The UK and other regions are running suspiciously low on Xbox Series X console stocks, why is PlayStation still widely more available?

Xbox Series X console
My Xbox Series X, is it now an mythic unique? (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)

We know everything is an Xbox now, but what if you want an actual Xbox Series X console? If you're in the UK and looking to buy an Xbox Series X, you might have a struggle trying to find stock of the original console outside of Microsoft's own site, which alone wouldn't be an issue but it doesn't look good to the average consumer.

Reports on social media have flagged a widespread stock issue, and after checking the biggest UK retailers myself, it seems these claims hold true.

What is going on with Xbox Series X console stock in the UK?

Admittedly when I first saw the post I thought it could be hyperbole, surely it can't be that hard to get hold of an Xbox Series X?

It seems though, I could only find the console in stock at Smyths, which is popular toy store. This was for home delivery only and no in-store stock, and as as indicated by the poster below, isn't providing home delivery to all areas with minimal stock all over the country. I can get it in my area, but many cannot.

After scouring the websites of other major retailers, I discovered the scarcity is real. Here’s what I found:

  • Smyths Toys - : Limited stock available for home delivery only, with no in-store availability. Even the home delivery option is spotty depending on your area.
  • Very - The console is listed but won't be delivered until February 10, 2025
  • Amazon UK - Similar delays, with estimated delivery between February 6 and March 16, 2025.
  • Argos - Adding the console to your basket is possible, but no stock is available for home delivery or collection.

No matter what postcode I put in on the Argos website, the console is out of stock for both delivery and collection. (Image credit: Jennifer Young - WIndows Central)

Now this list isn't exhaustive of every place you can potentially buy an Xbox Series X console in the UK, but they are the biggest retailers and those that your average joe public would be looking to purchase it. It's also particularly unusual that at each retailer I've searched here, the PlayStation 5—often a tough find earlier in the generation—seems readily available across all these retailers. Why wait until February for an Xbox if I can buy a PlayStation right now?

How are stocks looking in the US for the Xbox Series X?

The issue isn’t limited to the UK. A quick check of US retailers paints a similar picture:

  • Best Buy - Out of stock for the standard Series X; only the 1TB White All-Digital is available.
  • Target - Out of stock for the standard Series X; only the 1TB White All-Digital is available.
  • Amazon - Only 2 left in stock at time of writing
  • Walmart - Direct Walmart stock is depleted, leaving only third-party sellers with inflated prices (but yes you guess it, the White one is available)
  • Lenovo - Only the All-Digital White Edition is in stock.

The digital edition seems easier to find at least in the US, while the disc-based Xbox Series X is becoming elusive.

Not a good look for kicking off 2025

You can play Xbox games on all these things, but the console is the most difficult to buy. (Image credit: Microsoft)

To say the mood in the Xbox community is currently tense, would be an understatement. Microsoft's recent "Everything is an Xbox" campaign has received mixed reactions, with some viewing it as a shift away from the company's traditional console-first audience. Pairing this with the widespread unavailability of the Xbox Series X—especially when the PlayStation 5 is readily in stock—is poor optics. Xbox is also gearing up for its Developer Direct on January 23, where new games and updates will be showcased. But what good are announcements for potential new fans if they can't easily buy your flagship console? Other regions like Saudi Arabia, Poland, Germany, and more have also flagged Xbox Series X|S stock fluctuations of late, with Microsoft issuing a statement last year to deny that it was planning to pull Xbox out of the Middle East following widespread rumors.

One theory I had was that Microsoft is streamlining production to prioritize digital-first hardware, further nudging players into its Game Pass and cloud ecosystem. However, even the Xbox Series X 1TB White All-Digital Edition is proving hard to find in the UK, casting doubt on this theory. Another theory is that Microsoft is allocating Xbox Series X|S silicon to its cloud platform instead of retail consoles. Xbox Cloud Gaming runs on Xbox Series X|S chips, and demand for Xbox Cloud Gaming led to queues over the holiday period. Still, you would hope Microsoft could meet demand for remote cloud operations as well as home console offerings too simultaneously, if indeed there is demand. Given that the consoles are sold out, that would indicate that there is demand.

Microsoft's hardware footprint has been under scrutiny in recent years, with near-routine quarterly declines. What if the declines are driven simply by a lack of access to supplies, though? Xbox should be poised for a strong year. Instead, the lack of widespread availability for its consoles risks alienating potential customers. For parents or casual shoppers, the choice often comes down to what’s easiest to find—and right now, that’s the PlayStation 5. Whether this scarcity is an intentional running down of stock, or a result of supply chain issues, one thing is clear: for players wanting a console with physical disc support at least, Sony’s offering is currently the more accessible of the two.

CATEGORIES
Jennifer Young

Jen is a News Writer for Windows Central, focused on all things gaming and Microsoft. Anything slaying monsters with magical weapons will get a thumbs up such as Dark Souls, Dragon Age, Diablo, and Monster Hunter. When not playing games, she'll be watching a horror or trash reality TV show, she hasn't decided which of those categories the Kardashians fit into. You can follow Jen on Twitter @Jenbox360 for more Diablo fangirling and general moaning about British weather. 

Read more
Xbox Series S
Xbox CEO Phil Spencer says Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 are too similar — "I want us to innovate and make hardware the differentiator."
Xbox Play Anywhere with a thinking emoji
Until Xbox can get AAA studios and exciting indies to organically support 'Xbox Play Anywhere,' Microsoft's current gaming strategy will not pay off
PS5 with Xbox and Steam logos in the background
"Microsoft might legit publish more games on PS5 this year than Sony does." Gamers react to PlayStation State of Play, and the strange times Xbox finds itself in.
Xbox in a field
Xbox 2025 predictions and overview: Microsoft's most promising games line up in history meets a platform under duress
Xbox and PlayStation logos on top of a server room backdrop
PlayStation Network's outage over the weekend should serve as a reminder to Microsoft and Xbox on what can happen if you "put all your eggs into one basket"
Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong developers say optimizing for the Xbox Series S "would take years," begging the question if the blockbuster action game will ever come to Xbox
Latest in Xbox
The Thing: Remastered key art
The Thing comes to Xbox Cloud Gaming's "Stream Your Own Game" library alongside other new arrivals
Cover art for Heroes of the Storm.
Xbox Game Pass will give you more benefits in free-to-play games like Heroes of the Storm
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 accessibility settings at launch.
Activision user research workers form union under Microsoft
Xbox Game Hubs 2025
A quick look at Xbox's new "Game Hubs," a small new feature that may be more meaningful than you think
8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard Xbox Edition
Drop everything — the Xbox keyboard is on sale
Xbox
Microsoft's Xbox strategy has reader opinions split almost perfectly in half
Latest in News
Cloud servers
Microsoft has killed "several" data center projects in the U.S. and Europe, according to reports — Microsoft responds (Updated)
Photo of Microsoft's new sign-in page for Xbox.com using the Microsoft Edge browser.
Over one billion users will get a new Microsoft user experience, and it has a dark mode
The Thing: Remastered key art
The Thing comes to Xbox Cloud Gaming's "Stream Your Own Game" library alongside other new arrivals
Promotional screenshot of heroes fighting a giant in Pillars of Eternity
Obsidian's classic Baldur's Gate successor 'Pillars of Eternity' is getting a surprise turn-based mode later this year, alongside other updates
Atomfall
Atomfall reviews and Metacritic scores are in: Here's a roundup of what everyone's saying about this new Game Pass survival game
Screenshot of one of the new flat world presets in Minecraft.
Minecraft testing new flat world presets and a better way to locate your friends in-game