Tito Builds the Translucent Green Xbox 25th Anniversary Series S Microsoft Never Released

Microsoft marked twenty-five years of Xbox with a limited translucent green Series X that sold out almost immediately after preorders opened. Fans who missed the official limited run found a stronger alternative from Tito of Macho Nacho Productions, who took a standard Series S and rebuilt it into a custom anniversary edition that follows the original prototype shape while using the same green color Microsoft chose for its own special console.

Tito picked the Series S because the smaller board and overall footprint fit much more neatly inside the X-shaped shell than the complete Series X. He purchased a custom chassis from PCBWay that was completed in a very great looking transparent green that matches Pantone 2259U, which is as near as you can get to the official 25th anniversary color. The print makes use of copper threaded inserts and a clear center lens to allow you to see the insides after everything is completed.

Microsoft first revealed the first Xbox prototype to the public in 2000, in the form of a massive aluminum X with a simple shining green diamond in the center. It was essentially a one-off showstopper that cost roughly $18,000 to manufacture and never made it to store shelves. Tito had already created that exact design in solid metal as part of the original Xbox build. For this jubilee project, he modified the outside shape to accommodate the Series S innards.


Putting it all together starts by disassembling the Series S, which includes the outer casing, bottom plate, and upper radio-frequency shield, then sliding the board into its new home using bespoke rails. A custom top cover with clever exhaust passages allows the fan to operate without becoming overwhelmed in the smaller space. In place of the original glowy jewel, Dark One Customs’ ESP32-powered LCD display displays some extremely beautiful creative animations, including some appropriate 25th-anniversary visuals. It pulls all of its power from a single USB-C cable put directly into the Series S front port and can be adjusted wirelessly from a phone without the need for a soldering iron.


Once you’ve bolted in the front and rear frames and slapped on a 25th-anniversary sticker, that’s the final stage, since the finished machine functions exactly like a standard Series S. The hardware and software remain completely unchanged. Files for the shell are available on Nacho Engineering, along with a full bill of materials, so you can either order a resin print or print one yourself with some cheaper filament. The resin one costs roughly $2,400, but it’s a working anniversary console that Microsoft never considered offering in this shape.