Xbox: Phil Spencer judges you, don't do console war

Xbox

If you're still a fan of console warfare, well, then Phil Spencer's latest message has a message for you. The man behind the great rebirth of the Xbox brand has in fact begged users not to do any kind of battle over which console is the best and above all not to use video games to carry it forward, defending the creators.



“Sometimes video games can be transformed into a kind of weapon and used in battles between platforms. I look to all those who are brave enough to create something and publish it, to listen to the opinions of the press, of the public. We simply celebrate the many beautiful games that come to market and realize that this is a fundamental element for this industry, ”Spencer said in an interview with IGN after receiving a very important award, the Lifetime Achievement at the DICE Awards 2022.

if (jQuery ("# ​​crm_srl-th_gamedivision_d_mh2_1"). is (": visible")) {console.log ("Edinet ADV adding zone: tag crm_srl-th_gamedivision_d_mh2_1 slot id: th_gamedivision_d_mh2"); } The words of the CEO of Microsoft Gaming (formerly Head of Xbox) are very clear. In summary, Spencer is asking players not to use any kind of exclusive title as a kind of weapon to defend any platform. A statement that obviously goes hand in hand with the business that is now leading the company towards a new way of playing, completely free from the console, thanks to the use of the Xbox Cloud. Not only that: thanks to the Game Pass, for example, Spencer is reducing the cost of accessing video games, thus effectively eliminating a barrier that for many could not be overcome.

Phil Spencer is certainly right: it obviously makes no sense to make console warfare, especially in a period in which every platform or service has a vast catalog of video games available to please everyone. We sincerely hope that such behaviors will be noticed less and less and that people think more about playing instead of throwing themselves into completely useless discussions about who has the best platform.

You can subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate by taking advantage of the prepaid cards that found on Amazon.

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Xbox Series X Restock Tracker: Tips for Finally Finding an Xbox This Week

It may be surprising to learn how hard it is to find an Xbox Series X right now, especially considering how easy it is to find the less capable Xbox Series S. The chip shortages which have impacted so many aspects of technology has made it extremely difficult to find the best gaming console Microsoft has ever made. The one Xbox Series X restock we had last week though GameStop was the first significant one in weeks, and it's not clear that situation is going to change anytime soon. 

There have been no big Xbox Series X restock announcements made for this week, which means the only way to catch a console at its normal price will be through a surprise afternoon restock, which we track here. 

If you don't want to take your chances on an afternoon restock and need a console now, your best bet is to buy through a service like StockX or eBay, so there's a layer of buyer protection in case the transaction isn't legitimate.

Here are our tips for scoring a console safely and without paying inflated prices.

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.

Weekend restocks happen a lot less frequently than weekday restocks. If you absolutely must have a console this weekend, buying third party is likely your only option.

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 for months to come. 

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: Jan. 20, Feb. 18

Target: Dec. 2, 16, Jan. 6

Amazon: Nov. 21

Walmart: Dec. 13, Jan. 13, Feb. 24

Best Buy: Dec. 28, Jan. 11, 22

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 where 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

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

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. 

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 $600.

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 $600.

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

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