AUSTRALIA'S entry into the next generation of consoles came last night as the Xbox One hit shelves around the country.

In Australia, only the second country in the world to launch after New Zealand, Xbox took over the Sydney skyline, with the iconic Luna Park face and Sydney Tower washed in a sea of Xbox green, to celebrate the biggest launch in Xbox history.

The countdown to the console's midnight launch came via a massive 3D water projection on Sydney Harbour beneath the North pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

In an Australian first, the Sydney Tower switched off the Westfield sign for the evening and was transformed into a green beacon, its top doubling as the Southern Hemisphere's largest countdown clock as midnight approached.

As well as Sydney's iconic skyline turning green, the official Xbox One launch party was held at Luna Park in Sydney. Treated to an intimate performance by The Presets, the event was attended by more than 300 people, including 100 of the biggest Xbox fans in the country, who were also the first to collect their consoles.

Jeremy Hinton, Interactive Entertainment Business Lead, Microsoft Australia, says the launch of the Xbox One was a celebration of the gaming culture.

"It's a great time to be a gamer and we are honoured to be a part of this incredible industry. More than 370 retail stores opened around the country to bring in this new era of gaming and entertainment. Thousands of people across the country headed out to collect their consoles at the stroke of midnight - that's a passion and dedication that we are continuously humbled by."

Xbox One landed with 22 launch titles and 10 exclusive Xbox One titles.

Gamers will have the opportunity to explore award winning titles, created by world class developers such as "Titanfall," "Forza Motorsport 5," "Dead Rising 3," "Ryse: Son of Rome" and "Halo," as well as blockbuster third party games including "Watch Dogs," "Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag," "Destiny," "Call of Duty: Ghosts" and "Battlefield 4."