The free six-episode documentary, Power On: The Story of Xbox, tells the story of the famous video game brand from Microsoft. It is already available and you can see it on YouTube. Find out more in this note!
As a way of celebrating 20 years, Xbox published a six-part documentary that tells us about the evolution of the brand and the history from the beginning, with its first console, to the problematic launch of Xbox One. Power On: The Story of Xbox it’s free and available on YouTube.
Tina Summerford, programming director of Xbox, describes the documentary as “a story about how Xbox started as a passionate project of a small group of players within Microsoft and grew to become the source of fun for gamers of Xbox around the planet”.
20 years of Xbox history, booting up now.
Watch Power On: The Story of Xbox for free right now: https://t.co/Jgn1MbKo7T | # Xbox20 pic.twitter.com/8N8BVcN9qW
– Xbox (@Xbox) December 13, 2021
With a duration of 40 minutes, the episodes have titles that give you a clue of what they are going to be about, for example chapter five, called “Red Ring of Death”, Delves into one of the most well-known manufacturing problems of the first models of Xbox 360. On the other hand, there is the last episode, “TV or not TV”, Which focuses on the revelation of Xbox One wanting to take the console to other means.
With 20 years of experience, the documentary reviews key moments of success and failure that make up the history of Xbox. To provide details on this, we can see and hear company employees and analysts giving their opinion on certain company situations. There is also someone who could not be absent from the documentary: Don mattrick, the former head of Xbox, responsible for the launch of Xbox One in 2013.
“We wanted a console that touched all parts of gaming and entertainment. So we had the whole team thinking about more than just games, we were thinking about television, movies and stories that live within our community of players. It was something I really believed in. “explained Mattrick on Xbox One.
While it seems that Mattrick was quite clear what he planned for the predecessor of the Xbox Series X and Series S, the Xbox One It was a disappointment for many and ended up being more focused on television than games: “We received the rejection of consumers, of some journalists, who questioned us if we had made the right decision as a company. It was a valid criticism, but it was a very binary choice, and we decided to go online“, He confessed Mattrick. “We could probably have done a much better job. “he added.
He also spoke about his departure from the company, how he would have liked to stay with it and have the opportunity to “execute the vision and capabilities the team had created”. However, as we know, Mattrick he left and the one who took his place was Phil Spencer, who is currently not only the head of Xbox, but is also the Executive Vice President of Gaming at Microsoft.
The titles of each chapter are as follows:
–Chapter 1: The renegades. A small team of presumptuous tries to convince Microsoft that it was time to get into the console business.
-Episode 2: The massacre of St. Valentine. The battle to own the salon has begun, but without significant costs and risks.
-Chapter 3: And it didn’t turn on. Public doubts intensify as troubles threaten to ruin the release of Xbox in 2001.
–Chapter 4: Ok … what now? A console is only as good as the games it plays … Xbox you need a revolutionary game to survive. Arrives Halo.
–Chapter 5: Red ring of death. The demand for Xbox 360 It reaches a frenzy, but a critical malfunction threatens its success.
–Chapter 6: TV … or no TV. Xbox lose the way. Can a former intern help the team find you again?
If you are a fan or follower of Xbox and you want to know more about its history, there is no doubt that these six episodes are for you. “This documentary will be a nostalgic journey through memory for those who have been players of Xbox from day one, and an eye-opening origin story for those new to video games“, Remarks Summerford.