WASHINGTON: Microsoft Corp announced on April 20, that it would stop production of its popular Xbox 360 video game console, which helped the company gain a firm foothold in the market. More than 80 million units of the console have been sold since its launch in 2005. Xbox 360 also introduced Microsoft’s Kinect motion-sensing game device. It was the company’s primary gaming console, until it launched the Xbox One in 2013. Microsoft said in a blog post it would continue to sell existing inventory of the consoles, continue to provide customer support and keep up with the Xbox Live Network as well, which allows online multi-player gaming. Sales of older-generation consoles have been declining as consumers shift to newer versions. The company also introduced the ability for users to play games launched for the Xbox 360 on its latest console. Microsoft currently offers over 100 video games as a part of its ‘backward compatibility’ feature.
A version of this article appears in print on April 25, 2016 of The Himalayan Times.