The videos of the Xbox Series X smoking are likely fake

No, the Xbox Series X probably doesn't have a widespread overheating issue

When I woke up this morning and opened Twitter, one of the first things I saw was an Xbox Series X owner claiming that their new next-gen consoles overheated and started smoking.

While new consoles often suffer from issues and Microsoft does have a history of overheating problems when it comes to its systems, the ‘Red Ring of Death‘ Xbox 360 problem from the mid-2000s continues to be a running joke for many capital ‘G’ gamers looking to stoke the console war fires.

Even some notable media outlets jumped in on the Microsoft’s Xbox Series-X-might-have-overheating-issues clickbait trend before the console’s release, despite multiple thermal tests proving that the console actually runs quite cool.

Same… pic.twitter.com/QcnWY9VQBF

— Arek Adamowicz (@Arek_Adamowicz) November 11, 2020

This nigga Xbox is smoking pic.twitter.com/Hqo7QHPO1F

— 𝓒𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝓶𝓮 (@NICKBLanco_) November 11, 2020

It’s impossible to confirm with 100 percent certainty that the Series X “smoking” videos are fake, but it seems that is probably the case.

According to several tweets, if you turn the console off and blow vape smoke directly into the Series X’s vents, the vapour then rises out of the system’s top vents for a few seconds after, creating the illusion that it’s emitting smoke.

I made a small experiment with vape..

same as the fake spreaded video..

and I even waited for almost a minute and the vape was still there..

I think because it is tight and well built it kept the vape for a long time inside..

so from my humble POV,

I see it’s vape.. pic.twitter.com/GKWMgCkCUP

— Ma❌L!oN 🎄 (@azizalrashed85) November 11, 2020

how to get your Xbox Series X to blow up:

1) buy a vape
2) blow vape into bottom of Xbox
3) feel proud of the smoke you created
4) post to Twitter and profit

video via @XboxStudio 👇pic.twitter.com/RxLI62uxmg

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) November 11, 2020

Several Twitter accounts have even shown off exactly what the process of blowing vapour into the Xbox Series X looks like.

With all that in mind, there are a few somewhat dubious Reddit posts from people who continue to claim their new Series X suffers from overheating issues.

For what it’s worth, I’ve been using an Xbox Series X for over a month now and haven’t experienced any thermal issues with the next-gen console.

On the plus side, the fake videos have resulted in hilarious memes.

What the heck Xbox!!! My Xbox started to smoke I want a refund! #XboxSeriesX pic.twitter.com/QnI1m7xNZr

— Mario (@marioyee_) November 11, 2020

Update 11/11/2020 6:33pm ET: Microsoft’s Xbox Twitter account has amusingly tweeted that it doesn’t advise Xbox Series X owners to bow vape smoke into their consoles.