End of an era: Microsoft discontinues Xbox 360 console

MANILA, Philippines – Microsoft announced that it will cease making the Xbox 360 after a 10-year run.

Phil Spencer, head of the Xbox team, made the announcement through a blog post on Wednesday April 20. He pointed out that despite the discontinuation of the console’s manufacturing, Microsoft will still support the features and hardware of the Xbox 360 – including Xbox Live, accessories, and games – while supplies last.

The Xbox 360 was introduced back in 2005 as Microsoft’s premiere gaming console. The console was home to popular gaming franchises that created a new generation of gamers such as Gears of War, Halo, Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, and Fallout. Microsoft also remodelled Xbox Live as an online gamer community from its predecessor, the Xbox.

In 2010, the Xbox team introduced the Kinect functionality for the Xbox 360 which integrated latest in motion sensor gaming technology. This was complemented with popular games such as Just Dance and Kinect Adventures that show the full extent of Kinect.

Spencer personally thanked the Xbox community for their continued support for the console 10 years after it debuted. He assured Xbox users that they will still be able to enjoy the features of the Xbox 360.

The Xbox Team, according to Spencer, will now focus on the successor of the Xbox 360, the Xbox One, as well as compatibility with the Windows 10 software over the next few weeks and months. He also ensured that users will still be able to play their Xbox 360 games on the Xbox One through the Xbox One Backward Compatibility feature. – Gabriel Orlina/Rappler.com

Gabriel Orlina is a Rappler intern.