How to Get Xbox Anniversary Cosmetics: Every 25th Item Explained

Most Xbox 25th anniversary cosmetics are free: the profile badge unlocks just by signing in to your Xbox account, the dynamic background and gamerpics are picked from your console’s settings, and the in-game items are claimed inside each game (Gears of War: E-Day, Forza Horizon 6, Halo: Campaign Evolved, Minecraft, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and Call of Duty). The deadline to watch first is Gears of War: E-Day, where the free skins only last until the shop rotates on November 17, 2026.

Xbox turns 25 on November 15, the anniversary of the original console’s 2001 launch. Microsoft rolled out the cosmetics in two waves: profile items in August, and a batch of in-game rewards announced in the Xbox Wire anniversary recap on November 12, 2026. Everything below reflects what was announced as of November 14, 2026; claim windows and menu names can change, so double-check in-game.

Quick overview: every anniversary cosmetic

Profile cosmetics: badge, background and gamerpics

These arrived in August as part of the Celebrating 25 Years of Play announcement and don’t require any game.

The 25th Anniversary badge

1. Sign in to your Xbox account on an Xbox console, the Xbox app on PC, or the Xbox mobile app.
2. Open your profile. The badge is added automatically; coverage describes it showing in the lower-left area of the profile page.

There’s no code to enter and nothing to buy. Xbox says the badge stays claimable through the end of 2026. It hasn’t said whether it will be available after that, so sign in before the year is out.

The dynamic background

The new dynamic background for Xbox Series X|S was made with community creators and, as Pure Xbox reported, it takes inspiration from the Xbox 360 “Blades” dashboard and features Halo, Gears of War, Forza and Fable.

1. Press the Xbox button and go to Settings.
2. Choose General > Personalization > My background.
3. Pick the 25th anniversary dynamic background from the list.

The gamerpics

New community-designed gamerpics, credited to creators Klobrille and Ben Kenobi, were added at the same time. Some outlets count three gamerpics; the exact number varies between reports.

1. Go to Settings > Profile (on some dashboards, Customize profile).
2. Select Change gamerpic and choose one of the anniversary designs.

In-game anniversary items

These were listed in the November 12 Xbox Wire recap. You need access to each game, either owned or through Game Pass where it’s included.

Gears of War: E-Day (claim first)

1. Launch Gears of War: E-Day and open the in-game Store.
2. Select the Xbox Anniversary weapon skin bundle and claim it. It costs no real money or in-game currency.

Timing matters here. Xbox Wire says that once the shop rotates on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, the skins move into the player barracks, where they cost Coins or premium currency. This lines up with Gears’ own 20th anniversary, which also brings General RAAM as a free multiplayer character for logging in.

Forza Horizon 6: GR GT anniversary livery

Xbox describes a GR GT livery inspired by the original Xbox’s colors and design, delivered through the Gifts tab.

1. Start Forza Horizon 6 and pause the game.
2. Go to the My Horizon tab and open Gifts (in the Message Center).
3. Claim the entry. Pure Xbox says it’s listed as “XBOX 25th Anniversary Livery.”

Some coverage mentions a separate Halo-themed “Prototype” livery; it isn’t clear from the sources whether that’s the same item, so check your Gifts list.

Halo: Campaign Evolved: Damascus Prototype armor style

This one uses a redemption code that Xbox published in the Xbox Wire recap.

1. Copy the code from the official Xbox Wire post.
2. Sign in to Halo Waypoint, the official Halo site, with your Xbox account and redeem the code there.
3. Launch the game and equip the armor style from your customization menu.

Only use the code from Xbox’s own post. You never need to give your password to a third-party site to get this item.

Minecraft: OG Green Character Creator item

1. Open Minecraft: Bedrock Edition.
2. Go to the Dressing Room and claim the OG Green item.

The window runs from November 10 to December 10, 2026 at 10 AM PT, limited to one per account. Java Edition isn’t mentioned.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 liveries

Xbox announced four new commemorative liveries that call back to the original Xbox logo and design. How you get them is less clear: one report says you need an active Game Pass subscription, while another says owners get them automatically. Until that’s settled, check the in-game Marketplace or content manager while signed in to see if they’ve been added to your account.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4: Inner Circuit M4 blueprint

This isn’t a general giveaway. According to Windows Report and Pure Xbox, the Inner Circuit M4 blueprint comes with digital preorders of the game on Xbox Series X|S only.

What about the Fanta and McDonald’s rewards?

Earlier in 2026, Xbox ran partner promotions with anniversary-themed rewards. The Fanta promotion covered by Windows Central used QR codes on bottles and cans, with some rewards only redeemable after the game launched. A McDonald’s promotion was also reported, with items for Halo: Campaign Evolved and Forza Horizon 6. These depended on buying products in specific regions and had their own terms, so check the official promotion page for your country rather than expecting them to still work.

Troubleshooting tips

• Badge not showing? Sign out and back in on the Xbox app or console, and give it some time to sync. It’s tied to your account, not a single device.
• Gift missing in Forza? Make sure the game is fully updated and you’re online; gifts are delivered from the server.
• Code rejected on Halo Waypoint? Check you’re signed in with the right Xbox account and copy the code straight from Xbox Wire, without extra spaces.
• Beware of “free item” sites. Every item here comes through official menus, Xbox Wire or Halo Waypoint. Nothing needs a download, a generator or your login details shared with another site.

If you only have a few minutes this weekend, do Gears of War: E-Day first, then sign in to pick up the badge, then work through the rest before Minecraft’s December 10 cutoff.