On January 6, 2001, the world media was stunned when renowned WWF entertainer, Dwayne Johnson, aka “The Rock” appeared on the stage beside Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to announce the first-ever ‘Xbox’ console. Dwayne deemed the system as “electrifying” as the people’s champion, “The Rock”. 

Back then Dwayne wasn’t the highly demanded and profitable Hollywood Star that he is today. Neither was gaming as influential and mainstream as compared to the current environment. But still having a wrestling star announce a gaming system, which back then was commonly believed to be for ‘Nerds’ was truly an unexpected spectacle. 

Dwayne Johnson rocked the stage for the Xbox announcement in 2001

Back in CES 2001, Dwayne shared the stage with Bill Gates to announce Microsoft’s newest venture, The Xbox. The WWF wrestler and actor who had appeared in only a single movie back then called the Scorpion King, came in equipped with his signature charisma and Wrestler antics. Talking in the third person and trying too hard to play his character, this announcement in today’s culture will simply be considered as “cringe”.

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Rock made quite an entertaining show on the stage, sharing some words for the console. He said, “The Xbox is everything The Rock is. Cutting-edge, powerful, exhilarating, and like The Rock, it will be the most electrifying thing coming out this year.” He compared the system with his larger-than-life character saying, “What The Rock is to sports entertainment to the WWF, the Xbox will be to the video game industry: a breakthrough and certainly an original. The Rock doesn’t impress easily–you know that, Bill. But I’m pretty damn impressed with what we’re seeing here today.”

Even after this “electrifying” announcement, the first console ended up losing more than $7 Billion for Microsoft. But even after such a huge loss, Microsoft didn’t give up on the console and it was probably for the best. Currently in the gaming industry, one of the biggest names is none other than Xbox.  

Rock recalls this event with Bill Gates 

Even after 21 years, the wrestler turned Hollywood megastar, Dwayne Johnson still remembers this amazing night. On January 6, 2022, Rock retweeted a clip of the announcement with the caption, “Was a fun day at CES, introducing the world to the very first ever, “OG @Xbox” with Bill. We were the coolest cats in Vegas, talking shit about our broadband capabilities and fanny packs.”

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