The Xbox and Bethesda presentation was arguably the most exciting E3 2021 conference so far. A lot of big titles like Starfield, Halo Infinite, and Forza Horizon 5 were part of the nearly 90-minute stream, which culminated in the reveal of the latest game from Arkane Studios, Redfall. Before the presentation was put on ice, however, there was one more reveal up Microsoft's sleeve: the Xbox Mini Fridge.
When the Xbox Series X was first revealed, many joked that the new hardware from Microsoft looked more like a mini fridge than a games console. In an attempt to gain some exposure on the coattails of the joke, Microsoft sent a fridge to Snoop Dogg and a few other celebrities that resembled the newest Xbox. The joke has now become a reality, however, with Microsoft apparently gearing up to offer Xbox Mini Fridges to the general public this holiday season.
Some credit is due to Microsoft for going along with the joke so well. Many companies might have ignored the jabs, but Microsoft played it cool and even leaned into the fun quite a bit before this recent fridge reveal. Before the Xbox Mini Fridge was a reality for more than a select few, a "Power Your Memes" pack brought an Xbox fridge to Dirt 5's map editor, a self-deprecating take on the "power your dreams" Xbox slogan.
Will The Xbox Mini Fridge Freeze Up Against The Competition?
While the Series X's performance against its PlayStation competition usually comes down to a game-by-game basis, the hardware is largely comparable. The refrigeration industry is new territory for Microsoft, though, and early peaks at the Xbox Mini Fridge show it might get iced by its competitors. It's unclear how many teraflops the average smart fridge can manage, but the Xbox Mini Fridge appears to have no computing power whatsoever, a baffling choice for a company that is pioneering fridge gaming with Xbox Game Pass.
Additionally, the size of an Xbox Series X is far too small compared to other mini fridges. Even the Xbox Mini Fridge's reveal trailer shows it only holding a measly 10 cans. Gamers are all too familiar with how misleading flashy E3 presentations can be, so it may be best to wait for the Xbox Mini Fridge gameplay reveal, or even some reviews, before deciding whether or not to purchase. What if the door hinges have a drifting issue? Maybe the degrees per second won't be so great on the more cooling-intensive drinks. There isn't even a price yet for the Xbox Mini Fridge, even though it's going on sale this holiday season.