Microsoft Xbox 360

Microsoft brought high definition gaming to the console space when it launched the Xbox 360 in the holiday season of 2005, beating competitors Sony and Nintendo to the market by an entire year in the process. Through Xbox Live, the company ushered in a new era of digital consumption by providing easy access to downloadable content and a wealth of entertainment options. Xbox Live Arcade would also prove successful, offering value-priced games developed on a smaller scale than retail titles. The product was not without issues, however, as the term "Red Ring of Death" would become permanently associated with the Xbox 360 after a consistently high volume of hardware failures brought reliability into question. Still, nearly seven years after release Microsoft continues to push new functionality to the console via software updates and sales performance remains strong.

• Status: Discontinued
• Availability date: Nov. 22, 2005
• Price at launch: $399.99