Microsoft loves a special edition Xbox controller, whether it’s stormcloud vapors, personalization, or protruding superhero butts. Its latest is a throwback to the late 1990s with the new Sky Cipher Special Edition Xbox wireless controller, which provides a look at the controller’s insides through a semi-transparent blue tint. You can pre-order the new controller now for $69.99 ahead of its official Aug. 13 debut.
Translucent hardware is a well-loved aesthetic — look no further than Dbrand’s popular X-ray skins — but for a generation that grew up on Apple’s iMac G3s and Nintendo’s translucent N64 controllers, there’s also an element of nostalgia here when seeing the actual innards of video game hardware filtered through tinted plastic. Another recent example is the Analogue Pocket Transparent, which is currently (and sadly) sold out.
Intentionally or not, the new Xbox controller, which Microsoft describes as a metallic sky blue, captures that era perfectly. And given the company’s bigger push toward Xbox Cloud Gaming via Game Pass, it’s worth pointing out that this Bluetooth-enabled wireless controller works not just with Xbox hardware but also Windows PC, Mac, iOS, and Android, as well as select smart TVs.
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