The Xbox fandom was momentarily lit ablaze this week as a white Xbox Series X was spotted in the background of a Logitech gaming headset promotional video.
Not long after it was spotted, though, Microsoft was quick to pour cold water on the prospect of a white Xbox Series X. “We have no plans to release the Xbox Series X console in white at this time,” the tech giant told IGN.
It turns out the white Xbox Series X was merely a prop made to feature in the background of Logitech’s new Astro A30 gaming headset advertisement. And sadly not a tease at some aesthetic parity with the (also white) Xbox Series S.
The revelation comes quickly after the release of the white Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 Core Edition. While this pad is cheaper to buy than the standard black Elite Series 2 (as a result of it selling its extra components separately), its matte white color scheme would undeniably look the part perched next to an Xbox Series X of the same hue.
So why does Microsoft seem so averse to alternate color schemes, or faceplates, for its flagship consoles?
Hold your color
It’s not like Microsoft is against customization options for its hardware. Xbox Design Lab has provided an avenue for players to make bespoke controllers for years now. It boasts options to alter everything from color scheme to the inclusion of metallic triggers, no less.
Now I’m not expecting Xbox Design Lab to be expanded to include the consoles themselves. When designing a controller, adding in extras like fancier colors, metallic triggers and engravings quickly bumps up the cost. That’s something I imagine will be astronomically expensive when customizing a console, so there probably isn’t much of a market for that.
Instead, like the PS5, Microsoft could look into manufacturing faceplates. There’s plenty of third-party businesses, Etsy sellers, and the like who make custom Xbox Series X faceplates. Anything that could offer players the chance to decorate their console with a little pizazz, be that an alternate matte color or a more fancy pattern, would be welcome.
Microsoft does have a history of playing it rather straight with its consoles and their revisions, usually sticking strictly to an all-black or white scheme. But special edition consoles, like the Halo Infinite Xbox Series X or this unfathomably ghastly Pac-Man Anniversary Xbox Series S, crop up from time to time.
Maybe it’s not a huge deal in the grander scheme of things, but I am a sucker for aesthetics. All I’m saying is it would be nice to mix up my console’s color scheme with more officially released options. I’d love to have it look less like it’s part of the furniture; trade out that uptight charcoal business suit for a delightful purple onesie.
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