Microsoft burst onto the console gaming scene with the Xbox in 2001. Since then, the Xbox brand has gone through three additional console generations to varying degrees of success. One of the company's major victories is innovating in the area of online console multiplayer, as the games below show.
Anyone who played Xbox systems can recall fond memories of all of these titles. Some of these are tried and true classics while others are new to the scene but will soon be considered timeless gems. Fortunately, a lot of these have incredible local options for friends to play together on the same couch.
8 Halo: Combat Evolved - Xbox
This launch title revolutionized more than just multiplayer gaming; it represented a shift in console FPS games as a whole. Halo: Combat Evolved was pretty much the first FPS for consoles with an experience on par with PC games.
The debut entry did not have online multiplayer, but split-screen and LAN play were extremely popular upon release. It was the main reason to own an Xbox, with its sales reflecting half of the console's install base in the early days. The ability to play through the campaign cooperatively was a huge plus as well. The series' popularity skyrocketed once Halo 2 introduced online play.
7 Gears Of War - Xbox 360
Halo is great, but a console needs more than one killer exclusive to really make a mark. The Xbox 360 was a massive success due in part to Sony's errors with the PS3's release and its own strong lineup of new exclusive IPs. Gears of War set the standard for third-person shooters of the generation with its focus on visceral cover-based combat.
Online multiplayer was hugely popular and dethroned Halo 2 as the most played Xbox Live game until Halo 3 came out. Local multiplayer was not left out of the picture, either, with split-screen co-op in the campaign and competitive modes available.
6 Killer Instinct - Xbox One
It is no secret that Microsoft stumbled hard with the release of the Xbox One. The company planned to include numerous restrictions regarding used games and validating licenses. Forcing the console to always be online was a huge point of controversy as well. Though many of these were rolled back before release, it hurt the console's reputation.
All the same, some great multiplayer exclusives made the console worthwhile. The return of Killer Instinct was notable. The free-to-play business model had characters added to the roster regularly through seasons. The first season received an average of 73 on Metacritic, while later seasons had a more positive reception.
5 Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow - Xbox
While not an exclusive, Xbox was absolutely the best place to play the older Splinter Cell games. The first sequel in the franchise, Pandora Tomorrow, introduced an innovative asymmetrical multiplayer mode called Spies Vs. Mercs. In it, one team of mercenaries plays from the first-person perspective hunting down other players utilizing the unique tools and gameplay mechanics of the Splinter Cell franchise.
The single-player campaign is worth the full game purchase alone, so this multiplayer component is a huge plus. With a 93 on Metacritic, it is one of the best-reviewed games on the original Xbox. The Spies Vs. Mercs mode became a mainstay of the franchise, being included in even more recent titles.
4 Left 4 Dead - Xbox 360
During the Xbox 360 and PS3 generation, cooperative play became more prominent. It seemed like every game either shoehorned co-op into its campaign or had a separate mode. Left 4 Dead was built specifically around players teaming up to go through levels.
Few games recreate a similar sensation of feeling overrun by zombies. The sequel came out in 2009 and a third entry was not destined to be. However, a spiritual sequel by the same developer, Back 4 Blood, came out in 2021.
3 Sea Of Thieves - Xbox One
Rare's pirate-themed MMORPG was not highly celebrated at first, as evidenced by its 69 on Metacritic, but content updates and patches turned Sea of Thieves into a great and unique multiplayer title. This is a common story for many popular living games of the last generation.
True to the hostile nature of the pirate's life at sea, players can either work together or stab each other in the back and steal all the booty they can find. As a testament to its later popularity and success, by the summer of 2020, Sea of Thieves had been played by more than 15 million people since its initial launch.
2 Call Of Duty 2 - Xbox 360
Call of Duty has been a multi-platform series almost since its inception. However, Call of Duty 2 never made it onto PS3. In the game's singleplayer component, players fight several famous battles of the Second World War, including Stalingrad, D-Day, and El Alamein.
Infinity Ward's second entry in the franchise had a notably celebrated multiplayer mode, and it differs greatly from what Modern Warfare would do to revolutionize online FPS multiplayer. The launch title was the best-selling game early in the console's life, being a great shooter to have before games like Gears of War and Halo 3 came into the picture.
1 Halo: Infinite - Xbox Series X
Halo did not have the best time on the Xbox One. Halo 5: Guardians, the only entry released for the console, was not beloved by players, who gave it a 6.4 user score on Metacritic. Fans were worried about Halo: Infinite after its first public showing and extended delay. Microsoft released the multiplayer component first for free and it proved to be an excellent move for the series.
Most players agree it is a glorious return to form for the storied franchise. The ability for every Xbox Series X owner to play the multiplayer component for free and the positive reception it has already received forever associates it with the console.