The Xbox Series X|S will be receiving a Walmart (use this direct link) restock today at 3 p.m. EST. This is great news for fans who have been desperately looking to get their hands on Microsoft's latest and greatest console. However, there are a few things you should know beforehand.
Both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are only available today through Xbox All Access. This means you will be unable to pay for either console upfront. Instead, you'll need to commit to a monthly fee and pay off the console over the course of 24 months.
- See the best PC games and best Xbox Game Pass PC games to play now
- Check out the Xbox Series X games and PS5 games confirmed so far
- See our reviews of the Xbox Series X and PS5
Explaining Xbox All Access
This monthly fee also includes Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (which normally costs $15 a month). For the Xbox Series S, Xbox All Access will cost $25 a month, and over the course of 24 months, that adds up to $600. For the Xbox Series X, it will cost $35 a month, and over the course of 24 months, that adds up to $840.
It's important to keep in mind that being subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate over the course of 24 months would already cost $360. If you were planning on keeping an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription up for this long, you're technically saving money. This would mean you're only paying $240 for the Xbox Series S itself or $480 for the Xbox Series X itself.
This isn't entirely accurate, though. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cards can sometimes go on sale for pretty considerable discounts on other websites. For example, 3 Months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is currently being sold for $39.99 on CDKeys, whereas it's normally $44.99.
If you're someone who's constantly browsing the web for these discounts, the Xbox All Access deal will realistically not save you money. However, if you're someone who intends to keep a subscription active for quite a long time, this would save you a little bit of money.
Xbox Series X buying help
If you do plan to commit to the Xbox All Access deal, be prepared to rush for the purchase. Ensure your Walmart account has the correct information saved. Set your current card and address so it's the first thing that shows up when you are going to checkout. As soon as Xbox Series X|S comes available, you can quickly confirm your purchase without wasting time submitting additional information.
Xbox Series X availability has been scarce ever since it launched last year, but we should see things begin to improve during the latter half of 2021. If you're unable to get your hands on one today, don't worry too much. More will certainly be available within the next month.
