Microsoft's Special 25th Birthday Xbox Goes on Sale August 27

Microsoft will start taking public preorders for its Xbox 25th Anniversary console on August 27 at 10 AM ET / 7 AM PT, the company confirmed on Xbox Wire and in reporting from The Verge (The Verge; Xbox Wire). The special edition is translucent green, matching the look of the original Xbox released in 2001. It launches November 13 and comes with a matching green controller.

Inside the commemorative shell, the console is an Xbox Series X with 1 TB of storage (The Verge). Each unit is laser-etched with a unique number, a detail Microsoft first mentioned during Gamescom. A full-game download of Halo: Campaign Evolved is included with every console.

The console and controller were first announced at the Xbox Games Showcase in June. At that event, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told FanFest attendees that anyone holding a "fan" badge would receive one of the anniversary consoles for free (The Verge). The design draws directly from the look and feel of the original Xbox hardware (Xbox Wire, June 2026).

A day before the public preorder date, some of Xbox's most dedicated fans received early-access emails on August 26, giving them a head start (The Verge).

Microsoft has been rolling out the anniversary celebration in stages. On August 25, the company announced a "Designed for Xbox" 25th Anniversary accessories collection featuring the same translucent green across a keyboard, mouse, earbuds, and mobile controllers (Xbox Wire; The Verge; The Verge). On August 24, Microsoft shared more anniversary plans including fan-created designs, curated Game Pass game collections, and the FanFest Tour (Xbox Wire).

The staggered timing is deliberate. By spreading out giveaways, accessories, game collections, and fan events before the console preorders even open, Microsoft is treating the 25th anniversary as a months-long celebration rather than a single product launch. The early-access emails for dedicated fans are a common tactic for limited-edition hardware: they reward loyal customers, build buzz on social media in the hours before public sales begin, and concentrate demand into a short window where the sense of scarcity does much of the selling.

The laser-etching and individual numbering reinforce that feeling of scarcity. Numbered units tend to hold value on resale markets and give buyers the sense of owning something finite rather than a mass-produced product. That matters here because the console's internal components are the same as a standard Xbox Series X. The difference is entirely in the appearance and the collectible appeal.

There is also a quieter business reason behind the anniversary console. The Xbox Series X launched in November 2020, which means the current console generation is in its middle years. A special edition with bundled software and a distinctive design keeps the Xbox in consumer conversations without Microsoft needing to release new hardware or cut prices. The matching accessories work across PC and mobile too, extending the brand's reach to Xbox fans who may not own a Series X at all.

Including Halo: Campaign Evolved is a deliberate choice. Halo was the game most associated with the original Xbox launch in 2001, and bundling it lowers the barrier for former players who might want to come back. Whether the nostalgic green design and the bundled game are enough to sell consoles at what is likely a higher price than the standard 1 TB Series X depends on pricing details that have not yet been confirmed in the available reporting.

Preorders open August 27 at 10 AM ET. The console ships November 13.