The Xbox Series X and S launched in India on November 10, the same time as the rest of the world and while the Xbox Series S was easy to purchase, the Xbox Series X sold out in nearly 15 minutes on Amazon and other sites soon after. However, restocks of the more powerful console in particular have been notoriously hard to come by. It’s something Microsoft is aware of, stating that it expects Xbox Series X “to be available soon” in India. That said, The Mako Reactor spoke to multiple retailers, all of whom got the Xbox Series X at launch and are expecting a second batch from the first week of January 2021 onwards. We reached out to Microsoft to confirm the same and will update this story if we hear from the company.
Granted the lion’s share of stock will likely go to Amazon and Flipkart (despite the latter’s employees interested in spreading lies about our coverage of Microsoft’s stock issues instead of well, doing their job), but in the event you aren’t able to find an Xbox Series X, we got you covered. Here are four stores that will get Xbox Series X restocks when they’re available. All of them ship across India so even if you’re not in the same city they’re located in, getting it sent to you should not be a problem.
Where to buy Xbox Series X in India
- Game Shopee: the Chennai-based specialist store confirmed to The Mako Reactor over the phone that it would be getting official Xbox Series X stock from January first week. While its site currently lists the Xbox Series X as out of stock, you can call to book one and pay in advance. Readers of The Mako Reactor have received their Xbox Series X in a timely fashion from this store.
After Playing The Waiting Game….Thank You @RishiAlwani For Giving Info On Where To Get The Xbox Series X.If It Wasn’t For The Mako Reactor Article By @RishiAlwani I Wouldn’t Have Known Where To Get One…Btw I Bought It From GameShopee Chennai.They Are A MS Sub Distibutor. pic.twitter.com/cgGcbvpNq1
— Pratheek (@PratheekVenu1) November 26, 2020
- Venus Games and Electronics: this long-standing Bengaluru retailer stated it would get the Xbox Series X “January earliest”. Much like Game Shopee, you can ring staff up or message them via WhatsApp to know more.
- Zupitex: a sub-distributor and retailer located in Delhi, its employees told us that the Xbox Series X would be available at the end of December but were more confident of a January arrival date. Readers of The Mako Reactor have confirmed that it ships the Xbox Series X and takes payments upfront for delivery. You can check out its contact details from its site.
- PrepaidGamerCard: another Bengaluru game store, its staffers were a lot more conservative, stating Xbox Series X restocks would arrive towards the end of January. It did receive Xbox Series X shipments at launch though and was prompt with sending them out. You can get in touch to book an Xbox Series X here.
If all else fails, you could try your local game store. One of our readers proved that doing so was successful, though your mileage may vary.
That's really funny considering the fact that I only got my XSX thanks to your coverage about the stock situation here. I would've completely given up on getting one but your scoop about the supply and stuff made me reach out to my third party retailer on time. Thanks again, TMR. pic.twitter.com/TC9fSoyoz6
— bandicoot (@indiangamer537) November 21, 2020
For its part, Microsoft India acknowledges its supply issues, stating that gamers would not have to wait too long for the Xbox Series X to be restocked.
“We have seen overwhelming global demand from our fans for the next generation of Xbox and are working tirelessly with our retail partners to replenish Xbox hardware as quickly as possible,” spokesperson for the company told The Mako Reactor over email 10 days after the console’s launch. “Due to high demand, we know Xbox Series X is hard to find right now, though fans may still be able to find Xbox Series S, which delivers many of the same next-gen features at a more affordable price. We also expect Xbox Series X to be available again soon. For more details on availability in your market, please contact your local retailers directly.”
Internationally, Microsoft has made similar statements with Xbox boss Phil Spencer apologising for shortages that could last until April 2021.
However there’s more to the Xbox Series X’s lack of availability in India. Offline retailers, which make up the majority of Indian game stores, only got 10 percent of launch day Xbox Series X and S stock and roughly the same allocation of fresh shipments for restock that have landed earlier this week sources in the supply chain tell us. Some retailers allege that Microsoft hasn’t even given them what was committed for launch either.
“It’s been almost a month since launch, I haven’t even got my day one allocation of Series X and S yet,” says one Mumbai-based game store owner on the condition of anonymity.
And it’s not just game stores that have been hung out to dry. Multiple would be Xbox Series X owners in India tried purchasing the console on its November 10 release date and an increasing number of them have been given delivery dates stretching upto January 2021 after an initial window of the third week of November 2020.
Considering how poorly the Xbox One sold through its lifecycle in India, Microsoft has more to prove but at the same time, limit its risk. As some may recall, the quantity of Xbox One consoles brought in at launch was so high that Amazon India had to discount them by 20 percent a few weeks in.
All of this makes us wonder how Sony would handle its eventual PS5 India launch. The company has been obsessing over Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and S plans of late, sources say, but have given retail nothing in the way of a release date or pre-order information. Hopefully, it learns a thing or two about avoiding Microsoft’s missteps.
