Microsoft announces official Xbox-inspired Adidas trainer range

Have you ever loved something so much you wanted to put your feet in it? If you answered yes and the something you love is Xbox, then there's good news: Microsoft has teamed up with Adidas to launch a range of official Xbox shoes.

The foot-focussed collaboration, part of Microsoft's ongoing celebrations to mark 20 years since the launch of the original Xbox, begins with the arrival of the Xbox 20th Forum Tech - a pair of trainers sporting "translucent green details" said to be inspired by the Halo: Combat Evolved special edition Xbox, released back in 2001.

"The Adidas Forum Tech design balances nostalgia while embracing modern technology and is symbolic of how we look at our own Xbox history, celebrating the last 20 years and looking ahead to the limitless future of gaming", says Microsoft of the bogey-green shoes in its official announcement over on Xbox Wire.

Unfortunately, those hoping to purchase a pair of Xbox 20th Forum Tech trainers are out of luck; the limited-edition shoes will only be available as part of competition promotions to be held via the official Xbox Twitter page. However, Microsoft notes it'll be releasing the "first-ever [Xbox] sneaker available for purchase by our fans" some time later this year.

Indeed, it says the Xbox 20th Forum Tech trainers are only the start of its collaboration with Adidas, and that its 20th anniversary celebrations will continue with the release of additional trainers taking inspiration from other Xbox consoles, both past and present.

Although Microsoft is remaining coy about the other shoes in its Xbox line-up for the time being, a report by website Complex back in May suggested a total of four Xbox-inspired trainers were in the works - one based on Adidas' Forum Tech range (presumably the trainer announced today), another based on its Forum Tech Boost, and two retro Forum Mid basketball trainer designs - with more to follow in 2022.

Microsoft's shoe news follows similar footwear-based initiatives from Sony and Nintendo earlier this year. Back in September, Nintendo teamed up with Puma to launch a range of trainers inspired by Animal Crossing: New Horizons, while PlayStation recently got the footwear treatment courtesy of Nike.