The Xbox 360 has been a part of many gamers’ lives for over a decade… but it’s now the end of an era, as Microsoft has announced that it is ceasing production of new units of the legendary console.
In a blog post on the official Xbox site, Microsoft’s head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, paid tribute to the 360 – recalling how it “helped redefine an entire generation of gaming at Microsoft”. He observed that “franchises like Gears of War were born on the 360, and established blockbusters like Halo really came into their own during this console generation.”
Still, he conceded that, as “the realities of manufacturing a product over a decade old are starting to creep up on us”, his company has opted to finally hit the brakes on new Xbox 360 production. Remaining inventory of the console will continue to be sold until stocks run out.
For now, many remaining Xbox 360 owners won’t feel the need to rush to the current Xbox One platform. That’s because Xbox Live services and servers will remain available for the 360, while support for the hardware will stay on offer through the Xbox website.