No, Target and Walmart are not removing Xbox products from their stores — as Xbox misinformation reaches new levels

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A rumor started over the weekend claiming Target stores are removing Xbox products, and it quickly spread online. The claim originated on Reddit, and several blogs—which often speculate about Xbox’s future—published articles based on this unconfirmed report. This was likely fueled by recent news that Costco has reduced the number of Xbox consoles and accessories it sells, leading some to believe other retailers will follow suit.

This post led to many Redditors sharing similar experiences – they hadn’t seen certain products on shelves at their local Target or Walmart stores for months. Others, like Destin Legarie, offered different information.

I called my local Walmart to check if they were stopping sales of Xbox consoles. The employee I spoke with said they hadn’t received any information about removing Xbox from their shelves or discontinuing it, and that they currently still had Xbox consoles in stock.

We also spoke to a Target employee at our end, who also discredited claims of a wider Xbox removal.

Even Larry Nelson, a well-known former employee of Xbox, mentioned that he visited Target and GameStop stores this week and found Xbox consoles and games available. I decided to check for myself while I was already at my local Target and confirmed they had stock on the shelves.

Everything I ordered arrived except for the consoles. Checking the website, I found plenty of Xbox Series S consoles available, but no Xbox Series X. It seems Microsoft makes these consoles based on current demand, so stock levels change quickly.

The Xbox Series X is often hard to find in stores, likely because Microsoft is being very cautious about having too many consoles available. Part of the reason for this limited supply is that Microsoft is also using its processing power to support Xbox Cloud Gaming.

We were able to find both consoles available at Walmart. This raises the question: are they discontinuing them? Microsoft has clarified that both Walmart and Target remain important partners for Xbox hardware.

Target and Walmart continue to be key retail partners for Xbox, offering consoles, accessories, and games.

The spread of false information has become a major problem, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence and automated bots. Microsoft, in particular, has faced a lot of criticism recently. It’s important to understand where this misinformation originates and what steps can be taken to combat it.

Target and Walmart are continuing to be key retail partners for Xbox, offering consoles, accessories, and games.

Microsoft

The battle ahead for Microsoft began with itself

Microsoft has raised the prices of all Xbox consoles twice this year, mainly because of tariffs. The Xbox Series X now costs $649, up from its original price of $499, and the Xbox Series S has increased from $299 to $399.

To make matters worse, the price of Game Pass Ultimate recently increased by 50%, starting in November. This has led to a lot of speculation that Microsoft might be leaving the console hardware business, similar to what Sega did around the year 2000. This speculation comes shortly after Microsoft announced a ten-year deal with AMD to provide the hardware for Xbox consoles.

Microsoft quickly responded to the rumors, confirming they have no plans to stop making Xbox consoles. They suggested the recent questions might be related to their new collaboration with AMD.

Microsoft has long struggled with its public perception, but recently it’s faced increased criticism. Layoffs intended to finance AI investments that primarily benefit shareholders, combined with price hikes despite record profits, and a series of unpopular choices—particularly regarding Xbox—have significantly damaged the company’s image.

Xbox Game Pass had a fantastic year before the price increases, and Microsoft has been consistently releasing high-quality first-party games after a period of challenges. The Xbox Series X|S consoles were also among Microsoft’s best hardware releases, but again, this was before the price changes. A quick look at the comments on Xbox’s social media posts reveals that the brand is currently facing a significant struggle with public perception.

Given its prominent position, Xbox deserves careful examination. However, the spread of false and negative information could discourage people from using Xbox products and services, which would negatively impact its customers, workers, and the developers who create content for the platform. Microsoft needs to take greater responsibility for addressing this issue.

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2025-10-13 05:10