View Full Version : Want an Xbox 360? Good luck.
Evil Avatar
10-07-2005, 05:36 PM
As if it weren't already hard enough to get an Xbox 360 this holiday, this week's Game Over column (http://money.cnn.com/2005/10/07/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/) on CNN/Money reports that there might be fewer than initially expected on store shelves. While Wall Street has been expecting more than 2 million units to ship worldwide, some analysts believe the number now may be just 1.4 million. The column also likens some of the current retail bundles on the market as "on the verge of price gouging".
bapenguin
10-07-2005, 05:39 PM
I'm glad I preordered when I did.
How come every console launch always has supply problems? You'd think they'd learn.
Smart thing to do is just wait.
Evil Avatar
10-07-2005, 05:45 PM
From the article:
Skeptical? Think back to last year's desperate hunt for a Nintendo DS.
Um... here in Phoenix they had Nintendo DS systems at both of my local Walmart's and they never ran out.
Zurik
10-07-2005, 05:45 PM
Is this a repeat of just about every system launch I can remember? Getting a PS2 on launch was nasty. As hard as it is, I'm gonna hold off till after January.
The Radical Cleric
10-07-2005, 05:52 PM
What the fuck to "some analysts" know? How do they know this? File this under vague bullshit and insinuations. :rolleyes:
thecrazyd
10-07-2005, 05:54 PM
Umm... so this is what some analysts think, is it? Not confirmed or anything, just the opinion of some of a group of people who seem to be constantly wrong about everything. Well, thats just great.
Abednigo
10-07-2005, 06:07 PM
Is this a repeat of just about every system launch I can remember? Getting a PS2 on launch was nasty. As hard as it is, I'm gonna hold off till after January.
I suppose it was, but I don't remember ever preordering a system until the Dreamcast. I remember walking into the local KayBee toystore and getting an NES and SNES without a problem. Although I do remember being surprised to see them behind the register on that top shelf WAAAAY up high.
PS2 launch was a pain. I waited until recently to get a DS, but I know it was hard to find. I still haven't gotten a PSP, but they were impossible to find at release (they're everywhere now).
But the same thing happens with big game releases. But they can't use "chip shortages" as an excuse for those anymore (Zelda 2 anyone?). ;)
Evil Avatar
10-07-2005, 06:09 PM
Umm... so this is what some analysts think, is it? Not confirmed or anything, just the opinion of some of a group of people who seem to be constantly wrong about everything. Well, thats just great.
Yes, and the funny thing is that CNN, Time and MSNBC all tend to listen to these analists instead of going to game journalists who have been through these launches several times and know exactly what has happened.
Will there be system shortages at launch? Of course, there always is. And a month after Christmas you will have no problems getting a system right off the shelf.
Voodoo
10-07-2005, 06:18 PM
I'm going to celebrate the release of the XBOX 360 with the purchase of a video card to replace my ATI Radeon 9800 Standard 128MB. :)
Edit: OK, I just checked out the latest VGA charts over the Tom's Hardware and I changed my mind.
Morrolan
10-07-2005, 06:40 PM
I'll be buying at 360 when the HD version is 299.99, and not before. I could care less about launch shortages, except to laugh at all the suckers waiting in the snow. Bwa bwa bwa!
GrinR
10-07-2005, 07:07 PM
I wish there was a game I wanted badly enough to drop $700 for. Oblivion is close, but it's coming for the PC sooo... *shrug*
I'll probably buy it used eventually for $150 and use it as a sports gaming platform. Like my XBox.
rainbowblack
10-07-2005, 07:34 PM
plonked down my 400 bucks...acually 350 right after E3
america will be dodging more than terrorists and mother natures fury should i not get my hands on my technology
GunnyMo
10-07-2005, 07:36 PM
As gaming becomes more mainstream the demand for systems, especially those launched during the holiday season, will increase tenfold. NES and SNES were during the time when gaming was still "geek culture" only.
And the time honored question, "Haven't these manufacturers learned anything after all these years?" has this answer: of course they have. Why do you think systems are in such low supply. Low supply = high demand. If they flood the market at holidays that "demand" won't be as high and consumers will not rush out to buy them off the shelves as fast as they will when they know it will be sold out very quickly. Low supply creates that sense of urgency with consumers that they have to buy it now or they won't ever get it (even though that is not the reality for the patient).
It also gives manufacturers bragging rights to say, "Well, we sold every system we made during the holiday season" and to the general public they see that as "Wow! That must be the best thing ever!".
Messed up way to do business? Of course. Capitalism? Most definatly. Yay America! :)
Draft
10-07-2005, 07:37 PM
I wish there was a game I wanted badly enough to drop $700 for. Oblivion is close, but it's coming for the PC sooo... *shrug*You might reconsider when you see how it runs on your PC.
(not that I know how it will run, but does anyone remember when Morrowind came out?)
drakkarim
10-07-2005, 07:46 PM
things like this are done so there is the perception of a "worldwide shortage" of this super duper piece of equipment they're selling, i mean, it does make it look like a HUGE success when they ALL sold out immediately doesn't it?
what better way to achieve that effect then the lower the amount of pieces you put out in the market.
how would i look if there actual 360's sitting on the shelf after the first day it came out? i'd look like the system wasn't "all that".
guess what's going to happen when the ps3 comes out? same thing.
personally i might buy the 360 when monkey fly out of my butt, or the ps3 for that matter.
if you ask me, they decided to do this because based on the rate of preorders, they might not have sold out of the units in the first day...so they needed to save face and create a shortage, to raise hype/noise and get the sheep out to buy the units to be like everyone else. marketing to kids 101.
Derwin
10-07-2005, 08:03 PM
Nintendo would purposely put a choke hold on the amount of NES systems back in the day to Toys R Us and Sears if they dared to carry a Sega product.
Conner Dain
10-07-2005, 08:19 PM
Hmmm... methinks it might be a good idea to wait for the first price drop. By that time there will be a zillion titles available and I'll be able to walk into any store and buy one.
Oh, and forgive me for being a grammar Nazi, but "I could care less" actually means that you do care to some extent. What you probably mean is "I couldn't care less."
zsears
10-07-2005, 08:57 PM
Allard said not to worry. Story. (http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=10769§ion=feature&email=)
Slamming shortage fears
Allard also recently addressed concerns that Microsoft would not be able to meet the demand for Xbox 360 during its worldwide launch (the first of its kind). In speaking with U.K. trade publication MCV, Allard said fears over stock allocation are completely unfounded. "The allocation issue is kinda 'BS'," he said. "EA's Gerhard Florin thanked us on stage for effecting a global launch, and in no small way hinted that rivals should follow suit.
shpanky
10-07-2005, 09:15 PM
oh please. The only system that was hard to get at launch was the PS2 and I think that was artificially created on Sony's part anyway.
I sincerely doubt there'll be a shortage of 360s at launch.
MajSheppard
10-07-2005, 09:17 PM
I dont think their will be a problem, I was in the store today and witnessed a mother dragged in to preorder a Xbox, when the clerk told her the cost she was out the door.
Ludoc
10-07-2005, 09:18 PM
Allard said not to worry. Story. (http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=10769§ion=feature&email=)
Slamming shortage fears
That's funny because he made it sound like they would run out here. (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6135302.html)
But manufacturing is going really well and, honestly, we decided, as a management team, that we'd rather take the heat on all territories saying, "We wish we had more," and we had to say, "Sold out," in too many places. We'd rather take that heat than take the heat from Europe saying, "Why do I have to wait for a year?" We designed a worldwide product with worldwide partners and worldwide ambition and the world deserves to see it all at the same time and we're not going to have enough. That's the fact. And no matter how aggressive we are with our [manufacturing], no matter how good our yields are, that's going to be the fact, which is another reason for the manufacturer to go worldwide. (Emphasis added by me.)
jwbxx
10-07-2005, 09:26 PM
Meh doesn't bother ill just pick up a 360 at the same price i picked up my ps2 for the low low price of seven hundred dollars.
thecrazyd
10-07-2005, 09:35 PM
If it launched at $150, I would probably buy one. As is, I will probably skip the 360.
Note: I realize that this is completely unrealistic.
At least Sony made sure there were 2+ million units available for the PS2 launch.
Good going ***!
Edwin
10-07-2005, 10:00 PM
My local GameStop has ~152 reserves for the system. Launch day they are receiving 22.
XenonCJ
10-07-2005, 10:03 PM
I'm sorry "price gouging"? Last time I checked a XBox360 wasn't water, gasoline or a loaf of bread.
omnithrope
10-07-2005, 10:07 PM
I'm sorry "price gouging"? Last time I checked a XBox360 wasn't water, gasoline or a loaf of bread.
I think your idea of "price gouging" is severly limited.
Twigz'N'Berries
10-07-2005, 10:09 PM
I'm going to find a way to buy an extra 360 at launch and then ebay that sucker for a bundle!
I honestly believe the 360 will be the hot ticket for X-mas. It has no next gen competition. PS2s have saturated the market, they aren't really competing, Xbox 1 isn't competing as most will want the better version and the Gamecube inexplicably pushed back all of their system selling titles...making it even more of a non-option.
MS will have a great X-mas. Sustaining its momentum after launch is what is in doubt.
ElectricMonk
10-07-2005, 10:33 PM
i wonder if the 'shortage' rumors actually helps ms? anobody who was going to buy one pre-orders, ms has xbox's for them and everybody who walks in the door thanksgiving.
personally, i learned my lesson from this current gen, being an early adopter dosen't pay. i'll wait for the killer apps.
Heretic Machine
10-07-2005, 11:13 PM
You might reconsider when you see how it runs on your PC.
(not that I know how it will run, but does anyone remember when Morrowind came out?)
Oblivion on the 360 will never be even half as good as the PC version simply because it won't support the modding communities free works.
ezzkmo
10-07-2005, 11:44 PM
they should just release 1 per store and let the fun begin.
bapenguin
10-08-2005, 05:09 AM
Oblivion on the 360 will never be even half as good as the PC version simply because it won't support the modding communities free works.
To 90% of the people that play it though, it doesn't really matter.
On that note...I'm in the 10% :)
The real fun part comes either when A) your local store carries more HD bundle systems and few "Core" systems, or B) your local store sells out of "Core" systems and won't have any in for a long time so you either buy the overpriced version or don't get one.
Christmas from a "watch people go nuts" stand point will be fun to view this year
Draft
10-08-2005, 08:16 AM
Oblivion on the 360 will never be even half as good as the PC version simply because it won't support the modding communities free works.Are any of those free works going to improve your framerate?
Bethesda has gone as far as to say even on a screaming fast PC, Oblivion is going to have performance issues, just like Morrowind did when it came out.
they should just release 1 per store and let the fun begin.
Just get a shotgun and wait in the parking lot.
Heretic Machine
10-08-2005, 12:09 PM
Are any of those free works going to improve your framerate?
Bethesda has gone as far as to say even on a screaming fast PC, Oblivion is going to have performance issues, just like Morrowind did when it came out.
Yes, if you don't understand how PC gaming works and you decide to crank every setting to the max, you will have problems. The same applies to any other PC game released in the past six months. Deal with it.
I'm really sick of people who don't understand that settings don't have to maxed out for a game to be fun. You think that Oblivion is going to be maxed out on the 360? Think again.
Magnanimous Gnome
10-08-2005, 01:50 PM
Are any of those free works going to improve your framerate?
Bethesda has gone as far as to say even on a screaming fast PC, Oblivion is going to have performance issues, just like Morrowind did when it came out.
Actually some of the mods for Morrowind DO improve the framerate. ;)
Perigon - Some of those mods might make it Xbox-side - they need something to fill the "Marketplace" with. :rolleyes:
mister_slim
10-08-2005, 02:49 PM
Color me (what does that mean, anyway?) unsurprised. Getting on the evening news is very important for PR purposes, probably more important than getting a few hundred thousand more units into people's hands.
Achilles
10-08-2005, 03:37 PM
It’ll be sold out because making over 1 million of anything in a couple months is a really hard task, not because of some marketing ploy. I imagine that’s why all the Sony systems were in limited supply as well. A console launch is like jumping off a cliff and trying to make yourself a glider before you hit the ground, it’s not a smooth calculated process.
Personally I’m glad I pre-ordered mine 6 months ago. I learned my lesson after the PS2 launch.
Magnanimous Gnome
10-08-2005, 07:26 PM
You honestly believe that Achilles? I think it's pretty obvious that MS and Sony do limit supply to create increased demand.
Remember the fanfare of PSP sales earlier this year? Sony preduced barely enough to fulfill preorders, and then we were all inundated with PR saying "OMG, WE SOLD ALL THE PSPs!!!"
Achilles
10-08-2005, 07:36 PM
You honestly believe that Achilles? I think it's pretty obvious that MS and Sony do limit supply to create increased demand.
Remember the fanfare of PSP sales earlier this year? Sony preduced barely enough to fulfill preorders, and then we were all inundated with PR saying "OMG, WE SOLD ALL THE PSPs!!!"They had extra PSPs at the last minute because they canceled the European launch after they stopped taking pre-orders. And we all know how long it took them to get enough to actually do the European launch, the huge wait there didn't increase demand.
I don't know if Sony does this on purpose, but if they do I'd propose that it's bad business. It might create some buzz, but they make the money off people buying games, and they'd want as many people as they could get out there buying them on launch day.
I do know this is true however in Microsoft's case because I talk to people involved with that launch. I do not believe they have started making retail systems yet, which gives them under 2 months to manufacture all the systems, games and peripherals for it. That’s a tight schedule and I don’t think J is blowing smoke when he says that they’ll ship as many as they can manufacture, but no matter how many that is, they'll all sell out on day 1.
Kagger
10-08-2005, 09:34 PM
Hmmm... methinks it might be a good idea to wait for the first price drop. By that time there will be a zillion titles available and I'll be able to walk into any store and buy one.
Oh, and forgive me for being a grammar Nazi, but "I could care less" actually means that you do care to some extent. What you probably mean is "I couldn't care less."
We've been over this in another thread...someone said the same thing you said
He may actually mean its possible for him to care less....
Twigz'N'Berries
10-09-2005, 01:08 PM
Just got a call from EB yesterday. They will be releasing the system at midnight on the 22nd. So, I will have oodles of time to play before i go to work...I'm sure i won't contract any work threatening diseases that night.
The Iron Weasel
10-09-2005, 05:00 PM
I can't decide Second 7800 GTX or 360 and a couple games
7800 GTX of course.
Bought my system just a few months before PCI-express hit the AMD world, so I'm stuck in AGP land. Wish I had the option to buy a second 6800u.
Major Dan
10-09-2005, 10:24 PM
plonked down my 400 bucks...acually 350 right after E3
america will be dodging more than terrorists and mother natures fury should i not get my hands on my technology
HAHAHAHAHA, you make me laugh! But I agree with you, I'll be pissed if I don't get my 360, controller, Kameo, PDZ and the S-VHS cable!
Major Dan
10-09-2005, 10:35 PM
things like this are done so there is the perception of a "worldwide shortage" of this super duper piece of equipment they're selling, i mean, it does make it look like a HUGE success when they ALL sold out immediately doesn't it?
what better way to achieve that effect then the lower the amount of pieces you put out in the market.
how would i look if there actual 360's sitting on the shelf after the first day it came out? i'd look like the system wasn't "all that".
...
if you ask me, they decided to do this because based on the rate of preorders, they might not have sold out of the units in the first day...so they needed to save face and create a shortage, to raise hype/noise and get the sheep out to buy the units to be like everyone else. marketing to kids 101.
You know I agree with you to a point, but think of the logistical nightmare it would be to make 2 million of anything. How many a day? Lets say 25,000. 4 days for 100,000. 4x10 for 1,000,000. That is 40 days for a million, 80 days for 2 million. Now you have to pack em, ship em, and get them out on display. All from China too, right? How long does a cargo ship take to get from China to the US? How many can they carry? I don't know the answer to either but it might be fun to figure out. Then you have to get them from the port of entry to every store that is going to sell them, more travel time. Makes my head spin just thinking about it. So I agree, that a little less supply can spur demand, ultimately though, it is in MS's best interest not to let supply fall too far behind demand, because that looks bad. And I doubt they want that to happen, but if you have problems, you have problems and there aint much you can do, except work around them. I hope I get mine on 22 Nov.
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