Microsoft released the original Xbox back in 2001, a whole year after Sony debuted the PS2, but what we saw at launch was a very different console from what was first showcased. The initial design was starkly different—a metal monolith built literally in the shape of an "X"—and served only as a proof-of-concept. It was unique, expensive, and most importantly, unlike a PC, but it never left the prototype stage. That was until now, as Macho Nacho Productions has just brought back the console in an epic project that not only pays tribute to the OG, but elevates it for the modern era.
The video is almost documentary-length, but it's one of those pieces of content that transcends YouTube's quality standards. It's got insanely high production value, an original score, and expert-level storytelling that recounts the events and legend surrounding the original Xbox. You don't even need to be a retro gaming fan to appreciate the work here. The video is divided into eight easily digestible parts with timecodes, and we highly recommend checking it out in full.
Microsoft’s INSANE Solid Metal XBOX - YouTube Watch On
Context matters
Despite the vitriol surrounding the Xbox brand these days, it's still a pillar of the gaming community, part of the trifecta of console makers that shaped many childhoods. Unlike Sony and Nintendo, Microsoft was a late bloomer, joining the party in the sixth generation of console gaming with the original Xbox. At the time, though, the Redmont giant was known strictly for PCs — and, by extension, business — so it needed to come up with something so out of left field that no one would second-guess the company's entry into this market.
That's where the Xbox prototype comes in. It was built from a single block of aluminum, weighed 40 lbs, and cost Microsoft $18,000 to build, which comes to around $36,000 today after adjusting for inflation. So, obviously, it wasn't commercially feasible—it didn't even have proper Xbox hardware inside because it was so early in development —but it did show the world that Microsoft could do it. Fast forward two-and-a-half decades, and three units of that prototype sit in important Microsoft offices/stores around the world, enclosed in glass for curious peepers.
(Image credit: Macho Nacho Productions on YouTube)
Xbox Prototype, rebuilt
Macho Nacho collaborated with a bunch of other modders to bring this project to life. The journey starts with Wesk, who created a CAD model of the Xbox based on real measurements extrapolated from Gaussian splatting. Our host visited the Microsoft Experience Center in New York, where one of the prototypes was on display, and took as many pictures as possible from all angles, even measuring the glass box with a tape measure for accurate results.
The render was tested multiple times with local prints before a final file was sent to PCBWay, which milled it from a solid block of aluminum, just like the prototype. This time, though, it only cost ~$6,000 for two pieces (the front and back halves of the housing) and a rear cover, which is honestly a steal considering what Microsoft had to pay.
... continue reading