Last week, I finally got an Xbox Series X! I say 'finally' because despite working for a Microsoft company (I even have a Microsoft employee ID and email address), I have no special access (or pricing) to any Microsoft hardware.

Like everyone else desperately trying to find one, I've had to watch Twitter stock alert accounts, ring around tonnes of stores, and do everything else to try and secure a console ahead of scalpers. Even though the scalping price on eBay isn't too exorbitant—roughly about 25-30% above the retail price—I've refused out of principle to take that easy way out.

After about 5 months of persisting, a few weeks ago EB finally opened up a new round of pre-orders. This time, they tried to mitigate scalping by requiring an in-person deposit. Last week, the console finally came.

I'm still amazed by the current chip-shortage-induced climate, where over a year after the launch of the new consoles, there are still massive differences in supply and demand.

I've actually owned a PS5 for about a year. Last year, I got extremely lucky in getting a PS5 before Christmas. It's been great for the Playstation exclusives, but for this console generation, the Xbox and especially Game Pass is the much more attractive option for almost everything else.

I've been playing the new Guardians of the Galaxy game on the fresh console, and I'm really enjoying it. Forza Horizon 5 is also gorgeous, and I did a quick play of Ori and the Will of the Wisps in supersampled 6K, which blew my mind with its amazing detail. Playing it in 1080p over Steam Link does not do the visuals any justice.