In a remarkable feat of technical ingenuity, a YouTuber has constructed a fully functional hybrid games console capable of running titles from the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and the Nintendo Switch 2. The project, which has recently captured significant attention online, challenges the very concept of platform exclusivity in the modern gaming landscape.
The 'Ningtendo PXBOX 5' Creation
The creator behind this ambitious build is Chinese YouTuber 小宁子 XNZ, also known as Xiao Ningzi. She first published a video detailing her work in November 2025, though it has since gained widespread traction in Western media, amassing over 683,000 views. She has dubbed her unique machine the 'Ningtendo PXBOX 5'.
To achieve this, Xiao Ningzi undertook an extremely complex process that involved gutting the internal components of a PlayStation 5, an Xbox console, and the dock for a Switch 2. She then ingeniously integrated all these parts into a custom, 3D-printed triangular case. The result is a single unit that houses the hardware of three competing platforms.
This is not a project for the faint-hearted or inexperienced. It requires profound technical expertise and carries a high risk of permanently destroying the expensive consoles used. Unsurprisingly, the modification completely voids any manufacturer's guarantee.
How The Hybrid Console Works
Despite the complexity, Xiao Ningzi's creation works impressively well. With the simple push of a button, the user can switch the output between the three different consoles housed within the shell. The transition takes just a few seconds, and the case features LED lighting to indicate the active system: blue for PlayStation, green for Xbox, and red for the Switch 2.
For testing, she ran 'Ghost Of Yōtei' on PS5, 'Starfield' on Xbox, and 'Donkey Kong Bananza' on the Switch 2, with all three games performing perfectly. However, the device is not without its limitations. The builder notes that a user must fully close one game before launching another, as running multiple titles simultaneously causes the system to overheat.
A significant compromise is the lack of a disc drive, meaning the hybrid can only play digital versions of PS5 and Xbox games, not physical discs. Physical Switch 2 games are still playable, as the console itself must be slotted into a specialised tray on the device, preserving its handheld functionality.
The Broader Debate on Console Exclusives
This inventive project arrives amid an ongoing industry debate about the value and future of platform-exclusive games. While companies like Microsoft have publicly questioned the model, calling exclusives 'antiquated', and have begun porting major titles like Gears of War to PlayStation, other players see continued value.
Sony and Nintendo continue to see strong financial success driven by their exclusive franchises, giving them little incentive to abandon the strategy. The hybrid console experiment inadvertently highlights a shifting market dynamic: Xbox's move away from exclusives is less about the model's universal decline and more a reflection of its own struggle to produce system-selling exclusive hits, which has contributed to dwindling sales for the Xbox Series X.
While the 'Ningtendo PXBOX 5' remains a spectacular one-off DIY project rather than a commercial product, it serves as a powerful physical manifestation of a gamer's ideal: a single device that transcends corporate walled gardens. For now, the dream of a universal console remains just that—a dream—but one YouTuber has proven it is technically possible, if not advisable, to build it in your own home.
