Ever since Microsoft decided to launch their Xbox consoles in Japan, they have struggled. In order to help sway gamers over there, they have made deals to get big exclusives that should have appealed to them. This included giant RPGs on the Xbox 360 like Blue Dragon and Tales of Vesperia.
Despite their efforts, they have yet to make it big in Japan. Besides games, they have also tried to appeal to this crowd with console variations. Microsoft may not have made as many compared to Nintendo and Sony consoles, but those that exist are something special.
10 Panzer Dragoon Orta Xbox
This Xbox console released simultaneously with Panzer Dragoon Orta on December 19, 2002 in Japan. It was a wide release although only about a thousand Xbox consoles were made. Gamers had to pre-order the bundle through Sega’s official Japanese website. Besides the white engraved console and controller, the bundle also came with the game, the soundtrack, and a necklace themed after one from the game.
9 Kasumi Blue Dead Or Alive Xbox
This clear blue Xbox was not just a celebration of the Dead or Alive franchise, but a specific character from the game, Kasumi. The console was blue to match her normal outfit.
It released on March 25, 2004 in Japan and it came with the game, a DVD remote, a Digital Venus DVD, and an Xbox Live membership for a year. There were also some bundles that apparently came with a body pillow with Kasumi on it although tracking that down online now proved to be tricky.
8 White Xbox
This Xbox is white like the Panzer Dragoon Orta edition, but it has no markings on it. Presumably, the white console was a hit over there so much so that Microsoft decided to try and sell a plain version. It came with a DVD remote, a headset, and a year of Xbox Live. There was one other white console made but this was distributed in North America exclusively to EA employees and even had EA printed on the front casing.
7 Skeleton Xbox
This clear green Xbox is also known as the Skeleton version. It had a wide release in Japan, however, it’s still a fairly rare and sought-after console because Bill Gates had a special hand in creating it. That’s because each Xbox came with a special key chain signed by him and had the console print numbers on it. Presumably, the console that was number one on the print line might be the rarest version of them all.
6 Sonic Free Riders Xbox 360
This Xbox 360 was released alongside Sonic Free Riders in Japan in 2010. There were only about fifty or a hundred of these consoles made. It features purple and blue colors along with official art from the game featuring Sonic. It came with the game and presumably a Kinect as well since that’s what the game was made for. It wasn’t sold anywhere and was instead sent out to employees who helped make the game.
5 BlazBlue Xbox 360
This Xbox 360 was designed around a contest in Japan. Only about ten of them were made and there’s one other mystery to it. It’s unclear what BlazBlue entry this was celebrating. BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger was the first game in the series. However, as both Ragna and Hazama are on the Xbox, it might have been for the next game, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, because that’s when Hazama became playable.
4 Dragon Age 2 Xbox 360
This Xbox 360 features redone art based on the cover from Dragon Age II. The only thing missing is Hawke from the cover. Only two of these consoles were made and they were commissioned for a Red Cross charity drive. Gamers in Japan could bid on the consoles and win not only them but a matching controller, a keyboard, and presumably the game as well although that last detail is not clear.
3 Bayonetta Xbox 360
This special edition Xbox 360 was made to celebrate the release of Bayonetta. It was actually a contest prize given out at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show. This one is themed in blue, but there was also a western cousin that looked somewhat like it.
That Xbox 360 was a red version which awarded as a prize at San Diego Comic Con which was also in 2009. There was also a similar PS3 version as well, but it was only available in Japan.
2 Devil May Cry 5 Xbox One S
This Xbox One S saw a wide release in Japan at the launch of Devil May Cry 5. Purple may not exactly be the thematic color scheme of the game, but it also fits the bill thanks to the darker shades. It came with the game along with a matching controller.
The thing that sets it apart from others on here though is that the branding of the series does not appear anywhere on the console itself which can be a tad disappointing for hardcore fans wishing to get something even more special.
1 Red Bull Kumite Xbox One
Red Bull Kumite is a yearly Street Fighter tournament obviously ran by Red Bull. The year this Xbox One was commissioned was in its first year, 2015, and was rewarded to the finalist. Only one of these consoles then was made. Every year the Street Fighter game played changes but in 2015 it was Ultra Street Fighter IV.