Microsoft officially stops production of original Xbox One

Microsoft has officially ceased production of the original Xbox One, leaving the Xbox One S and the Xbox One X as the only remaining consoles in its line-up currently being made.

Speaking to Glixel,a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed: "We stopped manufacturing the original Xbox One when we introduced the Xbox One S."

The Xbox One S went on sale in August 2016, almost three years after the original Xbox One launched in November 2013. Ever since then, original Xbox Ones have been growing increasingly hard to come by, and as of last week, can no longer be found on Microsoft’s official store, according to Glixel.

The Xbox One X, meanwhile, is due to go on sale this November, but pre-orders for the console (specifically the special Project Scorpio launch edition) are already sold out, making it the fastest-selling Xbox pre-order in Microsoft’s history.

Microsoft has been on the back foot this generation, with several analysts currently pegging its install base at around half the size of Sony’s PS4. However, while the Xbox One X seems to be in hot demand, analysts aren’t yet convinced it will change Microsoft’s fortunes, with IHS predicting the console will make up just "10 per cent of all Xbox One sales in Q4 2017". It also doesn’t believe it will reignite Xbox One sales in Europe.Similarly SuperData says the Xbox One X’s UK price of 449 is "an obvious weakness".

As a result, the task of growing Microsoft’s current console family will likely fall to the Xbox One S – which, with two more bundles announced just prior to Gamescom, seems to be a much easier sell to consumers in the run-up to Christmas. Indeed, the limited edition Minecraft bundle, which is available exclusively at Argos and Sainsbury’s in the UK, is expected to be high demand, with James Cooke, video games buying manager at Argos saying:

We are thrilled to be bringing the Xbox One S Minecraft edition to the UK exclusively through Argos and Sainsburys, which will be a must-have limited edition purchase for families and Minecraft fans."