The story of the PS5 and Xbox Series X inventory shortages that just won't stop has a new character: president Joe Biden. Biden, who has just been elected president, is expected to sign an executive order that will launch an investigation to address the underlying problem.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, "The executive order calls for a 100-day review of the supply chain in four areas. These include "semiconductors used in products ranging from cars to cell phones" and, of course, the hard-to-find PS5 and Xbox Series X. One resource in short supply, the Journal reminds us, is neodymium, which "is needed for solid-state lasers used to designate missile targets."

Senators Marco Rubio (Republican, R-FL) and Chris Coons (Democrat, D-WA), while applauding the study, have also urged President Biden to push his own company harder if necessary. In their letter, they ask that the President "encourage or, if necessary, require American companies to maintain domestic capabilities during this period."

In a February 18 letter to President Biden, 17 organizations (including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce) have identified the study as a matter of national urgency. [Semiconductors play a critical role in fueling our economy, contributing to American innovation, and enabling products and services that enhance our national security. Given the central role of semiconductors, strengthening the U.S. position in semiconductor research, design, and manufacturing is a national priority.

This means that the PS5 and Xbox Series X inventory shortage problem will end in the near future. Sony's Jim Ryan addressed the issue in an interview this week, promising "relentless" action to "increase production."