Throughout gaming history, most consoles have kept to the same basic rectangular shape (with some notable exceptions). Now, Microsoft is throwing a new form factor in the game with the distinctly fridge-shaped Xbox Series X. In an interview with Eurogamer, key members of the design team revealed why the new Xbox is so different.

To give the shortest answer to this question--it's all about performance, creating an over-powered console without it ending up the size of a regular PC. From the beginning the team knew it would require a different design mindset than any other console. “We knew it was going to be powerful and we knew it was going to require a totally different way of thinking about how to design a console,” principle designer Chris Kujawski said.

The goal for the new console was to double the system’s graphical performance, while keeping it just as quiet as the Xbox One. This technical challenge meant completely rethinking the structure of the machine.

Throughout gaming history, most consoles have kept to the same basic rectangular shape (with some notable exceptions). Now, Microsoft is throwing a new form factor in the game with the distinctly fridge-shaped Xbox Series X. In an interview with Eurogamer, key members of the design team revealed why the new Xbox is so different.

To give the shortest answer to this question--it's all about performance, creating an over-powered console without it ending up the size of a regular PC. From the beginning the team knew it would require a different design mindset than any other console. “We knew it was going to be powerful and we knew it was going to require a totally different way of thinking about how to design a console,” principle designer Chris Kujawski said.

The goal for the new console was to double the system’s graphical performance, while keeping it just as quiet as the Xbox One. This technical challenge meant completely rethinking the structure of the machine.