Maybe it’s because I primarily play console games on PlayStation. Maybe it’s because I can’t fit anything into my New York shoebox apartment. Maybe it’s because I’m cynical about marketing that centres around the gamer identity. But wow. I was not expecting folks to be so hyped about the Xbox Series X mini fridge.
The Xbox Series X mini fridge is a Target exclusive in the U.S. which became available for preorder today at around 9:30 AM ET. Within fifteen minutes, potential buyers reported that the mini fridges were all sold out. I’m still in shock. The Xbox fridge originated as a marketing ploy.
Four months ago, former Kotaku staffer Ash Parrish wrote about how the mini fridge was nothing more than a silly capitalist stunt. The official Twitter Marketing account held a battle of the brands between Skittles and Xbox, and Aaron Greenberg, the general manager of Xbox marketing, attempted to sway voters to his side by promising that real mini fridges would be produced if Xbox won. The brand won by a very narrow margin, eventually leading to the announcement of the Xbox Series X mini fridge at the E3 conference this year. While Xbox unveiled a full-sized fridge last year, that was only a one-off sweepstakes prize. Today was the first time that an official Xbox fridge was available to the general public.
It seems that scalpers were on the mini fridge like flies on honey, and currently, it appears that anyone hoping to score one off eBay may have to spend at least $US300 ($401) — triple its original price.
I doubt that I’ll ever allow a gamer fridge into my home, but the Xbox Series X mini fridge has some undeniable charm. It’s got the LEDs to make it look like a real Xbox, it holds up to 12 cans, and it’s got a USB charging port on the front. For the trypophobia-inclined, it’s also got as many nightmarish holes as the actual console.
Don’t worry if you missed out on the preorders. This won’t be the last time that the Xbox Series X mini fridge will be available. If you’re still looking to rep your love for a console that looks like a fridge (heh), Xbox is looking to sell more fridges in select markets in 2022.