This Ultra-Rare Pepsi Promo Hulk Xbox At Auction Is A Gaming Collector's Dream
An original Xbox game console from 2003 has landed on eBay, and while that normally wouldn't garner much attention, this particular one is extremely rare. What makes it unique is that it is one of just 50 units that were made as part of a promotional effort tied in with the release of the Universal Pictures superhero movie "Hulk" starring Eric Bana. At the time, the only way to get one was to have a winning scratch off card when purchasing a Pepsi meal and popcorn at participating cinemas in the UK.
It's similar to a Mountain Dew limited edition that was offered in the US at the time (also through a sweepstakes), except much more rare. That's because the production run on the Mountain Dew variant was limited to 5,000 units, which is still rare overall (Microsoft sold 24 million original Xbox consoles during its run), but it's said only 50 of the Hulk models were ever produced. Of those, just 36 were ever won/claimed, and it's estimated that just 20 have been accounted for in the wild, this being one of them.
"There are none on eBay and none have been sold in the past, so these are rare. The likelihood of finding another is slim, so a rare chance to own this item. Please make sure you bid! (all proceeds go to the British Heart Foundation charity)," the auction states.
The green console features a themed jewel on top where the Xbox logo normally sits. Instead of the Xbox logo, however, it displays a close-up of the Incredible Hulk's eyeball, along with the world "HULK" on top and Pepsi's branding and log on the bottom (along with some fine print).
Anyone who bids on this is undoubtedly doing so to obtain a collector's item (while supporting charity) rather than looking for a system to actually play. Even so, it comes with a controller, cables, and a five games. The auction doesn't list the game titles, but one of the auction images reveals Tony Hawk's Underground, Tony Hawk's Underground 2, Bilbo Le Hobbit (European release of The Hobbit), Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and Peter Jackson's King Kong.
"This item has been briefly function tested and is working correctly, the disc drive has been tested and reads discs fine but occasionally can get stuck, some minor marks and scratches present," the auction states. "Would benefit from a service, but sold as a rare collectible and still works."
It's a UK listing but the British Heard Foundation Shop has opened the auction to an international audience. It currently sits at £7,600.00 (around $9,625 in US currency) from 61 bids, with one more day left on the auction. Head to the Xbox auction page if you want to drop a bid of your own.
