Xbox seems to be vanishing from the shelves of Target and Walmart, according to reports from several users who claim to work at the two American retail chains. It appears both companies might have decided to stop selling Microsoft consoles and related software.
This wouldn’t be an entirely new move, considering what happened with Costco in recent weeks.
“On Wednesday, the Target I work for has removed all Xbox games and I’m pretty sure it will be store wide,” wrote one user, adding that the remaining titles will likely be sold at a discount.
Another person said, “My local Target is getting rid of their Xbox section,” and even shared a photo to prove it. “The electronics manager says they will no longer carry systems, games, or accessories. He also said all Targets in the Kansas City area are purging Xbox stock as well.”
Reports from Walmart Employees
My local Target is getting rid of their Xbox section
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Another message shared online claims, “The Walmart store I work at is getting rid of Xbox games, too. We are doing a store remodel now, and the new layout for electronics will have no Xbox games, and Switch and PlayStation will be condensed to one lock case each. In the year or so I’ve been in electronics here, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve sold an Xbox game.”
What’s being reported now seems to be the result of a situation that has been developing since 2018, shortly after the launch of Xbox Game Pass. That strategy made it clear where Microsoft wanted to focus, but many retailers reacted negatively — understandably so, as digital subscriptions began replacing physical game sales.
While there hasn’t been any official comment yet from either retail chain, Target’s website does appear to confirm the trend, showing that Xbox products are extremely limited in the Kansas City area.
In other news, Microsoft once tried to create its own Uncharted-style game for Xbox, codenamed Project Ranger, before canceling it due to creative disagreements.
