Windows Central Insider
The announcement of the Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition console, a stunning translucent "OG Green" homage to 25 years of Xbox, has naturally ignited a lot of excitement among fans, but with that comes some concern about getting their hands on one. While lucky attendees at the Xbox Showcase 2026 could secure one for free with a 'FAN' badge, the community is bracing for an inevitable battle with scalpers over the remaining stock.
However, all is not lost. In response to widespread concern over X, Josh Munsee, Director of Creative Marketing at Xbox, offered a reassuringly direct reply to one commenter, "it's top of mind and being worked on."
It's top of mind and being worked on.June 7, 2026
Xbox should look to Valve and how the Steam controller launch was handled
Xbox is likely looking back at industry precedents to gauge what works, and the most recent approach taken by Valve during the Steam Controller launch offers both a great demonstration of what can go wrong or right during the process.
After an initial wipe of stock, for the second round of sales, Valve’s reservation system prioritized dedicated users. Requiring a Steam account in good standing to make a reservation to even buy the controller. Hopefully, this ensured the next batch of controllers turned their hands into genuine enthusiasts rather than predatory resellers. Xbox is in a position to refine this concept further and get it right the first time.
So what do we think Xbox's anti-scalping strategy will look like? Will they simply copy what Steam did and require a registered Xbox account in good standing? Nobody who's been banned for throwing slurs in a COD lobby need apply!
Perhaps it will be for people with a history of active Xbox Game Pass subscriptions? Surely anyone genuinely wanting this console would have been a subscriber at some point. Some have even suggested having a Gamerscore entry fee of sorts, but the threshold would need to be attainable, of course, for a long-term fan. It would make the barrier for scalpers particularly difficult and ensure the buyer is actually playing games on Xbox.
Whatever this anti-scalper method ends up looking like, it's nice to see that leadership is already considering tackling this annoying problem ahead of the console going up for pre-order (and remember, you can buy the controller separately if you don't want the whole bundle).
Xbox could get really creative with this if it wanted and turn the launch into a genuine reward of sorts for the community. Well, as rewarding as something can be that is going to cost a gazillion dollars...
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