GameStop is no longer accepting pre-orders for Microsoft’s Xbox One console because the retailer reached its limit last weekend, store employees tell Polygon. GameStop knows in advance how many consoles each individual store will receive when the Xbox One launches in November, and every single unit in every store across the country has been spoken for.
News of the cleared out brick-and-mortar stock was blasted out in a nationwide email sent to store managers, though Xbox One pre-orders are still available online at GameStop.com. PlayStation 4 pre-orders, meanwhile, are available both online and in retail stores. At least one store manager suggests that the allocation numbers differ between the two consoles, with fewer confirmed Xbox One units resulting in faster pre-order drains.
In the past, various console and other gaming hardware manufacturers have been accused of creating artificial shortages to increase hype. Microsoft could plan to do just that, though there’s no proof that that’s the case. Such a move will be a tough sell too if GameStop managers continue to transparent about allocation numbers. It’s also just as likely that Sony is simply anticipating higher sales, and is allocating more units to retailers as a result.
