5 Games That Made People Like Xbox in the First Place

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Xbox is facing some uncertainty right now, so we’re taking a look back at how it became a major player in gaming. In the early 2000s, Sega was pulling back from making consoles, leaving an opening in the market. Microsoft already had a presence in gaming through Windows, and a home console seemed like the logical next move. The Xbox launched in 2001, bringing with it some incredibly popular game series. Over the years, Xbox continued to lead the way with innovations like Xbox Live and by partnering with developers who typically focused on PC games to bring their titles to consoles.

Xbox was a total game changer – it really put Microsoft on the map with PlayStation and Nintendo. Lately, I’ve been hearing rumors that Xbox might not be around forever, but until Microsoft actually *says* that’s happening, I’m choosing to believe it’s sticking around. It’s given us so many amazing games, covering all sorts of genres. So, I wanted to take a trip down memory lane and look back at some of the titles that truly made Xbox what it is today.

5) Halo

It’s hard to pick just one Halo game – the series is so closely tied to the Xbox brand that listing them all individually wouldn’t be fair to other titles. But the original, *Halo: Combat Evolved*, is arguably the best launch game ever made. It established Bungie as a top-tier first-person shooter developer and proved that Xbox was a major player in gaming. The game featured a captivating story mode with cooperative play, incredibly fun multiplayer that set the standard for years, and a memorable hero who became the face of the Xbox brand.

A few years after the original, Halo 2 confirmed that the first game wasn’t a one-time success. While its story had some problems due to difficulties during development, it was still a landmark title for the Xbox. The Halo franchise remains a central part of the Xbox brand, and there’s talk that the original game, Halo: Combat Evolved, might be remade.

4) Fable

Fable was a landmark role-playing game for the original Xbox. Despite designer Peter Molyneux making some overly ambitious promises, the game still created a captivating fantasy world that felt fresh and new. It quickly became the best-selling Xbox game, winning many awards and earning praise for its freedom and open gameplay. Fable was an important title for Xbox, demonstrating Microsoft’s ability to publish games beyond the typical first-person shooter genre.

Despite the closure of its original developer, Lionhead, the Fable series is making a comeback next year with a new game created by Playground Games. It’s still uncertain how the new game will be received, but its development confirms continued interest in the Fable brand.

3) Forza Horizon

While many racing games existed before Forza Horizon, I wanted to highlight a title from later in Xbox’s history. The original Forza Motorsport games started the series, but they were aimed at dedicated racing enthusiasts and were similar to realistic simulators like Gran Turismo.

The original *Forza Horizon* took the realistic cars and driving of the *Motorsport* series and made it more accessible and fun for a wider range of players. It was a welcome addition to Xbox’s games library and has since become a hugely popular franchise, with *Forza Horizon 5* even selling well on PlayStation 5. While *Forza Horizon 6* will also be available on PlayStation, dedicated fans who want to play it immediately on release will need to purchase it on Xbox.

2) The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

When *The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind* came out, Xbox didn’t directly publish it. Bethesda wouldn’t become part of Xbox for almost 20 years, but this marked the beginning of their working relationship. While Bethesda primarily developed games for PC, Microsoft collaborated closely with them to bring the role-playing game to Xbox.

This success paved the way for *Oblivion* to launch shortly after the Xbox 360, and later, for the developer to bring mods for *Fallout 4* and *Skyrim* to the Xbox One. In the end, *Morrowind* established a key partnership for Xbox, giving its players access to one of the most popular and impactful role-playing game series ever created.

1) Gears of War

With *Gears of War*, Xbox gained another popular shooting game, though it arrived nearly a year after the Xbox 360 was released. Unlike *Halo*, *Gears of War* offered a third-person view, a darker and more intense atmosphere, and a strong emphasis on realistic violence – all of which resonated with players. The game really showed off the Xbox 360’s impressive graphics, but most importantly, it was incredibly enjoyable. It delivered a fantastic co-op campaign and a fresh multiplayer experience that became a hallmark of that console generation.

The series became incredibly popular on the Xbox 360. While Epic Games moved on to create games like *Fortnite*, Microsoft retained the rights and assigned a new development team to continue it. Fans can expect a return to the world of Marcus and Dom with a new prequel, *Gears of War: E-Day*, slated for release next year.

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2025-10-15 03:13