Microsoft is introducing a new “Console Purchase Pilot” program that will give selected Xbox Insider members the chance to register to reserve an Xbox Series X or Series S console directly from the company through their existing Xbox One consoles.
The new program is only rolling out in the US for now, and even if you are given the chance to sign up, it doesn’t mean that you’ll actually be selected to buy one of the highly in-demand consoles.
Today we’re introducing the Console Purchase Pilot, allowing US #XboxInsiders on Xbox One to register for a chance to reserve an Xbox Series X|S console. Check the Xbox Insider Hub on Xbox One for details. Limited space is available and not all who register will be selected. pic.twitter.com/MBkQmbSDWc
— Xbox Insider (@xboxinsider) May 11, 2021
Customers will also have to use the Xbox Insider Hub app on an Xbox One console to both sign up for the Console Purchase Pilot and purchase the console itself — you won’t be able to conduct the transaction on a PC, web browser, Xbox 360, or Xbox Series X / S by design.
That means that the program will be intentionally targeted to dedicated Xbox fans who already own an Xbox One console and are looking to upgrade, and it could help cut down on scalpers. Introduced in 2016, the Xbox Insider program lets dedicated Xbox fans give direct feedback to Microsoft and test future software updates and features ahead of broader public rollouts.
And with next-gen consoles expected to be hard to find for months to come — at its last update, Microsoft said to expect the new Xboxes to be tough to buy until at least June — testing out new ways to directly sell consoles to fans could be the best way to make sure that more units don’t end up on the eBay aftermarket.
