Microsoft urges Xbox owners to return their unused devices to stores

Microsoft has started sending emails to users who no longer use their Xbox consoles. The manufacturer wants to bring back more affordable refurbished systems to the market by buying up used devices and reselling them, thus attracting more frugal buyers to its ecosystem. The highest buyback values are likely to be achieved by models with higher storage capacity and a built-in optical drive.

The offered buyback price of up to €316 is significantly lower than the current retail prices of new Xbox Series X consoles, which exceed €675 in the United States and are often even higher in other countries due to supply chain problems. Nevertheless, the offer is comparable to or even better than those offered by competing retail chains for used hardware. Analysts estimate that Microsoft wants to use this measure to replenish stocks in stores and, in the event of a shortage of components, provide access to gaming to a wider range of users.

This temporary measure helps bridge a period of high prices for memory chips and solid-state drives, while the user base of the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles continues to lag behind the competing PlayStation 5. The move is important to maintain revenue from Game Pass subscriptions and game sales. However, concerns remain whether such programs will be enough for the long-term success of the next generation of devices, which is reportedly being developed under the working name Project Helix. Management will have to find even more creative solutions if it wants to successfully launch the next generation of consoles while reducing its reliance on expensive memory components.