happydolphin on 11 May 2013
For the original xbox, it is a mix of things but above all it was money.
Money
- They entered the market with a powerful console that was priced reasonably (unlike 3DO or Neogeo).
- The marketing for the system was huge (unlike the apple Pippin for example).
- They attracted western 3rd party support with attractive money-hatting proposals (unlike Nintendo's cube).
- They took measures to pierce into the japanese market no matter how hard that was. (Mystwalker and others)
360
- They were able to do loss-leading and sustain the console until profitability (unlike dreamcast).
Other
- It was familiar to PC devs and easy to port games between it and the PC: directX technology (unlike say the Saturn).
- A good online infrastructure early on. (This also involves money, but is strategy)
- They secured key exclusives like Halo and DoA (this also involves money, but is strategy)
- Tighter management. Better business decision-making.
360
- They had moderate success in cutting into Nintendo's casual market.
- Good branding with the 360.
- Controller and console design aesthetics/ergonomics issues with the original xbox were fixed. Best trad controller in the industry.
- They re-launched the console with a redesign and a major peripheral upgrade (kinect).
