The Twitter user named XboxPope has created hundreds of beautiful skins for next-gen consoles. For this, he is celebrated by fans on social media.
For the first time, I stumbled upon XboxPope’s work on Twitter. Suddenly, a cool design for the PlayStation 5 in the style of “Spider-Man: Miles Morales” (see the cover image) appeared in my feed, which is one of the upcoming games for the console.
I saw it, fell in love immediately, and then felt sad that this design wouldn’t be officially available. So I continued to browse the artist’s profile and eventually invited him for a conversation about his work.
Who is XboxPope? For about 3 years, XboxPope has been uploading pictures of consoles on his Instagram profile, giving them stylish new designs. Sometimes there are also PC cases included.
A significant part of it consists of Microsoft consoles Xbox One and Xbox Series X. The number of designs reaches into the hundreds and it’s really just a hobby that XboxPope does on the side.
The professional designer, with 25 years of work experience, is actually more active in other fields and works for really big companies there:
I design for some of the biggest brands in the world. It’s mainly consumer marketing, retail displays, and brand innovation. In the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, where they go on a funny journey, I did the designs […]
However, his hobby with console designs started very simply.
It all started with a controller
The first console-related design from XboxPope was a request from the gaming community. One of the members asked him if he could create a controller in the “Gears of War” look.
At first, I thought it was a pretty crazy request. But after I shared it, I got more of those requests. That led me to make surprises [in the form of designs] for some people or for streamers […]
What designs are there? The variety of requests is also reflected in the different themes of the designs. In the Twitter and Instagram galleries of XboxPope, you will recognize many of your beloved brands. There are motifs:
- from gaming like Destiny, Mass Effect, Diablo 4, Cyberpunk 2077, etc.
- from pop culture like Marvel and DC heroes, Tron or Buffy
- from the streaming scene with streamers like Luizknight or Ewok
- from sports with team logos from soccer, rugby or racing
- and even kids’ series like Spongebob or Peppa Pig
In two videos, XboxPope demonstrates a whole range of his designs on Twitter. See them here:
PART 2 pic.twitter.com/EFYC9cSl7H
— XboxPope (@XboxPope) July 11, 2020
Over time, his popularity grew in the gaming community. After the designer became active on several different social media platforms, his work is seen by millions of people all over the world.
Correspondingly, the number of requests to him also grew:
I used to get a handful of requests, but now it’s in the hundreds. […] Some of them can be pretty strange, but I do my best to create something from them.
The time needed for the stylish designs for the experienced professional is about 30 minutes. However, it’s important that the process should happen naturally. What matters is the fun, and there is no “right” or “wrong”.
When asked about his favorite design, XboxPope, as expected, couldn’t give me an answer.
I’m often asked that, and it’s a very difficult question. […] Picking a favorite from the fan arts is like asking me to name the child in my family that I love the most. The answer will be: They are all my favorites.
Can you buy these skins? Unfortunately, none of the stylish designs are actually available, for example in the form of sticker skins. And very few have ever been implemented on a real console, like the design for Ori and the Will of the Wisps above.
When I told XboxPope that I would pay a lot for some of his designs, he said he hears that very often.
Although his designs are not available, he still gave me a little hope and said that he is currently “working hard on something in the background”. What exactly it’s supposed to be, he didn’t want to reveal. It would ruin the surprise.
Celebrated by thousands, yet still humble
The designs of XboxPope are celebrated by many in the gaming community and receive thousands of likes and shares on social media. Nevertheless, the designer wants to remain grounded despite his popularity.
There’s always “Oh my God, it’s XboxPope!” when I appear in a stream or chat with someone. XboxPope is idolized and is looked up to with a lot of respect. But I can’t let those things that people say about me go to my head and become a diva.
The big purpose of his social media channels, he sees, is to draw attention from the community to the small artists and content creators.
For example, he shares their work on his accounts or tells his followers that they are cool people and should be supported.
His designs help him with that. This includes designs for streamers, whose work and commitment he finds valuable for the gaming community. By doing so, he draws attention from the community to them.
If you have a community, whether big or small, then you have a certain responsibility. […] You have to be more positive and help people who need support. It can be hard and mentally exhausting, but it’s also always rewarding for me when I can simply make someone smile. That’s the best feeling.
It was a pleasure to talk to XboxPope, and I really hope that I will have one of his designs in my living room someday.
Another member of the community I talked to has recreated a 35kg armor from For Honor.
