Since the release of the first Xbox back in 2001, fans have lamented that certain aspects of the consoles or built-in features don't make it to the next platform - a trend that has continued as Microsoft moved from the Xbox 360 to the Xbox One to the most modern Xbox Series X/S. For example, some Xbox gamers are feeling nostalgic for the design of the Xbox 360 and its faceplates, which enhanced the visual potential of the second-generation Microsoft console.
Xbox 360 blades menu enthusiasts often express their frustrations with the lack of a UI option to emulate the classic experience on modern hardware, but some players also voice disappointment in the current console's options for physical customization. Reddit user Xnvrdarren recently sparked up the conversation about the Xbox 360's faceplates. The custom faceplates could easily replace the plain white or black ones included with the Xbox 360 consoles, something that Microsoft intended as it created some special plates for the platform.
The PS5 has similar removable plates to the old Xbox hardware, but the design was dropped quickly on Xbox's end. Xnvrdarren shared an image of four of the original Xbox 360 faceplates from Microsoft that were sold alongside the console at the time, with the most generic of the bunch being the white one that players expect to see included with their machine. The image also features the faceplate with brown colors meant to represent wood with a red stripe down the middle, a white one with an orange swirl going through it, and a blue plate with swirls surrounding the power button.
Because the Xbox Series X/S doesn't include removable faceplates as the Xbox 360 did, players like Xnvrdarren that wish to mimic the classic look on their thicker consoles are left with limited wrap options. Microsoft is regularly doing custom Xbox Series S giveaways that are designed to reflect Top Gun: Maverick, Star Wars, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but the retail units are a generic white. Though Xnvrdarren hopes that Xbox does something similar to the Xbox 360 faceplates in the future, it's currently unclear what the next Xbox console will look like or just how customizable it will be.
Xnvrdarren isn't the only Xbox 360 fan to express sorrow for the loss of the faceplate design, as several replies praised the official Microsoft ones, and others referenced third-party plates that were equally enjoyable. Other Xbox 360 players voiced enthusiasm for the faceplates based on the first Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, Dead Rising, Halo 3, and Viva Pinata, while others pointed out that similar plates can be found on Ali Express if fans still have their retro consoles.