WeknowMicrosoftcandoli ited
editionconsolesjustice– thecustom
XboxOneS consolesmadeforGears
Of War 4 and Minecraft are lovely
machines, the former sporting battle
damage and tooting out nostalgia-
tickling sound effects, and the latter
joyfully colourful and decorated with
loving detail. So we’re struggling to
figure out what’s exactly going on with
these tie-in competition editions. A
little bit of subtlety would go a long
way, is all we’re saying.
We’re curious, readers – have any of
you ever won any of these one-of-a-
kind oddities? Do you hide it away in
your entertainment centre in shame,
or set it out on proud display? Is its
bold tribute to film, F1 or footwear-
gone-by, as fresh as it was when it
arrived, or are you a bit embarrassed
by your in-home advertising? We’d
lovetohearfromyou.QOUTSIDE
THE BOXPriortoE3,
Microsoftunveiled
perhapsitsmost
bizarrecustom
XboxOnesever:
consolesdesigned
toevokeGodzilla
andhiscity-destroyingmates.With
leatheryskinandjuttingspikes,
they’rea stunninglyweirdcombination
ofhideousnessandimpracticality.
Createdfora competitionto
celebratethepremiereofnewmonster
flickGodzilla:KingOfTheMonsters,
eachconsole“highlightsthedistinct
featuresofarguablysomethemost
popularmonstersin popculture
history”,accordingtoMicrosoft’s
officialannouncement.Thatincludes
“thebioluminescentbeautyofMothra,
thevolcanicrageofRodan,thetriple-
headedKingGhidorah,andtheKingOf
Monstershimself,Godzilla”.
They’reexclusivetothis
competition,sodon’texpecttosee
thesemutantboxesonshelvesany
timesoon.It’sa goodthing,too–
they’dlikelyscarealltheotherXboxes.
Beehappy
Youmightbesurprisedhowoften
Microsoftcreatescustomconsoles
likethis,usuallytyingin tobigmovie
releases,andthey’reeyesoresmore
oftenthannot.Onlya fewmonths
ago,thecompanyproudlyunveileda
searingredabominationinspiredbyDC
superheromovieShazam!, complete
withmulticolouredcontroller.The
INSIDER CUSTOM XBOX ONE CON
“Don’t expect
to seethese
mutant boxes
on shelves any
time soon”
ABOVEBehold
theirleathery
glory.Makesure
you’vegot room
for the top
ridgesunder
yourTV.LOVE ‘EM? HATE ‘EM? LET THE WORLDKNOW AT WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OXMUK
SSOOLLEEESSW k Mi ft d li it dHalf-machine,
half-monster
weekbeforethatcamea garishyellow
boxpaintedin honourofTransformers
spin-offBumblebee, allowingboth
yourXboxandyourgamepadtostare
atyouasyouplaywiththerobot’s
piercing,vaguelyaccusatoryeyes.
Thisstrangephenomenonisn’t
evenlimitedtofilmtie-ins.Other
promotionalcustomconsoleshave
includedoneinspiredbyFormula
One, 32 systemspaintedin the
coloursofeveryteamin theNFL,and,memorably,anXboxbearingtheimage
ofJackBlackplayinga toysaxophone.
Shoesarea recurringtheme,too.
Fortwoyearsrunning,Microsofthas
madeconsolescelebratingspecific
AirJordansneakers,withthetread
patternsandbasketballdunklogo
featuredprominentlyontheboxes.
Andin 2017,Xboxpaidtributeto
‘SneakerCon’,aneventheldin
Toronto,Canada,byallowingthe‘shoe
artists’ofAceOfCustomstopainta
crudedemonandsometrulynafffire
effectsontoa helplessconsole.Investigating the freaky world of Microsoft’s
custom Xbox One consoles
Godzilla:KingOf The
Monstersis the
sequelto 2014’s
Godzillareboot.
DirectedbyMichael
Dougherty(knownfor
budgethorrormovies
Trick‘r Treatand
Krampus), it features
thetitulargiantlizard
andseveralother
hugemonstersrising
upto dobattlefor
supremacy,whilea
‘crypto-zoological
agency’called
Monarchfightsto
protecthumanity.
ExpectmassiveCGI
brawls,wholecities
gettingflattenedand
lotsof roaring.Monster
Mash012 THE OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE