10 Things You Never Knew About Xbox

Unlike the other big console manufacturers in the gaming industry, Microsoft’s Xbox brand is relatively new. It only debuted in 2001, several years after Sony’s own PlayStation and decades after Nintendo had entered the market. That hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of the most important names in gaming though, with top franchises such as Forza, Halo and Gears of War all calling the consoles home. Despite the huge popularity of the Xbox though, there are plenty of things that people don’t know about Microsoft’s home consoles.

Every Launch Xbox 360 Came With A Soundtrack

Most people know that the Xbox 360 came pre-loaded with Hexic HD, a game designed by the same man responsible for Tetris. However, many don’t realize that launch versions of the console also came with a 12-song playlist of music that included Marcy Playground and Funeral For A Friend.

The Xbox Name Was A Placeholder

The name Xbox was derived from the fact that it was initially built from PC parts and used the new version of DirectX graphics – leading to it being dubbed internally as the DirectX Box. This was later shortened to Xbox and was only included on the list of potential names given to focus testers to demonstrate how unpopular it was. However, those involved in the tests seemed to prefer the name to alternatives so it stuck.