Mike Spencer, head of Microsoft's investor relations, has confirmed the much-coveted Xbox Series X will likely remain supply constrained until June of this year. Talks of when consumers can expect to more reliably purchase Microsoft's and Sony's new consoles continue unabated. Yet, it seems hard to pin down when exactly the supply constraints may cease. AMD CEO Lisa Su recently admitted that shortages on the AMD processors powering PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S would last well into this year, meaning the consoles themselves will also remain short on stock for the foreseeable future.
Supply issues related to parts aren't all that's hindering the sale of new consoles. Scalpers have proven an especially vexing part of the problem, too. As of mid-December, scalpers had raked in approximately $60 million dollars in profit based on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S sales. Last week, one scalping group exploited a loophole that allowed members to secure PS5 orders through UK retailer Argos' online shop before orders officially went live. Now reports are suggesting that upwards of 10 percent of PS5 consoles have landed in the hands of resellers. Unfortunately, these troubles will persist until next-gen hardware becomes easier to find in the wild.
Speaking with The New York Times, Microsoft's head of investor relations, Mike Spencer, divulged that every Xbox Series X the manufacturer had available last quarter was sold. In addition, he admitted the console's shortage in supply will likely remain in place through at least June of this year. Sony reportedly declined to comment on the NYT story, directing the publication to a post on the PlayStation Twitter page in November in which the firm addressed unprecedented demand. As such, it's a mystery as to when Sony estimates PS5's stock issues will come to an end.
While Spencer's brief comment provides a window into the hardware manufacturer's internal expectations, there are still a number of uncertainties that linger with regards to the Xbox Series X's future availability. As such, while some next-gen console owners are lamenting that titles like Resident Evil Village will launch as cross-gen experiences, such decisions have, thus far, proven wise.
Despite supply constraints, Xbox Series X|S is performing well on the market in general. At one million units sold on launch day alone, Microsoft's newest Xbox had the brand's most successful launch in history. That Microsoft's gaming division raked in $5 billion dollars during the last quarter suggests the momentum won't soon slow down.
Source: The New York Times
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