While the next generation of gaming consoles promises all sorts of advancements in hardware and processing power, there's one area where everything we've seen so far has left us underwhelmed: design. From the anticlimactic PS5 logo to the fridge-freezer shape of the Xbox Series X, it seems the class of 2020 won't be a pretty one. And if a newly leaked logo for the Xbox Series X is the real thing, the disappointing design trend isn't about to end.
A trademark filing, found by Reddit users this morning, shows the new logo as well as a handy description: "The word SERIES in a vertical formation to the right of which appears a stylised letter X". There are no flourishes, no fun – it's a rather utilitarian affair, far too dull to get anywhere near our best logos list.
The new logo does not Xceed our Xpectations (Image credit: Justia Trademarks)
Reddit users are divided, with some finding it "mean, sharp and clean", and others preferring the previous, spherical design (below) One issue we have with the new logo is that word 'SERIES' appears to have been slapped next to the 'X' as an afterthought – but there might be an explanation.
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Old (left) vs. new (right) (Image credit: Microsoft/Justia Trademarks/Future Owns)
"The fact 'series' is placed and sized as it is pretty much confirms some other letter," one Redditor suggests, while another adds: "Series S logo is coming'. According to Trusted Reviews, a second, budget version of the upcoming console might also be announced shortly, named the Xbox Series S. If that 'SERIES' is designed to work across multiple logos, perhaps it makes a little more sense that it sits next to the 'X' without any kind of meaningful (read: interesting) interaction.
Arguably more exciting than the logo itself is the dizzying array of products the trademark filing suggests it might appear on: Games consoles (obviously)! Jewellery! Fanny packs! (Bum bags to us Brits) Lighting fixtures! Yo-yos! While Microsoft is no doubt trying to cover all bases in the listing, there could be a whole host of left-field Xbox merchandise coming our way over the next few years.
If this does turn out to be the real Xbox logo, we'll be interested to see whether designers react with as much vitriol as they did to the PS5 logo. Microsoft's new console has already taken its fair share of heat, with many suggesting it wouldn't look out of place in the kitchen. But while the launch of both consoles this winter is an exciting prospect, what we really want to know is – when is that Xbox yo-yo arriving?
Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
