Xbox Series X, even Microsoft has trouble finding it

Xbox Series X

That Xbox Series X, as well as PlayStation 5, is very difficult to find is no secret at all. Although it has now been more than a year since the release of the new generation consoles, the shortage of semiconductors continues to be felt all over the world, despite the fact that there are not a few people who have managed to get their hands on an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5. The irony is that consoles are so hard to find that Microsoft itself had trouble finding the new Xboxes!

The first major official Halo Infinite tournament, which will not be held at a distance, is underway right now, and many professional users and gamers have pointed out a very curious fact on Twitter. Many of the consoles on which it is possible to play to participate in the tournament are development units of the Xbox Series X: the substantial difference is that compared to the retail versions, those intended for sale to consumers, these consoles are used in the workplace, for the development of video games.

You can play Halo Infinite with an Xbox Game Pass subscription for 1 month or 3 months.

Clearly, Microsoft has already explained that these hardware, during the tournament, are in a sort of "retail" mode, which makes them identical to very normal Xbox Series X and therefore do not confer any kind of advantage to the participants. The physical appearance of the console is slightly different, but it is not a determining factor for the tournament. The reason why Microsoft has decided to use Xbox Series X development units is due precisely to the shortage of semiconductors, far from far from a real solution and which creates difficulties in finding consoles even from the manufacturers themselves.

Meanwhile, the pro player who broke the news also revealed that the first official Halo Infinite tournament is enjoying great success, revealing it to be the most viewed Halo esports event ever and thanking the spectators of all the world. Have you managed to get your hands on your Xbox Series X instead? If not, stay tuned on our pages to not miss any news on the online availability of next generation consoles.

Xbox Series S is a great way to move to the next gen, and it also has a small discount on Amazon.

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Xbox Series X restock tracker: Getting a console before Christmas is getting tricky

Last week the Xbox Series X restock game was all about getting a console to ship to you before the holiday. This week, knowing how unlikely it is to get a console on your front door before the holiday, retailers have switched tactics. Target, Best Buy, and GameStop have all had console restocks with some form of in-store availability, and that is likely going to continue into the next week. GameStop is having a PS5 restock even in stores today, and it's heavily rumored there will be an Xbox Series X restock with a similar in-store bundle price next week. 

Separate from these in-store pickup events, it's expected Walmart and Amazon will have restocks again before the end of next wee. We don't have any publicly announced Xbox Series X restocks happening today, but that doesn't mean there isn't one coming. 

Here are some quick tips for catching a surprise Xbox restock:

Timing: Unannounced restocks typically happen after 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) unless they come from Target, which tends to drop them before 6 a.m. PT (9 a.m. ET).

Walmart, GameStop and Best Buy have membership subscriptions that frequently offer early access to restocks, but they're not always required. Even if you don't pay for early access, you should still create an account with these retailers for faster checkout.

Install the app for your preferred retailer, which is often faster to use than the websites, but it's better to use both. 

Want to know how to better your chances of getting a console? Here's what we've got.

Why is the Xbox tough to find?

Essentially, Microsoft hasn't been able to get the materials it needs to make enough Xbox consoles to meet demand. As with the PlayStation 5 and most PC video cards, there's a chip shortage right now that is slowing supply. The pandemic affected production for a lot of chip manufacturers, and industry watchers currently don't expect the issue to be entirely resolved until the end of the year. 

As a result, Microsoft makes as many consoles as it can and distributes them among its retail partners. Each retailer releases its available consoles in whatever way it deems appropriate. Most of the time, this means announcing ahead of time when you'll be able to buy the console online and then releasing it for anyone to buy. 

Check out this full breakdown on the chip shortage by CNET's Stephen Shankland for more details.

Where has the Xbox been recently?

We keep track of every console restock, and maintain this list here of the most likely places you'll find a console as well as when it was last in stock there.

GameStop: Oct. 14

Target: Dec. 2, 16

Amazon: Nov. 21

Walmart: Nov. 22, 29, Dec. 8, 13

Best Buy: Dec. 6, 9

Antonline: Nov. 23, 29

A new era of Xbox is here.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

How can I improve my chances of getting an Xbox Series X?

It can be a little chaotic, constantly refreshing the screen and hoping to see a checkout link. And as many can attest, it's pretty painful to punch in your payment information only to see that the purchase can't be completed because all the consoles are already gone. Here are some of our tips:

Open multiple browsers: Got a laptop? A phone? Maybe a tablet? Use them all to try to make the purchase. Set yourself up ahead of time with multiple browsers open to the retail site of your choice and be ready to buy from all of them. 

Don't give up: Many of these retailers have started releasing the consoles over the course of 30 minutes, to keep bots from buying them all and reselling them at a price increase. If you see everything is sold out after the first 5 minutes, keep refreshing because your chance probably isn't gone yet. 

Have an account set-up and signed-in: The time it takes to enter your payment and shipping information can be the difference between getting your console and getting left in the dust. Avoid that delay by setting up an account on the websites you'll be shopping on.

Make sure you have a confirmation email: There have been many reports of a purchase getting 'stuck' and even though the website said the sale was complete, no confirmation email arrived and then no Xbox arrived. Keep an eye out and make sure you actually have an Xbox Series X headed your way before celebrating. 

Is it safe to buy an Xbox from an unofficial source?

There are some places you can safely buy an Xbox secondhand. If you're shopping at eBay or StockX, there are protections in place to keep you from spending money and getting nothing. 

Separate from this, there are plenty of folks out there eager to take advantage of everyone trying to get an Xbox Series X. Here's how to avoid the known scams:

Stay away from Twitter links: If you see something on Twitter about an Xbox Series X restock happening somewhere, your best bet is to go straight to the retailer instead of clicking a link. In many cases, those Twitter links have turned out to be scams.

Only buy at the retail price: If someone is offering you an Xbox Series X for more or less than $500 or an Xbox Series S for more or less than $300, you should probably stay away. There are many of these sites offering 'deals' or 'bundles' that are frequently not actually worth it.

The Halo Infinite edition

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Xbox's original flagship series Halo, this year Microsoft released a special edition of the Series X console inspired by the series' most recent title, Halo Infinite. The console was a limited edition and sold out quickly. While all retailers currently list the console as out of stock, there is a possibility that there are still a few of them floating around out there. If you're truly committed to getting your hands on a Series X (and don't mind dropping an extra $50), it may be worth poking around for one. Read more on the special edition Halo Infinite console here.

More on Xbox Series XXbox Series X: Check inventory restock

Best Buy was the last retailer standing back in the preorder days, but now stands ready for your Xbox Series X purchase as inventory allows. 

This is Target's product page for the Xbox Series X. 

If you want to get the latest on the Xbox Series X, there's probably nowhere better than Microsoft's own Xbox Series X homepage. Here you'll find the latest specs, announced game titles, details on the new controller and more. 

Amazon is selling both the Xbox Series X and the less expensive Series S from this product page. 

GameStop has in the past touted a 'very limited number of Xbox Series X and S console bundles for purchase' but is currently sold out.

This is where you can buy the Xbox Series X at Newegg when the retailer has inventory. 

To be clear, we highly recommend waiting for inventory to appear at ordinary retailers, so you can buy an Xbox Series X at the regular retail price. But if you've decided you simply can't wait another moment, the average Xbox Series X price on eBay is about $800.

Are you desperate by now? Are you willing to pay a premium of hundreds of dollars over the list price? Listen, we wouldn't do this and we don't recommend you do it, either. But if you want to take that path, StockX is a reputable eBay-style site that will let you buy and sell new Xbox and PS5 models -- as long as you're willing to pay upward of $700.

This story is updated frequently with the latest Xbox Series X inventory news.

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