About that Xbox Series X pre-order — Amazon has some bad news

(Image credit: Xbox)

Lightning appears to have struck twice. A week ago, Amazon was sending out emails informing those with PS5 pre-orders that their console might not arrive on day one. Now, the e-commerce giant is passing on the same message to those that set an alarm to get their Xbox Series X order in nice and early.

Twitter is awash with eager wannabe Xbox Series X owners sharing their disappointing Amazon email. “We’re contacting you about your order of Xbox Series X to let you know in advance that you may not receive this item on the day it is released due to high demand,” the note begins. 

“We are making every effort with the supplier to procure more inventory. We will provide additional updates once more information becomes available.” 

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That is almost identical to the wording of Amazon’s PS5 warning, only without the reassurance that the company will “make every effort to get the item to you as soon as possible once released.” Perhaps the semi-automated nature of the email is a sign that Amazon is just being cautious, but at this point it’s impossible to know.

This is just the latest setback in a pre-order process that has been, to put it mildly, already pretty stressful. While Microsoft started brightly compared to Sony by publishing the date and time that pre-orders would open, the process quickly turned to bedlam. 

Our own head of testing Matthew Murray outlined his own experiences trying to get a unit here. “All of the websites were overloaded in one way or another, and all gave us bizarre error messages and problems,” he said. Amazon was no exception with errors for the Series X, and no option to buy the entry-level Series S at all.

The Amazon email leaves Day One hopefuls in a difficult situation. After all, it doesn’t say they definitely won’t get a day-one machine, just that they “may not”. So what do shoppers do if more pre-order options appear in the next few weeks? Do they double up? Or do they just roll the dice and hope that Amazon figuratively and literally delivers?  

While Microsoft hasn’t followed Sony in apologizing for the pre-order free-for-all or promised more units in advance, the company did tweet that it “expect[s] more consoles to be available on November 10.” 

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Given that November 10 is actually launch day, that’s probably of limited consolation to those that thought they had navigated the chaos to land a day-one console. Still, if you’re currently empty handed and don’t see any more pre-order stock appearing between now and then, then you’d best set your alarm for early on November 10.

Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.

  • Venomusss
    I also got the message from Amazon. Did Amazon sell more Pre-Orders than the amount of units they are being allocated? What I don't understand is that Microsoft is touting that they will have XBOX Series X stock for sale in stores on Launch Day. For those of us that have pre-ordered, it would be a slap in the face for Microsoft to stock shelves in stores instead of sending out confirmed Pre-orders.
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  • Freqmode
    Best buy hasn't sent anything like that that I know of so hopefully it's not a real supply problem. I'd be pretty pissed too if I didn't receive mine on day one or two. Hell I'll be pissed if it's day two. One things for sure if my tracking info doesn't show it arriving day one I'll be checking the stores and I'll buy another one on launch day if I can. Was planning on getting 2 anyway. I've never missed a day one Xbox release and I don't plan on starting now That or a ps5 which seems much less likely to have extra units available on launch day. I really want to play demon's souls but otherwise don't care that much about ps5, at least for now. Series x is where I'll be doing 95+% of my gaming.
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  • JJGB727
    Well I'm kind of nervous... I preordered the PS5 thru Amazon and I never got that email, I then preordered the Series X thru Amazon and I got that email for the X!?! IDK what to make of it, like is something wrong with the PS5 order even though I've contacted them 3 times just to make sure and they tell me all is fine with it. Which is all fine with me I'm a PS player as long as get that day 1 I'll be happy wouldn't mind waiting up to a week for X but no longer than that, that'd be unacceptable!!! Maybe just tell them to deliver the X with the 5 together on 5's release day?
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