Time passes, passes, passes and the most symbolic birthdays catch up with even the youngest. 20 years ago, Microsoft became a console builder. And it’s worth celebrating.
On November 15, starting at 7:00 p.m., Microsoft will be offering an online event reminding us that the Xbox was released on that day in North America 20 years ago. Yes, already 20 years, that certainly does not make us younger. What memories on this console which arrived in Europe on March 14, 2002, on its launch games like Halo or Project Gotham Racing, on the original pad, as big as a soccer ball. Am I exaggerating? May be. Still, the celebrations greatly excite Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios.
Over the past two decades, the Xbox community has made video games a source of joy, inspiration, education, and social connection. Games build bridges and bonds between friends and family by providing new ways to connect.
We invite you to join us on November 15 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Xbox and Halo, at a digital event dedicated to fans around the world. We will not be announcing any new games there, but we will offer you a retrospective on these 20 years of Xbox. We’ll give you more details very soon, stay tuned.
You read that right: no announcements for this livestream planned on Twitch, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. We will surely have to wait for the Game Awards for that.
To finish in style
The pavement published on the Xbox Wire focuses mainly on a busy year and last quarter. Mentioned are the buyout of Bethesda, the release of Psychonauts 2 (play it) and the next deadlines, including the arrival of Minecraft in Xbox Game Pass on PC:
The Age of Empires series has been part of Microsoft’s gaming legacy for 24 years, and October 28 will see the birth of Age of Empires IV. The real-time strategy game is set to meet a new generation, on Steam and in Xbox Game Pass for PC from the day of its release.
Minecraft will join Xbox Game Pass for PC on November 2, followed by new Seasonal Adventures of Minecraft Dungeons in December and Part 2 of the Caves & Cliffs update later this year.
On November 9, the must-have racing franchise returns with Forza Horizon 5 and its open world to Mexico in Xbox Game Pass. The largest of the Forza Horizon, winner of The Most Anticipated Game of E3 Award, will be released simultaneously on Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, Windows PC and Steam and will be included with Xbox Game Pass on console, PC, as well as in Cloud Gaming (in Beta).
Microsoft Flight Simulator: Game of the Year Edition will be released on November 18. It will also be a free update for those already playing the title, including Xbox Game Pass members. It includes 5 brand new devices, 8 new airports, original Discovery Flights as well as features highly requested by the community, such as compatibility with DirectX 12. The Reno Air Races, which will allow you to experience the fastest motorsport in the world , will also be available on November 18.
The Master Chief will return on December 8 in Halo: Infinite. This is the Halo we envisioned 20 years ago, which can finally come to life to become the largest Halo ever. Halo: Infinite will be available in Xbox Game Pass when it is released on Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, and PC. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members will also receive monthly bonuses for multiplayer, included in the Xbox Game Pass Benefits section.
And that says it all.
