If Aussies head over to the Xbox Design Lab — Microsoft’s new build-your-own controller website, it politely tells you to come back another time. You know, when the feature is available in the country.
The thing is, it’s pretty easy to bypass.
I couldn’t resist.
Heading over to the United States’ version of the site, I was able to experience Design Lab for myself, switching between bright pink Xbox One controller bodies to a far more sensible white. You’re able to customise your controller’s back and front, its bumpers and triggers, d-pad, thumbsticks, menu and options buttons and ABXY buttons too. All for a mere $79.95 USD.
Which is about $108.50 AUD. Far too much for a controller, right?
But did I mention you can engrave it too? “Stevivor” looks so good down the bottom there, if I so say so myself.
And, really, the engraving is only $10 USD more. Well worth it. Right?
Of course, this is all hypothetical — I didn’t go to the site to buy a controller; just to mess around. That is, until I found myself making my sixth saved design. Yeah; you can make design combos and save them for later, essentially letting you refine your work in progress until IT FEELS LIKE A CHILD YOU’VE BROUGHT INTO THE WORLD AND NEED TO THEN RAISE.
Ahem.
I’m not alone on this, by the way — several other creative Aussies are taking advantage of the feature as well. And, while it’s not been specifically said, I’m sure they’re as attached to my creations as I am*.
Here's an Xbox One tribute to the original 360 controller. pic.twitter.com/XW13TiPEEz
— BΞɅU // Jason Cox (@BeauNidle) June 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/PstiDrdn/status/742927021769166848
Here's my first design pic.twitter.com/FnEBt67yQR
— BΞɅU // Jason Cox (@BeauNidle) June 15, 2016
So $89.98 USD later — or $122 AUD for those keeping track — and a shiny new controller was sititng in my cart. Upon checkout, I realised that Microsoft will only ship the controllers to a United States address.
Yeah, that’s also pretty easy to bypass as well. Shipping site comGateway to the… um, “rescue”? And only for about $25 AUD more.
And that, boys and girls, is the story of how a hype-filled, impatient idiot just bought a $150 AUD Xbox One controller. The lesson to be learned from this is to be patient — it’s not been confirmed that the program is heading to Australia, but it’s also not been confirmed it’s not (great logic, right?). If it does make it here, I’m sure I could have saved around $40-50 AUD. Like a smart person.
We’ll keep you posted.
*The Twitter users above are probably far less weird than I am.
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