🤷♂️ Microsoft is encouraging lapsed Xbox players to trade in their unused Series hardware
🤝 A new targeted email promotes Best Buy’s trade in scheme
💰 The scheme offers up to $375 for an Xbox Series X or up to $200 for a Series S
😥 It appears hardware shortages are biting so hard Microsoft wants to get existing consoles into more profitable hands
It appears Microsoft is really feeling the effects of ongoing hardware shortages, as it’s asking lapsed Xbox players to trade their consoles in exchange for a credit.
As spotted by users on X (thanks, Windows Central), Microsoft has been sending emails out to users who have dormant Xbox Series X|S hardware, recommending that they trade them in.
The email offers links and advice on how to do so, specifically mentioning Best Buy’s trade-in system. Emails are reportedly going out to users who have hardware they aren’t actively using, potentially including those who have multiple consoles.
The email opens with “Haven’t played on your console in a while? If you’ve moved on to Xbox on PC or another way to play Xbox games, it may be time to trade in your console to Best Buy for up to $375 back.”
Specifically, the up to $375 is for an Xbox Series X, while users can get up to $200 for an Xbox Series S – a price that barely covers half of either console, given Microsoft’s most recent console price rises.
A Series X in good condition with power cable, controller and stand will net you the full payout, while one in poor condition drops to $150. If you’re missing accessories, that further reduces the payout. Payment comes in the form of a Best Buy eGift Card.
When Microsoft announced its most recent price rises, it promised some form of console trade-in scheme, and it seems this delivers on that promise.
At the time, Microsoft said it was “working with retail partners on new programs to provide previously played consoles at lower prices,” refurbishing traded-in consoles and reselling them for less.
Therefore, this Best Buy model could be the first of a few different schemes that Microsoft is running with its retail partners. This scheme is currently limited to those in the US, but it may be the case that it opens new variants in different regions where console supply remains okay.
The current economics of console hardware are so dire at the moment that anyone sitting on a dormant console they aren’t using represents a hefty loss for manufacturers, and any way of getting that console out of their hands and into the hands of a more active player (with cash to spare) is preferable, especially given how iffy the stock situation is in any case.
As per Windows Central, stock availability of new Xbox Series X|S hardware has remained stable in Microsoft’s key markets, including the US and Canada. It’s been in Asia, mainland Europe, the Middle East and South America where Microsoft has faced real supply issues.
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Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.