If you're a gamer hoping to cop something from the Xbox X Series, things are looking a little awry for you. The gaming device will most likely be in very short supply at stores, at least until June. However, this news is relatively unsurprising, as Microsoft has been very vocal about a shortage in supply since its release last year. 

At the end of 2020, Xbox's Chief Financial Officer Tim Stuart stated: "When we get to Q4, all of our supply chain continuing to go full speed heading into kind of the pre-summer months." Stuart is essentially telling fans that the Xbox Series would not be available in early 2021, a fact confirmed again a few days ago. 

Stockpiles of the Xbox Series X are vanishing from websites and store shelves as soon as they appear, and this problem is occurring due to multiple reasons. Last week, Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, spoke about the issues faced in the production of the components for the gaming console. Demand has exceeded supply on an enormous scale, and the company finds itself flailing to compensate. There is only so much one can do to speed up engineering and physics. 

Another apparent reason is the unprecedented pandemic, which has forced every business into undesirable circumstances, and Microsoft is no less. The number of units produced is low due to numerous COVID-19 constraints. 

Moreover, external markets employing the play of buying many console units at once and selling them for a profit have added to scarcity. Resellers purchase large quantities using automatic systems as soon as the console is released, inflate the price, and sell it forward, making it difficult for the average buyer to obtain. 

As the summers arrive, gamers are eagerly anticipating new stock arrivals. We can only hope they maintain a sufficient supply for a continuous-time to meet consumer demands.  

For more on gaming news and trends, learn more about the details surrounding the release of Battlefield 6 this Holiday 2021.

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