| 17 June 2010
I can't say I was surprised when Xbox Senior Vice President Don Mattrick lifted the veil (the veil being the shell of an Xbox 360 Original) to reveal a slimmer, sexier and sleeker new look for the Xbox at Microsoft's latest press conference at E3 2010. It replaces an ageing system that bears its mid-00's roots on its sleeve; organic edges, creamy white shell and circular motifs don't quite have the relevance and impact in the new decade. It's also worth mentioning its mechanical integrity. For Microsoft, the refreshed version hopes to at least alleviate (if not solve) the ubiquitous RROD, but also jumpstart the Xbox brand in an unprecedented gaming lifecycle. It's a tried and true strategy in the console wars, made prevalent by Sony's PS2 and inescapable by Nintendo's DS. While design may be only a piece of the grand puzzle, it represents the face of a new era in Xbox and for many, its first impression.
With its blade-like grills and hard-edged enclosure, some might say the new Xbox bears striking resemblance to the first generation Xbox of 2001 – albeit with a lot less brute and a lot more sophistication. The new design moves away from the curvature of the Original Xbox 360, into bolder, more striking territory. I think Engadget's Tim Stevens said it best when he compared the old, beige 360 Original to a Boeing whereas the sleek refresh is akin to an F-117 Nighthawk. It's dark, angular and silent, with many nicknaming it the "Stealthbox". The glossy black exterior isn't just a simple colour change – Microsoft is repositioning the Xbox to become more palatable. If you can imagine what this device would look like in glossy white, it becomes quite a large, glaring statement. It would also look quite a lot like the Wii, and people don't need another Wii in their house. You could argue that the box is now too harsh to lure the new demographic Microsoft so badly wants, but that's Kinect's job. The console itself will become an invisible facet of the experience, much like the stealth bomber it resembles.
While it may seem like an extreme change, the new Xbox is a refinement of the design sensibilities of console engineering. It's naturally smaller and more quiet, and the colour revision becomes obvious when paired with the severe lines. The hardware's taut design interestingly mirrors the Dashboard's move away from the curved "blades" to a more strict and minimal layout. The new touch-sensitive buttons on the front lend further to the idea of a stealthy device. It is a little disappointing to see the tray-loading disc drive remain – it seems clunky and incongruous to the sleek and sexier design mentality. The action of inserting a disc into a console is probably the most important aspect of interaction when touching your Xbox and seeing the machinations of a disk tray breaks the sound(less) experience.
It is interesting to note the divergent design choices that Sony and Microsoft has made with their console updates. As previously stated, Microsoft has opted for touch buttons, while the PS3 Slim's are replaced by physical, matte buttons. The Xbox itself has gone from matte to gloss, and vice versa for the PS3. Finally, much like the PS3 Phat, the new Xbox is adorned with ventilation grills on almost every side. As the most functional design change, it can hopefully translate to a less RROD-stricken device. Aesthetically, the grills add a sportiness to an otherwise monolith-like shape. Texturally, piano black isn't very interesting. The vents create a dynamic flair, moving your eyes across the wide surface of the device.
While the move to the next generation isn't quite here yet, Microsoft hopes to rejuvenate consumer interest of Xbox with a console that feels and looks relevant for today's market. Of course it doesn't change the core formula of the whole Xbox experience, it has a good chance of enticing people to bring the black beauty into their homes. At a time when the console wars takes a new turn, a hardware refresh will make a huge difference at how people perceive the brand.
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