Xbox fans know that 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the original Xbox. From the original Xbox to the Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, Microsoft has made great strides in the gaming space, transforming itself from a PC-only publisher to a living room powerhouse. Likewise, if you're an Xbox fan, you know that the process didn't happen overnight and that Microsoft went through a lot of hard work along the way. A new documentary series, "Power On," aims to tell the story.

"Power On: The Story of Xbox" is a six-part free documentary series on the history of the Xbox brand and technology; the official Xbox Wire post details the documentary as "the first ever comprehensive and authentic Xbox history, and you'll hear directly from the team that survived two decades of compelling and challenging paths."

You might think that a documentary about a company that manufactured a video game console sounds a bit self-serving, and you might be right. Power On doesn't appear to be a scathing exposé of the video game console market or Microsoft's ability to spend big bucks on video game consoles."

On the other hand, the show doesn't turn a blind eye to Xbox's missteps either; according to a post on Xbox Wire, "Power On" delves into "heartbreaking challenges like the Red Ring of Death and Microsoft's attempt to buy Nintendo in 2000."

"Power On" digs deeper.

The good news is that if you want to watch "Power On" and judge its merits or demerits for yourself, you can do so right now without paying a penny. The documentary is available on free channels such as Redbox, YouTube, and IMDbTV. It is also available on Microsoft Movies & TV if you want to download the show to your Xbox console. Each episode is about 40 minutes long, so it would take four hours to watch the whole thing.

However, if you can spare four consecutive hours, you can stream the entire show on Twitch with the Microsoft team: on Thursday, December 16 at 10:00 a.m. PT/1:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. BST, Microsoft will stream all six episodes in a row and discuss them with other fans while playing fans can discuss the episodes with other fans as they play.

The Xbox Wire article also highlights several 20th anniversary milestones, including the "Power On" art print and the Xbox Museum, which can be toured online. But the highlight here is a look back at all things Xbox, with lots of developer commentary that you probably won't hear anywhere else. I haven't had a chance to watch the documentary yet, but it will help pass the time the next time the Xbox Live servers are down.