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The Xbox 360 Turns 5

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 XboxBirthday

5 Years ago, the Xbox 360 was born. The console was released on November 22, 2005 in the US and Canada; December 2, 2005 in Europe; and December 10, 2005 in Japan. We got it locally nearly a year later – but we actually got it, unlike the previous Xbox. It’s gone on to sell 44.6 million units globally, making it a pretty damned successful machine. With the recent release of Kinect, Microsoft hopes to extend the console’s  life – which already exceeds that of the original Xbox.

I’m on my 3rd Xbox 360 (and 2nd PS3, if anybody’s counting), although one of them died at the hands of Thor as opposed to the infamous RROD. My most cherished Xbox 360 memory? Playing Gears of War, in HD, was a sort of console revelation – and made me realise that this generation of gaming would be pretty damned mind-blowing.

It’s time for a reader participation two-fer! How many of you picked up the console at launch – and how many of you are still playing on that same console? Nobody? Right then…How many 360’s have you been through? And what’s been your defining Xbox 360 moment?

Last Updated: November 23, 2010

29 Comments

  1. koldFU5iON

    November 23, 2010 at 11:50

    I’ve been through 1 Xbox, got a new one sold it and upgraded to th elite… one of my highlights of my xbox was setting up a PS3 lobby for Resistance and using the XBOX party Chat to make it work … I know right. That and the good ol’ Gears of War wingman tournaments sigh … those were the days

    Reply

  2. Bobby Kotick for Dummies

    November 23, 2010 at 11:57

    Happy birthday box, you bloody agent, bane of my life.

    I’m still on my 4th (an elite that I got last year), when it dies (and it will), I’ll be officially free from the box… or will I?

    I wonder when Microsoft will drop the replacement programme, probably in the next two years or so, since the new xbox 360 S is supposed to be “RROD free” 😆 .

    Reply

  3. Fox1

    November 23, 2010 at 12:07

    Purchased: Launch day :cheerful:
    First game: PGR 3 :w00t:
    No. of Consoles: 3(1 pro + 2 Elites) :devil:
    Greatest Memory: Playing PGR3 and looking cool on track :dizzy:

    Reply

  4. GooseZA

    November 23, 2010 at 12:08

    Never had a problem with any of the xboxes I’ve had. Favourite xbox moments? Seeing Gears in HD for the first time, Mass Effect.

    Reply

  5. Bobby Kotick for Dummies

    November 23, 2010 at 12:10

    My definitive xbox 360 moment: The first time I hooked up the box to the HD TV and basked in the glory of Gears of War 1.

    Reply

  6. Atomic

    November 23, 2010 at 12:17

    My defining moment was when MS Skrewed me out of my goden lancer in Gears Of War 2, then I realised I should have bought a PS3 instead…

    Reply

  7. Bobby Kotick for Dummies

    November 23, 2010 at 12:18

    “Never had a problem with any of the xboxes I’ve had”

    xboxes (plural)
    Had (simple past tense):

    So did you buy more than one for no reason whatsoever and are they no longer in existence (but didn’t break down). I am confused. :pinch:

    Reply

  8. Aussious

    November 23, 2010 at 12:35

    Wow I most can’t believe it, I remember how I cringed when I heard that MS was getting into gaming the thought of an MS made console made wanna riot!I hated the first Xbox and all it represented that it represented but the 360 surprised me it changed my opinion about MS, yes there were hardware faults, but Mass Effect,Gears of War and Call of Duty 2 made it worthwhile…

    Reply

  9. FreeStanler

    November 23, 2010 at 12:40

    Hey man, I know this is completely off-topic…on which console do you play Black Ops, and why?

    Reply

  10. FreeStanler

    November 23, 2010 at 12:45

    Had only 1 Xbox for over a year, which is probably not that long. Best moment was when I inserted my first game, Far Cry 2, and saw the bloody amazing graphics as the character was driven through the African landscape, hearing Afrikaans and Zulu to boot! I was stunned. I knew this was going to be a beautiful relationship.

    2nd best moment: realizing my wife thinks the Xbox is one of the best investments, because now its so easy to download and stream shows/movies through it! Happy wife, happy life. :wub:

    Reply

  11. Mitas

    November 23, 2010 at 12:54

    lol , u crack me up !

    Been through 3 ( all 20gig models ) defining xbox 360 moment ? playing horde mode in gears 2 , right before everything went fuzzy

    Reply

  12. Bobby Kotick for Dummies

    November 23, 2010 at 13:03

    PS3 version of Black Ops, and why? Because all my friends are on PS3 now.

    Reply

  13. Bobby Kotick for Dummies

    November 23, 2010 at 13:05

    I actually prefer the first box over the 360, because they were the new kids on the block, and for once they actually offered something unique (online gaming through Live that WORKED!). Granted the original xbox had the most atrocious controller ever created. It was an unwieldy monstrosity that gave anyone with normal hands carpal tunnel syndrome…

    The xbox 360 is where I got off the bus, having been pleasantly surprised by the xbox 1, and dismally disappointed by the 360.

    Reply

  14. Uberutang

    November 23, 2010 at 13:13

    5 Xbox 360’s
    One is still alive for the odd ‘must’ play exclusive.
    Once it dies my relationship with the xbox brand is over.

    Got Gears a day before I got the 360… frakin longest wait to play a game ever.

    Best memories was RIP vs REC : Rainbow 6 Vegas.

    Happy happy Xbox days that, before the first 360 RROD’ed and when Xbox live SA was ‘just around the corner’.

    Reply

  15. nazcanlines

    November 23, 2010 at 13:24

    I’m on my 3rd xbox and I have had some glorious times with this machine. Got a ps3 about a year, but the xbox still gets most of my time. However, my warranty ran out about a month ago and once this one dies i don’t think I will replace it, primary reason being that it is so noisy unless i install games that it costs me precious immersion. However, I will dearly miss the controller, I find the ps3 triggers incredibly awkward. I just hope my machine holds out til gears 3. Oh and the xbox interface is beautiful and I will miss it when im resigned to forever staring at the barebones ps3 xmb

    Reply

  16. Dooza

    November 23, 2010 at 13:26

    I have a Xbox 360 Pro the 60GB one, Gears Of War didn’t wanna run on my PC so I bought a Xbox 360, best moment so far when me and my brother played Gears co-op for the 1st time in HD, it was so freaking awesome. I’m still on my 1st xbox and I’m hoping that it keeps behaving for at least a couple of years

    Reply

  17. Milesh Bhana

    November 23, 2010 at 13:54

    i’m on my 3rd xbox, only 1 broke (DVD drive not RRoD), the second was an upgrade to an elite because it actually worked out cheaper to sell my 20GB Pro and buy an Elite than it did to buy that rediculously overpriced 120GB HDD. (this was just before they allowed usb mem sticks and external drives)

    Best memories: First time i played the following
    Gears of War
    Table Tennis (what an impressive launch title)
    Guitar Hero 2 (the beginning of a horrible addiction)
    Rock Band (drums!!!!)
    COD:Modern Warfare.

    Reply

  18. Rez

    November 23, 2010 at 14:03

    Had an Xbox for exactly years. Still on first one.

    Defining moment: Winning a chainsaw duel in GOW 2 for the first time.

    Reply

  19. Rez

    November 23, 2010 at 14:03

    *exactly 2 years

    Reply

  20. Sarelseemonster

    November 23, 2010 at 14:31

    Had my 360’s for 4 and 1/2 years now. not the same one that I imported of course…RRoD killed it… 2nd one also died a few months after…got the 3rd, still kicking it. But rather play on PS3 for everything now except Xbox360 exclusives. I wont replace it if it dies. Best memories is Gears of War and Call of Duty 2 online.
    PGR was also great fun when it launched.

    Reply

  21. Hadlee

    November 23, 2010 at 15:39

    On my third one at the moment. All Xbox Pro models though.

    Have to say my greatest memory is getting outdoors for the first time in Oblivion.

    Reply

  22. Geoffrey Tim

    November 23, 2010 at 15:43

    Another “holy shit” moment for me was the beautiful, underappreciated Kameo. the first time you encountered hordes of enemies on screen? Mind blown!

    Reply

  23. Bobby Kotick for Dummies

    November 23, 2010 at 16:17

    I forgot about Oblivion 😀 Pure Joy!

    Reply

  24. Sethy

    November 23, 2010 at 17:08

    I had one that lasted for a year. Defining moment when they told me I had to pay to exchange the console. I had it fixed twice by a third party but the third time it was screwed. I bought a ps3 the same day, the proof of purchase is locked in the safe just in case

    Reply

  25. Maxiviper117

    November 23, 2010 at 17:09

    I got my Xbox 360 back in December 2006 and it Finally breathed it’s last breathes at the beginning of this year. So I have only owned one Xbox 360 which lasted 3 YEARS, think that’s a miracle.

    Sadly I could not trade it in for a new one because the warranty was finished and I tampered with the case so they rejected it. can’t afford a new one at the moment but I still want another one, luckly my PS3 is alive and kicking.

    Reply

  26. xdvd

    November 23, 2010 at 20:27

    I have had 3 xbox 360 consoles (first lasted 1 and half years – rrod, second died of faulty disc drive which I replaced and sold to buy new xbox s halo reach edition) and 3 ps3 consoles ( first and second died of faulty disc drives and third is a 60 gig bought second hand).I bought my first xbox 360 on launch with condemned, far cry instincts predator and oblivion which were all awesome and a great introduction to hd gaming. My first standout moment was with gears of war with it’s ahead of it’s time unreal 3 graphics and awesome co-op.

    Reply

  27. RSA-Ace

    November 23, 2010 at 20:30

    I got my xbox last month and now thanks to Exclus1ves I’m finally getting Fable 3

    Reply

  28. Gavin Mannion

    November 24, 2010 at 03:46

    I’m on my 3rd Xbox, the first was stolen the second RROD and the third is going fine.. mind you I did receive a fourth at E3 but that doesn’t count :tongue:

    Defining moment.. Gears of War, taking out the entire opposing team single handedly with a shotgun. That game made you feel like a god at times.

    Reply

  29. Luna

    November 24, 2010 at 06:47

    I’m on my third, but I love it! Great little machine, provided reliability isn’t factored in. ^_^

    Gears 2 has provided way too much fun for me. ^_^

    Reply

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