Xbox 360
Developer: Microsoft
Year Released: 2005
Generation: 7th
Not long after the 360 arrived on the market, the term “Red Ring of Death” began sending shivers down the spines of Xbox gamers. Among the various hardware and software issues that plagued early models of the 360, on particularly nasty problem caused the entire system to encounter a fatal error and give owners a red ring of light around the console’s power button. The various flaws in these early models forced Microsoft to repair and replace countless systems, and eventually led to an extension of the console’s warranty to account for all the issues.
The Xbox 360’s most memorable accessory is the Kinect, the first completely controller-free movement device for a home console. It used motion sensor and a microphone to allow the player to interact with the games without a traditional controller.
The 360 sold much better than its predecessor did, and although not the bestselling console of the seventh generation, it is regarded as a success since it strengthened Microsoft as a major force in the console market, at the expense of well-established rivals.