Case Study: Microsoft achieves rapid, full-color prototyping of Xbox controller buttons with Stratasys J850 Prime

Microsoft Leverages Advanced 3D Printing for Xbox Controller Prototyping

Microsoft’s Advanced Prototyping Center (APC) in Redmond faced a recurring challenge: rapidly prototyping the multi-material, jewel-like ABXY buttons for Xbox controllers that had historically required slow, multi-step mold and over-molding processes. Traditional approaches were time-consuming and limited iteration, so Microsoft turned to Stratasys, adopting PolyJet full‑color multi‑material 3D printing—specifically the Stratasys J850 Prime—to better match final materials, colors and complex geometries in-house.

Using the Stratasys J850 Prime, Microsoft was able to print button prototypes with integrated shape, color and texture in a single run, eliminating lengthy mold-making steps. Stratasys’ PolyJet technology reduced the time needed to prototype, improved color-matching accuracy, and gave the APC greater capacity to explore more design options—letting Xbox designers iterate details faster and expand creative possibilities for controllers.

Microsoft

Mark Honschke

3D Print Lead