Following the fiasco of Sony’s surprise PlayStation 5 pre-order launch, Microsoft has moved to ensure potential Xbox Series S/X purchasers won’t be similarly caught off-guard, announcing that retailers will taking pre-orders from 8am next Tuesday in the UK.
As revealed on Twitter, pre-orders for the £249 Series S and £449 Series X will go live at 8am, 22nd September, across participating stores. Those, should you have a retailer of preference (or should your retailer of preference run out of units, forcing you into a wild, scrambling spree elsewhere) include:
AO.comAmazonArgosCurrys PC WorldGAMEJohn Lewis & PartnersMicrosoft StoreShopTo.netSimplyGamesSmyths ToysTescoVery.co.ukXbox Games Showcase Reaction and Analysis – Xbox Series X Gameplay Reveal Watch on YouTube
Over in North America, Xbox Series S/X pre-orders go live at 11AM ET/8AM PT next Tuesday, 22nd September, via Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, Gamestop, Newegg, Sam’s Club, Target, Walmart, and Army and Airforce Exchange Service.
It’s a mercifully more organised and consumer-friendly approach to pre-orders compared to Sony’s PlayStation 5 efforts. Despite assurances back in August that it wouldn’t surprise-reveal PS5 pre-orders, Sony fluffed it so much that retailers managed to open pre-orders even before last night’s official announcement, leaving purchasers scrambling.