On the occasion of a point before the launch of the Xbox Series S / X, Ina Gelbert, director of Xbox France, reassured the players: everything is done to ensure that the new consoles are delivered to them at launch, even for the Xbox All Access offer. And there should also be Xboxes under the tree.
Xbox Series X
As France undergoes new lockdown, players across the country are worried about whether their precious next-gen console will be delivered on time and how they can get it back. ” We don’t change our release date », Reassures Ina Gelbert, the boss of Xbox France.
The Xbox Series S and Series X are expected for November 10, a global launch for the American manufacturer. And everything is in the starting blocks for things to go well. ” The consoles left our warehouses and arrived at the distribution partners. The real work is now being done on the distribution side, because the plans have to be adapted to the new resolutions taken by the government. », Explains Ina Gelbert.
Ina Gelbert, Director of Xbox France // Source: Capture Xbox TV
At Xbox, we recognize that the ball is now in the hands of partners. A hot potato that falls at the wrong time given the current situation. “ We have seen the flexibility of French distributors and we must salute it », Recognizes the director of Xbox France. ” They are doing an enormous job and initiatives have been taken to offer click and collect, the possibility of picking up in store or having it delivered to your home. And we see distributors take the initiative to call consumers who have booked to offer a solution. “
Xbox All Access
Already launched in the US and quick to start at launch of consoles next gen in France, will the Xbox All Access be present at startup? Yes, we are trying to reassure the American manufacturer. ” It’s been a battle for us», Recognizes Ina Gelbert. ” We absolutely wanted to have it live on D-Day in France which is one of the 12 countries that offer it. Micromania and Fnac have worked hard with us to make the device available to consumers.“
This monthly Xbox Series S / X credit offer with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription “ requires a minimum of user preparation beforehand Xbox explains. It was only to be available in stores at Fnac and at Micromania, but the plans had to be reviewed. ” We are refining with our partners, hoping to have solutions for the launch. We have some that are possible and which, we hope, can be implemented from November 10 Says Ina Gelbert. Micromania in particular has already assured that the offer would be available online.
Xbox Series S (left) and Series X (right) // Source: Melinda Davan-Soulas for Frandroid
In the future, Xbox All Access should be available in more stores. ” Thanks to Fnac and Micromania, we will already be able to reach a large number of French players. But we have big projects and negotiations are open with other partners “Promises Marc Issaly, hardware and accessories manager at Xbox, who spent 10 months setting up the project with the first two partners. “Eventually in a perfect world, everyone will be able to offer Xbox All Access. But there is a technical issue behind it today. Working with an e-commerce specialist or with a consumer market player is not the same.“
Xbox Series S / X should be under the tree
Micromania, Boulanger and other Fnacs must therefore face the concerns of players and try to find solutions to be fully ready on D-Day. “Pre-orders have been sold out for a while. Other quantities are arriving in stores ”, welcomes Ina Gelbert.“The question that arises is the possibility of distribution at the end of the year with confinement. Our distributors bend over backwards to find solutions. They are solid and we will get there.“
But what about the end of the year and in particular the holidays with stocks that have already had to face production difficulties with the first confinement? Xbox ensures that there will be “no impact on the initially planned volumes, but on the distribution which requires reflection so that the consoles are accessible to consumers, ”Says Ina Gelbert. “We are looking at the best distribution options to make our consoles available throughout the end of the year and put them where they can be sold, respecting all government guidelines.“
Source: Xbox TV
No worries, there should be an Xbox under the tree, even if stocks have quickly melted away. “The consoles go very quickly. If I had had more, I think we would have sold more on the French market», Proclaims Ina Gelbert. She underlines “the enthusiasm of the French public“For the next Xbox Series S and Series X.”There’s something going on on Xbox right now. Consumers understand what we are doing, that we are taking care of them and meeting their expectations. I am very confident about the future of our brand in French», She concludes.