Viral videos from smoking Xbox Series X consoles are most likely fake

The internet is lying? Unthinkable!

The Xbox Series X has only just been released, but the fun of the launch is partly overshadowed by videos of scare mongers showing an Xbox Series X smoking. However, those videos turn out to be almost certainly fake.

Welcome to “don’t believe everything you see on the internet”. No doubt you’ve seen them on social media today: videos of a smoking Xbox Series X console. Feed the PlayStation fanboys, who are more than happy to share such videos. Yet you soon notice that there is a suspicious amount of smoke, without a flashing flame being visible. Moreover, the smoke does not have a realistic color.

That seems to have an explanation, because the videos are most likely fake. It is easy to blow smoke with a vape pen at the bottom of the console (where the air is absorbed), which then leaves the console at the top via the exhaust. The trick is demonstrated on Twitter:

Problems are also being reported with the Xbox Series X disc drive, just as was an issue with the Xbox One at the time. However, those claims do seem to be legitimate. Some disc drives are very noisy, and for some users the console won’t even accept discs. There will always be technical problems with a minority of consoles, but no doubt victims can have them repaired or exchanged without any problems.

If you are looking for internet fame yourself, know that it is not wise to blow vapor air through your brand new console.