The Xbox One will sell-out in certain stores

Phil Harrison (Corporate VP at Microsoft) has told EuroGamer that while Microsoft are working hard to make sure that everyone who wants a Xbox One console is able to grab one at launch, there will be situations where the console sells out.

Harrison said that he hopes people who haven’t pre-ordered an Xbox One will be able to walk into their local games store and purchase one, but obviously can’t guarantee it. Pre-orders “have been unprecedented” and the launch of the Xbox One is going to be the biggest they’ve ever done on a global basis. That mean’s there’s going to be a lot of unknowns in terms of demand and supply.

And if you’re a parent wondering whether you’ll be able to pick up a console for Christmas, Harrison couldn’t really give any reassurance there either. Instead he said that the Christmas supply level situation was very hard to predict, but that they’d be doing everything they could to get as much stock to their retail partners as possible…

Sounds to us like if you want to be assured of having a Xbox One to give as a Christmas gift, buying sooner rather than later is the way to go.