Good luck getting an Xbox Series X this year, warns Microsoft

(Image credit: Microsoft)

published 18 November 2020

If you've had no joy securing an Xbox Series X, you’ll know that Microsoft’s latest console seems to be in serious short supply, with stock vanishing from websites as soon as it appears.

This, unfortunately, is a problem that’s going to be around for some time to come, according to Xbox Chief Financial Officer Tim Stuart.

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“I think we'll continue to see supply shortages as we head into the post-holiday quarter, so Microsoft's Q3, [or] calendar Q1,” Stuart is quoted as saying during the Jefferies Interactive Entertainment Virtual Conference. “And then when we get to Q4, all of our supply chain continuing to go full speed heading into kind of the pre-summer months,” he added.

If Stuart is correct, then you won’t have much luck bagging an Xbox Series X in early 2021, with stock only expected to begin picking up as we approach summer. It’s not the first time we’ve heard such warnings, with Xbox boss Phil Spencer predicting months of shortages.

There’s always the pre-owned market, but things there are currently vastly inflated as you’d expect for a new product in hot demand. A quick search of Ebay shows Xbox Series X consoles going for upwards of $1,000, while even cheaper Xbox Series S is selling for over $500.

Of course, those after a PlayStation 5 are facing similar problems, although Sony's im Ryan has assured fans that more consoles will be on the way both before and after Christmas.