To celebrate Earth Day later this month, Microsoft is introducing a new Xbox controller partly made out of recycled plastics, including leftover Xbox One generation controller parts.
One-third of the “Xbox Wireless Controller – Remix Special Edition" is made from “regrind and reclaimed materials." The regrind process refers to recycling Xbox One controller parts to create “raw material” for new controllers. The same controllers also feature recycled parts such as “automotive headlight covers, plastic water jugs, and CDs” to fill out the plastic resin on the controller’s casing.
As a result, the remix special edition controllers all sport their own unique coloring. “Mixing post-consumer recycled resins with regrind consisting of previously molded colored parts creates custom, earth-tone colors with subtle variations, swirling, markings, and texturing —giving each Remix Special Edition controller its own look and feel,” the company says.
The other standout feature on the eco-conscious controllers is a rechargeable battery, which can connect over USB-C. Users can expect up to 30 hours of battery life per charge.
Whether Microsoft will use recycled materials for all controllers remains unclear. But the company says the remix edition represents its attempts to explore using less new plastics and reducing waste.
Current Xbox controllers can also use rechargeable batteries, but you have to buy them separately at $24.99. Otherwise the controllers use AA batteries when not connected to a cable to the console, so you can end up going through numerous AA batteries, which can be wasteful.
The new controller arrives on April 18. However, it’ll cost $84.99, or almost twice as much as a standard controller, which currently goes for $44.99. Pre-orders start today on the Xbox site. The controller works with both Xbox consoles and Windows PCs.