Rarest Xbox Consoles

[ProgrammingAce]

By popular request, i've finally taken a decent set of pictures of what should be the 3 rarest original Xbox consoles. You'd be suprised how hard it is to take a photo of transparent plastic with a reflective metal backing...

In no particular order, they are:
Hello Kitty Xbox (http://programmingace.com/?p=39)
EA Employee's Xbox (http://programmingace.com/?p=25)
Launch Team Xbox (http://programmingace.com/?p=34)

If I had to guess most-to-least rare, it would be Hello Kitty --> EA --> Launch.

[The 1 2 P]

Your links for the EA and Launch team Xbox's are backwards. Still, those are all pretty cool systems. The only one I'll probably have a decent chance of finding in the wild is the Launch team but I'd love to have them all eventually.

[Gamevet]

I like the EA Xbox!

[ProgrammingAce]

Your links for the EA and Launch team Xbox's are backwards. Still, those are all pretty cool systems.

Thanks, fixed.

[Colorado Rockies]

Panzer Dragoon White Xbox and the Kasumi Blue Xbox are pretty rare.

[Cornelius]

Do these all have system boxes that reflect the unique nature of the console? It'd be cool to see those, too, if you have them. (the internet is never satisfied!)

That Hello Kitty one is truly bizarre. It just doesn't seem like that should be possible in the modern age. I assume it is clear that those weren't just done up real nice by the retailer that was selling them?

[ProgrammingAce]

Do these all have system boxes that reflect the unique nature of the console? It'd be cool to see those, too, if you have them. (the internet is never satisfied!)

The hello kitty xbox has a neon pink box it came with, the other two were just standard retail boxes. The box is in storage, but here's a pic i took of it a few years ago:

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2007/12/200710091308_585.jpg

[SpaceHarrier]

Wow, I wasn't even aware of the Hello Kitty one..

I'd be happy with a Mountain Dew Xbox.

[98PaceCar]

I really should have bought the Hello Kitty on that showed up at the last CGE. Do you have any new dev boxes?

[ProgrammingAce]

I really should have bought the Hello Kitty on that showed up at the last CGE. Do you have any new dev boxes?

I have one of the Alpha Kit 360's, the Apple G5 that Microsoft sent to developers.

The irony is, i was offered that other hello kitty xbox too. I thought it would be mean to have them both.

[98PaceCar]

I have one of the Alpha Kit 360's, the Apple G5 that Microsoft sent to developers.

The irony is, i was offered that other hello kitty xbox too. I thought it would be mean to have them both.

Nice! I'd like to see that sometime.

Owning both would have been fun if only to incite nerd rage in other collectors!

[ProgrammingAce]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1991183/XenonStickers.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1991183/XenonCase.jpg

[98PaceCar]

That's really cool. I love that they used Apples for the dev kits.

[ProgrammingAce]

That's really cool. I love that they used Apples for the dev kits.

Look at the date on it, this alpha kit was made 8 months before even halo 2 came out. Almost 2 years before the 360 actually launched. It gives you a good idea how long a console really takes to produce. Remember, they had to have the final hardware basically set in stone by this point.

[InsaneDavid]

That's some amazing stuff. Thanks for posting the images!

[jonebone]

Do you know estimated print runs of each? I heard something like 500 on Hello Kitty and I thought EA Employee's would have a lower print run than that?

[ProgrammingAce]

this is quite literally the only source for the number of consoles out there. I have my doubts, since no one has ever found the console in Asia.

550 is a sizable production run, you would expect more then two to show up over the past seven years.

http://asia.cnet.com/hello-kitty-crystal-xbox-console-39220767.htm

[jonebone]

this is quite literally the only source for the number of consoles out there. I have my doubts, since no one has ever found the console in Asia.

550 is a sizable production run, you would expect more then two to show up over the past seven years.

http://asia.cnet.com/hello-kitty-crystal-xbox-console-39220767.htm

Interesting. 550 is indeed a sizeable print run, but Hello Kitty Xbox doesn't scream collectible either. So it's possible that many were thrown out / abused or simply left in closets because no one knows anything about them.

For comparison, the N64 Millennium controller has a print run of 1,000, and it's been at least a 5-6 month drought on them. Maybe 3-4 on eBay a year, and that is something that is unanimously recognized as a collectable in the N64 scene.

That Hello Kitty drought doesn't seem too bad by comparison, especially since it is probably in lower demand than a Millennium.

[TonyTheTiger]

Hello Kitty is a huge franchise. It's possible many of them are in the hands of Hello Kitty collectors, not game collectors. The two communities not crossing paths much could explain the lack of consoles in sight. There could be numerically more Hello Kitty Xboxes but who'd know if most are stashed in some Hello Kitty room of doom?

I also second that EA console being awesome. For some reason all the white Xboxes look damn cool to me.

[Enixis]

I actually own one of the Hello Kitty Xbox consoles back home in Singapore still boxed up. These used to pop up for sale quite frequently on (the now shut down) Yahoo Auctions Singapore around 2004-2006.