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Original Xbox returns as a 3,509-piece Lego-like set. The original Xbox is the next console that will be brickified. Mattel Brick Shop just revealed a new kit that's a 1:1 scale replica of the original Xbox. The Mattel Brick Shop Microsoft Xbox Building Toy Kit is a 3,509-piece set that features the console, the iconic oversized Duke controller, and several game dioramas. It's being released to commemorate the original Xbox's 25th anniversary. The dioramas are themed around three classic Xbox games: Halo: Combat Evolved, Psychonauts, and The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind. The scenes and figures from each are embedded in the Xbox, which has pieces that slide out to reveal the Master Chief battling the Flood and other scenes. The buttons on the Duke controller activate lights and sound effects in each diorama, while opening the console triggers the Xbox's boot audio The Mattel Brick Shop Microsoft Xbox Building Toy Kit set retails for $324.99 and will be released on Oct. 1, 2026. Mattel Brick Shop Microsoft Xbox Building Toy Kit details. The Original XBOX is back - and this time, it's yours to build. This authentic replica of the Original XBOX console is fully buildable, complete with the iconic Duke controller and 3 dioramas of hit games Psychonauts, Halo, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Open the console to trigger the Original XBOX opening sequence, then press the controller buttons to activate sound & light sequences for each diorama. This display piece is a love letter to gaming history and a building experience sure to delight fans. * Build the Original Console: Fully buildable 1:1 scale Original XBOX and controller, with realistic details, sounds and lights * Iconic Duke Controller: Includes faithfully designed, buildable Duke controller with working buttons Controller-Activated Lights & Sounds: Press the controller buttons to activate 4 unique light & sound sequences * 3 Dioramas of Hit Games: Set includes dioramas of Psychonauts, Halo, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind that slot into the console * Features NanoWorld figures: Dioramas include 1-inch NanoWorld figures of iconic characters * Display with Pride: This showstopping set is ideal for collectors, built to shine on your shelf Notably, of the three games referenced in the dioramas, Microsoft no longer owns a studio behind one of them. As part of a massive round of layoffs affecting more than 3,000 employees, the company recently cut Double Fine, the studio that created Psychonauts. After going independent, Double Fine laid off 23 employees, which was roughly a quarter of its team. In recent years, Lego has partnered with Nintendo to create kits based on the company's hardware. There are sets for the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Game Boy, and the Donkey Kong arcade cabinet. Additionally, Lego has released crossover sets for Mario, Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, and more. Microsoft has seemingly made a similar partnership with Mattel, with a Halo toy line alongside an upcoming Warthog-themed Brick Shop set. The console wars continue, but on a new front.

Toymaker Mattel launches a new game studio with a focus on Roblox and Fortnite that could signal a growing shift in where studios spend money. Published 17 hours ago In chasing the money, Mattel Game Studios doesn't seem particularly interested in Steam or consoles. 10 billion hours in RobloxToy company Mattel is getting into the videogame business with the launch of Mattel Game Studios, which it says "will develop, publish, and operate original interactive experiences inspired by Mattel's portfolio of iconic brands." But the approach it's taking to that task is rather different from what PC Gamer has seen in the past. The launch of the new division actually arises from a previous enterprise, Mattel163, a joint venture with NetEase that Mattel took full control of earlier this year. Founded in 2019, Mattel163 published a handful of digital card games for mobile devices including Phase 10: World Tour, Skip-Bo, and of course, Uno. Mattel's acquisition of the company "advances Mattel's vision to extend physical play to the virtual world by creating digital games and experiences that drive sustained engagement for fans of all ages," a line from the press blast (via Game Developer) I include just because I think PC Gamer should all have the opportunity to enjoy it. Latest Videos FromPC Gamer Bethesda designer knows the problem with Starfield: It's too dang big 0 seconds of 51 seconds Volume 0% Anyway, you can expect games of that sort to continue. Another Uno-based game, Uno Wild, is now in soft launch for mobile devices, and Mattel Game Studios is also working on a new game based on Hot Wheels. But Mattel Game Studios is moving beyond mobile development, and this is the part I find interesting: The company says it also plans to release "original experiences on creator platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite." That's a reflection of the state of mainstream gaming, and where at least some of it is headed. PC Gamer has seen heavyweights like Amazon and Hasbro try to elbow their way onto the mainstream gaming scene to mixed results; at the same time, Roblox players spent more than 10 billion hours in Roblox every month in 2025 - more than player hours spent on Steam, PlayStation, and Fortnite combined - while Fortnite, underpinned by the Unreal Engine, is attracting crossover deals with some of the most massive media companies on the planet, and actively pursuing an entirely new development ecosystem built on its technology. So maybe you're not interested in a Poochie Pals extraction shooter (or whatever) but the odds are good you're also probably not interested in Brainrot. Lots of other people (mostly kids) are, though, and guess where they're getting it? In a way, Mattel's approach echoes that of Amazon and Hasbro, but without the millions of dollars sunk into chasing conventional markets. And Brainrot may be where it starts, but not necessarily where it ends. Writing about the Ready or Not-inspired shooter TTK on Roblox, PC Gamer's Morgan Park said it's a reminder "that Roblox games don't have to be terrible." Not that TTK is an especially outstanding experience, but as Morgan wrote, "it's fine, it's free, but it's also about as good as a number of Steam shooters that release regularly." I have no doubt that for a lot of companies whose primary concern is leveraging new markets, that'll be plenty good enough. If it works - and I have no reason to doubt - then I wouldn't be surprised to see other companies opting to pursue gamers not on Steam or game consoles, but on platforms like Roblox. And not just companies who aren't traditionally into videogames: Less than a year after announcing an all-in effort to salvage Payday 3, after all, Starbreeze seems to be focused primarily on bringing the property to - you guessed it - Roblox and Fortnite. PC Gamer poll: How many live service games do you have on the go? Voting closes at 02:59 PM on Aug 24, 2026 I've always got 3+ live service games in rotation Usually only one or two, who's got time for all those dailies? Just the one live service game, actually I used to be invested in one or multiple live service games, but I'm not playing any right now! Live service? All I know is a good ol' classic singleplayer experience, baby 2026 games: All the upcoming games Best PC games: Its all-time favorites Free PC games: Freebie fest Best FPS games: Finest gunplay Best RPGs: Grand adventures Best co-op games: Better together US News Lead Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.

The toy maker behind Barbie and Hot Wheels wants to make its own video games. Mattel is looking to succeed where Hasbro failed Over 40 years after licensing Barbie for a Commodore 64 spin-off, Mattel has decided that this whole video game thing is for real and is setting up an internal production pipeline to release its own games. The maker of Hot Wheels and other popular toys just announced Mattel Game Studios, an organization of 300 developers tasked with creating and publishing original games based on iconic brands like Uno. The new game studio/publisher hybrid will be split across offices in L.A. and Hangzhou, China, and will be nested under the company's existing Mattel Digital Studios, which handles all of its existing licensing deals for third-party games on mobile, console, and PC. Masters of the Universe: Legends Unite, a couch co-op roguelike for mobile, came out in June. Mattel also teased UNO Wild, a unique new Uno "experience" currently being "soft-launched," and that a new Hot Wheels game is "in active development." "Mattel Game Studios gives us the scale and capabilities to build and publish more original gaming experiences inspired by our iconic brands," said the new head of Mattel Digital Studios, Marcus Liassides, in a press release on August 17. "Together with our successful collaborations across the industry, it strengthens our ability to reach fans through great games wherever they choose to play." As every company not already deeply immersed in game development has recently learned, however, making them is hard, expensive, and messy. Mattel's corporate toy-maker rival, Hasbro, was the latest to retreat from the market following several high-profile cancellations and write-downs. The tech giants have all crashed against those rocky shores as well, with Amazon being the latest to give up on developing AAA games in-house. I doubt things will be any different for Mattel unless it's going into this whole thing with less grand ambitions. There have already been tons of popular and successful games based on Mattel toy brands. I'm not sure what the company getting more directly involved in the creative side of things will yield. We're already getting Barbie Rewind, a remaster anthology collection of decades of Barbie games, later this year. And Hot Wheels Let's Race: Ultimate Speed just came out last year. Maybe Mattel can finally give us Hot Wheels meets Grand Theft Auto, or the modern Barbie cozy sim. Or maybe we'll be writing about Mattel Digital Studios layoffs three years from now. Level up your inbox.