Xbox Can't Advertise GTA 6, So It Put a Series X in an Alligator

Xbox can't advertise GTA 6, so it put an Xbox Series X inside an alligator instead. Microsoft's new one-off console, the Xbox Series X-BITE, is a five-foot gator with a working Series X in its belly, and one person in the US can win it before GTA 6 launches. Xbox never mentions Grand Theft Auto, but nobody's buying that it's a coincidence. Here's what the console is, how to enter, and why Xbox is being so coy.

What is the Xbox Series X-BITE?

Xbox's announcement says it's "heading to Florida" this November, and the pitch is simple: an alligator swallowed an Xbox Series X whole, and it still works.

• Size: more than five feet from snout to tail.
• The console: a working Series X sits inside the body, visible through a glowing Xbox logo.
• The controller: a custom Xbox controller with bite marks rests between the gator's jaws.
• The eyes: Xbox-green, with pupils shaped like the Xbox logo.

It was built by John Nolan Studio, a creature and animatronics workshop whose credits include The Witcher and Jurassic World Dominion. The fine print says it's best kept as a display piece, and that no real alligators were used or harmedReported5. destructoid.com — Xbox doesn't get GTA 6 marketing, so it made a console inside an alligator.

How to win the Xbox alligator console

There's only one, and it isn't for sale. The official rules:

There's one winner, drawn on or around November 11, who gets 48 hours to claim the prize. The console and controller bundle has an official value of $799.99. No purchase is needed. If you're outside the US, you can't enter.

Why Xbox can't say "GTA 6"

Xbox's post never names GTA 6, Rockstar or Vice City. But a Florida theme, an alligator and a deadline that lands just before the game's launch make the message pretty clear.

The reason, according to Kotaku, Notebookcheck and Destructoid, is that Sony has the marketing rights for GTA 6, which leaves Microsoft unable to promote it directlyReported3. kotaku.com — Xbox Isn't Allowed To Market GTA 6 So It Stuck A Console Inside Of An Alligator Instead4. notebookcheck.net — Xbox put a Series X inside an alligator and it is giving it away5. destructoid.com — Xbox doesn't get GTA 6 marketing, so it made a console inside an alligator. What's officially on record is that Sony and Rockstar both say GTA 6 "plays best on PS5", thanks to a close partnership between the two companies. The exact terms of the deal haven't been made public, so the idea that it blocks Xbox from mentioning the game is the press's reading, not a confirmed rule.

Xbox has been winking at the game for a while. In late October, it posted a Halloween setup with a GTA VI tile visible on screen, and the post passed 2.8 million viewsReported9. purexbox.com — Xbox racks up millions of views teasing GTA 6 on Xbox Series X. As games journalist Jeff Gerstmann put it, if you're going to play "Big Florida Crime 6" this month, "do it on a gator"Reported3. kotaku.com — Xbox Isn't Allowed To Market GTA 6 So It Stuck A Console Inside Of An Alligator Instead.

Custom consoles aren't new for Xbox. It has made an Oreo-themed Xbox Series S and a Psychonauts 2 Series X, but the X-BITE is easily the strangestReported8. purexbox.com — Microsoft Is Giving Away The Most Insane Xbox Series X Ever Created.

Playing GTA 6 on Xbox

The marketing deal doesn't change the game itself: GTA 6 launches on November 19 on Xbox Series X|S and PS5. Xbox pre-loading starts at 12am GMT on November 10, which is 7pm ET on November 9, and the download is up to 212GB. See our preload guide for every time zone, and our performance guide for how the Xbox versions compare.