Microsoft acknowledges a shortage of Xbox controllers after many large retailers sold out completely this month.
At the time of writing, major retailers in many regions are being sold entirely by Xbox Wireless Controllers, and peripherals appear to be particularly scarce across Europe.
There are currently no controllers in the United Kingdom, in any color, in stock at GAME, Smyths, Argos, Currys or even the official Microsoft Store.
Amazon UK is one of the few retailers to stock the Carbon Black controller, which was recently added today (it sold out yesterday). Amazon’s third-party prices for the black controller start at £ 93.99, almost double the official price.
The situation seems to be similar in many regions, with Resetera users discussing their difficulties in finding administrators in various countries, including Australia, France, the Netherlands and Germany.
It seems that Xbox Design Lab still accepts orders from players who want to design and buy their own custom controllers. The Design Lab site continues to state: “We strive to have the controller in your hands within 28 days of placing your order. It is unclear whether this remains the case or simply has not been updated.
Xbox confirmed the lack of a controller after a request from VGC, attributing it to supply disruptions.
“We know it may be difficult to find Xbox wireless controllers right now due to supply disruptions,” said a Microsoft spokesman. “We are working as quickly as possible with our manufacturing and trading partners to improve this. Please consult your local dealer for availability. ”
Not all colors of the controller are currently in stock at the Microsoft Store in Europe
Availability seems to be a little more affordable in the US so far, with availability in the Microsoft Store and Best Buy, although some sites like Amazon US and GameStop currently only sell used controllers, suggesting supplies aren’t abundant in the region.
The lack of hardware on the console is nothing new for this generation. The global shortage of chips means that both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 have been in extreme shortages since they launched 19 months ago, with stock selling almost as fast as it arrives.
However, the shortage of peripherals is less common and it remains to be seen how quickly Xbox Wireless Controller supplies can be replenished to a level where they are again readily available in all stores.
For now, anyone in Europe looking for an official Xbox Wireless Controller will have to either hope to be lucky and find it in stock somewhere, or use less clear methods, such as buying a custom controller through the Xbox Design Lab.
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