Is Xbox Made In America

Sixth Generation Of Video Game Consoles

In the , the sixth-generation era is the era of and video games, , and available at the turn of the 21st century, starting on November 27, 1998. in the sixth generation include consoles from four companies: the , , , and . This era began on November 27, 1998, with the Japanese release of the Dreamcast, which was joined by the PlayStation 2 on March 4, 2000, and the GameCube and Xbox on November 15, 2001. In April 2001, the Dreamcast was the first to be discontinued. The GameCube was next, in 2007, the Xbox on March 2, 2009, and the PlayStation 2 on January 4, 2013. Meanwhile, the started on November 22, 2005 with the launch of the .

for most consoles largely fell by the wayside during this era, with the notable exceptions being promotions for the Dreamcast and PS2 that advertised “128-bit graphics” at the start of the generation. The number of “bits” cited in this way in console names refers to the , and had been used by hardware marketing departments as a “show of power” for many years. However, there is little to be gained from increasing the word size much beyond 32 or 64 bits because, once this level is reached, performance depends on more varied factors, such as processor , , and .

Xbox Facts And History

Here are some interesting data and facts regarding the history of the Xbox.

7. The idea of creating the Xbox began in 1998.

According to original Xbox facts, four gentlemen Kevin Bachus, Ted Hase, Otto Berkes, and Seamus Blackley came up with the idea of creating Microsofts first console game.

The four pitched the idea to Bill Gates, and thankfully he accepted their proposal. And here we are today.

8. It took Microsoft just 20 months to launch the Xbox.

Imagine the process of launching a product. You think of years and years of feasibility studies, conceptualization, design, all the way to implementation and launch.

Well, not for Microsoft.

Everything from start to finish took under two years. Xbox game stats show that during the very first season after creation, the company sold 1.5 million units.

9. The first season following Xboxs launch earned Microsoft $750 million.

The Xbox was such a hit with game players during its early days. Xbox facts and statistics show that by the fourth year, the company had already sold 21 million units!

10. Microsoft only sold 123,000 units the first week after release in Japan.

The reception of the Xbox in Japan wasnt as great as it was in the US.

To turn things around, the company slashed the prices in half. And it worked! More and more people from the region started purchasing the units.

Second Generation: Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 was released as the successor of the original Xbox in November 2005, competing with Sony‘s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo‘s Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles. As of June 2014, 84 million Xbox 360 consoles have been sold worldwide. The Xbox 360 was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detailed launch and game information divulged later that month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo . The console sold out completely upon release in all regions except in Japan. Several retail configurations of the core Xbox 360 model were offered over its lifetime, varying the amount of RAM and internal storage offered.

The Xbox 360 showed an expanded Xbox Live service , the ability to stream multimedia content from PCs, while later updates added the ability to purchase and stream music, television programs, and films through the Xbox Music and Xbox Video services, along with access to third-party content services through third-party media streaming applications. Microsoft also released Kinect, a motion control system for the Xbox 360 which uses an advanced sensor system.

The second major revision of the Xbox 360 was the Xbox 360 E, released in 2013. It featured a case style similar to the upcoming Xbox One, and eliminated one USB port and the S/PDIF, YPbPr component and S-video connections, but otherwise shared the same specifications as the Xbox 360 S.

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Going Head To Head Xbox One Vs Ps4

The dispute over consoles came to a head in November 2013, when the PS4 and Xbox One were unveiled to the world, just seven days apart.

PS4 might be killing it with worldwide sales at 35.9million to Xbox Ones 20million, but whats the situation at home? Using Google Search Data we looked at which states searched the most for which console: PS4 or Xbox One.

Surprisingly, it turns out we arent as torn on our gaming searches as our politics, with the US-made Xbox One topping the list in every state. Thats aside from one very important state in the gaming and tech world.

Home to Silicon Valley, California is the spiritual home of technology. It seems Californians are all about their PS4. Is there something developers and tech pioneers know that we dont? Are Apple, Google and Tesla employees deliberately choosing a console that wont see money going into Microsoft pockets?

Emulation And Retro Gaming

Because of the increased computing power of video game consoles and the widespread usage of , the sixth generation saw the rise of console emulation and retro gaming on a vast scale. Many games for older systems were updated with superior graphics or sound and re-released for current consoles. Commonly emulated games included those released for the , the , the , the , and the .

Also during this generation, the computing power of handheld consoles became capable of supporting games made for some of the earliest gaming consoles and several companies released remakes of classic games for the handhelds. Nintendo introduced a line of NES and SNES games for its Game Boy Advance handheld, including remakes such as and Nintendo’s . Also, an increasing number of , including , , , , and , released collections of some of their old games. Additionally, many video games and video game series that were originally confined to Japan were released in North America and Europe for the first time.

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Is Xbox Made In Usa

As of September 2014, Xbox One is being manufactured in Shanghai, China. The American company, Microsoft developed Xbox and gave a contract to Flextronics for the manufacture of its consoles. Xbox 360 was manufactured by Flextronics, Wistron, Celestica and Foxconn, all of whom have manufacturing units in South China.

Initial Announcement And Content Acquisitions

Gates first publicly mentioned the Xbox in an interview in late 1999, stating that he wanted the system “to be the platform of choice for the best and most creative game developers in the world”. It was later announced officially by Gates in a keynote presentation at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose on March 10, 2000, showing off an early prototype build of the system and a series of demos showcasing its hardware. The presentation and the new system were well-received, impressing developers with both the hard drive and the Ethernet port and appealing to them with the notion of easy-to-use development tools.

Microsoft began looking at a series of acquisitions and partnerships to secure content for the console at this time. In early 2000, Sega’s Dreamcast sales were diminishing, in part due to Electronic Arts‘ decision to bypass the console, and Sony’s PlayStation 2 was just going on sale in Japan. Gates was in talks with Sega’s late chairman Isao Okawa about the possibility of Xbox compatibility with Dreamcast games, but negotiations fell apart over whether the Dreamcast’s SegaNet online service should be implemented. Microsoft also looked to acquire Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Square Enix, and Midway without success. The company did achieve success in convincing developers at Bethesda Game Studios and Tecmo about the power of the Xbox over the PS2, lining up The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Dead or Alive 3 as Xbox console-exclusives.

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A Look Back At Xbox’s Missteps In Japan And How The Series X/s Can Right The Ship For Microsoft With Japanese Players

2020, as most of us are aware, is one of the most challenging years in living memory. The worldwide impact of COVID-19 has derailed globally-anticipated events like the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo into next year. This week, the Tokyo Game Show has gone virtual for the first time since it was founded in 1996, transforming the usually public event that draws over 250 thousand people annually into a streaming event like every other game show before it in 2020. By the time you read this, Microsoft and its Xbox platform will have embraced the challenge in Japan head-on, with a TGS-tailored introduction to the Xbox Series X and S courtesy of Phil Spencer, Executive VP of Gaming at Microsoft. Despite past struggles to win over the Japanese video game consumer, Microsoft has a plan to course correct.

Fourth Generation: Xbox Series X And Series S

The fourth generation of Xbox models, simply named Xbox, includes the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S that launched on November 10, 2020. Both are considered members of the ninth generation of video game consoles alongside the PlayStation 5, also released that month.

The Xbox Series X and Series S are high- and low-end versions comparable to the Xbox One X and Xbox One S models, respectively, with all games designed for this model family playable on both systems. The Xbox Series X is estimated to be four times as powerful as Xbox One X, with support for 8K resolution and up to 120 frames-per-second rendering, with a nominal target of 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. The Xbox Series S is a digital-only unit with less graphic processing power, but can still render at a nominal 1440p resolution at 60 frames per second with support for 4K upscaling. Both consoles features support for new graphics rendering systems including real-time ray-tracing, and the new Xbox Velocity Architecture that works with the internal SSD drive to maximize the rate of texture streaming to the graphics processor, among other features. Besides games for this new console family, both consoles are fully compatible with all Xbox One games and most hardware, as well as all backward compatible games that were playable on the Xbox One from the Xbox 360 and original Xbox console.

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The History Of The Xbox

The original Xbox launched late in 2001, nearly nineteen years ago. A lot has changed with the brand since then, bringing more power, more exclusives, and more value to consumers around the world. Now, the brand is set to reimagine itself yet again when the Xbox Series X releases this holiday season.

But before we move forward, why not take a look back at what brought us here in the first place? Xbox has a storied history what started out as a simple project has evolved into one of the most profitable gaming brands in the entire industry and it might help us figure out what we can expect from the company moving forward.

Is Xbox Or Playstation More Popular In Japan

The difference is staggering clear. Although Xbox and PlayStation have enjoyed a healthy rivalry all over the world, theres no competition in Japan, where the PlayStation console comes out as an obvious winner. Whichever games console you prefer, the Xboxs lack of popularity in Japan has baffled various experts.

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Water Supply And Sanitation

Responsibility for the water and sanitation sector is shared between the , in charge of water supply for domestic use the , in charge of water resources development as well as sanitation the , in charge of ambient water quality and environmental preservation and the , in charge of performance benchmarking of utilities. Access to an is universal in Japan. About 98% of the population receives piped water supply from public utilities.

Xbox Family Settings App

In May 2020, Xbox presented a preview version of an app that allows parents and guardians to set daily limits for their children’s playing time, provides weekly activity reports, filters out age-restricted games, and places limits on online communication. This is the attempt of Microsoft, Xbox’s owner, to promote a message of responsible gaming. The full release is expected in the end of 2020 or later.

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Xbox Games Facts And Statistics

Here are additional facts and stats just for you:

27. Xbox Live Gold pricing will remain the same in 2021.

Microsoft had planned to increase its packages by $1 and $5 for its one-month and 3-month memberships, respectively. According to Xbox facts, the company is not going to change its rates as of Jan 2021.

28. The retail value of Xbox Live Gold membership was $1080 in 2020.

Microsoft launched Xbox Live in 2002, and it was an instant hit.

In 2006, it was worth $930 which has steadily been going up over the years. According to Xbox Live statistics, its value was almost at $1100 by Q4 of 2020.

29. The weekly usage for Xbox One for both online and offline gaming is 50%.

According to Ps4 vs. Xbox One stats, ½ the usage of the Xbox One consoles goes to gaming. That is much more than PS4 utilization for the same, which amounts to 48%.

30. The most powerful console on the globe is the Xbox One X.

Are you looking for a powerful console?

Worry not, weve got you!

According to Xbox One X statistics, the console has 40% power compared to any other console.

31. The Xbox One X has a 6 teraflop GPU.

If you like top-notch virtual reality, this might be the machine for you. According to Xbox One X stats, the console enables characters to become as real as humanly possible with 4k environments.

32. Xbox One S weighs about 4kgs.

33. Microsoft discontinued Xbox One S and Xbox One X in 2020.

This was, however, in preparation for a new and better product that well talk about very soon.

A Look Back On The Original Xbox

While the Xbox One might be Microsofts latest and greatest console, sometimes going back to a systems roots results in finding something just as fun whats on store shelves today. I recently purchased an original Xbox and plenty of games for it, and its great to see how it all started. The system was Microsofts attempt to get into the console market back in 2001, and it ended up revolutionizing it.

The original Xbox was the most powerful console in the sixth generation of consoles, and was also the very first console with a hard drive. This meant that gamers no longer had to keep buying memory cards, like with the PS2 and Gamecube, or rely on save batteries in cartridges like the Gameboy Advance. This also gave the Xbox the ability to store ripped music from CDs and downloadable content .

The systems processor was a custom made 733MHz Pentium III, and the GPU was a custom card made by Nvidia with capabilities similar to the GeForce 3 Ti500, the system also had 64MB of RAM, and a 8GB hard drive. For comparison, the PlayStation 2 had a 294MHz processor , 32MB of RAM. There was no hard drive, although external ones could be purchased.

The cord for each controller also featured a fairly innovative design, too. Each cord had a breakaway cable on the end, which would disconnect from the controller if yanked too hard. This prevented any of the usual damage youd expect from pulling the cord, and its actually helpful.

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All Xbox Console Models & Generations Ever Released

Back in 2001, the first Xbox console was released. After some ups and downs, the franchise made its way to success! Here is a list of all the Xbox Consoles ever released, along with some useful info about the hardware & more!

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Microsoft has always been a PC software vendor since 1972, but in 2001 they also released their first console. They joined the console market at a pretty rough period, being around some high competition against Sony, Sega, and Nintendo.

Despite the everlasting competition and several drawbacks, the Xbox brand managed to become a household name in gaming, worldwide. Microsoft has sold over 150 million consoles since.

CPU: Intel Pentium III 733 MHzGPU: NVDIA NV2A 233 MHzMemory: 64 MB DDR SDRAMHard Drive: 8 GB HDDOptical Drive: CD Rom, DVD RomVideo Output: S-Video, SCART Network: Fast EthernetAudio: 5.1 Surround Sound, Stereo

Release Date: November 15, 2001Code Name: DirectX BoxUnits Sold: 24+ million Best-selling Game: Halo 2. 8 million

You can still buy the original Xbox from .

The consoles prototype was put together at first as a side project, using Dell laptop parts and then Microsoft decided to redesign it. This led Xbox to use the PCs x86 architecture, a build that was very rare for a console at the time. Microsoft engineers originally called the console DirectX Box, named after the DirectX graphics technology, that was developed for PC gaming and later was shortened to Xbox.

Xboxs Complicated Relationship With Japan

Have you played Xbox Series X?

Lets first look back at the history of Xbox in Japan. That it never caught on outside of a small group of dedicated players is an understatement, with the Xbox 360 being the most successful in the console family. It helps to remember that in the early days of the original Xbox, Japanese game publishers dominated the console landscape, from the early days of the Nintendo Entertainment System, all the way through to the halcyon era of the Dreamcast and Gamecube. Microsoft understood this and desired to be part of the conversation.

I think it had a terrible negative effect, he says. In Japan, the PlayStation 4 was released six months prior any of the one million-plus Japanese Xbox 360 users purchased the PS4 because they couldnt wait to play on a next-generation console. I also think that the 10,000 yen price difference , due to the inclusion of the Kinect, was a deterring factor.

Further exacerbating matters was the fact that many of the Xbox 360s small but loyal Japanese fanbase had already imported an Xbox One from the USA, and had already imported most of the games available at the Japanese launch, as well. Most of the games were already released on other platforms, Munetatsu explains, And even the Xbox One-exclusive titles were already titles released overseas. nothing new. It was disappointing to see that there werent any new titles specific to the Japanese launch.

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