Xbox’s humble beginnings began back in November of 2001, making this month its 20th anniversary. As part of the Xbox 20th anniversary celebrations, Microsoft released a virtual Xbox museum for fans to explore, from the history of each individual console to famous games.
What’s in the Xbox virtual museum?
The Xbox 20th anniversary virtual museum can be browsed through right on your PC. Within the history, there are history sections of its consoles, from the original Xbox to the Xbox Series X|S. The browser-based museum also offers a specific section for the well-loved Halo games, showcasing its launch title, novels, and more.
For myself, I found the Xbox 360 section of the museum to be particularly interesting. One such section was the meaning behind the Xbox 360 name, which was chosen to “imply that the gamer is at the center of a massive, 360 degree universe of entertainment”. There was even a section about the iconic “Red Ring of Death”—remember those troublesome times? It’s fun to see a company poke fun at their own mistakes.
Particularly inciting in the museum is the “my Xbox museum”. It offers personal stats in relation to your own Xbox account. In this, users can see almost their entire personal Xbox history. From the first console you ever played with your Xbox account, the first time you signed in, and your first achievement, you can explore it all.
What else can Xbox fans expect to see for the 20th anniversary?
Along with the Xbox museum, Microsoft offers special edition Halo wallpapers, as well as events and promotions through Xbox FanFest. The “20 years of Xbox” page teases the upcoming “Power On: The Story of Xbox”, which will be available on December 13, 2021. Over 70 new original Xbox games have also been added to the backwards compatibility list. Xbox fans are also encouraged to shop their 20th anniversary collection.
Xbox lovers and casual fans alike should take a look at the Xbox 20th anniversary museum; it’s an insightful look behind its history and most famous games. I’d love to see something like this show up for other consoles, such as PlayStation or Nintendo, in the future. It’s such a unique idea and a great way to see how far the consoles have come.
