Nex Playground, the must-have toy of 2025, will be available just days after Christmas.

Nex Playground has undeniably shaken up the console landscape. Over Black Friday weekend in November, this motion-gaming console outpaced Xbox in U.S. weekly hardware sales, marking a significant shift that positions Nex as a contender in the 2026 gaming scene.

This surge in popularity typically spells trouble for last-minute shoppers, and indeed, it has for those hoping to snag one before Christmas. However, there’s a silver lining: you can still grab a Nex Playground right now, and it should arrive before the new year.

Sources close to Nex’s distribution indicate that units are being restocked at major retailers for the standard price of $249.99, including on big-box store websites. Current shipping estimates suggest that many orders could arrive by Sunday, Dec. 28.

The spike in demand didn’t happen by chance. A temporary price drop to $199 during Black Friday helped propel Nex Playground ahead of Xbox, which maintained its pricing and seemed indifferent as Microsoft looks to the future. This discount pushed Nex into the second and third spots in weekly hardware rankings in late November, according to data. The company is now projected to sell around 600,000 units in 2025.

We had the chance to test the Nex back in August, and it’s a fantastic option for families. The Nex Playground is a compact, cube-shaped console that utilizes a wide-angle camera to track full-body motion, capturing the essence of Wii-style activity gaming without the clumsiness of Kinect setups. It comes packed with accessible party games, rhythm challenges, light fitness experiences, and kid-friendly licensed content, all designed for lively play sessions that appeal to younger audiences. While it doesn’t replace Xbox or PlayStation—lacking in crossover titles that might engage adult gamers—it serves as a clever addition to the modern living room as a digital arcade.

As expected, the scarcity of units has led to a thriving resale market, with eBay listings for Nex Playground often reaching double or even triple the retail price in December. However, with retail stock stabilizing, it’s worth noting that those still eager to purchase one shouldn’t pay inflated prices at this time.

Of course, this situation could change rapidly. Given the number of inquiries I’ve received about where to find one this Christmas, it’s likely that these units will sell out quickly.