Microsoft's gaming brand Xbox celebrated its 20th-anniversary last year. Many people doubted that the console would be a success back in 2001 due to stiff competition from Nintendo and PlayStation, though the green brand was able to shrug off the doubters and become a leading figure in the gaming industry, and one that is now trying to aggressively expand with its Activision and Bethesda deals and value-for-money Game Pass service.
Microsoft has many studios, consoles, and games to thank for the Xbox's success, which are all recognizable by their iconic logos.
7 Original Xbox Logo
As mentioned before, there wasn't much hope for the Xbox when it was first announced, as Sega had just bowed out of the console market after failing to compete with Nintendo and PlayStation, so many people thought that Microsoft's console would go the same way.
However, the original Xbox hit the ground running in 2001 with an incredible launch lineup that included the classic Halo: Combat Evolved, a game that forced the industry to instantly recognize Xbox as a serious player. Although many people didn't own the original Xbox at first, games like Fable, Project Gotham Racing and the first two Halo games made people take notice of the console. The Xbox's original logo also turned heads, as its sharp lines and bright green colors made it stand out in a crowd despite its simplicity.
6 Halo Logo
Halo is Xbox's flagship franchise and, as alluded to before, has been instrumental in the brand's success. The series was created by Bungie, who released five main series titles before the torch was passed to 343 Industries, who most recently developed the first open-world game in the series, Halo Infinite.
With how important the Halo franchise has been to Xbox, it's hard to believe that anyone who has owned one of Microsoft's consoles hasn't come across the Halo logo. The logo hasn't changed much over the years, with the signature sci-fi font remaining intact since Combat Evolved, along with the unique letter "O" that is made to look like the sight of a futuristic gun, befitting of the gameplay.
5 Gears Of War Logo
Microsoft was given a golden opportunity to make major gains in the gaming industry in the mid-2000s, as they released their Xbox 360 almost a year before the PlayStation 3, which suffered numerous delays and backlash for having an extortionate initial price tag. Despite this setback for Sony, the huge success of the PlayStation 2 meant that many people were willing to wait a year for their next console, which led some to believe that the Xbox 360's momentum would screech to a halt when the PS3 was released.
However, Microsoft Game Studios (now known as Xbox Game Studios) had one final trick up their sleeve before the PS3's release, as they released Gears of War just four days before Sony's console hit stores. The game's ominous and bloody skull logo gave an insight into what was in store, as Gears of War provided cover shooting gameplay that drew the gaming industry's attention with gory violence and brutal chainsaw executions.
4 Skyrim Logo
As alluded to before, Microsoft recently made waves in the gaming industry when the company announced plans to acquire Bethesda's parent company ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion - an acquisition that is now complete and one that has already been overshadowed by the company's deal to acquire Activision for an eye-watering $68.7 billion.
For many people, the most shocking revelation from Microsoft's Bethesda deal is that the next Elder Scrolls game may be an Xbox and PC exclusive. Elder Scrolls exclusivity would certainly sell systems for Microsoft, as the latest game in the series, Skyrim, is still one of the most-played games today despite releasing over a decade ago. The action RPG is beloved for how much freedom and choice it gives players in what to do and where to go, giving it tremendous replay value.
3 Forza Logo
Forza has been a flagship franchise for Xbox since Microsoft Game Studios teamed up with the aptly named Turn 10 Studios for 2005's Forza Motorsport - a series that offers simulation-style racing and received its seventh entry in 2017. The Forza brand also includes the Forza Horizon series, which ditches the realistic courses from Forza Motorsport in favor of offering players beautiful open worlds to freely explore and race in.
Forza's eye-catching logo is used for both the Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon franchises. It depicts a stylized letter "F" made to look like a sports car logo.
2 Rare logo
Prior to the Bethesda and Activision deals, British studio Rare was Microsoft's most head-turning acquisition. The development studio behind classic games like GoldenEye 007 and Banjo-Kazooie was purchased by Microsoft for $375 million in 2002, and hopes were high for what was in store. Unfortunately, the studio struggled under Microsoft for many years, with highly-anticipated games like Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts failing to impress.
However, Rare has made a roaring comeback to be one of Xbox Game Studios' most valuable assets, largely thanks to the release of the open-world pirate game Sea of Thieves. The game is one of the most popular titles on Game Pass and has helped bring the legendary studio and its iconic logo back into the minds of players.
1 Rockstar Logo
Rockstar differentiates itself from the other entries on this list as it isn't an Xbox-exclusive studio, but it still qualifies for this list as the Rockstar logo is one that almost any adult Xbox gamer will recognize. Rockstar has provided Xbox owners with some of gaming's most critically-acclaimed releases over the years, such as Grand Theft Auto 5, Red Dead Redemption 2, and the oft-forgotten Bully.
The public opinion of Rockstar is probably at its lowest point today, due to the long wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 and the disastrous release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. However, there's no denying that when Rockstar speaks the gaming industry stops and takes notice, and there's still belief that Grand Theft Auto 6 can continue the series' tradition of raising the bar for open-world gaming, even with stiff competition from boundary-pushing games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring.