Infobox CVG system
title= Xbox 360
logo=
image=
caption = Back: Arcade/Core, Pro and Elite models.
Front: White and black wireless controllers.
developer=
Microsoft
manufacturer=
Foxconn
family=
Xbox
type=
Video game console
generation =
Seventh generation era
lifespan =
Collapsible list
title=Availability by region
Original Xbox 360
Xbox 360 S
July 16, 2010
CPU=3.2
GHz PowerPC Tri-Core
Xenon
GPU=500 MHz
ATI Xenos
Memory=512
MB of GDDR3 RAM clocked at 700 MHz
media=
DVD,
Compact Disc,
Download
Add-on:
HD DVD (''discontinued'')
unitssold=Worldwide: 41.7 million
()
(details)
storage=
Collapsible list
title=Storage mediums
Detachable Hard Drives 20 GB, 60 GB, 120 GB, 250 GB Memory Cards (Removable) (Original design only) 64 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB On-board storage chip
*Arcade Consoles
(later models)256 MB, 512 MB *Budget level "Xbox 360 S" consoles:
4 GB USB storage device (requires system software update)
1 GB to 16 GB
controllers=4 maximum* (any combination):
Xbox 360 Controller (USB wired, 2.4 GHz wireless),
Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel,
Rhythm game controllers,
Big Button Pads*,
Xbox 360 Arcade sticks,
Ace Combat 6 Flight Stick,
Kinect.
*4 Big button pads may be used in addition to other controllers.
connectivity=
Original models
2.4 GHz wireless, 3 × USB 2.0, IR receiver, 100 Mbit EthernetAdd-on: Wifi 802.11a/b/g, Wifi 802.11a/b/g/n
Revised "S" models
2.4 GHz wireless, 5 × USB 2.0, IR receiver, 100 Mbit Ethernet, Wifi 802.11a/b/g/n, AUX port
display=
Collapsible list
title=Video output formats
Composite video 480i, 576i (PAL) S-Video 480i, 576i (PAL) RGB
SCART 480i, 576i (PAL) Component (
YPbPr)
480i, 576i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p D-Terminal (YPbPr)
480i (D1), 480p (D2), 720p (D4), 1080i (D3), 1080p (D5)
VGA 640×480, 848×480, 1024×768, 1280×720 (720p), 1280×768, 1280×1024, 1360×768, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1080 (1080p) HDMI (later models)
480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
Sound=
- Analog stereo
- Stereo LPCM (TOSLINK and HDMI)
- Dolby Digital 5.1 (TOSLINK and HDMI)
- Dolby Digital with WMA pro (TOSLINK and HDMI)
onlineservice=
Xbox Live
topgame=''
Halo 3''
(8.1 million copies sold as of )
compatibility=
478 original Xbox games cite web
| title = Original Xbox Games Playable on Xbox 360
| url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibilitygameslist.htm
| accessdate = 17 November 2009
(requires
hard drive and the latest update)
predecessor=
Xbox
The Xbox 360 is the second
video game console produced by
Microsoft, and the successor to the
Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with
Sony's
PlayStation 3 and
Nintendo's
Wii as part of the
seventh generation of video game consoles.
Some major features of the Xbox 360 are its integrated
Xbox Live service that allows players to
compete online, download arcade games, game demos, trailers, TV shows, music and movies and its
Windows Media Center multimedia capabilities. The Xbox 360 also offers region specific access to third-party media streaming services such as
Netflix and
ESPN in the USA or
Sky Player in the UK.
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 (E3). The console sold out completely upon
release in all regions except in Japan,
and, as of April 2010, there are over 40 million Xbox 360 consoles worldwide.
At their E3 presentation on
14 June 2010, Microsoft announced a redesigned Xbox 360 that would ship on the same day.
Older models of the Xbox 360 have since been discontinued.
With the announcement of the Xbox 360 S, Microsoft have said that they believe that the console is only mid-way through its lifecycle it will continue on through 2015.
Overview
Development
Known during development as Xbox Next''', '''Xenon''', '''Xbox 2''', '''Xbox FS''' or '''NextBox
Launch
The Xbox 360 was released on November 22, 2005, in the United States and Canada; December 2, 2005, in Europe and December 10, 2005, in Japan. It was later launched in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, and Russia. In its first year on the market, the system launched in 36 countries, more countries than any console has launched in a single year.
Retail configurations
At launch, the Xbox 360 was available in two configurations: the "Xbox 360" package (unofficially known as the 20 GB Pro or Premium), priced at
US$399 or
GB£279.99, and the "Xbox 360 Core," priced at US$299 and GB£209.99. The original shipment of the Xbox 360 version included a cut-down version of the Media Remote as a promotion. The Elite package was launched later at US$479. The "Xbox 360 Core" was replaced by the "Xbox 360 Arcade" in October 2007
In June 2010, Microsoft announced a new, redesigned, model and the discontinuation of the Elite and Arcade models.
Current Models (Xbox 360 S)
Technically designated the Xbox 360 S'''
; current Xbox 360 consoles are based around a redesign of the Xbox 360 hardware which was officially announced on during a press briefing prior to that years
E3.
It was speculated that a complete redesign of the Xbox 360 hardware was being produced after pictures of a possible new motherboard design surfaced on .
Xbox 360 S consoles feature redesigned internal architecture with the Valhalla motherboard, which allows for around 30% more space than previous motherboards,
and the Arcade dropped to US$149.99.
=
Xbox 360 250 GB
=
The first Xbox 360 S
SKU to be revealed includes a 250 GB hard drive
replacing the Xbox 360 Elite at that price point.
=
Xbox 360 4 GB
=
A second SKU, set to release on in the US
Discontinued models
=
Xbox 360 Core
=
The Xbox 360 Core was an entry level Xbox 360 which was later replaced with the "Arcade". Although available at launch in other regions, it was not available in Japan until November 2, 2006.
including the "Core" using either the component cable, or the new VGA cable (although 1080p via component was not widely supported by televisions). It may also utilize a separately sold Xbox 360 hard drive. Unlike all other SKUs, it shipped with a wired version of the Xbox 360 controller, instead of the wireless version found in other SKUs.
=
Xbox 360 Pro / Xbox 360 Premium
=
The Xbox 360 Pro'''
On August 1, 2008, the 20 GB version was discontinued and was replaced by a 60 GB HDD model at the same price. Holiday 2008 consoles were bundled with '''' and ''
Kung Fu Panda''. Price cuts that took effect on September 4, 2008 reduced the price from $349 to $299. The Xbox 360 Pro, following its discontinuation, retailed for $249.99 until stocks were exhausted.
=
Xbox 360 Elite
=
The Xbox 360 Elite included a 120 GB hard drive and a
matte black finish. The Elite retail package also included a controller and headset that match the system's black finish.
Europe on August 24, 2007, and Australia on August 30, 2007. Early Elite models shipped using the Zephyr motherboard, though later models used the Falcon 65 nm chipset instead. These Elites (and other Xbox 360 models using the Falcon) can be identified from earlier versions by a re-designed
power connector and a power supply rated to 175 W. In 2009, Elite models using the Jasper chipset became available. These can also be identified by their power supply, which is rated at 150W and has a 12.1A 12v rail. Holiday 2008 consoles were bundled with '''' and ''
Kung Fu Panda''. The Elite's price tag was cut from $449 to $399 on September 4, 2008. With the announcement of the new Xbox 360 250 GB model, the Elite dropped in price to US$249.99 for remaining units until stocks are exhausted.
=
Xbox 360 Arcade
=
The Xbox 360 Arcade
With the unveiling of the Xbox 360 S redesign, the Arcade dropped in price to US$149.99 for remaining units until stocks are exhausted. Microsoft is currently working on a replacement for the Arcade at the US$199 price tier.
=
Xbox 360 Super Elite
=
The Xbox 360 Elite has also been configured with a 250 GB hard disk drive and 2 wireless controllers on
special limited editions of the console. Also referred to as the Xbox 360 Super Elite
In April 2010, the super elite bundle featuring Splinter Cell: Conviction with special print on the console and the same extras as the other bundles was released along side the Splinter Cell: Conviction game.
Comparison of features
Information is based on current specifications for standard packages. Older or holiday packages may differ from current configurations.
_
The Xbox 360 began production only 69 days before launch.
At
E3 in May 2006,
Bill Gates announced that Microsoft would have a
head start of 10 million units by the time Sony and Nintendo entered the market.
Cumulative sales from the system's launch until June 30, 2007 were predicted to reach 12 million units, down from 13 to 15 million units estimated earlier. Being released one year ahead of its competitors, the Xbox 360 was the
market leader throughout the first half of 2007; however, on September 12, 2007, it was reported by the ''
Financial Times'' that the Xbox 360 had been surpassed by the
Wii in terms of worldwide home console sales.
On October 4, 2007, after the launch of ''
Halo 3'', Microsoft stated that Xbox 360 sales had more than doubled compared to the previous average.
Despite the relatively strong sales figures, Microsoft's gaming division was losing money. Through 2005, the Xbox gaming division had lost over $4 billion,
due to a
loss leader market strategy of selling consoles below cost in order to obtain
market saturation and gain profits on software and peripherals with a much higher
profit margin.
cite web
url= http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/24/xbox360_component_breakdown/|title= Xbox 360 costs third more to make than it sells for|accessdate= 2008-07-26|author= Tony Smith|date= 2005-11-24|publisher= The Register
In Europe, the Xbox 360 sold 2 million units
in 2006 and 1.9 million
in 2007 according to estimates by
Electronic Arts.
On February 13, 2008, Microsoft announced that the Xbox 360 suffered shortages in the US in January 2008, possibly continued into February.
the Xbox 360 has sold 11.6 million units as of November 1, 2008, according to the NPD Group.
In the first seven months of 2008, the Xbox 360 has sold 154,000 units in Canada, being outsold by the PlayStation 3 and Wii;
In the United Kingdom, the Xbox 360 has sold 3.9 million units as of June 27, 2009, according to
GfK Chart-Track.
On May 13, 2008, Microsoft stated that there will not be a release of a newer version of the Xbox 360 in 2009. Microsoft representative says, "While we [Microsoft] don't normally comment on rumors like this [release of newer and smaller Xbox 360], we can tell you that we have no plans to release a new console in 2009".
On May 28, 2009, Microsoft announced that sales have surpassed the 30-million unit-mark, stating that 2008 was Microsoft's "biggest year in history" also due to the increase of
Xbox Live users.
Timeline of hardware models
DateFormat=mm/dd/yyyy
Define $now = 07/01/2010
Period = from:01/01/2005 till:01/01/2012
Define $skip = at:end # Force a blank line
Define $dayunknown = 15 # what day to use if it's actually not known
ImageSize= width:800 height:auto barincrement:15
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:1 left:1 bottom:130 top:1
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
Colors =
id:bg value:white
id:lightline value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)
id:lighttext value:rgb(0.5,0.5,0.5)
id:Premium_(20_GB) value:rgb(1,0.7,0.7) Legend:XBOX_360_(20_GB)_Premium_Edition
id:Premium_(60_GB) value:rgb(1,0.9,0.7) Legend:XBOX_360_(60_GB)_Premium_Edition
id:Core value:rgb(0.7,0.7,1) Legend:XBOX_360_Core_Edition
id:Arcade value:rgb(0.7,0.85,1) Legend:XBOX_360_Arcade_Edition
id:Elite value:rgb(0.6,0.6,0.6) Legend:XBOX_360_Elite_Edition
id:S_(250_GB) value:rgb(0.45,0.45,0.45) Legend:XBOX_360_250_GB_Edition
id:current value:rgb(0.7,1,0.7) Legend:Still_produced
BackgroundColors = canvas:bg
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:lighttext unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/2005
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightline unit:month increment:1 start:01/01/2005
BarData =
barset:Premium_(20_GB)
barset:Premium_(60_GB)
barset:Core
barset:Arcade
barset:Elite
barset:S_(250_GB)
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
barset:Premium_(20_GB)
color:Premium_(20_GB) from:10/22/2005 till:08/06/2007 text:"20_GB_Premium_($_399.99)"
barset:Premium_(20_GB)
color:Premium_(20_GB) from:08/06/2007 till:07/13/2008 text:"20_GB_Premium_($_349.99)"
barset:Premium_(20_GB)
color:Premium_(20_GB) from:07/13/2008 till:08/01/2008 text:"20_GB_Premium_($_299.99)"
barset:Premium_(60_GB)
color:Premium_(60_GB) from:08/01/2008 till:09/05/2008 text:"60_GB_Premium_($_349.99)"
barset:Premium_(60_GB)
color:Premium_(60_GB) from:09/05/2008 till:08/27/2009 text:"60_GB_Premium_($_299.99)"
barset:Core
color:Core from:10/22/2005 till:08/06/2007 text:"Core_($_299.99)"
barset:Core
color:Core from:08/06/2007 till:10/27/2007 text:"Core_($_279.99)"
barset:Arcade
color:Arcade from:10/27/2007 till:09/05/2008 text:"Arcade_($_279.99)"
barset:Arcade
color:Arcade from:09/05/2008 till:06/14/2010 text:"Arcade_($_199.99)"
barset:Arcade
color:Arcade from:06/14/2010 till:07/01/2010 text:"Arcade_($_149.99)"
barset:Elite
color:Elite from:04/29/2007 till:08/06/2007 text:"Elite_($_479.99)"
barset:Elite
color:Elite from:08/06/2007 till:09/05/2008 text:"Elite_($_449.99)"
barset:Elite
color:Elite from:09/05/2008 till:08/27/2009 text:"Elite_($_399.99)"
barset:Elite
color:Elite from:08/28/2009 till:06/14/2010 text:"Elite_($_299.99)"
barset:Elite
color:Elite from:06/14/2010 till:07/01/2010 text:"Elite_($_249.99)"
barset:S_(250_GB)
color:current from:06/14/2010 till:$now text:"250_GB_($_299.99)"
U.S.
November 22, 2005
Launch of Xbox 360 Premium (20 GB) - $399.99
Launch of Xbox 360 Core - $299.99
April 29, 2007
Launch Xbox 360 Elite (120 GB) - $479.99
August 6, 2007
Price Cut on Xbox 360 Premium (20 GB) - $349.99
Price Cut on Xbox 360 Core - $279.99
Price Cut on Xbox 360 Elite - $449.99
October 27, 2007
Launch of Xbox 360 Arcade - $279.99
Discontinuation of Xbox 360 Core
July 13, 2008
Discontinuation of on Xbox 360 (20 GB) (Price Cut to $299.99 for remaining stock)
August 1, 2008
Launch of Xbox 360 Premium (60 GB) - $349.99
September 5, 2008
Price Cut on Xbox 360 Elite - $399.99
Price Cut on Xbox 360 (60 GB) - $299.99
Price Cut on Xbox 360 Arcade - $199.99
August 28, 2009
Discontinuation of Xbox 360 (60 GB) (Price Cut to $249.99 for remaining stock)
Price Cut on Xbox 360 Elite - $299.99
June 19, 2010
Launch of Xbox 360 250 GB - $299.99
Discontinuation of Xbox 360 Elite (Price Cut to $249.99 for remaining stock)
Discontinuation of Xbox 360 Arcade (Price Cut to $149.99 for remaining stock)
Technical problems
The Xbox 360 is subject to a number of technical problems. Since the console's release in 2005, users have reported concerns over its reliability and
failure rate.
To aid customers with defective consoles, Microsoft extended the Xbox 360's manufacturer's warranty to three years for hardware failure problems that generate a "General Hardware Failure" error report. A "General Hardware Failure" is recognized by three quadrants of the ring around the power button flashing red. This error is often known as the "
Red Ring of Death".
The warranty extension is not granted for any other types of failures that do not generate these specific error codes.
Since these problems surfaced, Microsoft has attempted to modify the console to improve its reliability. Modifications include a reduction in the number, size, and placement of components, the addition of dabs of epoxy on the corners and edges of the CPU and GPU as glue to prevent movement relative to the board during heat expansion,
References
External links
Official Xbox 360 website Gamerscore Blog—Official PR and marketing team blog