Microsoft's strategy for the upcoming Xbox Series X (and the not yet officially announced but strongly rumored Xbox Series S) could not be more different from Sony's PS5 strategy. While the latter wants to place clear boundaries between generations, Microsoft wants to be more fluid by sharing experiences across generations - so says the company.

However, some discerning people have discovered that Xbox One availability seems to be slowing: Amazon lists the Xbox One X as discontinued, and according to a Reddit user, all Xbox One X consoles are no longer available at Target

The Xbox One X is no longer available at Target.

Before we go any further, a Microsoft employee denied that the Xbox One is being discontinued in a Twitter discussion. Dan Tavares, Microsoft's Xbox console business planning lead, tweeted, "Xbox One S is still very much available," in reply to someone highlighting Amazon's discontinued listings. Amazon just has a crappy way of showing their products."

It is quite possible that this innocent explanation applies to Target as well, and new SKUs are on the way. After all, it is quite unusual for a manufacturer to discontinue a game console so soon. Why would Microsoft bid farewell to the Xbox One before its successor hits store shelves, especially since Sony continued to manufacture the PlayStation 2 until 2013?

But there is another possibility: Microsoft is scaling back Xbox One production because the Xbox Series S will replace the Xbox One.

We know that Microsoft is pushing backward compatibility forward with the Xbox Series X, making sure that every title plays well on the new hardware. if the Xbox Series S is the same, why should Microsoft keep the Xbox One need to keep the Xbox One? It has the advantage of being able to push 1080p versions of Series X exclusive titles.

Wouldn't that eliminate the need for Microsoft's "Smart Delivery" technology, which allows users to play games across hardware generations with a single purchase? Not necessarily; there were just under 50 million Xbox One consoles at last count, and they are available through the used market, whether they are discontinued or not. It will also be an excellent backup console for multi-screen homes.

If this conjecture is correct, it is not surprising that Microsoft has not publicly commented on the "discontinued" status of the Xbox One. However, if this guess is correct, an official announcement will not be far off. Watch for it.