Xbox Series X May Be Finally Starting To Keep Up With Demand

Games Xbox Series X May Be Finally Starting To Keep Up With Demand Kris Holt Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I cover all things games, especially Overwatch. New! Follow this author to improve your content experience.

Got it! Jul 5, 2022, 02:09am EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Living room with a Microsoft Xbox Series X home video game console alongside a television and . . .

[+] soundbar, taken on October 9, 2020. (Photo by Phil Barker/Future Publishing via Getty Images) Future Publishing via Getty Images Since Thursday, I have returned to my Amazon cart countless times. An Xbox Series X is somehow still there, practically pleading for me to click the Place Your Order button.

I refrain, if only because I’m able to play pretty much all the major Xbox exclusives on my PC anyway thanks to Game Pass Ultimate. And yet, this is the first time I have faced this situation for such an extended period. The Xbox Series X has been in stock on Amazon Canada for at least five days now.

I’ve never seen that in the 20 months since the current-gen consoles arrived. Although this is anecdotal evidence and a very, very small sample size, it’s a decent indication that Microsoft is starting to keep up with Xbox Series X demand — at least in Canada. The console has been available from Microsoft directly and Walmart (albeit bundled with a controller) since at least Thursday, but it’s sold out at Best Buy.

The global supply chain crisis that played a major factor in the console shortage is far from over. It’s not likely to be resolved until at least next year. However, there have been reports that Microsoft was paying extra for priority access to the chips it needs to make more Series X consoles.

There are other signs that game system makers are sailing out of turbulent times for manufacturing. Valve last week said it was beefing up production of the Steam Deck and doubling the number of shipments. Meanwhile, industry analyst Daniel Ahmad noted that the PlayStation 5 didn’t sell out in China between a major restock last week and yesterday.

MORE FOR YOU ‘Demon Slayer’ Season 2 Finally Has An Actual 2021 Release Date Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Not A Sure Thing, Says Director ‘Genshin Impact’ Still Refuses To Increase Anniversary Rewards, Despite Fan Outcry I’ve been seeing more frequent PS5 restocks in the US and Canada over the last couple of months as well. There’s chatter about the console being widely available in some other markets too. It’s worth noting though that the turmoil of the global economy and the rising cost of living have put these consoles beyond the budgets of many for now.

That may have left more units in stock at retailers. Still, it seems like there are positive signs for PS5 and Xbox Series X availability for those who want one. It’ll be a while yet before things stabilize and you can waltz into a local store and pick one up on any given day (like you can with a Series S in many places), but things are looking up.

I still want a Series X. It’s oddly comforting to know that, at least for now, I actually have the option to buy one on a whim, but I’ll probably keep holding off for now. Then again, I am self-employed and I write about video games for a living, so it is very clearly a business expense.

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