Before the 2000’s, there wasn’t really anyone who could hold a candle to the video game supremacy held by Japanese consoles. After the video game crash of the 1980s, it was difficult for many North American console developers to catch up. So while development on brand-new games thrived, the actual consoles did not.
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That is, until Microsoft popped along. Who better to reintroduce the American-made home console than a billion dollar corporation? The original Xbox is typically remembered more as the predecessor to the Xbox 360, with little said for its own success. How let’s examine that now, including just how many games it ended up getting.
How Many Games Were Made For The Original Xbox?
The Xbox 360 was a runaway success, to a degree that seemed quite unprecedented at the time, especially considering the juggernauts it was up against. The same cannot be said for the original Xbox, which mostly flew under the radar. That said, it still laid the foundations for a much stronger future, and that is still to be commended.
Despite the relatively low sales and weak international reach, it still managed to progress steadily for the few years it was on the market. By the end of its run in 2006, it ended up with approximately 1,000 games. While not a staggering number in comparison to the PlayStation 2 it was up against, that’s still around 200 games a year, which is quite impressive all the same.
When Was The Last Game Released For The Original Xbox?
The Xbox had a staggered launch around the world, releasing first in North America, and finally in Europe. However, the success it met in every other region was dwarfed by that of North America. The console struggled to get a foothold outside of its home turf, and so the final game released in each region came out somewhat staggered as well. Let’s check them out below.
Final Game Released In Japan
The first region to get its final Xbox game was Japan, with The King of Fighters Neowave on March 30th, 2006. This is particularly notable for the fact that it released months after the console’s official discontinuation in Japan.
Final Game Released In Europe
The final game for Europe released a year after the console’s international discontinuation in favour of the Xbox 360. This was marked by Xiaolin Showdown on June 29th, 2007.
Final Game Released In North America
As you might have expected, the true final game for the original Xbox released in North America. The console ended as it began – with a sports game. Madden NFL 09 was the final game released for the console on August 12th, 2008, two years on from its official discontinuation.
What Were The Launch Titles For The Original Xbox?
Being a brand-new console, the Xbox had a lot to prove. It had to go up against established names with decades of work in the games industry behind them, and so it couldn’t risk having a slim launch line-up. To the credit of the Xbox, it did come with quite a hefty selection of games, even if many of them were sports games.
- North America – November 15th, 2001
- Japan – February 22nd, 2002
- Europe – March 14th, 2002
It is notable, in comparison to its Japanese peers, that the original Xbox came with not a single RPG in its launch line-up in any region. It wasn’t a genre that was particularly popular on home consoles in North America at the time, but it was still a sour exclusion when considering the international market, and the Japanese launch especially.
|
Launch Titles In North America |
Launch Titles In Japan |
Launch Titles In Europe |
|---|---|---|
|
Dead or Alive 3 |
Dead or Alive 3 |
Dead or Alive 3 |
|
Project Gotham Racing |
Project Gotham Racing |
Project Gotham Racing |
|
4×4 Evo 2 |
Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding |
Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding |
|
Arctic Thunder |
Double-S.T.E.A.L. |
Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions |
|
Cel Damage |
Jet Set Radio Future |
Jet Set Radio Future |
|
AirForce Delta Storm |
Airforce Delta II |
Batman: Vengeance |
|
Fuzion Frenzy |
ESPN International Winter Sports 2002 |
Fuzion Frenzy |
|
Halo: Combat Evolved |
ESPN Winter X-Games Snowboarding 2002 |
Halo: Combat Evolved |
|
Mad Dash Racing |
Genma Onimusha |
Mad Dash Racing |
|
NBA Live 2002 |
Nobunaga no Yabou: Ranseiki |
NBA Live 2002 |
|
NHL Hitz 2002 |
Nezmix |
NHL Hitz 2002 |
|
Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee |
Silent Hill 2 |
Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee |
|
Transworld Surf |
Transworld Surf |
|
|
Dark Summit |
Blood Wake |
|
|
Madden NFL 2002 |
Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 |
|
|
NASCAR Heat 2002 |
Max Payne |
|
|
NASCAR Thunder 2002 |
NHL 2002 |
|
|
NFL Fever 2002 |
RalliSport Challenge |
|
|
Shrek |
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 |
|
|
Star War: Starfighter Special Edition |
||
|
Test Drive: Off-Road Wide Open |
||
|
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2x |
For some bizarre reason, there was a grand total of four different snow sports games available at release across every region.
Its initial launch in North America was where the most games could be found with a total of 22 games on offer. Compare this to the later Japanese launch, with had the smallest selection of games. There were only 12 games available here. This isn’t a poor set by any means, though much smaller than comparative regions.
Finally came the European launch with a set of games more comparable to the Xbox. This launch had 19 games in total, including a larger variety of genres than most other regions.
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