While it might not be as aggressive as it once was, many gamers are still left with a headache due to platform exclusivity, wishing there was a way they could play everything under one roof.
You might be able to get away with most games if you've got a PC and Nintendo Switch 2, as both Xbox and PlayStation titles have largely made their way to Steam over the years, yet there are some releases that remain exclusive and the delayed launches are often too much for some.
PC gaming is understandably expensive though and it's certainly not getting any cheaper thanks to the demands of artificial intelligence, so having all three of the main consoles in one package would certainly be an appealing prospect for many gamers.
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That's why the reveal of the 'Ningtendo PXBOX 5' by one Chinese modder has raised the eyebrows of many, as it promises the best of all three worlds inside a single box, letting you play every console game releasing without compromise.
What is the Ningtendo PXBOX 5?
As shared by Tech SK, Chinese modder Xiaoning XNZ revealed her very own custom system that combines the components of the three biggest consoles on the market right now, letting you play PS5, Xbox Series X, and Switch 2 games without needing three separate boxes.
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One of the most impressive features of the system is how seamlessly it switches between each 'console' inside the package, as it can do so in under five seconds, powering only the console that's running at that time from a shared 250-watt power supply.
There's even an LED strip at the front that changes to each console's corresponding color (blue, green, or red) depending on what's active at that time, letting you know what you're playing if it wasn't already obvious.
How does it work?
While the combined size of the three consoles might make it seem impossible for it to fit into a single package, Xiaoning made it work by unifying both the cooling and power supply of the three devices into a singular system.
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As seen in her YouTube video detailing the process, the reason why this is so effective is because these are often the largest components within each console, so removing them makes it far easier to fit all three into a smaller case.
Alongside the aforementioned shared power supply, the Ningtendo PXBOX 5 features a triangular tower with various cooling blocks, and it was even inspired by the infamous 'trash can' 2013 Apple Mac Pro.
She was able to create prototypes for all of the bespoke components necessary to make this work by using a Bambu Lab 3D printer, yet the final product was made using lost-PLA casting, which is a historic metalworking technique that has been adapted for use in modern times.
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Impressively when everything was up and running there seemed to be no performance issues whatsoever, with Xiaoning putting her creation through its paces with stress testing on Elden Ring — although the only downside is the lack of any disk drive support.
Can you buy it?
Unfortunately there's no way to purchase this creation yourself and it seems like Xiaoning has no plans to offer anything like that in the future. Not only would it be a bit of a legal nightmare with three of the gaming industry's biggest companies, it likely would cost a considerable amount in order to make a profit.
There is, of course, the option to follow along with Xiaoning's own method yourself by using her video as a step-by-step guide, but she hasn't shared the specific 3D models that were used, and you'd have to be pretty skilled yourself to make it a success, even with it laid out in front of you.