points, a proprietary currency used to reduce credit card transaction charges. On November 22, 2005, Xbox Live Arcade was re-launched with the release of the Xbox 360, in which it was now integrated with the Xbox 360's dashboard. The games are generally aimed toward more casual gamers; examples of the more popular games areGeometry Wars,Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting, andUno.[180] On March 24, 2010, Microsoft introduced theGame Room to Xbox Live. Game Room is a gaming service for Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows that lets players compete in classic arcade and console games in a virtual arcade.[181]
On November 6, 2006, Microsoft announced the Xbox Video Marketplace, an exclusive video store accessible through the console. Launched in the United States on November 22, 2006, the first anniversary of the Xbox 360's launch, the service allows users in the United States to download high-definition and standard-definition television shows and movies onto an Xbox 360 console for viewing. With the exception of short clips, content is not currently[when?] available for streaming, and must be downloaded. Movies are also available for rental. They expire in 14 days after download or at the end of the first 24 hours after the movie has begun playing, whichever comes first. Television episodes can be purchased to own, and are transferable to an unlimited number of consoles. Downloaded files use 5.1surround audio and are encoded usingVC-1 for video at 720p, with abitrate of 6.8 Mbit/s.[182] Television content is offered from MTV,VH1,Comedy Central,Turner Broadcasting, andCBS; and movie content isWarner Bros.,Paramount, andDisney, along with other publishers.[183]
After the Spring 2007 update, the followingvideo codecs are supported:
H.264 video support: Up to 15 Mbit/s, Baseline, Main, and High (up to level 4.1) Profiles with2 channel AAC LC and Main Profiles.
MPEG-4 Part 2 video support: Up to 8 Mbit/s, Simple Profile with 2 channel AAC LC and Main Profiles.
As a late addition to the December Xbox 360 update, 25 movies were added to the European Xbox 360 video market place on the December 11, 2007 and cost 250 Microsoft points for the SD version of the movie and 380 points for the HD version of the movie.[184] Xbox Live members in Canada featured the ability to go on the Xbox Live Marketplace also as of December 11, 2007 with around 30 movies to be downloaded for the same number of Microsoft Points.[185]
On May 26, 2009, Microsoft announced it would release theZune HD (in the fall of 2009), which was then the next addition to theZune product range. This was of an impact on the Xbox Live Video Store as it was also announced that the Zune Video Marketplace and the Xbox Live Video Store will be merged to form theZune Marketplace, which will be arriving on Xbox Live in 7 countries initially, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Italy, Germany, Ireland and Spain.[186] Further details were released at the Microsoft press conference atE3 2009.[187]
On October 16, 2012, Xbox Video and Xbox Music were released, replacing the Zune Marketplace. Xbox Video is a digital video service on that offers full HD movies and TV series for purchase or rental on Xbox 360, Windows 8,Windows RT PCs andtablets, and Windows Phones.[188]
On August 18, 2015, Microsoft rolled out an update renaming it Movies and TV similar to the Windows 10 App.[189]
Xbox SmartGlass allows for integration between the Xbox 360 console and mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones.[191] An app is available on Android, Windows Phone 8 and iOS. Users of the feature can view additional content to accompany the game they are playing, or the TV shows and movies they are watching. They can also use their mobile device as a remote to control the Xbox 360.[192] The SmartGlass functionality can also be found in the Xbox 360's successor, theXbox One.
Game development
PartnerNet, the developers-only alternativeXbox Live network used by developers to beta test game content developed forXbox Live Arcade,[193] runs on Xbox 360debug kits, which are used both by developers and by the gaming press. In a podcast released on February 12, 2007, a developer breached the PartnerNetnon-disclosure agreement (NDA) by commenting that he had found a playable version ofAlien Hominid and an unplayable version ofIkaruga on PartnerNet. A few video game journalists, misconstruing the breach of the NDA as an invalidation of the NDA, immediately began reporting on other games being tested via PartnerNet, including a remake ofJetpac.[194] (Alien Hominid for the Xbox 360 was released on February 28 of that year, andIkaruga was released over a year later on April 9, 2008.Jetpac was released for the Xbox 360 on March 28, 2007, asJetpac Refuelled). There have also been numerous video and screenshot leaks of game footage on PartnerNet, as well as a complete version ofSonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, which caused for the whole PartnerNet service to be shut down overnight on April 3, 2010.[195] In the following days,Microsoft reminded developers and journalists that they were in breach of NDA by sharing information about PartnerNet content and asked websites to remove lists of games in development that were discovered on the service.[196] Sega used feedback from fans about the leaked version of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I to refine it before they eventually released it.[197] Additionally, a pair of hackers played their modded Halo 3 games on PartnerNet in addition to using PartnerNet to find unreleased and untested software. The hackers passed this information along to their friends before they were eventually caught by Bungie. Consequently, Bungie left a message for the hackers on PartnerNet which read "Winners Don't Break Into PartnerNet".[198] Other games that were leaked in the PartnerNet fiasco includeShenmue andShenmue II.[199]
^abcThorsen, Tor (June 14, 2010)."New $200 Xbox 360 planned, Elite & Arcade getting $50 price cut".GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived fromthe original on June 17, 2010. RetrievedJune 17, 2010.Moore said that Microsoft is currently working on a second new Xbox 360, which will be offered at the arcade's price point of $200. He declined to say what functionalities the cheaper model would or would not have. ... One likely scenario is the cheaper model will essentially be a slim arcade with no Wi-Fi capabilities or a hard drive. ... Moore also said that going forward, all future models of the Xbox 360 would not have names and would only be designated by their memory capacity.
^"BT and Microsoft Announce Partnership to Deliver Powerful, First-of-its-Kind Entertainment Experience to Consumers Through Xbox 360" (Press release). Microsoft. January 8, 2008. Archived fromthe original on January 8, 2008. RetrievedJanuary 7, 2010.All BT broadband customers will have the unique opportunity to receive the best in high-definition gaming, television and movies through an Xbox 360 console, in a powerful, all-in-one entertainment experience. BT Vision, which is powered by the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) platform, plans to make this first-of-its-kind device and service offering available to customers in the middle of 2008.
^"Steve Ballmer and Robbie Bach Keynote: 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show" (Press release). Microsoft. January 6, 2010. Archived fromthe original on January 14, 2010. RetrievedJanuary 7, 2010.J.D. Power and Associates have recently rated AT&T Uverse TV the best-rated, highest-rated residential TV satisfaction in the United States Southern and Western Regions for the second year in a row. I'm happy to announce that later this year AT&T will also enable subscribers toU-Verse to enjoy that service on their Xbox 360 consoles.
^Barker, Ben (September 19, 2005)."Xbox Live The Silver Age" (Press release). Microsoft. Archived fromthe original on February 4, 2009. RetrievedSeptember 30, 2006.
^Gettys, Jim W. (September 17, 2005)."More than Games" (Press release). Microsoft. Archived fromthe original on September 8, 2006. RetrievedSeptember 30, 2006.
^Gettys, Jim W. (August 19, 2005)."To Hard Drive or Not?" (Press release). Microsoft. Archived fromthe original on April 27, 2007. RetrievedSeptember 30, 2006.
^Barker, Ben (September 20, 2005)."Xbox 360 Get the Points" (Press release). Microsoft. Archived fromthe original on January 23, 2009. RetrievedSeptember 30, 2006.
