Xbox teases new consoles ahead of major anniversary

Microsoft revealed it has big plans for the 25th anniversary of Xbox and Halo during a recent interview.

When Microsoft launched the original Xbox on November 15 2001, I remember feeling very unimpressed with this ugly big black box. They say first impressions are everything and that was certainly the case with Microsoft’s first dip into the console market, thankfully, however, that underwhelming feeling did not last long.

Check out the Halo Anniversary trailer below!

Thankfully, those first impressions were instantly erased the moment that I played the Xbox launch title, Halo: Combat Evolved. I can still remember to this very day, playing as the Master Chief for the very first time and being blown away.

Before Halo: Combat Evolved, most first-person shooter games were very clunking experiences on consoles, unlike PC gaming. Since that time, the very first Halo game became the benchmark for what is expected of the FPS genre on consoles.

Next year is the 25th anniversary of Xbox and Halo, and to celebrate this milestone, Microsoft has big plans for its green brand. As reported by Windows Central (via Licence Global magazine), Xbox's head of consumer products John Friend teased some exciting plans.

“We have these massive, fantastic franchises ranging from World of Warcraft –celebrating its 20th anniversary this year — to Halo, Call of Duty, to StarCraft and much more,” said Friend.

“We’re building plans for the 25th anniversary of Halo and Xbox — we have such a rich heritage and history, and these communities have been active for so long, you have to celebrate that.”

While details on the 25th anniversary were kept understandably close to Friend’s chest, it’s not outside the realms of possibility that we might get a celebratory Xbox console, perhaps one inspired by Halo: Combat Evolved.

What’s more, would there be a more perfect time to announce a new Halo game or a next-gen Xbox console on 15 November 2026? We’ll keep you posted if that information drops.

The entire Halo series is available now for subscribers of Xbox Game Pass at no extra cost.