Behind the Design: Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S
By: Joline Tang
Tags: Hardware, Design, Games, Industrial Design, Microsoft

In late 2017, a few small hardware teams quietly visited a handful of Xbox gamers’ homes in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. With several black foam boxes in tow, they asked gamers to unplug their current Xbox and put the new shape in its place.

Fans knew this was for the next-generation Xbox consoles, but they had no design details and no engineering specs, just squares and rectangles. “We wanted their gut reaction to whether the silhouette piqued their interest. What we didn’t want to hear is ‘that looks like a microwave,’” laughs principal designer Chris Kujawski.

“As designers, we aspire to create products with visual impact,” says senior design director Nicolas Denhez, “but we know most gamers buy an Xbox to play games, not for its aesthetics.”

At some level, you shouldn’t even know you have a console because you’re that deeply immersed in gameplay. But the thing is — when you turn the game off, what remains is the hardware. “And our fans love the hardware,” smiles senior designer Erika Kelter.

So how do you design a product to simultaneously blend in and stand out?

Form follows function follows fan(s)

Hearts quicken when danger looms, hands sweat as time ticks down, endorphins surge when passing a level. Part of the thrill of gaming is leaving your world and jumping into a different one. High-def graphics, whip-quick load times, precise controls, and a host of other next-generation gaming features make you feel wholly present in the game.

To power these immersive experiences, engineers started building the next-gen chip while designers figured out how to keep the chip cool. Gaming chips get really hot from always running at full speed, and fans can get loud — both the human kind and the cooling kind 😉.

Designers had to find a solution that wouldn’t interrupt or distract from gameplay. Different fan types and different motherboard layouts led to differently shaped boxes, and the team spent a few hours with several gamers across the US to gather initial reactions to the various console shapes. “We asked them a lot of questions, and they gave their unvarnished opinions,” chuckles Chris.

While they didn’t get the microwave comparison, they certainly got “VCR” and “cable box” for a few silhouettes. But among these comparisons were a few “Hey, that one feels different!” comments, which gave the team confidence to explore cooling solutions that fit what ultimately became the shape of Xbox Series X.

The size of the fan also determined the console’s dimensions, which achieve an almost 2:1 ratio — like two cubes stacked. Designed for both vertical and horizontal orientation without a stand, this footprint adapts to whatever setup you already have.

Simply put, the team wanted to create a device that fit in people’s lives. They even stress tested the device in a common bookcase that’s sold by the millions around the world. “When we visited gamer homes, device placement (whether it was displayed or hidden) and furniture orientation informed all of our design choices,” says Nicolas.

Form enables flexibility

With a bona fide global audience, our fan base and their needs are as diverse as it gets. While some gamers have a physical library, others don’t want one or have space for one. Some are accustomed to subscription services (Hello, Xbox Game Pass!), and if you live outside the US, import taxes on discs can be cost prohibitive. Then there’s those who simply don’t like getting up to switch discs to play a new game (it me 🙋🏽‍♀️).

Although many gamers might prefer an all-digital console, that doesn’t mean they’ll settle for anything less than next-gen experiences. So for the all-digital Xbox Series S, we based the chip on the same die as the chip for Xbox Series X. You’ll still get the immersive gameplay but in a more compact package.