Furry Sonic the Hedgehog Xbox controllers alert

Sonic did not triumph in the “console wars,” but as we recently charted in Polygon’s first-ever Who Would Win Week, the longtime Sega mascot was no loser either. Truly, in the year 2022, Sonic is a genuine movie star, gearing up for his big sequel this April. And for that reason, Xbox is honoring the blue hedgehog — in a way that puts the “chaos” in Chaos Emerald.

On a blog published Tuesday morning, Microsoft unveiled a custom Xbox Series S and pair of Xbox controllers inspired by Sonic, and the villain of Sonic 2, Knuckles. The Xbox Series S console features “a golden portal ring shining on its surface alongside an embossed Sonic the Hedgehog 2 logo,” while the controllers are covered in a fur-emulating shag carpet. To quote Sean Combs in Get Him to the Greek: Stroke the furry controllers ...

Photo: Sega/Paramount Pictures

The Sonic console and controllers won’t be generally available to the public, but given away as part of an enter-to-win sweepstakes. To enter, people who need a blue, furry Xbox controller in their life must go to the Xbox Twitter page and retweet a promotional post with the hashtag #XboxSonic2Sweepstakes or cash in Microsoft Rewards points on a raffle ticket. Participants must live in a legal resident in a territory that supports Xbox Live. Submissions for the sweepstakes ends at 11 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 30.

Go fast?

One eternal question spans all of pop culture: “Who would win?” That’s why we’re dedicating an entire week to debates that have shaped comics, movies, TV, and games, for better and worse. Prepare yourself for Polygon’s Who Would Win Week.

Illustration: James Bareham/Polygon