I'm afraid we have more bad news for those who were unable to snag an Xbox Series X over the holidays.
In an interview with The New York Times, Mike Spencer, Microsoft's head of investor relations, said Xbox Series X supply would likely be constrained until June. This comes days after Microsoft warned that its latest gaming console would be in short supply until at least April.
You will still have chances to purchase the console between now and June, however, this latest news suggests supply won't near demand for at least another four months.
Xbox Series X (and PS5) supply shortages have been linked to supply chain delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic as well as scalpers using bots to purchase large quantities of units and sell them for a profit on resell sites like eBay. Retailers have fortified their methods for preventing scalpers, but the damage is done, with the Xbox Series X and PS5 selling at an average cost of around $1,000 (they both retail for $500).
Shortages on processing units (CPUs and GPUs) are causing delays across various industries (automotive, gaming, etc). AMD CEO Lisa Su said in an earnings call last week that "overall capacity levels" for chips needs to increase, "And so we do see some tightness through the first half of the year, but there’s added capacity in the second half." AMD supplies the GPU for both the Xbox Series X and PS5.
We put together a guide with tips designed to maximize your chances of buying a PS5 or Xbox Series X. But be warned, even if follow these suggestions, your chance of scoring a new console will be frustratingly low — at least for the next few months.
H/T The Verge
