Restocking the Xbox Series X has been so difficult that even Microsoft is having problems obtaining the next-generation console In fact, inventory shortages have reached crisis proportions, forcing participants in the first major Halo Infinite tournament over the weekend to play on development kits instead of actual consoles

The story originally broke when Tashir Hasandjekic, head of esports and ratings at "Halo" developer 343 Industries, said that some players participating in the game's first competitive tournament were using Xbox Series X development consoles after tweeting that they would need to play on the Xbox Series X development console, which was picked up by Kotaku

Development consoles consist of the same hardware as the retail consoles and are traditionally used by developers to create games for the system Typically, they are not sold to the general public, but functionally they are identical to standard game consoles as Hasandjekic pointed out, the development kits used at the tournament were set to "retail" mode so that they could not access or take advantage of the console's back end It was set to "retail" mode

Hasanjekic was also not sheepish when confirming why it was necessary to draft additional development consoles He said: "The global supply chain shortage is real; even the makers of the Xbox Series X seem to be having a hard time winning re-stocking games

The Xbox Series X has been in short supply since its launch in November 2020 At no time in the past 12 months has this console been consistently available Currently, getting the next generation Xbox requires a serious effort to track restocking and a sprinkling of good luck These supply problems are largely due to the global chip shortage, which is expected to last until 2022

If you really want an Xbox Series X before the holidays, GameStop will be restocking its stores this week, likely the last chance to purchase one in 2021 If your local store is not participating in this restock, bookmark the Xbox Series X Restock Hub for updates and important dealer links