Amazon is taking invite requests for the 25,000-unit Xbox Series X25 console, out Nov. 13. Here is how it works, the price mix-up and what comes in the box.
As of Nov. 7, 2026, Amazon is taking invite requests for the Xbox Series X | X25 Special Edition, the translucent green 25th-anniversary console that sold out within minutes when preorders opened in August. The console is set to release Friday, Nov. 13. Requesting an invite is free, but it does not guarantee a purchase, according to IGN.
Here is how the Amazon invite works, what the price actually is, what comes in the box and what to do if you are not picked.
How does the Amazon invite for the Xbox X25 work?
You request an invite on Amazon's listing instead of racing to click "buy." Amazon's own wording, quoted by IGN, is: "If invited to purchase, you'll get an email when the item is available. Not all requests will be granted." The Daily Game News adds that Amazon has not said when invitations will go out.
IGN noted in August that Amazon was the one big retailer without a live preorder, and that Amazon often turns a listing on at a random point on release day. The invite system looks like Amazon's answer to that rush. Nothing we read says how invitations are chosen, so do not assume that requesting early helps.
How much does the Xbox Series X25 cost?
The sources disagree, and that matters. Microsoft's preorder price, reported by IGN and Mashable in August, was $899.99. IGN's Nov. 7 story on the Amazon invite lists $909.23 and calls it a "curiously specific price." We could not tell from the pages we read whether Amazon is charging more or whether the figure includes something else, so treat $899.99 as the announced price and check the final number on Amazon before you accept an invite.
The matching controller is a separate product at $79.99, per Mashable. IGN says it is still available at some retailers, so you do not have to win the console lottery to get the green pad.
What do you get in the box?
- A 1TB Xbox Series X in translucent "OG Green," with "XBOX 25" on the front and an X logo that lights up green when the console is on.
- A matching X25 Special Edition wireless controller.
- A digital copy of Halo: Campaign Evolved, the remake of the original Halo campaign that launched July 28, 2026, according to Xbox's own game page.
Xbox and Best Buy both describe the console as individually numbered with a unique engraving, and Best Buy says only 25,000 will be available to the public. Underneath, it is a standard 1TB Series X. You are paying for the shell, the number and the collector value, not for faster hardware.
One detail the listings leave open: they say the bundle includes Halo: Campaign Evolved but do not say whether that is the Standard or the Premium Edition. Xbox's game page says the Premium Edition adds an armor and weapon skin pack, a digital artbook and a short story. If that extra content matters to you, confirm it before you pay.
What if you do not get an invite?
The realistic options are short. Request the invite anyway, since it costs nothing. Watch for retailer restocks, because the first run sold out at every store that listed it. If you mainly want to play the game, Xbox says Halo: Campaign Evolved is included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, so a console is not required.
Xbox's anniversary is real, too. The original Xbox went on sale on Nov. 15, 2001, per IGN, so the Nov. 13 release lands two days before the 25th birthday.
What is confirmed and what is not?
- Confirmed: Amazon is taking invite requests, and not every request will be granted.
- Confirmed: release date Nov. 13, 1TB console, matching controller and a Halo: Campaign Evolved copy in the bundle.
- Reported but mixed: the price, $899.99 at preorder versus $909.23 on the Amazon listing per IGN.
- Not confirmed: when invitations go out, how many units Amazon holds and which Halo edition is included.
Our take
This is a smart way for Amazon to handle a product that always sells out, and a bit maddening for buyers, who now wait on an email with no schedule. If you were shut out in August, request the invite and then stop refreshing the page. Be wary of resale listings: with 25,000 units and this much attention, markups will follow, which is our expectation rather than a reported fact. A numbered console is nice, but a green controller and a Game Pass subscription get you most of the fun for a fraction of the cost.
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Picture credit: Xbox / Microsoft
