In November, Microsoft learned that people mocked the Xbox Series X design, claiming it looked like a refrigerator. Rather than accept that the “nut gallery” wouldn’t hold up, Microsoft went ahead and released a one-of-a-kind Xbox Series X refrigerator as a contest prize.
And guess what, trolls, this design element is no accident! It turns out that Microsoft was actually influenced by the refrigerator’s ventilation and used it to design a gaming console that could support powerful games without overheating. (That’s what the company claims, anyway).
So, that fridge you all just laughed and laughed at? Well, it’s finally being mass-produced as a mini fridge for gamers to keep their energy drinks cold while they play on the console they were trying to clown around on.
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The funny thing is that Microsoft made this announcement at the end of a joint showing with Bethesda Game Studios. Bethesda is known for creating some of the most popular games of all time, such as “Fallout” and the “Elder Scrolls” series. So when fans hear “wait, there’s more,” they get excited.
But, alas, it was a mini-fridge.
Eventually they won, and here we are dealing with refrigerators. It’s entirely possible that mini-fridges were already in development, and Greenberg used them as a carrot to win the contest. But, who knows? Maybe they really came about because of Xbox‘s victory over Skittles.
It doesn’t really matter, though, because the fridges will be in stores just in time for the holidays this year, making them perfect for any gamer who receives a matching console as a gift.
And it’s really a testament to Microsoft’s design thinking. The company could have simply brushed off the jokes about the original cooler while continuing to make millions of dollars from its products. Instead, the company admitted that the fans were right. It really does look like a refrigerator! So now you have a behind-the-scenes look at the next-generation game console development process, and we can all laugh while our drinks are chilling.
If only the PlayStation 5 looked like anything other than a parabola from high school math class.
