Microsoft has revealed some shocking news about the Xbox One console!
Here's what we've learned, and what it means in the greater console landscape for Microsoft and Sony alike.
Xbox One production discontinued
Microsoft revealed on Thursday, January 13th, that production of the current gen Xbox One console has been discontinued since as far back as 2020!
This is in stark contrast to the approach of Sony.
Sony is continuing to fight supply and production concerns in putting out their next gen console, the PS5, and the company has reverted to producing more of their current gen console, the PS4, as a result. This is in an effort to alleviate demand in regards to the PS5.
Sony's original plans were to discontinue PS4 production in 2021, a year after Microsoft discontinued Xbox One production, but the company will now be making PS4s well into the new year. According to current plans, that will mean at least one million PS4s produced this year.
What does this mean for Xbox Series X & Xbox Series S?
The Xbox Series X has largely avoided the supply catastrophes of the PS5, and as a result, has been the much more approachable next gen console for buyers (though previous figures show PS5 was estimated to be outselling the Xbox Series X significantly in 2021.)
After all, with the epidemic of bots buying out PS5 supply and the necessity of tracking where supply will show up next to even see it first, it's simply too much to ask from many prospective buyers.
With Microsoft solely focused on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S production since 2020, and Sony set to make a million PS4 consoles in 2022, this supply difference is likely to continue and possibly worsen in the new year.
For pricing it means that Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will likely continue to be available at MSRP much more often than the PS5. It also means scalped prices may fluctuate even more with Sony's production splitting time longer than originally planned.