An Xbox Series S owner has shown off their custom paint job on Reddit, a throwback to the days of color-customizable Xbox consoles. In addition, this console makeover has sparked tips from other uses on color customizations for Xbox Series S and Series X consoles and controllers.
The Xbox Series S console, alongside its more powerful counterpart, the Series X, launched in November 2020 as Microsoft’s new line of next-gen consoles to compete with Sony's PlayStation 5, which launched in the same month. Series X/S quickly became the company’s fastest-ever selling consoles, which led to an Xbox Series X supply shortage due to unprecedented demand. Despite the vast improvements over the previous Xbox One, including significantly reduced load times and stunning visuals up to 120fps, the two consoles were only launched in one color each, White for the Series S and Black for the Series X, leaving some fans longing for the color and game exclusive case choices of the Xbox 360.
Reddit user Conscious-Ad-5624 posted a picture of their custom black Xbox Series S in r/Xbox this week, which showcases a classic black design alongside the original glowing green power button. Reddit users flocked to the comments to praise the customization and vent their frustration at the limited color choices for each console. Reddit user TheGreatOwlMaster mused: “I wish the S was available in black and the X in white. It would make sense to have both colors on both consoles.” In addition, other users offered their customization tips, however, heed the warning that some customizations may void the Xbox console’s warranty.
Some users also expressed their disinterest in the color of consoles, such as gruvccc who stated, “I never have and never will understand why people care about this stuff. Especially as the white with black grill looks great.” And some users believe that a mix of white and black would look better, which hints towards the hunger for personalization in console colors to make each Xbox console unique to their owners.
Although Microsoft has not stated such plans outright, there are rumors of a possibility of custom color choices in the future. Companies such as Colorware offer consoles and accessories in a number of customizable colors and features, however, they can charge a hefty fee for the privilege. Xbox Design Labs allow for a plethora of customization and personalization for controllers, with a library of beautiful designs available for inspiration from the community gallery, but it seems gamers will have to wait for the day that this service will be extended to their beloved consoles.