Neowin

With only nine days to go before Microsoft officially reveals the next major version of its Xbox game console family, it's almost hard to believe that the current Xbox 360 is almost eight years old. Indeed, it was eight years ago today that Microsoft first announced the Xbox 360 via a special on MTV.

The TV show was basically a 30 minute infomercial for the successor to the original Xbox, and aired just a few days before the 2005 E3 trade show in Los Angeles, where Microsoft held a 90 minute press conference. We couldn't find that special at first on YouTube but thankfully someone at Neowin (thanks Nathan Weinberg_305451) found that special which was hosted by Elijah Wood and was heavy on the MTV promo stuff in addition to the Xbox 360.

The first Xbox 360 E3 2005 press conference, which again was held just a few days later, has also been uploaded to YouTube.

By the way, all of the Microsoft executives that were on stage during that E3 2005 press conference, (J Allard, Peter Moore and Robert Bach) are no longer with Microsoft.

There's also this intro video that showed off some of the first Xbox 360 games, including titles like Gears of War (which wouldn't be out until fall 2006) and Frame City Killer, an action game from Namco that ended up not being released at all.

Finally, check out this early Xbox 360 video with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Chairman Bill Gates who are both shown in line waiting for Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith to open but are still talking about the Xbox 360. As you can see, Ballmer is interested in talking about about the Xbox 360's games and connectivity features while Gates, the true uber-geek, would rather talk about the high end hardware features of the console. Good times.

Oh, man! EIGHT YEARS! I've been having eight years of fun with this machine! =D

It's been a long generation that's for sure.

Lol, It's funny how they skip the Playstation consoles when doing the timeline thing lol.

Amazing! Hope the remaining "MS will abandon the 360" comments will end cause.....ya, its been 7.5 years, 8 in November. Ya... :)

They did abandon the 360... for the next console!

Can't tell if serious.....

Its still selling last I checked. 3rd parties still making games. Gears Judgement, Battleblock Theatre, Monaco, Forza Horizon free update, some nice XBLA games this summer. We are all aware that MS has limited studios and they are all working on next gen, but that 360 is on sale, means it is still supported.

I was saying a new console is coming out, that's going to be their main focus.  I'm saying a new console is a good thing :D

Why yes it is. But 360 would still be selling in the forseable future (its still $299 for the "good" SKU lol). Itll support the 10 year plan no problem.

Of course it will, but in general gaming has hit a dry point right now.  The Last of Us is the last disc based PS3 game I'm probably going to buy.  I'm not even too sure if Microsoft has first party games in the pipeline(Disc based).  Whatever isn't getting shown off (3rd party and first party titles for both manufacturers) right now is most likely "next gen" games... E3 can't come soon enough!