The original Xbox, Microsoft’s bold entry into the console wars, launched in North America on November 15, 2001—complete with a Times Square spectacle, Bill Gates, and The Rock cracking jokes. With launch titles like Halo lighting up living rooms and a chunky black-and-green box that looked ready for a sci-fi movie, it arrived just after the chaos of 9/11, but didn’t miss a beat. Curious about why the launch mattered and what came next? The story gets even better.
One of gaming’s most memorable console debuts took place on November 15, 2001, when Microsoft’s original Xbox powered up for the first time in North America—right before the Nintendo GameCube could even say “ready, set, go.”
With a splashy launch event at Toys “R” Us in Times Square, complete with Bill Gates himself handing out the first Xbox (because who else would you trust to launch a console?), Microsoft made it clear they weren’t just dabbling in the gaming world.
Bill Gates personally handing out the first Xbox at Times Square proved Microsoft was serious about leveling up the gaming world.
The journey began months earlier, officially revealing the Xbox at CES 2001. Bill Gates and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stood side by side, introducing a machine that was black, green, and—let’s be honest—pretty hefty. It had an unmistakable x-shaped power button, just in case anyone forgot what it was called.
By E3 2001, Microsoft was ready to flex. They dropped details on price, launch dates, and—critical for gamers—launch titles like *Halo: Combat Evolved* and *Dead or Alive 3*.
*Halo* especially became a system seller, turning the Xbox into more than just “the new kid” in a Sony-Nintendo world. The Xbox brand would later expand into multimedia and subscription services like Xbox Game Pass, establishing Microsoft as a long-term player in the console market.
Of course, things didn’t go entirely as planned. The aftermath of 9/11 led to travel restrictions, so Microsoft had to adapt, shipping test units locally instead of at their own facilities.
Still, the console made it to store shelves on time, even if the world was still a bit shaken.
Under the hood, the Xbox ran on a 733 MHz Intel Pentium III CPU, had 64 MB of RAM, and packed an NVIDIA GeForce 3 graphics card. The Xbox was the first console to come standard with a built-in hard drive, giving players storage for game saves and downloadable content without the need for memory cards.
The built-in hard drive was a luxury for storing saves and game data, and the Ethernet port set the stage for Xbox Live—a game changer for online play.
Saleswise, the Xbox didn’t outsell PlayStation 2 or GameCube, but it held its ground.
The real win? Microsoft established itself in the gaming industry, built a loyal community, and laid the groundwork for the Xbox 360. Not bad for a first try, right?