Why the Xbox 360 is Succeeding

The Xbox 360 has been on the market for a little more than three years and it has already outsold the original Xbox, which was crushed in comparison to the Playstation 2 sales. Although the Xbox 360 is nowhere near the sales of the Nintendo Wii, it is still a tremendous success. So what factors accounted for the success of the Microsoft’s high-definition video game system? Let’s take a look at how the Xbox 360 became a triumph after the lukewarm reception of the original Xbox.

One Year Advantage

Instead of continuing a losing battle against the Playstation 2, Microsoft decided to bail out on the Xbox early after four years and move on to the next-generation. Thus, the Xbox 360 launched one year earlier than the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3. As a result, it got an advantage not only in sales but also in game development by being the only next-generation video game system on the market. It managed to capture a strong user base before the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3 launch and hasn’t slowed down since.

Cheaper Alternative

Many thought the Xbox 360 was overpriced when it launched at $399.99. Not to mention that games cost $60 and one year of Xbox Live Gold is $49.99. Fortunately for Microsoft, they were outdone by Sony with the Playstation 3 in terms of expensiveness. Therefore, the Xbox 360 was able to thrive in the market despite being an expensive video game system because it was also a cheaper high-definition gaming alternative to the Playstation 3.

Xbox Live

Although the original Xbox may be ultimately seen as a failure, it did influence the Xbox 360 significantly with its online components. Microsoft launched Xbox Live on the Xbox at a time when online gaming on home consoles weren’t taken seriously. By taking a huge risk, Microsoft got years of experience on their hands before Sony and Nintendo even begin developing their own online services. As a result, Xbox Live is by far and away the best online service on home consoles and one the biggest reasons for the Xbox 360’s success.

 Ease of Development

Microsoft also made certain that developing games on the Xbox 360 will be as easy as possible. This is especially important for publishers and developers since the costs of developing a high-definition games are sky-rocketing. The Xbox 360 gets plenty of exclusive games as well as better-looking multiplatform titles because of this commitment by Microsoft.

Playstation 3 Setbacks

Finally, the success of the Xbox 360 wouldn't be possible without Sony's numerous mishandling of the Playstation 3. First off, they delayed the launch of the Playstation 3 and decided to charge at a price where no one could afford. The momentum for the successor of the Playstation 2 only went downhill from there with numerous problems that always put the Playstation 3 one step behind the Xbox 360.