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Xbox One
Xbox One guide: release date, the Xbox One S and One X, prices for used consoles, which new games still run on it, and how old it is.
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All guidesFrequently asked questions about Xbox One
When did the Xbox One come out?
November 22, 2013 in North America.
What was the Xbox 720?
A fan nickname for the console that launched as the Xbox One.
What was Xbox Scorpio?
The codename for the Xbox One X, released November 7, 2017.
How much is an Xbox One worth?
Used prices run from about $60 for an original model to $230 for an Xbox One X.
The Xbox One was Microsoft’s third home console, the successor to the Xbox 360 and the predecessor of the Xbox Series X|S. Before it was revealed, fans called it the “Xbox 720”. It launched in 2013 and was followed by two big revisions: the slimmer Xbox One S in 2016 and the much more powerful Xbox One X, codenamed Project Scorpio, in 2017. More than a decade later, millions of people still use one for Game Pass, streaming apps and older games.
When did the Xbox One come out?
The Xbox One release date was November 22, 2013 in North America and much of Europe, one week after the PS4. So how old is the Xbox One? It turns 13 in November 2026. People also search the Xbox 1 release date or “when did Xbox 1 come out”; it is the same console and the same date.
| Model | Release date | Launch price (US) | Key changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox One | November 22, 2013 | $499 (with Kinect), $399 without from June 2014 | Original large black console with external power brick |
| Xbox One S | August 2, 2016 | $299 (500GB) | 40% smaller, white, 4K Blu-ray, HDR, internal power supply, Bluetooth controller |
| Xbox One X (Project Scorpio) | November 7, 2017 | $499 | 6 teraflops, 12GB GDDR5, native 4K in many games |
| Xbox One S All-Digital | May 7, 2019 | $249 | Xbox One S digital model without a disc drive |
When did the Xbox One S come out? August 2, 2016. Microsoft stopped making all Xbox One models at the end of 2020, shortly after the Series X|S launched.
The Xbox 720 and Xbox Scorpio names
Because the Xbox 360 followed the original Xbox, many fans assumed its successor would be called the Xbox 720. Microsoft revealed the real name, Xbox One, on May 21, 2013. Project Scorpio was the public codename for the Xbox One X, announced at E3 2016 as “the most powerful console ever made” and renamed at E3 2017. If you see “Xbox Scorpio” for sale, it usually means the Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition, a launch edition with special branding.
Xbox One price today
How much is a Xbox One in 2026? Microsoft no longer sells it new, so you are buying a used Xbox One or a refurbished one. Typical US prices:
| Model | Typical used price | Worth it? |
|---|---|---|
| Original Xbox One (500GB-1TB) | $60-$100 | Only as a cheap media box |
| Used Xbox One S | $90-$140 | Good budget console and 4K Blu-ray player |
| Xbox One S All-Digital | $70-$110 | Cheap, but no discs |
| Used Xbox One X | $150-$230 | Best Xbox One, but a used Series S is often similar money |
Before buying a used Xbox One S or used Xbox One X, check that the console has been removed from the seller’s Microsoft account, test the HDMI port and disc drive, and ask whether the internal hard drive has been replaced. A Microsoft Xbox One S console is the best value for a cheap Game Pass Essential machine, but compare against a used Series S, which plays every new Xbox game. See Series S vs Xbox One X for the trade-offs.
Do new games still come out on Xbox One?
Fewer every year. Most big games now target Xbox Series X|S only, but some publishers still release Xbox One versions:
- Sports: Madden 25 and Madden 26 on Xbox One, NBA 2K26 on Xbox One and WWE 2K26 on Xbox One have last-gen versions with fewer features.
- Big older games: Fallout 4 on Xbox One, Skyrim on Xbox One (Special Edition), Rocket League on Xbox One and Hogwarts Legacy on Xbox One all run well, and many get free performance boosts on Series X|S.
- Halo Infinite on Xbox One runs, but at lower frame rates; multiplayer is free-to-play.
- Guitar Hero on Xbox One means Guitar Hero Live (2015), which needs its own six-button guitar; its online GHTV mode shut down in 2018.
Check our Xbox and PlayStation game availability list to see if a specific game supports Xbox One.
How to play DayZ offline on Xbox One
DayZ has no official offline or single-player mode on Xbox. The workarounds are to join an empty community server, rent a private server through Nitrado (the official console server partner) and set it to private, or play the community “offline” mission only on PC. On console you always need an internet connection and online access through Game Pass Essential.
Xbox One specs
| Xbox One / One S | Xbox One X | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 8-core AMD Jaguar, 1.75 GHz | 8-core custom, 2.3 GHz |
| GPU | 1.31-1.4 teraflops | 6 teraflops |
| Memory | 8GB DDR3 | 12GB GDDR5 |
| Storage | 500GB-2TB HDD | 1TB HDD |
| Video output | 1080p (One S upscales to 4K) | Native 4K |
Should you still buy an Xbox One?
Only if the price is very low and you mainly want streaming apps, a Blu-ray player or older games. For anything newer, a used Xbox Series S costs a little more and plays every current game with fast loading. If you already own an Xbox One, you can keep using it with Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming, which streams many Series X|S games to the older console. And your games carry forward: everything you bought on Xbox One plays on Series X|S. Find accessories like power supplies in our Xbox power cord guide.
A short history of the Xbox One
The Xbox One had a rocky start. At its May 2013 reveal Microsoft focused on TV, sports and the Kinect camera, and announced always-online checks and limits on sharing used games. Players pushed back hard, and Microsoft reversed those policies before launch. The $499 price, $100 more than the PS4 because Kinect was bundled, also hurt early sales. In 2014 Microsoft sold a version without Kinect for $399, and Phil Spencer, who became head of Xbox that year, refocused the brand on games.
The later years were much better for players. Microsoft added backward compatibility for Xbox 360 games in 2015 and original Xbox games in 2017, launched Xbox Game Pass in June 2017, released the Xbox One X as the most powerful console of its generation, and introduced Xbox Play Anywhere so one purchase works on console and PC. Many of the services Xbox players use today began on the Xbox One.
Best Xbox One games
- Forza Horizon 4 and Forza Horizon 5, both of which also run on Xbox One.
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which bundles Halo 1 through 4 and Reach.
- Gears 5 and Gears of War 4.
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps, a gorgeous platformer.
- The Witcher 3, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Fallout 4, which look best on the Xbox One X.
- Sea of Thieves and Grounded for co-op.
- Rocket League and Fortnite for free-to-play multiplayer.
Common Xbox One problems
- Slow performance and long load times: the original hard drive is slow. An external USB 3.0 SSD makes games load much faster.
- Disc drive clicking or not reading discs: a common fault on older consoles; replacement drives are cheap but the drive board is paired to the motherboard.
- Turns off by itself: usually overheating or a failing power supply. Clean the vents and see why an Xbox keeps turning off.
- Factory reset: go to Settings > System > Console info > Reset console, and choose Reset and keep my games & apps to fix software problems without re-downloading.
Xbox One vs Xbox Series S
The Series S has a far faster CPU and an SSD, so games load in seconds instead of minutes and run at higher frame rates. It plays every Xbox One game, often better, and gets all new releases. The Xbox One X still has an edge for 4K Blu-ray discs (the Series S has no disc drive) and for some older games that were patched for native 4K. For most buyers the Series S is the better purchase in 2026.
Still have an Xbox One? Keep it updated, add an external SSD and pair it with Game Pass: it remains a capable, cheap way to play hundreds of games in 2026.