Xbox faces another reinvention 25 years after its debut

Microsoft created the original Xbox partly out of concern that Sony would bring a PC into the living room. Rather than follow the fully custom architectures used by Sony and Nintendo, it built the console around a custom Intel Pentium III processor, an Nvidia GPU and 64MB of unified RAM. The familiar components helped Microsoft attract developers accustomed to making PC games.

The console also brought features that were unusual at the time. Its built-in hard drive let developers cache content and gave players a way to save games without buying a separate memory card. Users could also rip CDs to the system and play custom soundtracks during games. An Ethernet port reflected Microsoft’s expectation that broadband connections would gain ground, unlike the built-in modem used by Sega’s Dreamcast. Xbox was not the first console to offer online gaming, but Microsoft chose a different route to connect players.