[Inside Microsoft’s design of the new Xbox Series S and X](https://www.fastcompany.com/90551216/exclusive-with-the-new-xbox-microsoft-unveils-affordable-design-for-the-masses) by Mark Wilson for Fast Company > “We think about our console as part of the environment you live in as our customer,” says Phil Spencer, executive vice president of gaming at Microsoft. “While there’s an opening of the box and you want that to be fantastic, once you put that console wherever you put it, we hope you never have to touch it again, hope you never have to hear from it again, and it just plays great games. . . . It’s not the center of attention.” > > As if to prove this point, Spencer conducted an interview in July, from his home office, before the Xbox Series S design was made public. Look into the background, and you can see the S peeking out between a stack of books. And no one noticed until Microsoft [revealed the ruse last week](https://screenrant.com/xbox-series-s-secret-reveal-phil-spencer/). I love interviews exploring hardware design and Mark Wilson delivers for the two new Xbox consoles. It’s easy to look at the new Xbox systems and forget their look, which is precisely what Xbox wants. They clearly went function over form, while still sprinkling in some flourishes. My favorite touch is on the Xbox Series X with its green plastic beneath the upper ventilation holes. Gives just the right amount of that iconic Xbox shade of green. [Reminds me of the Xbox goo that was apart of the original Xbox console’s OS](https://youtube.com/watch?v=nm6XchTak40&t=4). On the flipside with the PS5, Sony definitely put more flare out there. It’s unclear the form vs function ratio going on with the PS5, but it certainly does not fade from memory. It is very *Sony* in its design, which is a positive point to me. I do enjoy the PS5’s look more than the Xbox Series consoles. I am also excited that we got such widely different looks to pair with the different approach the consoles all seem to be taking technically. Makes for a far more exciting launch and generation than similar specs inside similar boxes.