Microsoft is enlisting AMD’s help to make more Xbox consoles available

New York CNN Business — Staying home and gaming is definitely a trend during the pandemic, but it has been hard for people to get their hands on the latest consoles. Microsoft Executive Vice President of Gaming Phil Spencer acknowledged the Xbox shortage in a podcast interview last week with Xbox Live programming director Larry Hryb, and said he has sought help from chipmaker AMD in making more units available. While some analysts speculated in November that Microsoft ) had intentionally limited production of the consoles to help maximize profits, Spencer said on the podcast that is not the case for the Xbox. “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 — in some instances, that will be on a weekly basis depending on the retailer and market,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement. “We can’t wait for fans to experience gaming on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Please check in with your local retailers directly for more details on availability in your market.” Many companies have experienced supply chain disruptions, as well as shortages caused by surging demand, during the pandemic.