If you’re planning to create your own Xbox controller before the Xbox Series X and SL launch on November 10, you’ll want to work fast. Microsoft is temporarily closing its Xbox Design Lab on October 14th.
Announced back in 2016, the Xbox Design Lab brings a lot of flexibility and personal flair to the Xbox One controller. For $ 80, you have access to more than 40 different color options for different parts of the controller, adding more than a million different combinations in total.
A few years ago, I designed one for a close friend and was amazed at how much customization I could do; It didn’t feel like I was just changing to another color, but really a unique personal product. My friend loves it, telling me they thought I’d buy a rare controller online.
But for some time from October 1421 to October 2021, MicroSFT says the service will be “temporarily offline flying so we can bring you some updates.” The company did not say why or exactly when the service will be online again in 2021, but it is possible that Microsoft is preparing to expand the service to include customization features for the new Xbox controller.
Unlike the PS5’s dual sense controller, which avoids the design of a dual shock series in terms of design and color scheme, the new Xbox Series X and S controllers have a pretty familiar design. The controller’s “size and shape have been refined to accommodate a wide range of people,” says Micros .ft, which makes it slightly smaller than its predecessor. The new Xbox controller also includes a redesigned D-Pad and a dedicated share button.
