Xbox Live
When the Xbox launched on November 15, 2001, the as-yet unnamed online service was destined for a Summer 2002 deployment. Xbox Live was finally given a name at E3 2002 when the service was unveiled in its entirety. Sound-dampened booths and broadband-connected Xbox consoles—featuring an early version of "Unreal Championship"—demonstrated the service on the show floor. The Epic title was one of the flagship titles for the service, which was slated for a debut on November 15, 2002, marking the anniversary of the Xbox launch. Microsoft announced that 50 Xbox Live titles would be available by the end of 2003. Utilizing the required broadband bandwidth, Xbox Live featured a unified gaming "Friends List", as well as a single identity across all titles (regardless of the publisher), and standardized voice chat with a headset and communication, a feature that was still in its infancy.
2010s in video gaming
Both Microsoft and Sony announced their offerings in the eighth generation in 2013. On May 21, just weeks before E3 2013, Microsoft revealed its "all-in-one entertainment device," the Xbox One. Reaction among the press and gamers was mixed, with many gamers criticizing DRM-related restrictions and persistent internet requirements. E3 in June saw Microsoft reveal a November launch date for the Xbox One and Sony unveil its eighth generation console, the PlayStation 4. The Playstation 4 received an enthusiastic response from the attendees after it was revealed it would lack DRM restrictions and online requirements and have a cheaper launch price thean the Xbox One, leading some commentators to declare Sony the winner of E3. In the week following E3, Microsoft announced a reversal of the its online and used games restrictions after substantial negative feedback.