Phil Spencer says Microsoft is building Xbox consoles as fast as they can

Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S (Image credit: Matt Brown | Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft's Phil Spencer discusses gaming and the Xbox platform in 2020 on Larry Hryb's video podcast.
  • Spencer explains the stock shortages of the Xbox Series X.
  • Spencer discusses Microsoft's console launches, cloud gaming, and more in the podcast.

While Microsoft's new hardware earned positive marks, including from our own Xbox Series X review, stock shortages have led to frustrations from people attempting to purchase new consoles. Spencer discusses these shortages and what Microsoft is doing to produce more consoles:

"I get some people [saying], 'why didn't you build more? Why didn't you start earlier? Why didn't you ship them earlier?' All of those things. It is really just down to physics and engineering. We're not holding them back. We're building them as fast as we can. We have all the assembly lines going. I was on the phone last week with Lisa Su at AMD [saying], 'How do we get more? How do we get more?' So it's something that we're constantly working on."

Building more Xbox Series X consoles isn't as simple as keeping factories running longer or ordering more supplies. As is the case with the best graphics cards, key components are in short supply.

"Hardware is in short supply, but we're working as hard as we can. The teams are incredibly dedicated. And I appreciate people's patience as we work to build more," said Spencer. He also discussed that shortages affect the gaming industry as a whole, including the PlayStation 5 and graphics cards from NVIDIA and AMD.

If you're on the hunt for a new console, make sure to check out our guide on where to buy the Xbox Series X.

Xbox Series X/S

Main

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.