Reports from alleged employees and shoppers claim Target and Walmart stores are quietly removing Xbox games from their stores.
If you’ve been to your local Target or Walmart recently and noticed the Xbox section looking a little emptier than usual, you’re not alone. Over the past few days, several posts on Reddit have claimed that both retailers are quietly removing Xbox physical games from store shelves, with some employees saying the change could be permanent.
Update, October 12, 8:32 PM PT: Microsoft has issued an official statement to Windows Central addressing reports that Target and Walmart are removing Xbox physical games from store shelves. The company clarified:
“Target and Walmart, among other retailers, remain committed partners for Xbox consoles, accessories, and games.”
Original Story: One Reddit user who says they work at Target wrote, “The Target I work for is no longer selling Xbox games. All the games have been discontinued and will most likely go [on] clearance. After all these years of selling Xbox games, it’s weird to see only PlayStation and Nintendo games being sold.”
Another alleged Walmart employee described a similar situation, saying their store’s new electronics layout has no Xbox section at all. They said, “The Walmart store I work at is getting rid of Xbox games, too. We are doing a store remodel right now, and the new layout for electronics will have no Xbox games, and Switch and PlayStation will be condensed to one lock case each. In the year or so I’ve been in electronics there, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve sold an Xbox game.”
A shopper from Kansas City also claimed their local Target was removing Xbox systems, games, and accessories entirely, allegedly told by a manager that all nearby stores were doing the same. “My local Target is getting rid of its entire Xbox section,” they said. “The electronics manager says they will no longer carry systems, games, or accessories. He also said all Targets in the Kansas City area are purging their Xbox stock as well.”
Are Target and Walmart Removing Xbox Games?
So, what’s actually going on here? At this point, neither Target nor Walmart has made an official statement confirming any chain-wide decision to stop selling Xbox discs. These reports are still unverified and could vary from store to store, especially as both retailers frequently remodel or change their electronics layouts. Still, the consistency of the claims has definitely raised eyebrows among Xbox fans.
Microsoft, for its part, hasn’t announced any plans to discontinue physical game support. In fact, earlier this year, the company said there’s “no minimum order quantity for physical media” and that publishers are still free to release their games on disc.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer also said in 2024 that the company remains “supportive of physical media,” and removing discs is not a “strategic thing for us.” More recently, Microsoft reiterated it’s “actively investing in our future first-party consoles and devices designed, engineered, and built by Xbox.”
That said, the shrinking shelf space might simply reflect declining sales for physical Xbox titles rather than a corporate-level decision. It’s something to take with a grain of salt until official word comes from Microsoft, Target, or Walmart.
We’ve reached out to Microsoft for comment and will update this story if we receive a response.
In the meantime, have you noticed Xbox games disappearing from store shelves near you? Let us know what you’ve seen in the comments below.
