Xbox (sorry Microsoft, but I'm not writing it in all-caps), has announced a gloriously retro-looking 25th anniversary console, and fans are over the moon about it.
The Xbox Series X25 is a tribute to the original console's translucent green design, and the excitement with which it's been greeted demonstrates just where the brand went wrong in recent years, even it does retain a place in our pick of the best video game consoles.
As well as the translucent green shell (sadly, it doesn't extend to the back of the device, but I'll let that go), the Xbox Series X25 features a glowing green 'X' as a throwback to the original console's start up. There's also a 25th Anniversary logo on the front of the machine.
Some nostalgic fans are even more enamoured by the corresponding X25 Controller. Here the transparency extends to the back case and battery door, while is also sports classic full-colour ABXY buttons and black and white bumpers inspired by original Duke.
Fans are hailing the design as another positive sign that Asha Sharma knows where Xbox went wrong and wants to fix it. It does suggest that the new CEO understands that how the brand makes people feel is as important as any tech specs, and that a translucent green shell can say more than months of dry corporate messaging.
The retro anniversary console is a smart use of nostalgia that reminds fans what the Xbox used to feel like before its strategy became so convoluted and confusing in the 'Not an Xbox' era. The console's identity is clear and distinct. It's big and it's weird, and it restores the emotional connection that had been lost.
The new XBOX 25th Anniversary console & controller design is everything I dreamed of as a kid 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/BGpY18Pw1DJune 7, 2026
Xbox Series X25 will be released in November in limited numbers. The controller will come bundled and will also be available separately from October.
