There’s been chatter about Xbox consoles going out of stock and nowhere to be found in most retail stores, and now we know why.
Its not only the Nintendo Switch consoles that have been very hard to buy since the pandemic started. The Xbox consoles, particularly the Xbox One X and the One S, have been a rare find lately.
Many have speculated about the reason behind the shortage. There’s due to the pandemic, with people securing a form of entertainment while stuck at home. Second, which have become obvious as of late, is to prepare for the arrival of Xbox Series X.
Microsoft official announces halt in production
In a statement given to The Verge, a representative official announces that Microsoft will cease to produce Xbox One X and Xbox One S All-Digital Edition.
The statement reads:
“As we ramp into the future with Xbox Series X, we’re taking the natural step of stopping production on Xbox One X and Xbox One S All-Digital Edition. Xbox One S will continue to be manufactured and sold globally.”
It looks like Microsoft is using the “rip the bandage” technique, as it introduces its next-gen console to the gaming public. Meanwhile, Sony is set to help its community transition from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5, considering there is a big jump on prices and accessibility.
Sony is also going to limit the number of PS5 consoles upon release, which is a good method since it’ll mean that the PS4 will not immediately be the thing of the past.
However, it looks like Microsoft will be taking a different route as it introduces Xbox Series X to its consumers.
Readers should note that the One X was originally released in 2017, while the One S All-Digital Edition was launch in May 2019. Nevertheless, despite production put on halt, those who are still looking for the said consoles will likely still grab a few from retail stores.
“Gamers can check with their local retailers for more details on Xbox One hardware availability,” says the representative from Microsoft.
A natural but premature step
Furthermore, Kotaku noted that what Microsoft is doing is a natural step. Although, Microsoft might have pulled the plug prematurely.
As the media outlet notes, “For starters, the Xbox Series X isn’t even out yet. Even stranger is the decision to stop producing the more-powerful Xbox One X while leaving the low-end Xbox One S on shelves, but not the lower-end All-Digital Edition.”
Meanwhile, video game investment firm New Breukelen founder Joos van Dreunun gave his to two-cents on the issue, telling CNN:
“With the new devices and services coming out, this seems more like an effort to reduce the number of [consoles] in the market and avoid consumer confusion.”
It is indeed too early for a production halt, most especially that people are relying on the availability of gaming consoles amid the pandemic. Games haven’t stopped releasing either; so those who are looking to buy a console to play an Xbox game can no longer do so or will have a hard time acquiring one now.
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