Xbox is struggling for stock so bad that it's encouraging lapsed users to trade-in their dormant consoles ahead of GTA 6

Key Points:

• Xbox hardware sales have hit their lowest levels ever, with PlayStation also experiencing its worst hardware sell-through since 2013, largely due to a global RAM shortage dubbed the "RAMpocalypse" driven by AI industry demand.
• The RAM shortage has caused console prices for Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo to reach record highs, limiting availability and affordability just as major game releases like Grand Theft Auto 6 approach.
• Microsoft is encouraging users with dormant Xbox Series X|S consoles to trade them in, aiming to redistribute existing hardware to more active players amid ongoing stock shortages.
• Console availability remains relatively stable in core markets like the U.S. and UK but is severely limited in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America due to tariffs, supply chain issues, and economic instability.
• Industry analysts predict the RAM shortage will persist until at least 2028, continuing to negatively impact shipments and pricing across consumer electronics, including game consoles, smartphones, and PCs.