[Windows Central] No, Target and Walmart are not removing Xbox products from their stores — as Xbox misinformation reaches new levels

Elios83 said:
Reality is that consoles are not in stock in most places just ahead of a holiday season, the pictures of Xbox schelves being cleared are not fake, Costco has confirmed they're not selling Xbox.
Click to expand...
If you're not on the shelves for the holidays, you might as well not exist. You've already lost.
 
m14 said:
Xbox was already not in a great place right now but clearly there are bad actors trying to take advantage of the situation by spreading disinformation to tarnish or "kill" the brand. MS need launch an immediate and sweeping investigation about this. Legal consequences should not be off the table for the perpetrators.
Click to expand...
I was expecting fun an drama but not meltdowns. God, do I love GAF…
Mental Health Mood GIF by Ellis D
 
I don't understand how reporting on Target and Walmart no longer carrying Xbox is misinformation. There are clearly stores doing this. No one said it was some coordinated thing among all locations.
 
Last edited:
I'm expecting a statement like this at some point this week:

"Yes we are pulling out of dedicated Xbox hardware. To our long term fans or those with a vast digital library in our ecosystem, we are working on a Windows-based compatability layer so that your purchases are playable on PC."
 
Sold my SX recently. Would pick one up again to use for a hacked machine in a few years.

Waiting for them to do a £49.99 sell off like Dreamcast.

They're currently £499 at Argos when the equivalent disc PS5 is £450.
They're in absolutely no position to be pricing close to PS5. Madness at this point.
 
mayham2199 said:
His whole career relies on it. If Xbox fails windows central traffic will crater.
Click to expand...

But how much of that is traffic to the Windows Central website, and how much of that should be "marketing money received by Xbox"?
I think the main thing for Jez isn't the Xbox audience "giving him money," but rather Phil's marketing money.

And the end of Windows Central would be progress for the gaming world.
The problem was never Xbox, but rather Phil Spencer and Microsoft with their FUD, Astroturfing, and fan "evangelism."
 
Last edited:
Oixte said:
Well it took only 6 days 25 years ago.

www.latimes.com

Sega Denies Rumors It Will Drop Dreamcast

Video games: Marketing official does not deny talk that the firm may develop its products for rivals.
www.latimes.com www.latimes.com


Xbox is done. Microsoft is quietly building the off-ramp after spending 68 billions for Bethesda and Activision.

The next Halo and Fable? are PS5 games.

Microsoft was never a creative company and it never will be.
Click to expand...

Microsoft spent $75.5 Billion buying Activison (ABK) by itself. That's not including the $7.5 Billion they spent buying Bethesda. So $83 Billion in total! It's insane how, due to the regulatory delays Microsoft had to pay an extra $7 Billion to buy ABK lol.
 
m14 said:
clearly there are bad actors trying to take advantage of the situation by spreading disinformation to tarnish or "kill" the brand. MS need launch an immediate and sweeping investigation about this. Legal consequences should not be off the table for the perpetrators.
Click to expand...

Maybe they should launch a sweeping investigation into how they got themselves into this predicament in the first place.

m14 said:
Make no mistake, I will not hesitate to mention names if MS seek my help with their investigation.
Click to expand...

At first I thought you were serious, but now I'm sure you must be joking or trolling us.
 
Last edited:
GodofDestiny said:
What do you think? Is it the truth, or is it just PR damage control using their slave Jez? S SneakersSO
Click to expand...
PR Damage control and Jez go together like Peanut Butter & Jelly.

I just don't understand, even if you have a modicum of integrity, not even as a 'journalist' but just as a consumer, you'd have to just take anything this company tells you with a mountain of salt given just how often they have outright lied or misled you, and even knowingly used you to funnel good PR for them. You were a contracted PR asset that wasn't even on the payroll - you simply got access. And yet, he's still here, worshiping at the alter for a company that doesn't even see him as worth being anything more than a propaganda marketing arm for them, unpaid and exploited at every turn, only to be tossed out when the things he is staking his reputation on arguing against inevitably come to pass, as it has countless times before.

At least when it comes to ordinary consumers, Microsoft actually puts money into trying to appeal to them, to get them to buy their product. Jez is viewed even lower than that.
 
ZehDon said:
Reads like stock issues, to me. Microsoft likely wound back production - they're still taking a decent loss on every console sale - in order to limp to the next-gen starting line where their new machine will be sold for a profit. This gen's done and Spencer's big Game Pass plan fizzled. No point in letting the hole get deeper, I suppose.
Click to expand...
How are they still taking a loss? The thing is priced higher than a PS5 pro without the disk drive.
 
SABRE220 said:
How are they still taking a loss? The thing is priced higher than a PS5 pro without the disk drive.
Click to expand...
They used to take a hefty loss on HW in the early gen ($100-200 per machine), but they completely reversed that with the dual price hikes.

SneakersSO said:
PR Damage control and Jez go together like Peanut Butter & Jelly.

I just don't understand, even if you have a modicum of integrity, not even as a 'journalist' but just as a consumer, you'd have to just take anything this company tells you with a mountain of salt given just how often they have outright lied or misled you, and even knowingly used you to funnel good PR for them. You were a contracted PR asset that wasn't even on the payroll - you simply got access. And yet, he's still here, worshiping at the alter for a company that doesn't even see him as worth being anything more than a propaganda marketing arm for them, unpaid and exploited at every turn, only to be tossed out when the things he is staking his reputation on arguing against inevitably come to pass, as it has countless times before.

At least when it comes to ordinary consumers, Microsoft actually puts money into trying to appeal to them, to get them to buy their product. Jez is viewed even lower than that.
Click to expand...
Setting him aside, how does Microsoft plan to even rebuild relationships with retailers etc?

Even if they might not sell consoles anymore, I presume they are still planning on selling controllers subscription cards etc? Especially given that they sell to PC users too..
 
Lmao, just checked for shit and giggles if I can buy Xbox Series X in Poland.

All the major retailers just sell out remaining S units, some aren't even selling S at all.

I was curious and now I know. And that is online.
 
Last edited:
Astray said:
but they completely reversed that with the dual price hikes.
Click to expand...

No they didn't. The current administration's tariffs, inflation, and the devaluing of the dollar caused component prices to skyrocket for Microsoft. What are you seeing is a reflection of the new 30% tariffs on China, which game consoles like Xbox are no longer exempt from. Right now if Microsoft kept the prices static, they would be losing an extra Concord's worth of money every year on producing consoles.
 
Last edited:
memoryman3 said:
No they didn't. The current administration's tariffs, inflation, and the devaluing of the dollar caused component prices to skyrocket for Microsoft. What are you seeing is a reflection of the new 30% tariffs on China, which game consoles like Xbox are no longer exempt from. Right now if Microsoft kept the prices static, they would be losing an extra Concord's worth of money every year on producing consoles.
Click to expand...
The 1st price hike literally happened before the tariffs tho?
 
memoryman3 said:
No they didn't. The current administration's tariffs, inflation, and the devaluing of the dollar caused component prices to skyrocket for Microsoft. What are you seeing is a reflection of the new 30% tariffs on China, which game consoles like Xbox are no longer exempt from. Right now if Microsoft kept the prices static, they would be losing an extra Concord's worth of money every year on producing consoles.
Click to expand...

The price is irrelevant once a product is discontinued

At this point 100 dollars or 5000 dollars = dead
 
Have you been to those stores lately? They might as well be gone from them.

There's a new PS5 / Xbox Series X game release. Guess which console gets them in stock in store shelves and which console doesn't get a single copy in at all or ever.
 
Last edited:
BeardSpike said:
Lmao, just checked for shit and giggles if I can buy Xbox Series X in Poland.

All the major retailers just sell out remaining S units, some aren't even selling S at all.

I was curious and now I know. And that is online.
Click to expand...
This started happening back in 2024 (or even end of 2023 with Series X) and Microsoft's PR said it's due to "unprecedented demand" in other regions.

I like how Jezz Corden is talking about misinformation about Xbox online but never calls out Xbox PR for running misinfo campaign xD
 
Astray said:
Setting him aside, how does Microsoft plan to even rebuild relationships with retailers etc?
Click to expand...
lol Retailers aren't bitter ex-lovers. They never had iPads until they had. They never had Surface laptops until they had (briefly, probably). A console for them is another box to sell, if there is demand they'll sell it.
 
Astray said:
Setting him aside, how does Microsoft plan to even rebuild relationships with retailers etc?

Even if they might not sell consoles anymore, I presume they are still planning on selling controllers subscription cards etc? Especially given that they sell to PC users too..
Click to expand...
I don't think they're going to 'repair' the relationships, at least not when it comes to Xbox. For the most part, retailers will be happy carrying the few accessories MS does produce as long as it moves, and subscription cards can be found most anywhere.

In the future, I see a lot of the 'Xbox' branding being phased out, just to move away from the brand association with Xbox, and letting MS focus on the MS Gaming label instead, and allowing them to expand the reach of controllers and headsets into certain ecosystems more easily.
 
Last edited:
To be honest, Xboxes in Italy have been difficult to find in large chains for quite some time now.
Anyway, it's been a while since I checked, but now I think the situation has gotten even worse.
 
Radical_3d said:
lol Retailers aren't bitter ex-lovers. They never had iPads until they had. They never had Surface laptops until they had (briefly, probably). A console for them is another box to sell, if there is demand they'll sell it.
Click to expand...
This isn't about them being upset at MS, they took a bath on that shelfspace that they could have either sold to other brands (major source of revenue for retailers btw) or used to stock things that actually move instead of non-performing Xbox consoles.

SneakersSO said:
I don't think they're going to 'repair' the relationships, at least not when it comes to Xbox. For the most part, retailers will be happy carrying the few accessories MS does produce as long as it moves, and subscription cards can be found most anywhere.

In the future, I see a lot of the 'Xbox' branding being phased out, just to move away from the brand association with Xbox, and letting MS focus on the MS Gaming label instead, and allowing them to expand the reach of controllers and headsets into certain ecosystems more easily.
Click to expand...
I can't imagine the "MS Gaming controller" having much traction with gamers in retail tbh.

I think people seriously underestimate how much controllers they sell. I don't think they will ever completely let go of that specific market.
 
Last edited:
I guess I need to go tell my local Walmart store manager to stop spreading "misinformation" about Xbox, considering they pulled all things Xbox from their physical shelves two years ago.

Windows Central is copying a little bit from IngSoc here:

The Party told you to ignore the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

TheGamer: Target and Walmart also pulling Xbox stock
2 3 4 5 6
267
268
Three replied
[Windows Central] Xbox lead Phil Spencer reveals the 4 most-requested franchise revivals from fans
2
97
365
RemyMeow replied
It's over? Costco has pulled all Xbox products from store shelves
News Drama 
6
234
Robb replied
Xbox Store emphasizes digital games are licenses, not ownership
2 3
105
187
RayBoy replied
Jez Corden - The misinformation about Xbox right now is crazy and it's... exposing people who actually just want Xbox to die
Drama Clickbait Cringe  2 3 4 5
244
450
ChorizoPicozo replied
Top Bottom