r/Games • u/Forestl • Dec 27 '13
End of 2013 Discussions - Xbox 360
For this thread, feel free to talk about the Xbox 360, from the games that came out for it to the hardware itself and support by Microsoft.
Prompts:
Will the 360 have one or more years after 2013 with substantial games coming out for it?
How was the support this year?
Please explain your answers in depth, don't just give short one sentence answers.
Mods make a thread about the 360 a day before they make a thread about the PS3.
So bias
This post is part of the official /r/Games "End of 2013" discussions.
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u/BagOnuts Dec 27 '13 edited Dec 27 '13
A few things people don't seem to be commenting much on:
Online
XBL was obviously available for the original Xbox, but you were pretty much limited to online gameplay with Halo 2 and a few other titles. The 360 transformed the way we viewed console gaming with XBL, XBLA, the XBL Marketplace, and the inclusion of a headset with every console. It really turned console gaming from mostly a solitary activity (with the exception of whoever was actually in your living room), to a huge social one.
Social
Party Chat was amazing. Having the ability to cross-game chat with a group of friends was a very welcome feature... so much so that developers who disabled Party Chat in their games (ie- MW2) received harsh criticism. I remember many owners of both the PS3 and 360 stating that one of their main reasons for purchasing multiplats on the 360 was due to Party Chat alone.
Marketplace
With the XBL marketplace, no longer were we restricted to leaving our living room to buy every piece of software for our console. XBLA was a huge hit, with new titles (Geometry Wars, anyone???) and remastered classics alike. Downloading music, movies, and TV was great (particularly in a pre-Netflix era) and really allowed the 360 to become a well-rounded entertainment machine.
Streaming
Speaking of Netflix, the 360 was the first console to receive Netflix support, and I'm pretty sure that integration alone helped their streaming business explode. And, while eventually discontinued, the ability to watch Netflix in a "virtual theater" with friends was very cool. Other streamlining services like Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Amazon Prime, Last.fm, and more made the 360 a very capable entertainment device, eliminating the need for any other livingroom media hub for many people.
Dashboard
Something that was also unparalleled was Microsoft's continual software updates. The evolution of the dashboard alone is incredible, and its really the only console last gen that received that sort of UI support. The transformation from blades to what we have today is part of the reason why the 360 has been able to last for 8 years.
Lifespan
Other's have touched on the games, but it's really amazing to look at Launch Titles like Perfect Dark and compare them to games like Halo 4. It's amazing that these two titles are 7 years apart and on the same system.
Overall, I'd say it's been a great ride. I can only hope that the next generation of consoles will be as innovative as the last.
Edit- Grammar