Getting an email from Microsoft that tells you to get rid of your Xbox is not what anyone expects to find in their inbox. But that is exactly what happened to the user Nintendeal, who shared on X/Twitter the promotional message he got after a while without turning on his console.

The text goes straight to the point. It says that if you have moved to Xbox on PC or to another way of playing, it may be time to take the machine to Best Buy and get up to $375.

The campaign is a trade-in program run by the US retail chain, but the way Microsoft picked who gets the email stands out. It is not aimed at people looking to upgrade their hardware, but at people who have left their console sitting idle. The email itself presents it as a more reasonable way out for someone who already plays somewhere else.

The trade-in accepts consoles in physical stores and online between October 19 and November 19, with a maximum of $375 for an Xbox Series X and $200 for an Xbox Series S. The amount is not paid in cash, but as a Best Buy gift card, which can be used on a purchase right then.

That said, the final amount depends on several factors, because not every product is part of the program and it is not available in every store. The condition of the device, its paperwork, and its accessories can lower the value, and the check covers everything from scratches to stickers or dents. The user is responsible for erasing their data before handing it over, and the chain reserves the right to refuse any trade-in or limit the amounts.

There is another part of the message that is also interesting. Under a section called “More ways to play,” Microsoft reminds users that its games are available through Xbox Cloud Gaming, on PC and on mobile, with a link to learn more about those options. In other words, the email does not ask the player to leave, but to switch devices inside the same ecosystem.

Taken as a whole, the move suggests that Xbox is chasing active players more than sold consoles. A machine switched off on a shelf does not bring in subscriptions or purchases, but moving it to another user can. And the situation is not helping new hardware sales either. The price of components is pushing up the final cost of consoles, so restarting the second-hand market fits that picture quite well.