Xbox Still in Short Supply
Microsoft denies connection with Xenon release.
With excellent games such as Halo 2, Fable and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords already out and more on the way, now's a good time to be an Xbox owner. The problem is that getting one at the moment is not as easy as it should be. Microsoft has confirmed it is still having problems meeting customer demand.
It started in December when PlayStation 2 shortages helped an upsurge in Xbox sales and caused supply problems just before Christmas. Since then, Microsoft has had trouble getting back up to speed to give retailers and gamers the machines they need.
With Xenon all but officially confirmed to arrive in Europe before the end of 2005, the conspiracy theories sprouted, claiming that Microsoft was getting rid of Xbox stock before the arrival of its successor.
"It has been tough for us to judge the demand for Xbox hardware. It has gained huge momentum over the past few months and it's a challenge that we're facing worldwide," Microsoft's Neil Thompson told UK games trade paper MCV.
"But I can categorically say that the reason for the shortages has nothing to do with clearing channels in preparation for Xbox 2."
According to some estimates, it could be as long as three months before the supply problems are completely taken care of.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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