Xbox 360 celebrates 5th birthday in UK

Xbox 360 launched in the UK five years ago today, and Microsoft is celebrating by announcing that the 360 has been the number one console in Europe and the US for the past five months.

"From the beloved Xbox 360 Arcade, Pro and Elite models of yore through numerous special editions, holiday bundles and the advent of Xbox Live, to the sleek new 250GB and 4GB models of 2010, Xbox has morphed into a true entertainment powerhouse, successfully delivering an amazing array of gaming, movie, music and TV experiences to millions of owners here in the UK and around the world," Microsoft UK said today.

So, what's so special about the Xbox 360? Microsoft listed its numerous successes.

In 2005 it ushered in HD gaming and Achievements to home consoles. It pointed to blockbusters Halo, Gears of War and Fable as examples of successful exclusives.

In 2008 it sent the New Xbox Experience down the interpipes, which introduced Xbox Live Party, Avatars and revamped the dashboard.

In 2009 it implemented Sky, HD video streaming with Zune, Last.fm, Facebook and Twitter.

And in 2010 Microsoft released an add-on it believes will extend the life of the console by five years: Kinect. It expects to sell more than five million by the end of the year.

More than 45 million Xbox 360s have been sold worldwide.

"Families are looking for more value than ever this Christmas and looking to stretch their money," said Xbox UK boss Stephen McGill.

"An Xbox 360 console and Kinect can bring everyone together this season and entertain every single member of the family, from kids to grandparents. And with Kinect for Xbox 360, all you need is your voice, hands and body to jump into the controller-free fun."