Microsoft Opens Preorders for $899 Xbox 25th Anniversary Collection
Microsoft opened preorders for the Xbox 25th Anniversary Collection on August 26, 2026, priced at $899.99 USD. General preorders open August 27 at 10AM ET (7AM PT) The Verge. The bundle ships November 13, 2026, with pricing varying by market Xbox Wire.
The collection, branded the Xbox Series X25, features a translucent green Series X console with a 1TB SSD (solid-state drive, the internal storage that holds games and apps). The console's top-mounted green 'X' emblem is illuminated, a visual nod to the translucent green accents associated with the brand since the original console's 2001 launch. Both the console and bundled wireless controller are stamped with an Xbox 25 logo Engadget. Each console is individually numbered with a unique engraving Engadget.
The Series X25 also includes a digital download of Halo: Campaign Evolved Engadget. The bundle's translucent green colorway, designated 'OG Green', is a specific historical callback to limited-edition translucent green Xbox hardware from 2001 and 2004 Engadget. The 2001 translucent green units were distributed to original Xbox design team members and featured Bill Gates' signature Engadget. The original Xbox console and controller themselves were black with minor green accents Engadget.
Initial preorders on August 26 were restricted to a segment of 'most dedicated fans' who received email notifications directly from Xbox. The broader preorder window opens the following day Engadget.
The anniversary collection extends beyond the console bundle. A standalone matching wireless controller is available for $80 Engadget. Microsoft also announced a 'Designed for Xbox 25th Anniversary' accessory line, available for preorder since August 25, which includes partner hardware like the Razer Basilisk V3 Xbox Wire. Separately, the Gears of War: E-Day Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller is available for preorder at $89.99 Xbox Wire. The 25th anniversary programming also encompasses community-created designs, curated Game Pass collections, and a FanFest Tour Xbox Wire.
A standard Xbox Series X in the same configuration currently retails for $800 and does not include a pack-in game or the translucent green colorway Engadget.
The broader context here is that Microsoft is charging a $100 premium over the standard console's retail price for aesthetic modifications, a digital game, and serial numbering. For hardware manufacturers, special edition consoles have historically functioned as a margin preservation tool late in a hardware generation's lifecycle, monetizing existing industrial design and component supply chains without requiring new silicon. The translucent shell and illuminated emblem rely on the existing Series X architecture; the $100 delta covers a cosmetic reskin and software licensing.
In my view, the tiered preorder strategy, starting with emailed invitations to 'most dedicated fans' before opening general sales, serves as a demand calibration mechanism. By gating initial access, Microsoft can gauge allocation constraints and scalper pressure points ahead of the November ship date. The inclusion of a Halo digital download reinforces the franchise's anchor status for the platform's identity. Over the long arc, hardware differentiation through industrial design and nostalgia-driven aesthetics remains a viable lever for extending platform engagement between major generational refreshes, even as digital distribution and cloud streaming reduce the hardware's role to an access terminal. What this launch ultimately enables is a sustained brand presence through the holiday quarter, leveraging historical identity to maintain platform visibility.
