kazuyamishima
Member
Ay mi madre!!!
Microsoft Stores across most of Europe no longer stocking Xbox Series consoles
- Thread starter RetroGamingUK
- Start date
PropellerEar
Member
viveks86
Member
I suspect the latter. The former sounds too buttoned up and conspiratorial. Is FH6 a PC launch exclusive as PS5 release is supposed to be after launch? Some piece is missing in this puzzle
WhamBamThankYouMaam
Member
Yes they do, you silly goose - everything is an xbox! Your console, your computer, your glasses, your shoes. Even your dog can be an xbox!
Melon Husk
Member
Xbox is a force ghost now, more powerful than you can possibly imagine.
Gamepass on PS5 soon yeah?
bender
What time is it?
The current iteration of Gamepass wouldn't work on another console. At the very least they'd have to come up with a tier that strips out all 3rd party games and I still think Sony would decline based on the report of $300 million lost COD sales thanks to the service.
Poppinfresh
Member
Yeah, pretty sure they were.
I remember going into Best Buy around that time and seeing stuff on deep discount, and I also remember stores carrying games well past the Dreamcast stopping production.
Mr Moose
Member
bitbydeath
Member
Be more respectful to the best invention of the year.
ShaiKhulud1989
Gold Member
Even grey sellers in Eastern Europe are not stocking up Xboxes anymore. And those guy will literally sell you anything.
Honey Bunny
Member
They did say AI was gonna take everyone's job
CentralScrutinizer
Member
Yup. Microsoft will axe Xbox for good soon. Sucks. I liked their ecosystem before they absolutely gave up in 2023.
Stafford
Member
I get that stores here in my country, The Netherlands for example are like...nah MS, we're good. People can order a console from your site if they want, but all of them are out of stock, even the 2TB one? And in this many different European countries too. That's very odd, to put it mildly.
Pop
Member
Phil lies every time he opens his mouth
Humdinger
Gold Member
Yeah, I don't get that part either. I understand why they want to clear the shelves - shelf space is valuable, and if something isn't moving and doesn't have a future, it needs to go - but why not slash prices rather than pull the remaining stock? Put it in a discount bin or in the rack with the day-old doughnuts.
My guess is that their contract allows the store to send back unsold units and get reimbursed by MS, but I don't really know how these things work, I'm just guessing.
I doubt it will be a traditional console, most signs are pointing to a Windows box that has a few restrictions, kind of like S mode that was sold with netbooks that were limited to Microsoft Store apps. 'Windows 11 X Mode' that boots directly into the Xbox interface.
RCU005
Member
If stores are no longer selling Xbox, and Microsoft is saying a next-gen console is coming, then it should mean that the next console is very soon.
They know the Series S|X failed, so they would want to replace them as soon as possible. I'm going to guess a new console announcement at the VGAs.
They know the Series S|X failed, so they would want to replace them as soon as possible. I'm going to guess a new console announcement at the VGAs.
semiconscious
Member
thanks for another image i could've lived without...
Gamer_By_Proxy
About to beat off
Gaf everyday now
Poppinfresh
Member
It's either this, or everyone is way off base regarding what is really going on.
I also find it really odd that all of this is happening right at the start of the Christmas shopping season. No matter what the eventual fate of the Xbox console, you'd think they would want to keep inventory on store shelves through Christmas, even if that inventory was discounted.
YeulEmeralda
Linux User
Wait for next E3!
ChorizoPicozo
Member
still is not dead, dead thoGaf everyday now
YeulEmeralda
Linux User
My dog couldn't run the latest Call of Duty so we had to put him down.
ByWatterson
Member
chromatic9
Member
I think there'd be a lot of dev talk, prototypes and dev kits well known by now if Xbox Series replacement was coming very soon.
I'm expecting if they do stick with the plans it's 2027 but some people have said they've pulled the plug.
MS/Xbox have been very strange for 2 years. This marketing of everything is an Xbox might be starting to become more clear that it's training people for Xbox being an app only. I still think they should make one last console for the 30m base but it does seem like a slow winding down of the Xbox business
dragonyeuw
Member
I'm guessing Microsoft is taking the stock back and issuing credits to the retailers, because if said retailers are left holding the bag discount binning remaining stock, they're not going to be too keen on working with Microsoft next gen as far as carrying any future Xbox consoles( I don't see the point of another Xbox, there's no market demand or hype for a new one, but I digress....). That's the only thing that makes sense to me because as you said, why wouldn't these B & M's just slash prices?
One thing is very obvious though, MS has obviously stopped production on these things. I just dont get the angle of raising the hardware prices. Wide market demand for the Series consoles dried up with the original pricing so who the fuck is going to buy one at the new MSRPs?!
Poppinfresh
Member
Quite honestly, if they stop production and/or sale of the Series X before the launch of the next console, there's absolutely no reason for there to be a next-gen Xbox. Just kill the console and become a 3rd party publisher.
dragonyeuw
Member
Yeah, I think that's the common sentiment as of now, why even bother? And based on the reports about the leaked specs, I'm guessing the next system is gonna be north of $1000( the rumored hybrid). It will move maybe a couple million over a few years, and that will be it for Xbox branded hardware. Problem is the brand is mud now. Like, the upcoming ROG Ally(2) would be better served not having Xbox branding at this point.
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Magic-DEI-Hire
Member
Yep, the Dreamcast and its games were heavily discounted in 2001 when it was on its way out. I remember getting a Dreamcast for $49 at Toys R Us with a bunch of $5-10 games. The Dreamcast still works to this day.
Unknown?
Member
Nydius
Member
Agreed. There's no way a new next-gen Xbox is hitting the market in 2026. The earliest it would happen would be spring 2027, but that's assuming they're actively getting all their ducks in a row. But this dovetails with what S SneakersSO wrote in the other thread: Not that the next Xbox has been canceled but rather that they haven't met any kind of expected benchmarks for next generation hardware coming out anytime soon. I can't see the next Xbox coming out any earlier than Fall/Winter 2027 -- two years from now. Two years with Xbox pulled from a bunch of big box retailers? What's left of the brand's mindshare will be decimated.
Clintizzle
Lord of Edge.
I never cared about Europe anyway. Do they even have internet in Europe?
bitbydeath
Member
I think the decision has already been made to cut it but they just haven't formally announced it, and are trying to keep everything "in motion" until the time of announcement.
It's the only thing that makes sense, IMO.
NickFire
Member
They might be pretending to die right now, but planning to hulk up and come storming back with a big boot / leg drop combo to really get the crowd going. That at least makes as much sense as signaling they're done by giving up shelf space everywhere if they aren't actually done.
memoryman3
Member
Microsoft did note that Xbox Series X/S availability would become limited in certain countries and retailers since 2024. This is not news, and yes, the next gen console is coming.
DeltaPolarBear
Member
Just because they told us it will happen, doesn't explain WHY it happens. And the why is the sticking point. Because we are not expecting Nextbox until 2027 due to a lack of current leaks, the ending of supply for Xbox Series right now is way too premature. I am sure there are very good financial reasons to do this, it is just that it directly contradicts the need to launch a Nextbox.
i.e. if Xbox is losing shelf space and mindshare across the world in all stores, so much so that they have given up making OR selling more Series consoles, how does it make sense to launch a Nextbox? Their current policies are all counterproductive to Nexbox's existence.
bitbydeath
Member
Certain countries becoming all countries would be the news, and not just limiting but entirely removed.
bitbydeath
Member
alabtrosMyster
Member
SneakersSO
Member
So, the reason your first sentence just isn't in the cards right now, goes back to what Spencer said after RedFall dropped.
2 years without a console space at retailers worldwide, nevermind their strongest markets, exacerbates the problem of folks becoming more entrenched in other ecosystems (SteamOS, PSN, NSO, MacOS - take your pick). This isn't at all akin to the 360, where they rushed to market and tried to capture a market that was hungry for new gaming experiences. Heck - even that scenario, folks have completely memory-holed the actual reasons the 360 took off (and it has far less to do with the PS3 stumbling out the gate than people think).
Their next machine is already this thing that they are gonna have a very hard time selling regardless, as it'll mark the 'death' of the Xbox SKU by and large, as its mainly gonna be a Xbox SKU BC machine, with the games shipping for it being the WindowsOS SKU you currently get on the Xbox on PC or Windows Store, or at least thats the current plan. But like I said - this thing is very much still up in the air.
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