Microsoft to Stop Manufacture of the Xbox 360

The Microsoft Corporation is most popularly known for the creation of the Xbox 360, which still remains the most popular console in the United States to date. This January, the company sold 281,000 consoles in the United States. However, despite its massive success as a gaming unit, Microsoft announced that they will stop the manufacturing of the Xbox 360 this year. An announcement on April 20 from the Xbox chief Phil Spencer informed the public of Microsoft’s decision.
“Xbox 360 means a lot to everyone in Microsoft,” Spencer said in a blog post online. “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.”
In another statement, Microsoft disclosed that they will continue to support current users of the Xbox 360 by keeping Xbox Live services available to the console.
“I mostly use my computer, but it does affect my cousin’s netflix watching,” Brooklyn Housworth ‘18 said.
Xbox 360 turned 10 years old last November, so it is no wonder that Microsoft is moving their focus to their most recent console, the Xbox One. The company has recently revealed that the Xbox One might be backwards compatible with 360 games in the coming future.
“I would say that to stop making the Xbox 360 doesn’t affect my gaming,” Justine Grassman ‘17 said.
Microsoft announced that they will still continue to sell existing inventory of Xbox 360 consoles with availability varying by country. Xbox 360 games will also be accessible in stores and online until supplies run out.