The Xbox 360 went on sale in North America on November 22, 2005. If you are asking about the North American launch, that is the answer. Europe and Japan got the console later, on December 2 and December 10, 2005.
Xbox 360 launch dates by region
Microsoft set three store-shelf dates for the console in its own announcement of the schedule. The table below lists them with the weekday Microsoft gave for each.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Xbox 360 250GB Slim Console - (Renewed) | $187.60 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Xbox 360 4GB Console | $620.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Microsoft Xbox 360 S 250GB System (Renewed) | $184.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite System Console Only - Black (Renewed) | $135.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Xbox 360 500GB Console Bundle (Tomb Raider & Halo 4) | $249.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Region | Store launch date | Weekday (as stated by Microsoft) |
|---|---|---|
| North America | November 22, 2005 | Tuesday |
| Europe | December 2, 2005 | Friday |
| Japan | December 10, 2005 | Saturday |
What Microsoft announced and when
Microsoft News Center published the schedule on September 14, 2005. The official statement read: “Xbox 360™ will arrive on store shelves Tuesday, Nov. 22 in North America, Friday, Dec. 2 in Europe, and Saturday, Dec. 10 in Japan.” Xbox Wire repeated the same three dates the following day, September 15, 2005.
The announcement was a corporate statement rather than a quote from a named executive, so it is cited to Microsoft News Center and Xbox Wire rather than to an individual.
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Which date to use
For English-language readers asking when the Xbox 360 “came out,” the November 22, 2005 North American date is the standard answer. If you are writing about or searching for the European or Japanese launch, use the December dates in the table above. These are historical store-launch dates from 2005 and do not describe current availability of the hardware.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Xbox 360 E console
- Xbox 360 250GB Hard Drive
- Two amazing games included for Free
Rank #2
- Sleek New Design
- 4GB internal memory.Built-in Wi-Fi
- Whisper Quiet
- Part Number: XBX4GBCNTRBUN
- This item is non returnable.
Primary sources
- Microsoft News Center, September 14, 2005: official announcement of the North American, European, and Japanese store dates.
- Xbox Wire, September 15, 2005: official post repeating the same three dates.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
