The first Xbox controller with recycled plastics from other worlds: CDs, jugs and headlight covers

Is called Remix Special Edition and is the first controller Ecological Xbox for Microsoft consoles which is made with recycled plastic materials from different worlds and sectors. On the occasion of Earth Day – scheduled for April 22 – the company has decided to raise awareness among gamers on the ecological issue with a new wireless control device which confirms the same functional characteristics of the traditional model, present in the console packaging, but in a green guise. It is not just a theme of colors, but of materials.

The functional design is unchanged and in fact Remix Special will be available from April 18 at the price of 84.99 euros. Like the entire family of controllers, it provides the classic left and right sticks, the directional key (D-pad), the four operating buttons (Y, B, A, X), the right and left back buttons and the respective triggers , the Xbox, View, Share, and Menu buttons; not counting the rear association button (pairing), the USB-C power port and the 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Then the choice of dressing him with the colors of the Earth: A green inspired by the lichen that grows in the Pacific Northwest, another shade of green more like that of spring grass, and an earthy brown. The rear area, on the other hand, recalls the origin of recycled materials, considering the shades of gray and blue chosen. The topographical texture then facilitates the grip afterwards: the swirls, signs and textures are a citation of the “changing earth landscape”, as Microsoft points out.

Remix Special made with regrind plastic

The Remix Special Edition is made with recovered plastic, of which about a third comes from regrind materials. In practice, regardless of the initial color, a mixing of resins and minced materials is carried out which can then be industrially customized with the preferred shades. It’s called regrind and it’s a process of mechanical recycling of the remaining parts of a plastic component.

In this case Microsoft has decided to transform old Xbox One console controllers (which was decommissioned in 2020) into a raw material “that can be used to partially create new controllers, while maintaining durability and performance.” Plus post-consumer recycled resins are incorporated from shredded plastics from automobile headlight covers, plastic water jugs and CDs.

Remix Special with rechargeable battery

An important detail is that the Remix Special controller package includes a rechargeable battery which obviously can be restored completely autonomously – even during a game session – via a USB-C connection. Microsoft confirms that a full charge lasting about 4 hours should ensure a maximum of about 30 hours of operation.

To remember that the controller is compatible both with consoles Xbox Series X | St And Xbox One, which with any PC or mobile device that supports Bluetooth technology. Furthermore Remix Special can enjoy a personalized mapping through the specific app dedicated to Xbox accessories.

Sustainability for Xbox

Microsoft has long since inaugurated a portal dedicated to the sustainability of its consoles. “The Xbox Team’s mission is to bring the fun and sense of community of the world of video games to everyone, but it is also essential to do so while respecting the planet,” says the company. “We’re committed to reducing our environmental impact and creating opportunities for players to do so while playing.”

Specifically, the commitment is to reduce the carbon footprint and become carbon-negative by 2030, zero waste by 2030 and help reduce the impact of video games on the environment. This is possible by redefining how each stage of the console lifecycle contributes to the carbon footprint. It is no coincidence that he also advises gamers to use the low power setting on Xbox Series X|S to reduce power consumption and activate Shutdown (power saving) mode which allows you to download new software updates while the console is not in use . “This means that 20 times less power is used than the other energy-saving setting, which is sleep mode,” Microsoft points out.

As far as reducing waste is concerned, the Remix Special controller undoubtedly falls into this area, as it has been in the past for the Daystrike Camo and Electric Volt models made with post-consumer recycled resins (PCR).

Finally, the Xbox Series S itself is the first console ever to integrate PCR resins in the production of the structure and the various internal components. Both Xbox Series X | S have in fact achieved 97% recyclability by type of material according to the ECV (Environmental Claim Validation) UL 2789 procedure of the OECD countries.