Despite Microsoft reaffirming its commitment to Xbox consoles, the company is urging players to sell their idle Xbox hardware.
Twitter user Nintendeal posted an email from Xbox on social media, surprisingly encouraging him to sell his console since he hadn't used it for a while.
"Haven't played on your console for a while? If you've switched to playing Xbox on PC, or play Xbox games through other means, perhaps it's time to take your console to Best Buy for up to $375 in credit."
Clearly, the target audience for this Microsoft email is users with idle Xbox Series X or S consoles (those who may have abandoned Xbox or switched to PC or other devices). Best Buy will offer these players gift cards worth up to $375. This move comes as many markets face price hikes and console shortages. It can be inferred that models with the largest storage capacity and equipped with optical drives will receive the highest trade-in values.
A fair deal?
$375 is far below the $800 or higher selling price of the non-digital Xbox Series X in the US. Globally, actual prices are often even higher due to numerous production challenges faced by Microsoft. Nevertheless, this price is at least comparable to, if not lower than, what competitors like GameStop are willing to pay.
Fans are actively discussing Microsoft's strategy for this trade-in event. Microsoft may have reached a profitable agreement with Best Buy, but it could also be attempting to increase the inventory of pre-owned Xbox consoles in physical stores.
When announcing the latest price increase in June, Xbox explained other measures to address component shortages, including interest-free installment plans and buy-now-pay-later options. More importantly, the company stated it is "working with retail partners to introduce new programs offering pre-owned consoles at lower prices."
Attracting new players
Even if Microsoft plans to launch Project Helix, it still relies on game sales revenue and Game Pass subscriptions. However, the install base of Xbox Series X|S lags far behind that of the PS5, limiting its sales potential. The second-hand market can reach new customers who cannot afford the continuously rising official retail prices.
This approach might serve as a temporary solution, hoping that the costs of memory and SSDs will decrease. Even so, CEO Asha Sharma needs to find alternative ways to attract users to Project Helix.
Asha Sharma hinted at a lineup of next-generation devices, which may utilize cheaper OEM hardware and feature reduced specifications. She also promised more efficient use of memory and storage space, though the specific methods remain unclear.