Microsoft is encouraging Xbox owners to sell their consoles in bizarre promotion

Microsoft is sending emails to lapsed Xbox players encouraging them to trade-in their console, in one of its most puzzling promotions ever. 

Xbox’s messaging has been all over the place this generation, starting with its cross-platform push and confused ‘This is an Xbox’ campaign, to its U-turn back to exclusivity – which is equally riddled with caveats. 

There’s a sense Xbox has been course correcting itself ever since Asha Sharma took over as CEO this year, but it’s unclear if more widespread layoffs, making Gears Of War: E-Day exclusive, or capitalising the word ‘XBOX’ is really the change the brand needs. 

That is to say that, perhaps, we’re not past the Xbox fumble era just yet, as we bring your attention to some emails being sent out to current Xbox console owners in the US.

As highlighted by Nintendeal on X, American Xbox Series X/S owners are being sent emails from Microsoft itself, encouraging them to sell their console to retailer Best Buy if they haven’t used it in a while.

The email reads: ‘Haven’t played on your console in a while? If you’ve moved on to Xbox on PC or another way to play Xbox games, it may be time to trade in your console to Best Buy for up to $375 (£279) back.’

It seems the emails are targeting people who haven’t played their Xbox Series X/S console in some time, or those with multiple consoles.

So why is Xbox doing this? When the company last bumped up the Xbox Series X/S prices in June this year, Xbox outlined how it plans to work with retailers to offer special discounts on pre-owned consoles to help counter stock shortages and the problem of affordability. 

Additionally, others have seen this as a way to get dormant Xbox consoles into the hands of more active Xbox players, who will invest in Game Pass subscriptions and games. In other words, a way to boost their active player base. 

However, while this might be their intention, it seems to be ignoring the bigger picture. As outlined by Circana’s Mat Piscatella, Xbox console sales in 2026 so far are the lowest they’ve ever been in the US, and that’s not because of stock shortages. 

The Xbox Series X is more expensive than the PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch 2, and it has hardly any exclusive games to shout about. Meanwhile, the best games from Xbox studios, like Forza Horizon 5, are available on other platforms. 

Even if it is a drive to get more dedicated players, people trading in old consoles comes with no guarantee that they will actually be sold on to a more ‘active’ player – so it feels flawed from the off. Purely from an optics point of view too, a company encouraging you to trade-in their product isn’t exactly a good look. 

It remains to be seen if this weirdness will continue with Project Helix, but based on how much that console could cost, ill-advised promotions might soon become the norm. 

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