Xbox Series X/S is Microsoft's fastest-selling Xbox console generation, despite supply constraints
"Demand is exceeding the supply for all of us."
Microsoft's Xbox Series X and S are outpacing sales of previous Xbox console generations - despite the fact that supply has been unable to meet demand.
In a wide-ranging New York Times interview, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said Microsoft had "at this point... sold more of this generation of Xboxes, which is Xbox Series X and S, than we had any previous version of Xboxes."
On the surface, this may not be too surprising - Microsoft has effectively doubled its chances this generation with two very different console models, each of which offers its own proposition. This was not the case with the launch of the original Xbox, Xbox 360, or Xbox One.
But Spencer went on to say that Xbox Series X/S had achieved this fastest-selling feat despite the much-reported supply shortages hitting chip manufacturers, production delays due to the Covid, and various global distribution bottlenecks.
"When you think about trying to go get an Xbox or a new PlayStation right now in the market, they're really hard to find," Spencer continued. "And it's not because supply is smaller than it's ever been. Supply is actually as big as it's ever been. It's that demand is exceeding the supply for all of us.
"So it's our job to get the supply there to meet that demand."
Spencer concluded that Microsoft now spent "a lot of time" solving logistical issues such as "how do we move consoles from A to B location and securing chips". He also touched on another recent problem: scalping. "how do you actually manage so that real customers are buying our consoles and it's not a bunch of scalpers and bots that are securing the capacity? It's multi-step and it's kind of a 24-7 job for the team right now."