Microsoft Xbox executive Phil Spencer has said in the past that the company does not expect its upcoming Xbox One X to be a massive seller — that is what the less expensive Xbox One S is for — but early pre-order numbers are looking impressive for the 4K-capable console.
The Xbox One X “Project Scorpio Edition” was made available for pre-order just after the Microsoft Gamescom presentation on Sunday and it is becoming increasingly hard to find. The special edition, which sells for the same $500 price as the standard Xbox One X, comes bundled with a vertical stand and limited edition controller. It also includes a unique gradient on the console itself as well as a free trial to the Xbox Game Pass service.
“Within just a few days, we saw record-setting sell-out times and are currently sold out in many countries around the world,” Xbox Corporate Vice President of Marketing Mike Nichols said in a statement. “You, our biggest fans, have pre-ordered more Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition consoles in the first five days than any Xbox ever.”
Pre-order numbers have been steadily increasing over the last few generations. The Xbox One outpaced the Xbox 360 when Microsoft opened up pre-orders in 2013, though the console has consistently sold fewer units than the PlayStation 4. Third-party developers have largely sided with Sony’s system this generation, with only a handful of Microsoft-exclusive games releasing in 2017. So far this year, console-exclusives for PlayStation 4 include Nioh, Nier: Automata, Horizon Zero Dawn, Matterfall, Nex Machina, and Persona 5, with Knack II and Gran Turismo Sport scheduled to arrive within the next few months.
One Microsoft-exclusive game was supposed to be Crackdown 3, an open-world action-adventure that makes full use of the Xbox One X’s increased processing power. However, it has been delayed into 2018, leaving Forza Motorsport 7 and Cuphead as the two big-name exclusives for Xbox One and Windows 10 this holiday season. A number of other games will receive enhancements for the X, however, including Middle-earth: Shadow of War and Assassin’s Creed Origins. Older Xbox One titles like Halo 5: Guardians and Rise of the Tomb Raider will also receive updates, allowing the Xbox One X to play them in 4K resolution for the first time.
The Xbox One X launches on November 7.
