R.I.P. Xbox 360, 2005-2016

Jared Russo
Updated

After over 10 years of release, MIcrosoft is officially ceasing production on any and all Xbox 360 productions. Any consoles Microsoft still has already manufactured will still be sold but, once those run out, you will no longer to be able to buy new Xbox 360's any longer. It was quite the solemn obituary posted over at the Xbox blog; we are very sad to hear about this news, because we love the Xbox 360 dearly.

A Japanese woman displays Microsoft's new game console "Xbox 360" in Tokyo May 13, 2005. The video game console has three IBM microprocessors that are expected to deliver powerful computing and advanced graphics, as well as a detachable 20-gigabyte hard drive and the ability to customise the machine's front panel with detachable face-plates. A Japanese woman displays Microsoft's new game console "Xbox 360" in Tokyo May 13, 2005. The video game console has three IBM microprocessors that are expected to deliver powerful computing and advanced graphics, as well as a detachable 20-gigabyte hard drive and the ability to customise the machine's front panel with detachable face-plates. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Head of the Xbox division Phil Spencer announced the news himself in the aforementioned blog post, and provided the following statement about the impact the Xbox 360 has had on the company since its release:

Xbox 360 means a lot to everyone in Microsoft. 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.

The Xbox 360 helped redefine an entire generation of gaming at Microsoft. I am incredibly proud of all of the work and dedication that went into development of the Xbox 360 hardware, services and games portfolio over the last decade. And I'm grateful to the fans for their continued passion and support.

Spencer was also quick to point out that all existing Xbox 360 hardware and software will still find support online, with multiplayer servers (for the time being) remaining, and over 4,000 games still available to purchase digitally through Xbox Live. But when it comes to new physical consoles and games, the supply will soon be empty.

But this is the inevitability of console sales. As Spencer mentioned, production costs for new Xbox 360 units are simply too pricey to justify the lower sales, and Microsoft would of course prefer to have people buy their newest console, the Xbox One. Still though, it's certainly the end of an era. So long, Xbox 360. Thanks for all the fun, you were one of the best consoles to ever be around. You'll be missed, old friend.

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