Microsoft launched Xbox nearly 25 years ago as a competitor to Sony's PlayStation.Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty ImagesMicrosoft launched its Xbox gaming console nearly 25 years ago.The brand has become beloved, owning popular gaming franchises like "Call of Duty" and "Minecraft."Read about the Xbox's history, and how it became a staple of the gaming industry.Since its debut in 2001, Microsoft's Xbox has become a cornerstone in the gaming industry, quickly coming to rival and challenge the market dominance of the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo.The Xbox brand has evolved through multiple console generations, introducing innovations that have not only influenced competitors but also helped cement Microsoft as a serious player in the entertainment sector.The development and launch of XboxStarting in the late 1990s, Microsoft recognized the growing importance of the gaming industry and the potential of integrating personal computing into a home console.Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was intrigued by the idea of entering the console gaming market, but posed a major hurdle in the beginning.