Xbox Reserve

Microsoft have rolled out a system to reserve an Xbox Series X/S console if you are already the owner of an Xbox One.

You will need to be part of the Xbox insider program. And currently this is only for residents of the USA.

While this isn’t great news for us in the UK yet, it’s at least promising to see a console platform adapt to the scalper hellscape we currently reside in.

Since their release late last year the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have been tricky to get hold of.

I was fortunate enough to be online on release day and bagged myself an Xbox through Game.co.uk on their All Access plan.

Xbox for One please.

My partner on the other hand spend many weeks after the release of the PS5 checking the stock sites, sitting in fruitless queues, and developing a hate for scalpers that I feared would only be quenched by a God of War style beat down of them.

But at long last he ran into the bedroom, where I was comfortably asleep, and jumped on the bed in glee at having acquired one.

Yet still to this day they remain out of stock, and when new stock does show up, it’s gobbled up in what feels like microseconds.

Take that you bot scalping son of a bitch!

To most of us the issue seems simple to solve. A more complex checkout process to foil the bots that most scalpers are using.

Or what I’ve felt would be the best way, linking the purchase to an existing PSN account or Gamertag.

Which is essentially what Microsoft are doing, at last. While there is no guarantee of still getting a console, this method allows you to reserve one for when they’re in stock via the built in Xbox store on the console. You also first must register for it with the Xbox Insider app.

While I can see the negative for anyone who’s for example purchasing the console for their kids and do not have their own Xbox to do this from. The consoles are still sold outside of this, so it shouldn’t affect that.

Play has no limits, Stock does.

What it does do however, is reward loyalty of Xbox fans. Rather than scalper bots buying up half the stock, preventing gamers from using them, you as an existing Xbox gamer are given the ability to beat this. No more refreshing your stock watch website and praying to Ori. (Ori’s the Xbox God, right?)

It has felt till now that Sony and Microsoft have rather been shuffling their feet on bot prevention. But then mostly this is down to the retailer’s sites. Though thought does occur that they aren’t bothered who buys them, so long as they’re bought.

But as consoles are known to generally be sold at a loss, confirmed by Microsoft at the Epic vs Apple court case, and make money from post buy purchases. It would certainly be in the companies interests to get these consoles up and making money as soon as possible. Not sat in a scalpers garage waiting for some sucker to spend double RRP on them.

Hopefully this loyalty reward function rolls out to the rest of the world soon, and hopefully Sony follow suit. It’s good to know this is at least being implemented now, will make picking up the PS6 and the Xbox…720…XX…Two…S.. (Who knows with these guys) a lot easier to buy.

Believe it or not, the Series S is sometimes in stock. Pick one up here.

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