Part of Microsoft’s Xbox Series X shortage is related to a wider cut in available GPUs and CPUs from AMD. Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer confirmed an issue sourcing enough AMD components, which are used in the Series X|S condoles. “I get some people [asking], ‘why didn’t you build more? Why didn’t you start earlier? Why didn’t you ship them earlier?’ All of those things,” Spencer says on the Major Nelson podcast. “It’s really just down to physics and engineering. We’re not holding them back: we’re building them as fast as we can. We have all the assembly lines going. I was on the phone last week with Lisa Su at AMD [asking], ‘how do we get more?’ So it’s something that we’re constantly working on.” It is worth noting there’s a little bit of passing the buck going on here. Sure, Microsoft may be struggling to get AMD components, but it’s worth noting AMD simply supplies the chips. It is up to Microsoft, or more accurately its manufacturing partners, to build and ship the consoles. We will see how this plays out over the coming months but right now the great console shortage will continue.
Xbox Series XS
At the top of the article, I teased a potential new Xbox Series consoles. A little clickbaity, perhaps, but there is some smoke to follow. Specifically, on December 29, 2020, Microsoft filed a new trademark for the “Xbox Series XS”. So, what is this product, a new upcoming version of the regular Series X? That would be cool but also entirely too soon considering the recent launch of the new console. Instead, it seems Microsoft is covering its bases by locking down this trademark to prevent other companies from using it. Sure, there is likely to be an Xbox Series XS console eventually, likely as a mid-generation upgrade in a few years. For now, Microsoft is simply ensuring it controls the use of that name. Perhaps the more interesting trademark news comes from a new filing seeking a trademark for Xbox Series S. Yes, this is the other new console Microsoft launched in November. Frankly, I am amazed the company has not already locked this branding down to a trademark. Tip of the day: Do you often experience PC freezes or crashs with Blue Screens of Death (BSOD)? Then you should use Windows Memory Diagnostic to test your computers RAM for any problems that might be caused from damaged memory modules. This is a tool built into Windows 10 which can be launched at startup to run various memory checks.
