Microsoft’s Xbox consoles are considered a pillar of the industry, part of a trifecta that makes up modern gaming. The first Xbox launched in 2001; the Xbox Series X and S arrived just last year. Today, Xbox is a powerhouse, yet it wasn’t always so. Bloomberg’s Dina Bass published an oral history on the creation of Microsoft’s Xbox that recounts the console’s conception, from an executive retreat through release day — with snags like a failed bid at Nintendo detailed along the way.