Microsoft created the Windows operating system and the Xbox video-game console.
Windows grew from Microsoft’s early operating-system work for personal computers into one of the most widely used desktop platforms in the world. The first retail version, Windows 1.0, was released in 1985. Microsoft later entered the console market with the original Xbox, launched in North America in 2001.
The company’s portfolio now spans operating systems, productivity software, cloud computing, gaming, search, professional networking, and hardware. This diversification is one reason Microsoft is repeatedly ranked among the world’s richest publicly traded companies by market capitalization.
Xbox is a Microsoft brand rather than a separate publicly traded company. The Xbox business includes consoles, games, online services, and studios acquired by Microsoft over time.