Uh oh: retailers are alerting those who have pre-ordered an Xbox Series X that their console may not arrive on day one.
This is the same issue that was reported with the PlayStation 5. Amazon informed its customers that it would "make every effort to get the item to you as soon as possible once released," but the "high demand" for the console means that some will be going without on launch day. Sony, after apologising for giving next to no notice before pre-orders went live, stated that more products would be available for pre-order. Sadly, there were already scalpers who had scooped up more than their share of PlayStation 5 pre-orders, and were attempting to sell the consoles for £700 to £800 on second-hand sites.
Microsoft had needled Sony for the PlayStation 5 pre-order palaver, but it was no better when it came to ordering an Xbox Series X or an Xbox Series S. Earlier that week, the news that Microsoft had snapped up the parent company of Bethesda might have swayed those sitting on the fence. Ergo, the demand for the new boxes of Xbox went through the roof.
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And, what's more, is that Xbox One X sales surged by 750% when pre-orders went live. That's more than a handful of people who were confused over the titling of the current and the next generation of the Xbox, or forgot to double check once they clicked "Check out." You hate to see it.
UK retailer Shopto is the bearer of bad news today, and communicated that not all Xbox Series X pre-orders will be able to be honoured. "We have received the allocation details from Microsoft and, unfortunately, we regret to inform you that we will not be able to fulfil your pre-order on day one/release date," it said in the email to customers.
Like Amazon, Shopto continued to advise people that they could cancel their pre-order, or keep it for when new shipments of the Xbox Series X arrive. Notably, the Xbox Series S is absent from this announcement, and Shopto hasn't offered customers the option to swap from an X to an S.
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At the end of the day, though, it isn't anyone's fault. The pandemic has caused unprecedented damage to economies around the globe, restricted productivity and freightage, and placed enormous stress on those on the ground who keep things ticking over. Neither Sony nor Microsoft could have predicted this, and as a result, there are likely to be fewer units than they would have hoped to deliver this November. If your pre-order for one or more of the new consoles has been affected by this, that is annoying, I will admit. But, it is what it is, and hauling the person in customer service over the coals will not help it arrive any faster.
The Xbox Series X and S will launch worldwide on November 10.
Featured Image Credit: MicrosoftTopics: Xbox, Xbox Series X
