Microsoft has confirmed a shortage of Xbox controllers

Microsoft has acknowledged a shortage of Xbox controllers after many major retailers sold out completely this month.

At the time of writing, major retailers in multiple regions are completely sold out of Xbox Wireless Controllers, and the peripherals seem to be particularly scarce across Europe.

In the UK, there are currently no controllers, in any colour, in stock at retailers GAME, Smyths, Argos, Currys or even the official Microsoft Store.

Amazon UK is one of the few retailers with stock of the Carbon Black controller, which was newly added today (it was sold out yesterday). Third-party prices on Amazon for the black controller start at £93.99, nearly double the official price.

The situation appears to be similar in many regions, with Resetera forum users discussing their difficulty in locating controllers in various countries including Australia, France, the Netherlands and Germany.

The Xbox Design Lab appears to still be taking orders from players wishing to design and buy their own custom controllers. The Design Lab site continues to claim: “We aim to have the controller in your hands within 28 days of placing your order.” It’s not clear if this remains the case, or simply hasn’t been updated.

Xbox confirmed the controller shortage following an enquiry by VGC, attributing it to supply disruptions.

“We know it may be hard finding Xbox Wireless Controllers right now due to supply disruptions,” a Microsoft spokesperson told us. “We’re working as fast as possible with our manufacturing and retail partners to improve this. Please check with your local retailer for availability.”

Stock seems to be somewhat more readily available in the US for now, with availability in the Microsoft Store and Best Buy, though some sites such as Amazon US and GameStop are currently only selling pre-owned controllers, suggesting supplies aren’t plentiful in the region.

Shortages of console hardware are nothing new this generation. The global chip shortage has meant that both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 have been in extremely short supply since they launched 19 months ago, with stock selling out almost as quickly as it arrives.

Peripheral shortages have been less common, however, and it remains to be seen how quickly Xbox Wireless Controller supplies can be replenished to a level where they’re readily available in all stores again.

For now, anyone in Europe looking for an official Xbox Wireless Controller will have to either hope they get lucky and find one in stock somewhere, or go with less straightforward methods such as buying a customised controller via the Xbox Design Lab.