The Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 have been in very low supply since both consoles launched last year, a fact most gamers are painfully aware of. Every console is constantly out of stock in stores, and when either console is brought back, it's very limited. They sell out right away every time they come back, and scalpers are hoarding each console to sell for absurd prices.
The shortage of Xbox and PlayStation is associated with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused a severe shortage of materials needed to manufacture the consoles. The particular chips used to create the systems are specifically cited by Xbox and Sony as the reason for the low production of the consoles.
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Gamers hoped that getting a current-gen console would be easier as time went on. However, as COVID-19 continues to be an issue around the world, supplies have continued to be tight.
Xbox chief Phil Spencer said the shortage of Xbox Series X/S consoles will likely stretch into 2022. In an interview with The Wrap, which was later transcribed to GamesIndustry.biz, he said the shortage of Xbox is more complicated than a "chip problem." There are several "pinch points" in collecting the needed parts, and the shortage will be an issue through the end of this year and next.
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