I’m not sure exactly who asked for a collaboration between Xbox manufacturer Microsoft and cosmetics powerhouse OPI. But to those eleven or twelve people, congratulations: Your wish has come true.
(In related news, Microsoft has finally discontinued the Xbox One.)
Today, Microsoft announced the OPI x Xbox collection for Spring 2022, which includes 12 gamer-inspired nail polish colors. Even if you’re not in the habit of painting your nails, don’t click away just yet — buying these real-world cosmetics could be your ticket to digital cosmetics in Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite.
This info comes from the official Xbox Wire blog, and to my knowledge, it’s the first time that the publication has dedicated an entire post to nail polish. Once you get past the novelty, though, the collaboration isn’t as bizarre as it may seem. This spring, OPI will offer 12 new nail polish colors, each one with a slight Xbox twist. The colors themselves aren’t anything outlandish, either, ranging from pale pinks to dark purples.
The names are fairly clever, at least, including “Heart and Con-soul” (“A shimmery crimson red that takes nails to the next level”), “You Had Me at Halo” (“A shimmery galactic blue that will give you sparkly stats”) and “Can’t CTRL Me” (“A shimmery robin’s egg blue that cannot be CTRL’d.”)
The whole line will be available at Ulta stores starting in February, and the prices range from $11 to $13, depending on the style. Later on in the year, you can expect to find the OPI x Xbox collection at Amazon, CVS, Target, Dillard’s and other major cosmetics stores.
It wouldn’t be an Xbox tie-in without some in-game goodies, however. Each bottle of nail polish unlocks “hue-matched, in-game content for Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite starting February 1.” In other words, if you buy a bottle of “Sage Simulation,” you’ll also get shimmery green cosmetic skins in Forza and Halo. (As some fans have pointed out, this is actually one of the cheaper ways to unlock skins in Halo Infinite at the moment.)
There’s one major hitch in the plan, however. “Have you dreamed of having your controller perfectly match your nails?” the Xbox Wire post inquires, right below a photo of three pastel Xbox controllers with matching nail patterns. Even if you have no interest in nail polish, a whole new line of Xbox controller colors sounds tempting.
However, you probably won’t be able to get these gorgeous accessories. Instead of selling the controllers directly, the Xbox Wire post explains that “Fans will have the chance to win custom Xbox Wireless Controllers in top trending hues” on Instagram and TikTok.
In other words, if you’ve dreamed of your controller perfectly matching your nails, you may have to keep dreaming.
Still, the Xbox x OPI collection seems like an unconventional crossover from two beloved brands. It’s sure to appeal to some fashionable Xbox players — or their partners, who can give the gift of nail polish, and keep the cosmetic codes for themselves.
