Microsoft Xbox 15th anniversary news and updates: players enjoy free DLC, Halo 5 and Forza Horizon 3 deals

Microsoft's first Xbox console was introduced 15 years ago on Nov. 15, and to celebrate its 15th anniversary, the company looks back to its years of achievement and is giving away gifts and rewards to players of "Forza Horizon 3" and "Halo 5."

In a blog post, Xbox Wire editor-in-chief Will Tuttle said that "the November 15, 2001 release of the Xbox in North America was a major moment for both the company and the entire games industry." He added that "the original Xbox console gave rise to beloved game franchises like Halo and Forza Motorsport, and helped usher in the online console gaming era with the release of Xbox Live."

To date, Xbox has a recorded 222,468,423 number of players and a total of 100,539,390,670 of game time.

Those who log in to "Halo 5" until Nov. 22 will immediately receive a Mark IV armor & helmet, four SPNKRs, four CE Magnums, and four Halo 2 Beam Rifles. Other than that, the "Halo" Gear Store launched a 15th-anniversary sale in which all items are at 15% off the price tag, and are all offered for free shipping until Nov. 30.

As for "Forza Horizon 3," players will receive a free Ford F-150 Raptor that is decorated with a 15-year Xbox livery. For those who availed of the game's VIP Package, an additional truck is given with an alternate 15-year Xbox livery.

In other news, Nintendo — one of Xbox's most competitive rival, took to Twitter to congratulate the company on their 15th-year anniversary. "Happy anniversary, @Xbox! Congratulations on 15 fantastic years," the tweet reads along with a photograph of a happy Super Mario character.

The first Xbox console was released on Nov. 15, 2001, which was followed by Xbox 360 in 2005, and then followed by the most recent Xbox One in 2013. The next Xbox console, codenamed Project Scorpio, is slated for a 2017 holiday release.