First look: Microsoft is going back to its roots for Xbox's 25th anniversary, rolling out a limited-edition Series X that pairs current hardware with one of the brand's most recognizable design cues. The 25th-anniversary console keeps the same power and 1TB of storage as the current Series X but trades the standard case for a translucent green shell that echoes the original Xbox.
Inside, the console offers the same performance profile as the standard Series X. But the semi-transparent green finish is an explicit nod to the first-generation machine, a look that Xbox largely moved away from in later hardware generations.
When you switch it on, the Xbox logo on the front glows green, a visual flourish you don't get on the regular black Series X. There's also a 25th-anniversary logo on the console.
Jason Ronald, Xbox's VP of next-generation, says that by introducing a translucent look to the Xbox Series X for the first time, the company is taking its cues from the original Xbox and the familiar "OG Green" many players associate with that era. He adds that the Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition is meant to honor that legacy while retaining the full power and 1TB storage of the standard Series X, with a design that acknowledges both Xbox's history and the community that has supported it.
Microsoft has hinted at additional design elements built into the hardware but has not offered specifics, saying only that there will be "a few hidden surprises throughout, as a thank you to the community."
The matching controller brings back the original ABXY colors and nods to the old 'Duke' controller with bumpers that echo its black-and-white buttons. Like the console, the controller is transparent with the back casing and battery door fully see-through, exposing internal components and a classic Xbox logo beneath the surface.
The anniversary edition is scheduled to arrive in November, putting it in the holiday release window. Microsoft has not yet shared pricing or an exact launch date, nor has it said how widely the console will be distributed.
The release reflects a broader pattern in hardware, where companies revisit earlier design eras to renew interest in established products. With the Series X now a mature product, Microsoft is leaning on design and nostalgia to keep interest high. For longtime Xbox users, the translucent green finish may carry particular weight, tying a current-generation device back to the platform's origins without changing what it can do.
Microsoft's 25th-anniversary Xbox Series X is translucent green and full of nostalgia
