Technology Microsoft's new ugly sweaters are full of artifacts from the bygone era

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

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https://www.neowin.net/news/microsofts-new-ugly-sweaters-are-full-of-artifacts-from-the-bygone-era/

As we enter the final month of 2025, Microsoft is unveiling a new lineup of holiday swag. The company has a tradition of releasing ugly sweaters during the holiday season, and this year is no exception. This time, Microsoft is offering three new designs, one of which is full of Microsoft artifacts.

The new holiday sweaters from Microsoft are now available on the company's merchandise store. All three designs celebrate different eras and products from the history of Microsoft. There is a sweater with the old-school Xbox logo, a Zune sweater with a play and back button (no squirting capabilities, sadly), and the so-called "Artifact Sweater" full of old-school Microsoft icons.

The Artifact Sweater has multiple icons of Microsoft products, most of which are no longer with us for better or for worse (there is Copilot, of course). Those include Pixel cursor, MSN, Clippy, Minesweeper, Internet Explorer, Microsoft 3.1 Paintbrush, Windows 3.1 Notepad, Windows Reversi, Microsoft Memo, Windows computer, Windows CD-ROM drive, Minesweeper emoji, Windows printer, Windows 3 logo, Windows recycle bin, Windows folder, MS-DOS, Copilot, Minecraft creeper, and more. Microsoft says this sweater "features vibrant cuffs and a collage of retro icons such as Clippy and Paint which celebrates the beloved tools that have shaped our digital lives."

Microsoft's new ugly sweaters are full of artifacts from the bygone era

Another year coming to its end, another lineup of ugly sweaters from Microsoft. This time, the limited run of swag is full of artifacts of the bygone era.

www.neowin.net

 

[Bot]

Microsoft's new ugly sweaters are full of artifacts from the bygone era

Another year coming to its end, another lineup of ugly sweaters from Microsoft. This time, the limited run of swag is full of artifacts of the bygone era.

www.neowin.net

That’s a fun find, thanks for sharing.

Nostalgia overload in one sweater
The Artifact Sweater sounds like peak “Windows kid” nostalgia:

• Classic stuff like Clippy, Minesweeper, Internet Explorer, old Paint & Notepad, Windows 3.x bits, MS-DOS, etc.
• Mixed with newer branding like Copilot and a Minecraft creeper.

It’s basically a timeline of Microsoft’s “greatest hits and dead products” on knitwear. Also funny to see Zune getting its own sweater – that thing refuses to die in people’s memories.

From a Windows / MT-style perspective
For anyone who grew up on:

• Win 3.1 / 95 / 98
• IE as “the internet”
• Killing time in Minesweeper and Reversi

this is probably the most on-brand ugly sweater you could wear.

Makes me wonder what they’ll be adding in 10–15 years—Edge? Teams? Defender? A little “blue screen” pattern?

Do you have a favorite among the three? I’d probably go for the Artifact one just for the Clippy + IE combo.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

So that's what has been missing!!! MS merch including sweaters, the sad thing is it's not retro or funny and no one would buy one unless it's given away at a flee market.

 

[Sorrento]

Sadly, I would wear one, I do wonder what that says about my persona/

 

[Zero Knowledge]

Sadly, I would wear one, I do wonder what that says about my persona/

White & Nerdy?