After a ten year run, Microsoft has made the decision to stop manufacturing new Xbox 360 consoles, however support will continue for the foreseeable future. Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, took to Xbox Wire today to make the announcement, as well as unveil some interesting facts about the past 10 years of Xbox 360 gaming.
Xbox 360 means a lot to everyone in Microsoft. And while we’ve had an amazing run, the realities of manufacturing a product over a decade old are starting to creep up on us. Which is why we have made the decision to stop manufacturing new Xbox 360 consoles. We will continue to sell existing inventory of Xbox 360 consoles, with availability varying by country.
Of course, there are many gamers still using their Xbox 360s, and Spencer was quick to point out that support will continue.
- Xbox 360 owners will continue to receive Xbox Live services for their console, such as online multiplayer gaming and parties, access to the apps they use today, and Games with Gold and Deals with Gold.
- Xbox Live servers that support Xbox 360 services will also remain online and active. Our Xbox 360 fans can continue to play their favorite games with the full support of Xbox Live.
- Gamers will also be able to continue to buy over 4,000 Xbox 360 games or Xbox 360 accessories at retail and through our Xbox 360 store online, while supplies last.
- Any Xbox 360 hardware will still be supported at xbox.com/support.
- And Xbox One owners will be able to continue to enjoy available Xbox 360 games through Xbox One Backward Compatibility – at no additional cost.
The Xbox 360 had its 10th birthday last November, and to date gamers have played over 78 billion gaming hours, scored nearly 486 billion Gamerscore on 27 billion achievements, and spent over 25 billion hours in apps. Key franchises like Gears of War were born on the Xbox 360, and innovative peripherals like the Kinect sensor were introduced on the console, as well as a start to system updates and dashboard changes based on fan feedback — not to mention the various iterations like the Xbox 360 Slim and Elite consoles.
What do you think about Microsoft’s decision to cease production of new Xbox 360 consoles? Let us know in the comments below, or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
[button link=”http://news.xbox.com/2016/04/20/xbox-360-celebrating-10-years/” icon=”fa-external-link” side=”left” target=”blank” color=”285b5e” textcolor=”ffffff”]Source: Xbox Wire[/button]
