Both the Xbox Series X and Series S will open preorders first thing tomorrow morning. See below for where you can preorder yours and make sure you secure a console at launch.
Series X preorder will open at 8am AEST (that’s 7:30am ACST, 6:00am AWST, and 10am NZST) at retailers around the country. Pricing appears to be exactly the same no matter where you go — $499 for the Series S and $749 for the Series X. Some retailers, like EB Games and JB Hi-Fi do require a deposit for the preorder while others, like the Microsoft Store, are only taking payment in full. Additionally, some have a hard purchase limit of one console per customer. Please be aware of this if you’re looking to make more than one preorder.
Amazon
Big W
EB Games Aus
$200 deposit, limit 1 per customer
Harvey Norman
JB Hi-Fi
$50 deposit, limit 1 per customer
Microsoft Store
Target
The Gamesmen
In the wake of last week’s PS5 preorder free-for-all, Xbox is taking a more orderly approach — telling fans exactly when and where they can preorder the console. This is not without its own perils. Sony’s strategy of opening all the doors at once was meant to be a scalper deterrent. It created havoc and stock shortages as thousands scrambled to secure a console. Bots still swept in to gobble up hardware for resale on sites like eBay, but they were getting anything that was left. By setting a specific time and date for Series X preorder kickoff, Xbox tells the scalpers where to be and when. What that just means you’ll need to be ready in the morning.
You’re up against a hoard of scalper bots as well as thousands of real people trying to score a console.
Good luck, and may the RNG be ever in your favour.
