The Xbox Series X|S sold more than one million units on release day alone, attributing to it having the largest Xbox launch of all time. There were a lot of speculations and rumors throughout the year regarding the possible delay of both Microsoft and Sony’s next-gen consoles, but they managed to release the systems on time.
However, there was also some bad news during the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 release situation. For example, until today, it’s still essentially impossible to purchase both systems without turning to scalpers.
Any inflow of new consoles is suddenly gobbled up by scalpers as was the case when Walmart’s website crashed during the PlayStation 5 release day. Even the customers who secured a preorder on release day weren’t guaranteed to get a next-gen console in time, as there have been countless shipping delays for both systems. The fans who preordered an Xbox Series X via Amazon might have to wait until the end of the year before their systems arrive.
The various problems accompanying the launch of the Xbox Series X|S have done little to temper the passion for the next-gen console. According to reports, the Xbox Series X|S sold around 1.5 million units on launch day alone. The USA was the largest market for Microsoft’s next-gen consoles, with Europe close behind it.
The most shocking factor of these figures is that two-thirds of the sales were for the Xbox Series X. The Xbox Series S was originally thought of as the more attractive premise, due to its cheaper selling point, but it appears that fans are willing to pay extra for a more powerful machine.
The fact that Xbox All Access lets players buy a console and two years Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription on credit was likely a huge aspect in the success of the Xbox Series X over the Series S, as consumers can purchase the better system without paying any cash upfront.
The issues with console supply during release day means that fans will never know for sure which system would have come out on top during the 2020 holiday season. Now that the initial release is done, the emphasis shifts to incoming systems.
Xbox head Phil Spencer believes that the supply of the next-gen consoles will be the largest sales factor this year, and he’s not wrong. The fans who have not been able to get a preorder for either console are feeling frustrated over witnessing so many units going up on the market for soaring prices.
If Microsoft can get Xbox Series X|S consoles on the market faster than their rival, then this will be the key to an early lead during this new generation console war.
