Xbox (console) special limited editions
Many limited editions of the Microsoft Xbox game console[1] were released, both by Microsoft and other companies. These limited edition models vary in design from the black-and-green original model. This article covers special editions produced by Microsoft, as well as other notable special editions from third-party companies used in promotions.
Xbox Launch Team and Partner Editions[edit]
2001 Launch Team Edition
Units produced: 1,000–2,000[1]
Retail price: Not for sale
The Xbox Launch Team 2001 Special Edition is a translucent green Xbox with a jewel that is silk screened with the message "Great work!" and a copy of a printed signature from Bill Gates. The words "Special Edition" are printed on the front right of the console. This Xbox was sold, not given, to members of the Xbox launch team including Hardware, ATG, Dev, First Party Games and Games Studios, Marketing, and others. Two exclusive translucent green "Duke" controllers were included. Along with the console, employees had the option to purchase 6 game titles marked "not for resale" at a reduced rate from the Microsoft campus store. The Launch Team 2001 consoles were hardware Revision 1.0 and all were produced in a Mexico production facility on 7 November, 2001, or 8 November, 2001. Since these systems were offered for sale to qualifying employees instead of being given away, not all were sold.
Partner Edition
Units produced: ~1,000[2]
Retail price: Not for sale
The Partner Edition is a translucent green Xbox with a jewel that is silk screened with the message "Thanks for Partnering with XBOX" and a copy of a printed signature from Bill Gates. Unlike the Launch Team Edition, these did not have the "Special Edition" label on the front right of the console. This Xbox was given to hardware companies that produced components for the Xbox such as Nvidia and Intel. A translucent green Controller S was included with this model. These are considered to be rarer than the Launch Team Edition because their distribution to companies rather than individuals makes them more difficult to come across.
Skeleton/Smoke Black[edit]
Units produced: 50,000[3] planned; 10,000 sold
Retail price: JP¥35,800
In February 2002, a Clear Black Limited Edition Xbox (also commonly referred to as the "smoke" edition) was released in Japan to commemorate the Xbox's Japanese release. Included with the Clear Black console was a matching Clear Black Controller S, an Xbox Component AV pack, and a key chain that had Bill Gates' signature and the console's production number engraved in it, out of 50,000.
Panzer Dragoon Orta[edit]
Units Produced: ~1,300[5]
Retail Price: JP¥35,800
On 19 December 2002, a Panzer Dragoon Orta Special Edition Xbox was released in Japan to commemorate the release of Panzer Dragoon Orta on the Xbox. The console's special features included a white case with the Panzer Dragoon Orta logo on the top in the lower left-hand corner, as well as some artwork from Orta surrounding the Xbox jewel. The unit was only available to those who pre-ordered on 1 November, 2002, through Sega Direct. Included with the Special Edition console was a matching white Controller S, an Xbox Component A/V cable, an Xbox Component AV pack, a copy of Panzer Dragoon Orta with its soundtrack CD, and a dragon head necklace. When the console was first planned, 3,000 units were set to be produced, but during production, the process of applying the silk screen design of the black lines seen on the top of the console proved to be a very difficult task.[6]
Translucent Green[edit]
Units produced: 20,000 manufactured; 5,000 sold (Europe)
Retail price: €229/£149
On 2 May, 2003 a Translucent Green Limited Edition Xbox (rare) was released in Europe to celebrate Xbox's one-year European birthday. The console came with two matching Controller S and retailed for €229/£149. It had a limited manufacture of 20,000 units but only sold 5,000 units (in Europe). The styling of the Translucent Green Xbox is identical to Debug Kit units used in game development; of course, the retail versions lacked the words "Debug Kit" on the front of the case. The green Controller S was also sold separately. The Translucent Green Limited Edition Xbox was also released in Canada and came with one matching Controller S and two games, Crimson Skies and Project Gotham Racing 2.
Debug Kit (Translucent Green)[edit]
Units produced: Unknown
Retail price: Not for sale
Xbox Debug Kits were never available through the retail market, however they have popped up on the second-hand scene. These Xbox consoles are translucent green and have the words "Debug Kit" on the front of the case, just to the right of controller port 4. Unlike retail consoles (which only contained 64MB of RAM), Xbox Debug Kit consoles had 128MB of RAM. The Debug Kits could not run retail game discs. One could often find pre-release or cancelled versions of game software on these Xbox Debug Kits.
Halo (Translucent Green, US)[edit]
Units produced: 200,000[7]
Retail price: $169
On 2 April, 2004, Microsoft issued a press release announcing the upcoming retail availability of the Halo Limited Edition Xbox combo.[8] The Xbox console and its included S Controller were translucent green with the "Halo" wordmark emblazoned on the console's front panel, at the right hand side, near controller port 4. This edition appears very similar to the Translucent Green "Debug Kit" Xbox consoles, only replacing the words "Debug Kit" with the "Halo" logo.
Halo 2[edit]
Units produced: Unknown
Retail price: $249
On 18 March, 2005, an Ice Blue Halo 2 Limited Edition Xbox was released in Canada and Asia. The console was translucent blue and retailed for approximately $249. Included with the Ice Blue console was a matching Controller S, a special Halo green headset and a copy of Halo 2. The difference between the Asian and Canadian Halo 2 versions can be seen in the Xbox's jewel. The Asian version has a black jewel, while the Canadian version has a silver jewel. Sold through Bell with a 24-month contract for high-speed Internet service, the Bell bundle was sold 31 October to 7 November, 2005. Included with the console were 2 games, Amped 2 and Top Spin, 12 months of Xbox Live and a headset. It was also available before this date with a 24-month contract but you had to pay 149.99 for the console.[9]
Crystal Limited Edition[edit]
Units produced: Unknown
Retail price: Unknown
The Crystal Edition Xbox first came out around March 2004 in Europe, celebrating the console's second anniversary in the region. The box bundle consisted of the console and 2 matching crystal controllers. A few weeks later, up to summer of 2004, the bundle was also sold in Canadian stores. Months later, variants of the Crystal Edition bundle were sold in stores bundled with certain games.[10]
Kasumi-chan Blue[edit]
Units produced: 5,000
Retail price: JP¥22,800
On 25 March, 2004, a Kasumi-chan Blue Xbox console was released in Japan. The system was released simultaneously with Tecmo's fighting game, Dead or Alive Ultimate. The translucent blue case was based on the costume of the main character of Dead or Alive, Kasumi, and had "Dead or Alive Ultimate" written in white lettering in the lower left-hand corner of the top of the case. Included with the translucent blue console was a matching Controller S, a DVD Playback Kit, an Xbox Live Starter Kit with a free 12-month membership, a copy of Dead or Alive Ultimate, a copy of Digital Venus DVD, and a five-foot-long Kasumi body pillow.
Mountain Dew[edit]
Units produced: 800–1,000[11]
Retail price: US$99.99 + $8.75 shipping + 550 Mountain Dew points[citation needed]
The Mountain Dew Limited Edition Xbox was only available through a Mountain Dew sweepstakes requiring loyal Dew-drinking Xbox fans to amass 550 points in order to "buy" the Limited Edition Xbox. The sweepstakes spanned 5 months, from April to August 2004. Production was limited to 800–1,000 units. Within 1 day all systems were reserved. The Mountain Dew Limited Edition Xbox is neon-green colored and has a special jewel atop the Xbox that has the words "Limited Edition" and the Mountain Dew logo under the Xbox name. Included with the neon green console was one of two games: Project Gotham Racing 2 or Amped 2. Only 30 points could be registered per day for the contest.
Mountain Dew Points were awarded as follows:
| Product | Points |
|---|---|
| 32/44 oz. fountain drink | 1 |
| 20 oz. bottle | 1 |
| 1-liter bottle | 1 |
| 2-liter bottle | 1 |
| 12-pack | 3 |
| 24-pack | 6 |
Hulk/Pepsi[edit]
Units produced: <50[12]
Retail price: Not for sale
Identical in color to the Mountain Dew Edition, the Hulk/Pepsi Xbox was a special promotional Xbox made to commemorate the release of the Universal Pictures movie "Hulk" in 2003 for the UK release. The console featured a jewel on top with a promotional image of the Incredible Hulk's eye and the Pepsi logo. These special editions were only available by having a winning scratch card when you purchased a popcorn and Pepsi meal in participating UK UCI Multiplex cinemas. Packaging is the same as the original black Xbox but has an additional sticker on the rear of the box stating that it was the Hulk edition. No other information about the packaging is known. Came with a standard black controller.
Atari Edition[edit]
Units produced: 1
Retail price: Not for sale
The Atari Edition Xbox was given away at the Leipzig Game Convention in 2004. It is one of a kind and is orange in color. Attendees needed to collect all 5 pins that Atari gave away, which spelled ATARI.[13] If the attendee was able to find all 5 pins, they could be entered into the contest, with the winner receiving the one-of-a-kind orange Atari Edition Xbox, an Atari T-shirt, headband, wristband, Atari bracelet, and the original 5 pins.[14]
Tony Hawk's Underground 2[edit]
Units produced: 10
Retail price: Not for sale
The Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Special Edition Xbox was issued in October 2004 in conjunction with Activision and online skater magazine caughtinthecrossfire in the United Kingdom. This special edition console was only available as a winner's prize at skateboarding and gameplay competitions to commemorate and promote the release of Tony Hawk's Underground 2 on the Xbox. The artwork was airbrush painted by hand in an urban graffiti style with translucent matte lacquer finish. The artwork covered the top of the case and followed the X shape downwards on the corners of the Xbox. A very limited production run of 10 graffiti style units was commissioned and was issued "Not For Resale". Included with the Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Special Edition console was a matching Crystal Controller S and a Tony Hawk autographed copy of Tony Hawk's Underground 2.
Hello Kitty Crystal[edit]
Units produced: 550
Retail price: S$99 with a $5000 Samsung TV purchase from one specific retailer in Singapore.
The Hello Kitty Crystal Xbox was released with Sanrio in Singapore, to commemorate the release of Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue on the Xbox. The special edition console was translucent with a pink and orange Hello Kitty picture covering the X on top of the case. Included with the Hello Kitty Crystal console was a matching Crystal Controller S and a copy of Hello Kitty Mission Rescue.
Dead or Alive[edit]
Units produced: 20
Retail price: Unknown
The Dead or Alive Xbox was only sold in Germany with a picture of the game with airbrush effect.
Pure White[edit]
Units produced: 1,000
Retail price: Unknown
The Pure White Xbox was only sold in Japan with the option to engrave up to 20 letters.
50 Cent Pure White Edition[edit]
Units produced: 1
Retail price: Not for sale
The 50 Cent Pure White Edition Xbox was given away in a promotion by Australian television channel Channel [V]. It was signed by 50 Cent and is aesthetically similar to the Pure White edition but has "50 Cent Bulletproof" printed in gold to celebrate the release of the video game 50 Cent: Bulletproof. It was given away along with a copy of the game, 50 Cent CDs and a 50 Cent poster.[15]
World Racing[edit]
Units produced: 6
Retail price: Not for sale
The World Racing Xbox was only given away in Germany in a contest.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "2001 Launch Team Xbox: How Many? | ASSEMbler – Home of the obscure". 2019-11-10. Archived from the original on 2019-11-10. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "2001 Launch Team Xbox: How Many? | Page 2 | ASSEMbler – Home of the obscure". 2019-11-09. Archived from the original on 2019-11-09. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "2001 Launch Team Xbox: How Many? | Page 2 | ASSEMbler – Home of the obscure". 2019-11-09. Archived from the original on 2019-11-09. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "r/originalxbox - My Boxed Panzer Dragoon with Original Sega Direct Shipping Box 💜". reddit. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
- ↑ "2001 Launch Team Xbox: How Many? | Page 2 | ASSEMbler – Home of the obscure". 2019-11-09. Archived from the original on 2019-11-09. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "2001 Launch Team Xbox: How Many? | Page 2 | ASSEMbler – Home of the obscure". 2019-11-09. Archived from the original on 2019-11-09. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Dream Team: "Halo" and Special-Edition Xbox Make Gamers Green With Envy – Stories". 2020-02-03. Archived from the original on 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20200203075541/https://news.microsoft.com/2004/04/02/dream-team-halo-and-special-edition-xbox-make-gamers-green-with-envy/
- ↑ "Xbox.com :: Exclusive Bell Sympatico Xbox Live Offer". 2004-12-15. Archived from the original on 2004-12-15. Retrieved 2019-02-11. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Xbox Crystal Console Bundle Comes with 1 Controller 3 Games". 2016-04-04. Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "2001 Launch Team Xbox: How Many? | ASSEMbler – Home of the obscure". 2019-11-10. Archived from the original on 2019-11-10. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "2001 Launch Team Xbox: How Many? | ASSEMbler – Home of the obscure". 2019-11-10. Archived from the original on 2019-11-10. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Games Convention 2004 – wir treffen uns am Samstag | konsolenfan.de – Home". 2020-02-03. Archived from the original on 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "The New Gaming Collectibles | Crispy Gamer". 2014-03-08. Archived from the original on 2014-03-08. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Xbox 50 Cent Pure White Edition". Xbox 50 Cent Pure White Edition ~ xbox m0dz. 2012-04-02. Archived from the original on 2019-05-24. Retrieved 2020-02-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
This article "Xbox (console) special limited editions" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Xbox (console) special limited editions. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
