The Xbox console (commonly known today as the original Xbox) is a home video game console and the first installment in the Xbox series of consoles manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001, in North America, followed by Australia, Europe and Japan in 2002. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console market. The sixth-generation console competed with Sony's PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo GameCube. It was also the first console produced by an American company since the Atari Jaguar ceased production in 1996.