XBOX's $900 X25 Console Comes With a Major Surprise

Xbox celebrates 25 years with nostalgic hardware and a new program that could change how people own physical games.

Microsoft’s gaming platform is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a couple of retro hardware launches meant to recapture the style and spirit of the original XBOX era. The company is releasing an OG-themed Xbox controller and a special-edition Xbox Series X, both featuring a transparent green look that instantly conjures the early 2000s.

The X25's main draw is probably its translucent look. Translucent devices were all the rage during the original Xbox period, and the brilliant green finish became deeply connected with Microsoft’s console brand. Modern Xbox gear has abandoned that distinct visual identity and the new designs feel like a conscious return to the company’s roots.

Between the two models, the X25 controller is the most user-friendly.

The attachment is available for pre-order now from retailers like Best Buy for $80. Still, for enthusiasts who want a slice of the Xbox 25th-anniversary celebration without spending hundreds of dollars, the controller is a far more accessible entry point. But the special-edition Xbox Series X is a different story. Microsoft is asking $900 for the system, putting it firmly in collector territory.

It also ties back to the original Xbox through Halo Campaign Evolved, but the price will likely keep this system from being a mass purchase. The console is expensive, but it should sell out quickly due to limited supply. That doesn’t necessarily mean there is huge demand for a $900 Xbox Series X, but that collectors and longtime Xbox enthusiasts would be prepared to pay a premium for a limited anniversary design.

But where the X25 hardware celebrates Xbox’s history, Microsoft’s current offering hints at a very different future. Xbox Positron is a new physical-to-digital program that will help bridge the gap between owning the physical game and the convenience of digital. It doesn't just swap a disc for a digital license; it uses unique identifiers tied to physical games to build a digital entitlement linked to the player's Xbox account.

After registering a supported physical game, the player can remove the disc and continue playing the game in digital format. The system also provides significant ownership protection. The physical copy still works, but if you sell or transfer the disc, the entitlement to the game will transfer to the new owner’s Xbox account and be removed from the old owner's account.

That implies Xbox Positron might deliver the best of both worlds, or close to it.

Players can still own and trade games physically, but now with the ease of digital. Entitlement may also allow players to play Xbox Play Anywhere titles on PC. Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma pointed out the need to maintain XBOX physical libraries, saying a physical game collection is more than just a stack of disks. The feature will be tested with Insiders first, then rolled out with thousands of supported games, before widening the program.

The timing is noteworthy, amid growing fears over the industry's move to digital-only gaming. Xbox Positron doesn't mean future Xbox consoles will come with disk drives, nor that Microsoft will continue to produce physical media forever. But it does give existing Xbox owners a way to bring along qualified physical goods.

There is one big limitation left. You'll need access to an Xbox system with a disk drive to initially link your physical games to your account. This would make the program so much more attractive for Microsoft, especially new arrivals who might have to buy an older console just to register their collection. An external disk drive would be a great incentive.

If Microsoft ever supports physical media on its next generation of hardware, Xbox Positron might be a big selling feature. It might even tempt PlayStation players who are getting worried about losing the ability to own physical games.

For now, the concept is an interesting step toward saving physical libraries in an ever more digital business. The Xbox anniversary event looks back at its past and forward to how its ecosystem could grow, all wrapped up in nostalgic X25 hardware.