It’s a pleasantly retro Christmas from Microsoft: hardcore gamers will be happy, as they’ll be able to grab Redmond’s top product for the upcoming holidays
Christmas is coming, even on Microsoft’s digital shop “Xbox Gear Shop”. Just for the upcoming holidays, the Redmond giant has thought of a themed gift that, for sure, will not leave unsatisfied lovers of Windows games, all packaged in a pleasantly retro style that refers directly to the early ’90s.
This is not the first year that Microsoft is launched in this very special adventure. In 2020, on the same shop, there ended up the first Ugly Christmas Sweater. This is a typical tradition of Anglo-Saxon countries that is slowly taking hold in Italy. In fact, there are more and more stores, especially U.S. and British chains, which are launched in the sale of Christmas-themed sweaters from the style specifically kitsch or that recalls themes completely antithetical to the time of year, in short, festive sweaters so ugly or unusual to become “unmissable”.
Microsoft, as the Ugly Christmas Sweater 2021
The protagonist of the sweater 2021 is a great classic of Microsoft games, or “Minefield”. Although over time has been renamed “Flower Meadow”, with lots of buds in bloom instead of bombs, what appears on the garment of this year is just the original version of 1990, a detail confirmed by the counter of the remaining mines that shows that number in plain sight.
Also the Windows logo is of the time: it is in fact the classic flag format that leads directly to Windows 3.1, the operating system that saw the light in the now distant 1992. Obviously, the pattern of the game boxes recalls the shape of a stylized Christmas tree, complete with snowflakes in the background (a lively spot of color reminiscent of the “Blue screen of death”), colored numbers and exploded bombs placed like balls and festive decorations.
Ugly Christmas Sweater Microsoft, where to buy it
Currently, the Microsoft Christmas sweater is available exclusively on the U.S. store, where it is on sale at a price of $ 74.99, but with the opportunity of international shipping that allows you to receive it in Italy too. Compared to the one of Christmas 2020, when the protagonist was the graphics program MS Paint, which sold out in just 24 hours, the price is increased by $ 5, touching a figure not exactly popular but certainly affordable for those who want to take home a collector’s item.
If last year part of the proceeds was donated to “Girls Who Code”, a non-profit organization that aims to increase the number of girls in the world of programming by providing them with the skills and technology necessary for the big step in the industry, for 2021 Microsoft has chosen “AbleGamers”. To the association that takes care of gamers with disabilities Microsoft has donated the sum of 100 thousand dollars.