Over 10 years after the launch of the Xbox 360 console, Microsoft has announced it will end the manufacturing of new Xbox 360 hardware units.
In an Xbox Wire post, Xbox head Phil Spencer wrote:
Xbox 360 means a lot to everyone in Microsoft. And while we've had an amazing run, the realities of manufacturing a product over a decade old are starting to creep up on us. Which is why we have made the decision to stop manufacturing new Xbox 360 consoles. We will continue to sell existing inventory of Xbox 360 consoles, with availability varying by country.
While the Xbox 360 will no longer be made, Microsoft will continue to support current hardware units. In addition, Xbox Live will continue to work for the Xbox 360 consoles that are still using it, and Xbox 360 games and accessories will also continue to be sold. Microsoft has not yet offered a specific date for when support for Xbox 360, or Xbox Live services for the console, will end.
Microsoft launched the Xbox 360 in November 2005 and it is estimated that the company sold 80 million units worldwide by November 2013, when its successor, the Xbox One, was released.
