Microsoft Updates Xbox Brand Identity, Returning to Classic Black and Green Color Scheme to Honor the Original
Following Microsoft's recent decision to rename its gaming division to Xbox, the company has announced an update to the Xbox brand identity. Compared to the previous minimalist logo, the new logo returns to the brand's classic black and green color scheme, paying homage to the design of the original Xbox, and features a high-gloss texture that creates a light and shadow reflection effect, giving the logo a three-dimensional feel.
The official announcement of the new logo was made on social media, with a proud declaration: "We are Xbox." While some may see this as a simple logo update, the new logo's tribute to the original Xbox through its color scheme demonstrates that Microsoft is seriously examining its brand history and excavating the classic core that can be integrated into the current era.
The new Xbox logo has sparked a lot of discussion in the comments section of the social media post. Today, Asha Sharma, CEO of Xbox, responded with three green heart emojis, and other brands such as Discord, Mountain Dew, and Razer have also sent congratulations to Xbox.
Earlier this week, Sharma and Chief Content Officer Matt Booty jointly announced the renaming of Microsoft Gaming to Xbox, stating that the previous name was insufficient to fully represent the department's vision for development.
“‘Microsoft Gaming’ only defined our organizational structure, but failed to embody our vision and ambition,” they said in a joint statement. “Therefore, we are returning to our roots and changing the team’s name. We are Xbox. We have a highly autonomous and daring culture where imaginative ideas can flourish. Our mission is not to erase our differences, but to unite everyone to achieve something that no single studio or product can achieve.”
In the official announcement, Booty and Sharma discussed Xbox's future plans, stating that “players are feeling dissatisfied” due to the overall environment of the gaming industry.
“The frequency of new feature updates on consoles has decreased. Our layout on PC is still not deep enough. Game pricing is becoming increasingly unaffordable for more and more players. And core experiences such as search, content discovery, social interaction, and personalization still feel too fragmented. Developers and publishers also have higher demands: better development tools, more accurate industry insights, and a platform that can help them grow faster.”
To address these issues, the two hope to transform Xbox into a “global platform connecting players and creators around the world.” In the future, the department will use daily active users as a core operating metric; more specific plans include ensuring that the Helix plan achieves “performance leadership,” while also launching peripherals that are comfortable, personalized, and high-performing, and building a comprehensive ecosystem that offers a wide range of choices. Microsoft also plans to deepen partnerships and expand into more markets, including China, while also reaching users whose core is mobile.
“Over the past five years, Xbox and the entire gaming industry have undergone unimaginable changes, and our team has remained steadfast, continuing to deliver high-quality content to the player community,” they said. “Thank you for always focusing on what really matters. In the past 62 days, we have delivered on our promise to create high-quality games, reboot the Xbox brand, and define the future of gaming, and we are incredibly proud of that. We will be here to accomplish the most creative and ambitious work of our careers, and we will achieve this with all of you.”