Engadget says: Xbox 360 Helped Define The Decade

[FKNetwork]

Legend11 said:

Ok what exactly did the PS2 do for gaming that wasn't done by the PS1 or other earlier systems?  What was its lasting influence on this decade?  The 360 brought achievements, DLC, downloadable demos, trailers, multiple SKUs targetting different audiences, gamertags, movies, xbox live arcade, cross-game chat, community created games, friends lists, dashboard themes, online matchmaking, and dozens of other things to consoles.

It even heavily influenced PC gaming by creating a much greater bond between consoles and PC which has changed the way most major multi-platform games are made.   Before the Xbox 360 most multi-platform games were either started on PC and much later ported to consoles or vice-versa, now they're made simultaneously.  It also caused many formerly PC game engines to have console support as standard when new versions are released.

I could also go on about how it even changed the way games are released.  What was once a relatively long wait for games to be released in different regions now typically has releases with much closer release dates thanks to the massive Worldwide launches that were started on the 360. 

The community aspects of the system alone has changed gaming for many millions of people.  Sure the Wii brought people in groups together (something which was previously seen on consoles with games like Mario Kart but not to the extent of Wii Sports of course), but the 360 brought online multiplayer games out of the realm of PC gaming and into the console masses like no console before it.  Does anyone expect to pick up a racer now for example and expect no online multiplayer?

As for the Wii the motion controller is highly influential but to date relatively few games actually use it to its potential and it hasn't really influenced anything outside of the Wii (of course the PS3 and 360 motion offerings will be coming out next year or later but we're talking about this decade).  Can you think of any influence for example that the Wii has had on PC gaming?  Its aiming at casual gamers and the success it has had with many demographics is amazing so it probably also deserves a place on the list, but it's very arguable that the 360 has had even more influence on gaming.

We can even see it in the rise of FPS games as the now dominant genre in Western gaming, directly influenced by the 360's online and its audiences' voracious apetitite for such games.  Anyways hopefully this answers any questions as to why the system is on that list and deservedly so.

Couldn't have said it better myself! +1