The Xbox is about to turn twenty years old. Despite the PS2's absolute dominance at the time, this platform managed to carve out a place in the video game world and kick off a line of systems that have significantly expanded their software offerings while delivering some very interesting hardware configurations. Once again, Clint from the LGR channel decided to share with his audience the unboxing of an original Xbox, with its plastic protectors still intact.
Late 2001. The world was still reeling from events like the attack on the Twin Towers, but it slowly continued on its path... and Microsoft was part of that. In October, it introduced Windows XP, one of the company's most successful operating systems, and on November 15 it confirmed its entry into the console market with the launch of the Xbox, short for DirectX Box.
This system had been initially presented at the GDC in the year 2000, and its development history is truly fascinating. Microsoft tried to acquire high-caliber companies to strengthen its platform (Electronic Arts, Nintendo, and Square Enix are some of the names on the list), but it had better luck securing exclusive titles like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Dead or Alive 3. 24 million consoles and two decades later, very few Xboxes are in good condition... but Clint from the LGR channel has one in its box.
Unboxing the Original Xbox, 20 Years Later
Although the seals on the outer box seem to have lost their integrity, everything inside is sealed from the factory, and the console still has its protective plastic sheets. Not a single mark on the case, which reminds us that the console looked great in its black and green combination. The exact model is from 2004, and in this case it already comes with the alternate gamepad. The original 'Duke' was much larger, and the specialized press trashed it at the time, but today it's a collector's piece.
Clint also reminds us that he'll probably have to open the console to replace the RTC capacitor, because it has a very bad habit of failing and spilling its contents onto the motherboard, destroying everything in its path. Every model prior to revision 1.6 needs this modification, and after checking the kernel version on the console, Clint confirmed that his original Xbox is in for a bit of surgery.
Anyway, the experience is still extraordinary. From turning it on and running the animation on a CRT TV to destroying half a city in Midtown Madness 3, throwing punches in Dead or Alive 3, playing a few minutes of Halo, and finishing with The Sims Bustin' Out, the original Xbox is a wonderful way to drown in nostalgia.
