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Both Microsoft and Sony’s next-generation console options have been phenomenally popular amongst consumers. The PlayStation 5 has been doing ridiculously brisk business despite still being around a month and a half away from release. No slouch in its own way, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X has also been selling extremely well across all sectors. It’s likely that if you’re after a next-generation console, you’re going to have pretty significant difficulty obtaining one unless something big changes in the next few weeks or months. Even when the launch window has passed, it seems that these consoles are going to be in huge demand.
With that in mind, it might be a good idea to ensure you can secure a console for launch if you’re excited about playing launch titles like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Although there will, of course, be a steady supply of consoles post-launch, it’s not much fun to watch everyone else enjoying the best new games on launch while you’re stuck with a last-gen machine. However, if you want to get yourself an Xbox Series X (or Series S, the less powerful cousin to the X), then you’ll need to exhibit a little bit of savvy. Here’s our ultimate guide on how you can pre-order yourself an Xbox Series X and save disappointment when November 10th rolls around.
Play the waiting game
Unfortunately, a big part of securing your pre-order when it comes to the next-gen consoles is learning to play the waiting game. Unless you’ve got an incredibly quick trigger finger, pre-orders are likely selling out faster than you can accommodate for. That means you might be better off simply waiting until new pre-orders become available and the initial wave of popularity dies down. There might be a window closer to launch – or, indeed, you may be able to wait until launch day – where console pre-orders are easier to come by and aren’t quite in such high demand. If you’ve got the stomach for waiting, you may want to bide your time until then.
Bookmark Stock Informer
One of the handiest websites when it comes to checking your pre-order is Stock Informer. It lists all the websites that have stock or are intending to get stock of the Xbox Series X, along with the current stock status and the last time those sites had stock. This is a good way to check which sites are more likely to be able to fulfil your pre-order; the more stock websites get allocated, the more likely they are to get stock in the future. Remember to bookmark the website and allow it to send your browser of choice notifications; you don’t want to miss your pre-order chance because you aren’t informed about stock when it comes in.
Try unconventional places
You’d be surprised which outlets have stock of consoles. It will, of course, occur to you to try conventional shops like gaming retailers and electronics stores, but off the beaten path, you can often find stores that will stock console bundles for reasonable prices. Wherever you are, consider looking at your local supermarket for Xbox Series X pre-orders. UK supermarkets like Asda, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s often receive small levels of stock, but many consumers don’t think to look in those places, so you might find a diamond if you’re thorough enough. Just remember to buy a game alongside your console or you’ll have nothing to play on launch day!
Go to physical stores
Although online stock allocations regularly sell out quickly owing to people being stationed by their computers waiting for alerts, the same isn’t necessarily true of physical stock. You might find that you have better luck going to a physical store; many people won’t be willing to make the trip to a brick-and-mortar gaming or electronics retailer to pre-order their console, especially in current times. If you don’t have any luck immediately, try several different stores, because you never know where you might find some Xbox Series X stock hiding. Don’t give up and don’t stop your search simply because it doesn’t return results straightaway!
Go for Xbox Series S instead
The Xbox Series S is unquestionably going to be a less popular alternative to the Xbox Series X. After all, its specs are lower; the core objective of the Series S is to be able to run next-gen games at 1440p and 60fps rather than 4K like the Series X. If you’re willing to take that compromise – if your main display isn’t a 4K display, for example – then the Series S may be a better alternative for you. It’s still the case that Series S consoles are selling out in terms of pre-orders, but when stock does get replenished, you’re far more likely to be able to find a Series S than a Series X. If you don’t have a 4K TV or monitor, consider the Series S as an alternative machine.
