With near half a million expected to hit Gamescom 2019 this week, the Cologne-hosted show comfortably falls as the world's largest video game trade fair. Microsoft has left its mark with a sizeable booth of Xbox One and PC experiences, from Gears 5, Halo on PC, among other upcoming blockbusters. The platform holder has also debuted a custom line of Xbox-swathed sneakers, displayed to attendees over the days ahead.
The craftmanship of FRE Customs and Footlocker backs this Xbox collaboration, with seven one-of-a-kind designs adapting iconic silhouettes from Nike, Adidas, Vans, and Puma. The collection lies on display all week, with giveaways planned among guests each day.
Two Vans Sk8-Hi sneakers lead the collection, reworking the lightweight shoe in Gears 5 and Minecraft-themed designs. The upcoming brutal shooter puts a deep red tone on the canvas upper, with Gears 5 stamped on the midsole, and a "bound by blood" tagline on the heel. Minecraft's dungeon crawler spinoff accompanies in a vibrant twist, with an ankle-embossed profile of the new "Redstone Monstrosity" mob.
Forza Horizon 4 finds perfect pairing with the Pirelli-branded Replicat-X, building upon the 2019 Puma collaboration with the tire tycoon. The motorsport-inspired look first used tread patterns from Formula 1 tires, now branded with Microsoft's hit racer, stripes, and a checkered PUMA formstrip. The Puma Thunder X Mercedes AMG Petronas undergoes a pink and green transformation too, mirroring Battletoads' eccentric beat 'em up tone.
The collaboration also drops two flavors of the Nike Air Max 720 representing Halo: The Master Chief Collection's upcoming PC debut and Cyberpunk 2077. Microsoft's genre-defining shooter revises the curved design with olive and gold highlights, emulating its armored hero. The Air Max 720 Saturn injects themes from CD Projekt Red's neon-lined dystopia, complementing its futuristic setup of zips, straps, and a transparent Air sole unit.
Wrapping up the set is Bleeding Edge's take on the Adidas Continental 80. Reflecting Maeve of the multiplayer shooter's hero roster, the sneaker receives a rough spray-painted purple and cyan finish.
The full collection is on display at Hall 8 of the Koelnmesse, through August 24, 2019. In the meantime, don't miss our roundup of Gamescom's first action-packed showcase.
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