Microsoft is revealing today the exact time you’ll be able to preorder an Xbox Series X or Series S console on September 22nd — and in the hours since we initially wrote this post, it’s now expanded the list to include those details for many other countries as well.
In the US, preorders will start at 11AM ET / 8AM PT on September 22nd at Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Costco, Sam’s Club, Gamestop, Newegg, and Army and Airforce Exchange Service.
In Canada, they’ll also start at 11AM ET / 8AM PT on September 22nd at the Microsoft Store, Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, EB Games, The Source, and “other participating retailers.”
In the UK, it’ll be 8AM BST at the Microsoft Store, GAME, Amazon, Dixons, Currys PC World, Argos, John Lewis, Smyths Toys, and “other participating retailers.”
In Australia, it’ll be 8AM AEST at the Microsoft Store, JB Hifi, EB Games, Telstra, Harvey Norman, and “other participating retailers.”
In New Zealand, it’ll be 8AM NZST at the Microsoft Store, JB HiFi, EB Games, Spark, and “other participating retailers.”
For other parts of the world, here’s Microsoft’s guidance:
Across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, you can pre-order online starting at 9AM CEST at Microsoft Store, Amazon, MediaMarkt, GameStop, FNAC, Elkjøp/Elgiganten, and other participating retailers. Retailers and availability may differ by country.
The Xbox Series X is priced at $499, and the Xbox Series S will be available at $299. Microsoft says supplies are, naturally, limited, and it’s not clear how many consoles will be available in the initial preorder phase. You can also buy the consoles for $24.99 a month and up through the company’s Xbox All Access program, which includes Game Pass Ultimate. Microsoft’s also got a list of participating retailers for that program in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden right here.
At least we have a clear time and list of retailers for the next-gen Xbox consoles, though. Both Sony and Nvidia have made a mockery out of the preorder process this week. Sony vaguely announced PS5 preorders were set to start today at select retailers, without any details or times. Walmart quickly opened its own preorders less than two hours later, and other retailers soon followed. It was a mess, all just weeks after Sony opened a weird registration for invite-only PS5 preorders that it hasn’t even started taking yet.
After the PS5 preorder fiasco, Nvidia was equally unclear on timings for its RTX 3080 launch. Nvidia refused to take preorders, but the company never made it clear exactly when cards would be available to order from retailers. News broke that RTX 3080 cards would be available at 6AM PT this morning, and the cards are pretty much sold out everywhere online.
Update 6:44PM ET: Added Microsoft’s expanded list of countries, retailers, and start times.
