This morning Phil Spencer announced through the Microsoft official website that production of Xbox 360s is now officially over. First released in 2005, the Xbox 360 had just celebrated its 10th birthday in November, and now, its end is upon us. With over 85 million total shipments from manufactures according to VGCharts, the 360 remains one of the best-selling consoles of all time. For the full post from Head of Xbox Phil Spencer, click here.
Just because production for the Xbox 360 has ended, however, does not mean that the 360 is dead. Microsoft promises to continue to support Xbox Live services on the 360 including online multiplayer, Games with Gold, and Deals with Gold. Xbox Live servers that support Xbox 360 services will also remain online and active. Xbox 360 hardware will also continue to be supported by Microsoft, meaning any technical difficulties or questions you might have about your system will continue to be answered to the best of Microsoft’s abilities. Long story short; production may be over, but the console still lives in many ways.
Phil Spencer went on to talk about the many things that the Xbox 360 has been able to accomplish throughout its life time. From technical innovations like the Xbox Kinect, to software and online features like Xbox Live and the Xbox Arcade, the 360 brought about an evolution in gaming that can still be felt today. Love them or hate them, these features and innovations have had major impacts on the industry as a whole. There’s simply no denying that. With over 78 billion gaming hours played and 27 billion achievements unlocked across the lifetime of the console, the Xbox 360 has had a profound impact on the lives of millions, and as production of the system comes to a close, the system continues to live on through them.
Have any Xbox 360 memories you would like to share? Thoughts on Microsoft ending production on the system? How long do you think Microsoft will continue server support? Make sure to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
