The most popular game console on Black Friday 2021 is the $300 Xbox Series S

The Series S is just $300, available and is capable of playing this holiday's biggest games: "Forza Horizon 5," "Halo Infinite," and "Call of Duty Vanguard."

[Orchard]

They obviously didn't know the pandemic was coming (insert Bill Gates conspiracy theory here), but with the pandemic, the idea to release the Series S looks to be a shrewd business decision.

[DarXyde]

I think it has more to do with the positive reception of Halo Infinite and the low cost of next-gen(ish) entry. Why wouldn't people want to go into the holidays with a Halo machine? None of that surprises me, but I'm not convinced that the pandemic is really the decisive factor.

And for the record, Gates is a PoS. Separating him from Xbox, he's not nearly as benevolent as people seem to think he is. Conspiracies or otherwise, there is plenty KNOWN about him that makes him awful. I am quite attuned to his actions as an architect of the worst aspects of global pandemic response. From the humanitarian perspective, as someone working internationally in the development sector, there's a...pattern to his activities, I'll say that.

[dbcoops]

"Why wouldn't people want to go into the holidays with a Halo machine?"

Answer A: Not interested in Halo
Answer B: Already own a capable PC

Just a couple off the top of my head, since you asked.

[DarXyde]

dbcoops,

Clearly rhetorical and already owning a capable PC is still, in no uncertain terms, going into the holidays with a Halo machine...

Again though, the cost of entry is low and Halo is super popular. I don't care for the series, but that's just me. I highly suspect it is a prominent driving force of sales. History tells us that high quality and/or highly anticipated software drives hardware sales (not exclusively, but certainly a contributor).

[Orchard]

@DarXyde You do make fair points, and Halo + Forza going into holiday is a pretty attractive proposition.

And agree on Bill Gates. Sketchy AF.

@dbcoops Halo and Forza are the biggest games this holiday, nothing else being released or which released recently really competes with them so I can see why people would want them.

For me, the S is somewhat appealing for its emulation capabilities. There’s a lot of old PS1, 2 and GameCube games I want to go back and play. But I’ll hold for a better price since it isn’t urgent, perhaps next Black Friday.

Also having a capable PC is a silly argument - most people aren’t spending 3k on a gaming rig, and a lot of people prefer the comfort and ease of a console + TV + couch (myself included, for most genres at least, FPS excluded).

By that logic I will never need a PS nor Xbox ever again because I have a gaming PC. And everyone is going to stop buying consoles because every gamer has a gaming rig…

Meanwhile, back in the real world, games consoles continue to fly off the shelf.

[dbcoops]

"Clearly rhetorical"

Clearly it wasn't.

"and already owning a capable PC is still, in no uncertain terms, going into the holidays with a Halo machine"

Never said it wasn't, just that you wouldn't need to buy an S to have one.

[Imalwaysright]

Pandemic causing an economic crisis and people wanting to experience the next few CoD and Fifa games at the lowest possible cost go hand in hand. As for Bill Gates, that dude is as amoral as they come as pretty much every billionaire is.

[DarXyde]

dbcoops,

"Clearly it wasn't."

That's a you-problem then, lad. Can't help you there.

"Never said it wasn't, just that you wouldn't need to buy an S to have one."

Then why bring it up as if it is in opposition to my point? My point is that, if you don't own any hardware to play Halo Infinite and you're looking for something modern, the S is the cheapest point of entry. If we're talking about the cheapest way to play these games under ideal circumstances, Series S is a clear choice and Microsoft has positioned themselves well going into the holidays, hence, Series S did well this Black Friday.

What about that is worth being argumentative about?

[jlove4life]

Nah more available I could get one yesterday but not a ps5 and I have walmart plus 4hrs early and no xbox series x

[Rude-ro]

Has to do with what is available not “popular”

[frostypants]

Don't normally like non-gaming issues on N4G but with ya on Gates. He is part of the reason the Oxford vaccine was made exclusive to Pfizer and not open-sourced. He is a greedy, evil little man pretending to be a humanitarian because it's profitable (in ways beyond just money). Everything he does is to increase his own power/wealth. Nobody should be fooled.

[ABizzel1]

A local store here was selling them for $280 and with an additional 20% off making them $224 New. I wanted to get one just to have as an emulation console, but I didn't need it, or much of anything this holiday.

[Orchard]

Do you have a link? At $224 it could be an interesting box for emulating GameCube and ps1/2 games.

[ABizzel1]

It's a local store here, they don't sell in-store stuff online, although they do have an ebay page, but it's awful.

https://www.cargolargo.com/

[Orchard]

Dang, they have 20% off every thing in store… Black Friday here in the west coast is so lame by comparison.

Sad that they won’t ship, but thanks for the info!

[ABizzel1]

LMAO at the disagrees. Just being their normal bitters selves.

[dbcoops]

"Halo and Forza are the biggest games this holiday, nothing else being released or which released recently really competes with them so I can see why people would want them."

Doesn't mean everybody wants them.

"Also having a capable PC is a silly argument"

Its not silly at all you just dont want to hear it. You dont know "most people" so stop using that term that's whats silly. I didn't say anyone was "spending", I said already own.

"By that logic I will never need a PS nor Xbox ever again because I have a gaming PC."

Nah you'll still need a Playstation for its exclusives for the foreseeable future.

"And everyone is going to stop buying consoles because every gamer has a gaming rig…"

Did I say everyone, I simply suggested it as an option and as an answer to the question DarXyde made and apparently that triggered you for some reason.

"Meanwhile, back in the real world"

More snide comments and sarcasm from you as usual.

[Orchard]

And yet none of what I wrote was incorrect. In the real world, Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox consoles are flying off the shelves and people are struggling to get them.

“ Doesn't mean everybody wants them. ”

Obviously not everyone, but given the numbers we’ve seen for Forza and the Series S selling the most on Black Friday, it’s safe to say a lot of people wanted them. Halo numbers are yet to be seen so we’ll have to wait on judging that one.

“ Nah you'll still need a Playstation for its exclusives for the foreseeable future.”

That seems less and less likely to be the case with every day that goes by. It’s very likely Sony are going to be doing day 1 launches soon, I expect within 2022. They are a corporation after all and they’ve seen how much money their IPs can generate on PC.

But regardless, I have a very high end gaming rig and I will still be buying PS hardware when their games come to PC day 1. The drama over PS games coming to PC is so overblown and silly.

For me, console is easier to use and couch + big TV is more comfortable and more social with family etc than PC gaming is.

[TheRealHeisenberg]

Lol, dbcoops is trying really hard hear. I see this stuff is really that serious some people.

[TheRealHeisenberg]

@dbcoops

Yes I had some issues with grammar but you clearly received the message.

[dbcoops]

"And yet none of what I wrote was incorrect. In the real world, Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox consoles are flying off the shelves and people are struggling to get them."

And? What does that have to do with anything I said?

"Obviously not everyone,"

So we agree.

"it’s safe to say a lot of people wanted them."

Its safe to say Christmas is coming and the S is a cheaper option and readily available because it wasn't being purchased anywhere near what x and PS5 are.If they were available to purchase on Black Friday there's obviously a reason for it.

"That seems less and less likely to be the case with every day that goes by."

That seems more and more like wishful thinking. You're using the fact a very small amount of Playstation exclusives have come to PC as an excuse to claim they all will.

"going to be doing day 1 launches soon"

LOL! Good stuff.

"But regardless, I have a very high end gaming rig"

Sure.

"console is easier to use and couch + big TV is more comfortable and more social with family etc than PC gaming is."

So its impossible to connect a PC to a big TV near a couch? I think we're done here.

[lonewolf10]

I don't see the word impossible in Orchards comment about connecting to a TV.

[Orchard]

“If they were available to purchase on Black Friday there's obviously a reason for it. “

It’s no secret that S is easier to produce than X and PS5, especially during the shortage.

“That seems more and more like wishful thinking”

Does it? Sony have outlined PC as their target growth area for the year and have registered the PlayStation PC branding. We started the fiscal year with basically no PlayStation IP on the PC and now we have or will have very soon Horizon, God of War, Uncharted with countless more to arrive judging by the Steam database.

Why would they not do day 1 launches if they see that it generates a good amount of revenue? Like I said, the vast majority of current PlayStation hardware users will continue to buy PS hardware, so it’s a net gain for Sony.

So when (and I say when, not if) Sony exclusives start coming to Steam day and date, are you saying you’re going to stop buying PS consoles? Why do you even care if Sony release games on Steam? The more the merrier.

“So its impossible to connect a PC to a big TV near a couch? I think we're done here.”

Where did I say impossible? I said it isn’t a good experience as nor as accessible as console gaming.

Is it a good experience to use a PC at long distance, and to have to use things like Big Picture on Steam? And have multiple input devices sitting around in my living room for when I need a KB + mouse? And to have to install, update windows, diagnose problems with the OS and graphics drivers etc? No it isn’t, console is as easy as turn on and just play.

Also can I build a PC that can run games at 4k60 (native or upscaled from ~1800p) for $499 with a dual sense included? I doubt it.

Anyway, back on topic, it seems like MS is selling a lot of Series S on Black Friday - so congrats to them, their gamble seems to have paid off - unless you’re somehow going to try and tell us selling more is bad.

[TheProblem]

Does it really need to be said?

It was the only console available to buy

[darthv72]

No it wasnt. I got an oled switch from best buy so there was also that to choose.

[neutralgamer1992]

This has more to do with the fact that Xbox series s is usually available at retail price many times. Where is the higher end consoles are much harder to find

[dbcoops]

"It’s no secret that S is easier to produce than X and PS5, especially during the shortage."

Its not any easier to produce the demand has just been low overall which made them readily available for Black Friday.

"Does it?"

Yes it does.

"with countless more to arrive"

You just keep hoping.

"Why would they not do day 1 launches if they see that it generates a good amount of revenue?"

Because Sony prefers to value their console and they can do so and make the port beggars wait two to three years to play the games they claim to hate anyway. They don't need to do day one to still get a "good amount of revenue".

"So when (and I say when, not if)"

You can say until you're blue in the face it doesn't mean anything..

"Is it a good experience to use a PC at long distance, and to have to use things like Big Picture on Steam?"

You can use a PC on a large TV and not have to do any of that you're just grasping at straws now just to argue.

"unless you’re somehow going to try and tell us selling more is bad."

No Orchard I would never suggest selling more is bad, feel better? Lets see if those sales numbers hold up or if they diminish severely now that Black Friday is over.

Alright another back and forth argument session with you as usual, time to move on now. As before reply if you want but I won't be reading anymore of your nonsense regarding this topic.

[MoonConquistador]

You do realise you're one of the reasons the argument is going back and forth?

Now THAT was a rhetorical question.

No need for a reply, think enough internet space has been taken up with this :p

[Orchard]

“Its not any easier to produce”

Except it is. The shortage is silicon. It has less silicon, ergo it’s easier to produce more of. Facts matter - even if they don’t fit your narrative 🤷

“You just keep hoping.”

I do hope. Not because I’ll stop playing my PS5 but because more sales = more $$$ = more high quality exclusives or bigger funding for the existing studios.

“Because Sony prefers to value their console”

Launching on PC won’t affect their console sales, the majority of PS5 users will keep buying games there - so it’s a net positive ultimately for Sony - and Sony are a corporation in case you missed that one. It’s obvious what direction this is going in, you’re just choosing to ignore it because for some reason you think it’s bad for PS gamers. I am a PS gamer and I think it’s great.

“You can use a PC on a large TV and not have to do any of that you're just grasping at straws now just to argue”

The experience still sucks. Big picture on Steam isn’t great, other launchers have no equivalent. And the problems with windows and drivers etc still exist. You’re clearly crazy if you believe PC gaming is as easy as console gaming.

“ Lets see if those sales numbers hold up or if they diminish severely now that Black Friday is over. ”

They may, but that doesn’t somehow counter selling bucketloads on Black Friday - those sales don’t suddenly disappear or become negative in value.

“time to move on now.”

I guess that’s another discussion you lost - or did you run out of bubbles again? 🤡

[TheEroica]

Congrats Microsoft on the best selling console of black friday!

[Kgb1thegame]

Already have an x, so i picked up one for my son who moved away due to his job. Also grabbed him an elite controller and 9 months of game pass for 75 bucks. He can get the 1 dollar for the month and have a total of 10 months. He already has a ps5 but he loves gamepass also.

[MadLad]

At $300, add in gamepass, you have a solid system with a lot of content to be had.
It's a good investment, and it's not a console that is too hard to find right now.

Actually grabbed two for the niece and nephew for Christmas.

[John_McClane]

I really like mine so far, fast, stable and the games look pretty decent too.

[MadLad]

I'm debating getting one, myself. Just for the past gen games.

Grabbed 2 first the niece and nephew. Wouldn't be hard to get one for myself.

[Lightning77]

I'm Not surprised. The X and PS5 are nearly impossible to find. The S is more readily available and easier to make because of tye chip it has.

[ElvisHuxley]

*only one available to buy.
You can get these in stores. Walmart had 4 of them on the shelf the other day.

[Jin_Sakai]

I guess putting consoles on shelves does wonders then considering how well it’s selling. It’s too bad PS5 and Series X are stuck online with bots and scalpers at the helm.

[John_McClane]

Downvotes? Must be some bots and scalpers lurking on N4G.

[autobotdan]

We had these at my Walmart store this morning where I work

[Jin_Sakai]

It’s too bad they won’t put PS5 and Series X on shelves so scalpers and online bots become less of a problem.

[isarai]

Just about everyone i know who has or is getting one personally (about 6 people) are getting it cause it's too hard to get a ps5. But i mean, 299, get gamepass, it's a good deal if you dont mind the low storage space whether if it's to hold you over till a ps5 or just dont mind the lesser specs.

[The_Sage]

Easiest to find. Cheapest to buy. Color me shocked.

[gamer7804]

Also has that screen attachment and is more portable.

[Darkborn]

There's always like 5 or 6 of these at most of the stores I shop at for the past like 5 months just sitting on the shelf.

[Orchard]

Sounds like a good position to be in - the only consoles in stock for Black Friday (and probably Christmas too) are the old Switch and Series S.

[Killer73nova]

And that’s why it will be the best Black Friday console. The target next to my house had a bunch for weeks and went yesterday to get some board games and literally saw all of them gone. At the point parents are like well it’s close enough as long if it’s the new one.!

[VersusDMC]

No way it isn't the Switch...new pokemon game just came out as well.

[Orchard]

Impossible to get your hands on a Switch OLED, and people probably want the latest version.

[NotoriousWhiz]

"New" Pokémon game you say?

[VersusDMC]

True that it's a remake. But going by the Japan sales numbers fans don't really care...

[gamer7804]

Switch is previous gen. A lot of kids have one already.

[ARESWARLORD]

It's a great little console that punches above its pay grade

[gravedigger]

Naaah. I mean, it is great for BC games.

[BrainSyphoned]

A machine without a disc drive is great for BC?

[gravedigger]

@BrainSyphoned

You know that you can play BC games digitally?

[BrainSyphoned]

You do know what great means right? Not even going to search how many BC games are disk only but we aren't talking about GoG/Steam digital libraries where a majority of games are still available digitally.

[Kakashi Hatake]

Microsoft tried this narrative with the 360. "The only place you can play Halo, GTA, and Mass Effect" As if Sony doesn't have big games coming down the line or already released. They depend on people being short sighted. Quite hilarious. Not to mention you can probably can't even store these 3 games on the S.

[MadLad]

So MS is misleading people by saying they have games coming, because Sony can say the same?

Big brain logic there.

[dbcoops]

So the cheapest and most available console of the new consoles, gee what a shocker.

[MadLad]

And if it was the PS5 it would have been an awesome thing for Sony and gamers; but it's not so just throw a negative spin on it and call it a day

[MrBeatdown]

Imagine having your jimmies rustled because someone suggested an Xbox is selling because it's affordable and available.

And here I am, waiting for my Series S to arrive because I found one, and didn't have to drop half a grand on it.

Shocky shock shock

[MadLad]

@db

Yeah yeah.

We'll play pretend and act like your post was to serve nothing more than downplay the topic of the article in whatever way you could offer.

[Highrevz]

Oh no 🤭 lots of people must have been confused by the name and brought the wrong console.

[iwin86]

Thia sounds more like advertisement than reporting.

[TheDoomedGuy]

Isn't the Xbox one x also capable?

[Father__Merrin]

Low cost console for the casual player it's fine for yearly cod and fifa

[MadLad]

You can say that for pretty much anything that isn't the Series X and PS5 physical edition, right?

I mean, if you choose to relegate anything that isn't the latest and greatest as "casual".

[WiiU-Dude]

I think being called an entry level system is wrong. It is simply a lower priced system and aims at a different buyer or gamer. It is for those that have not upgraded to 4k and/or have no intention to anytime soon either. Yes it could also be for those looking for a lower price point to get a current gen machine, but even then calling it a entry level system seems incorrect to me. But whatever.

[StarkR3ality]

Love how people still berate this little machine.

Got to understand that 90% of people don't have to luxary of paying thousands for a PC, or even the price tag of the Series X and the PS5.

For the money it's an excellent experience, and a lot of these will most likely be Christmas presents for kids let's be honest.

Whoever is buying them I hope they have fun, that's what gaming is about after all 😃

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

It's weird remembering how a year ago people were bigging up the console with the most teraflops while putting down the other for having 2TF less. Now a 4TF machine is a great investment. All that chest beating for nothing.

[darkrider]

Is it? A digital console with 364 of space? The moment you buy more space... The X is a much better choice. And is next Gen. Not cross Gen. And people still talk how weak it is when it can't even play tons of games that are cross gen at locked 1080p... Then it used the excuse that it cost 299... So, it's not a great investment. Maybe for kids or casuals. That don't any idea what they are getting.

[NotoriousWhiz]

I bought a 1 TB external SSD for $90. Still doesn't quite add to the price of an X and also, I now have 1.3 TB instead of the 800 MB on the X.

[OB1Biker]

I agree. It’s not a great investment at all when you realise 4k TV are common standard now for new TVs and ridiculous space for an all digital console.
I like how nobody really explain why the Series S is the most available. Simple. They typically don’t sell out like the X or PS5 other than when on sales.

[TheHan]

Dead ass serious though I bought my sister a series S console and I own a series X and they out preform gaming PCs that our friends have. Loading faster and everything, let me remind you for half the cost if not more. An when I was comparing the series X to the Series S they are almost identical to loading. Graphics are great for both at optimal performance settings, beautiful games with mostly steady frame rate if the games get patched. I haven’t seen a PS5 yet personally but I can only imagine how amazing that is as well. That’s why I am more so for console cross play than PC. Be cool to have that option.

[MadLad]

Unless they're running anything under a 2080 or above, there's no reason you should be able to state that these consoles are outperforming a proper gaming PC.

My phone outperforms my standard work desktop, but I don't call it a "gaming phone".

[jznrpg]

The most popular doesn’t mean the one that sells the most because it has a lot of stock .

[plmkoh]

Meh I picked up a Halo Infinite Series X console today.

[franwex]

That one is the one I want, too bad it’s super elusive.

[MrChow666]

I bought it just yesterday, Game had it for 270€ and I had 35€ off the points from whem I bought my ps5 so I got it for 235€, not bad, I enjoyed some halo mp last night

[darkrider]

The s is available everywhere for months. You can pick one easy. It's not the most popular but the most available. Just another marketing trick... Even this news say that. The title...

[DFresh]

Why get the underpowered Series S when you can buy the Series X?
Makes no sense to me.

[hiawa23]

I have a Series X, but the S is doing well, probably because the other consoles are probably not available in mass like the Series S is, and $299 is a nice price.

[SimpleSlave]

You mean to say because it's the only Console you can find? Little Jimmy and little Sarah won't even know the difference. 👍

[Elda]

Availability & the $300 price tag is why including the casuals not knowing any better.

[medman]

Sure it is buddy. Sure it is. I'm pretty sure leftovers from a dumpster would be popular if you were starving and there was nothing else available.

[hiawa23]

Yep

[Petebloodyonion]

Hum this reminds me of the Switch Oled being suggested in the Christmas suggestion guide from the National Newspaper.
The author says in the guide, I would recommend the Ps5 or Serie X but they are near impossible to find soo you will have better luck finding a Switch Oled.

Moral of the story perhaps the lack of PS5 And Serie x make avid customers goes desperate for the next best thing

[iraqmilner]

Haha! Most popular because the Series X and PS5 are not readily available.

[Orbilator]

Only one available, no big surprise, trust someone to big it up. I can by a series s any day of the week here, it's only selling as there's nothing else, it's a dead console and after Christmas the market will be flooded with them from unhappy kids.

[InUrFoxHole]

Good to see it selling. Excellent value

[CobraKai]

So.. the winner by default then?
I mean the Series S was always the easiest to get. And with PS5, Series X, and OLED Switch being near impossible to find still, it’s not surprising.

[ThePacemaker]

Halo Infinite & FH5 are both running at 1080p 60FPS on the S?

This reminds of PS4 Pro ..

No thanks I would definitely go for the X.

[46player]

Only because they’re easier to find.

[sourOG]

I waited for the X but I can see the appeal this time of year

[UltimateOwnage]

It helps that until now no one cared about the S, so it’s the one that was actually on the shelves to buy for Black Friday…

[anast]

It's cheap. Cheap sells.

[chicken_in_the_corn]

I would be all over one of these if it had a disc drive

[franwex]

Me if it had more space.

[After10Ben]

I have a PS5 and a Series S. The Series S goes in my bedroom where I still rock a very nice 1080P TV. The PS5 goes in the living room with my 4K TV. It's a perfect setup for me. I'll very likely bite the bullet and get a Series X at some point, but for now I am happy with my setup.

[frostypants]

Easier to find doesn't mean it's the most popular. Give me a break. PS5 and then the XSX are still the most in demand and it isn't close.

[Extermin8or3_]

Ffs I wish it wasn't. It's by a mile the weakest hardware for this gen and definitely holds the ps5 and series x back as a consequence.

[frostypants]

In its defense, its biggest shortcoming is it is limited to 1080p. In most cases devs just have to knock the res and FPS down. Granted it is holding back more CPU intensive games.

[CPTN MITCHELL]

Lame ass article...best buy here in Kissimmee FL has the series s by the bunches this crap is not selling. Halo and Forza same boring ass games