Launched by Microsoft in 2001, the Xbox brand turns 22 this Wednesday, November 15. Initially, Microsoft entered the video game industry and used its advantages in software development, Its Xbox console began to compete with Sony’s PlayStation 2, who were leaders in the segment and in hardware.
“It was started by Bill Gates himself and it was known that it was likely to be successful. Although the first console only sold 24 million units compared to the PlayStation 2’s 150 million, but in the next generation, the Xbox360, sales almost leveled off, selling 85 million units compared to 87 million for the PlayStation 3, With her “Xbox is establishing itself as one of the three forces in the world of console video games, along with Nintendo and Sony,” said Edgar Medina, director of CrónicaTech.
The launch of the Xbox360 in 2005 marked a golden era for the brand. The following year, the Nintendo Wii entered the market, allowing more people to enter the world of video games in an easier way. with regard to it regarding to it, Xbox was not left behind and innovated in this direction with the introduction of Kinect, a sensor for interacting with the console without having to have a controller. and enjoyed worldwide success.
However, in 2013, with the arrival of the Xbox One, sales declined again. According to “Power On: The Story of Xbox,” a six-episode documentary series that Xbox launched to celebrate 20 years of existence, was at this time the company wanted to market its new console as an Internet-connected entertainment center. in which games were hosted in the cloud, which represented a paradigm shift that was not well received by consumers of the time, as the higher price and including Kinect reduced sales of the PlayStation 4. They then released a cheaper version without Kinect, which boosted sales.
2020 saw the arrival of the latest era of consoles, the Xbox series, which is still on the market. Edgar Hernández, Xbox manager for Colombia, pointed out in Inside LR, “Series
Despite the market’s response to cloud innovation, the fixation on digital continued. On June 1, 2017, they launched Game Pass, a subscription service for playing and downloading video games on Xbox consoles and PCs, which was better received and set a precedent for streaming.
“It is a brand that constantly innovates, “Xbox managed to connect players from all over the world, I helped promote electronic competitions by developing monthly subscription services,” said María Cristina Forero, Director of the Professional Video Game League, LVP, to Latam.
In this player library, you can find everything from great video games like the Halo franchise, one of the most successful created by Xbox, to games from independent developers. “Today, we have over 200 developers working with us at Latam to help develop games for Xbox Studios. It’s also a commitment for us to find and support new generations of creators who are more enthusiastic, creative and purposeful every day,” said Jesús Gróvas, Head of Communications Xbox Latam.
“With the new strategies we have to acquire to acquire new video game franchises, we want to ensure the company’s success worldwide,” as Gróvas mentions, Xbox acquired several video game development studios to become part of Xbox Games Studios, which are subsequently released on Xbox Game Pass.
The most recent include that on October 13th it completed the purchase of Activision Blizzard, a company that creates and owns video games like Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, World of Warcraft, Overwatch and Candy Crush Saga, and which is now a division of Microsoft Gaming.
“Xbox Game Pass has become a kind of Netflix of video games and It is the main online video game platform that exists today, In fact, they laid the foundation for a cloud-based video game industry that did not exist until now,” concluded Edgar Medina.
Thus, Xbox continues to be one of the biggest in the industry, but now it seems to be focusing more on its online video game platform than hardware development.
It bets on accessibility and inclusion
Xbox innovation also focuses on the inclusion of people with disabilities and therefore Games in the Xbox Store on console and Xbox for PC have labels that indicate specific accessibility features.
Additionally, the Xbox Adaptive Controller connects to external computers, buttons, stands, and joysticks to make gaming more accessible. “We want to provide a personalized experience, we thought about how to become a brand that promotes accessibility and inclusion,” said Jesús Gróvas, Head of Communications Xbox Latam.