Microsoft head of Xbox Phil Spencer said in an interview that he now expects Xbox console shortages to last into 2022. And he’s trying to frame the issue as being broader than just a component shortage.
“I think it’s probably too isolated to talk about it as just a chip problem,” he told The Wrap. “When I think about, what it means to get the parts necessary to build a console today, and then get it to the markets where the demand is, there are multiple pinch points in that process. And I think regretfully it’s going to be with us for months and months, definitely through the end of this calendar year and into the next calendar year.”
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(In the Internet’s version of phone tag, I discovered this interview via The Verge, which found out about it from Video Game Chronicles.)
So that’s interesting. It’s really a supply chain problem, I guess, one that was first triggered by, and then further exacerbated by, the global chip shortage. And videogame consoles are just one of the markets victimized of this ongoing issue.
“The thing that’s most disappointing is just the fan disappointment,” Spencer added. “People really want this new generation of consoles. They’re good consoles, both from us and the other platform holders. And they want the new functionality. We’re working hard to bring them to market but it’s going to be a challenge that we’ll work through for quite a while.”
And yes, Sony also expects console shortages to continue into 2022.