After over 10 years since it first went on sale, Microsoft said it would stop production of the Xbox 360 video game console. The company has shipped out more than 80 million units of the console since it was launched in 2005, and has also helped the company gain a firm foothold in the market.
Phil Spencer, Head of Microsoft’s Xbox division said that while the console meant a lot to its staff, “the realities of manufacturing a product over a decade old are starting to creep up on us.”
Microsoft will continue to sell its remaining stock and supported games while supplies last. Xbox 360 owners will still be able to use Xbox Live services, including online multiplayer gaming and access to apps.
Commenting on the recent developments, Phil Spencer said “The Xbox 360 helped redefine and entire generation of gaming at Microsoft, I am incredibly proud of all the work and dedication that went into development of the Xbox 360 hardware, services and games portfolio over the last decade. Thanks to the Xbox 360, we evolved Xbox Live from the original Xbox into the thriving online gaming community it is today.”
The console first went on sale in November 2005, and was redesigned twice with 2010’s Xbox 360 Slim and the Xbox 360 Elite in 2013. Microsoft last shared official sales figures on 2013, when it announced the console has been purchased 78.2 million times. It’s successor, the Xbox One went on sale the same year, and has sold around 19 million units to date.
