The ongoing shortage of next-gen consoles isn’t just impacting gamers who hoped for an Xbox Series X under the Christmas tree; Microsoft is also struggling to get their hands on them.
It has been revealed that due to the insufficient availability of retail versions of the console, the manufacturer had to utilize Xbox Series X development kits for the first Halo Infinite tournaments over the weekend, as Microsoft-owned studio 343 Industries couldn’t obtain enough retail versions of the console.
‘Tashi’, the Halo Esports and Viewership Lead at Microsoft/343 Industries, stated that the consoles were set to retail mode for the open bracket stages of the tournament. Addressing his own question, Tashi added: “Why? Global supply chain shortage is real.”
The head of Halo Esports assured gamers that the functionality was indistinguishable, and that players wouldn’t notice any difference in the experience. However, he didn’t address why the Xbox Series S wasn’t used instead.
He wrote on Twitter: “Heads up open bracket players – you’ll be playing this weekend on Series X development consoles. They’re functionally identical and will be operating in “Retail” mode so it’s the exact same experience, they just look a little different.”
Although this may seem like a trivial story, it demonstrates the seriousness of the console shortage, considering that the Xbox Series X/S has been on sale for over a year now.
Gamers are still facing challenges from bots and scalpers for the limited stock available and mostly rely on being in the right place at the right time when the consoles become available on various online platforms. Good luck if you’re hoping to have better luck than Microsoft’s very own first-party studio during this Christmas week.
