Playable Xbox360's... Today! [Archive]

NoName

10-19-2005, 10:27 AM

Apparently Walmarts are going to be the first stores with a playable Xbox360 display, and they start going out in stores today (October 19). Here's the article (http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000753064065/) about the discovery by joystiq. So far it's been confirmed for three different cities all in different states!

A reader in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin wrote to tell us that his local Wal-Mart has a playable Xbox 360 on display with demos of Call of Duty 2, Kameo, and King Kong. There are also looping videos of other games. We called that Wal-Mart to confirm and were told by the person working in electronics that this is in fact true. According to him, “Wal-Marts are going to be the first stores to have Xbox 360s.”
This is sort of sudden... maybe I'll be making a trip to Walmart after work today.

rein

10-19-2005, 11:37 AM

KarmaGhost

10-19-2005, 11:39 AM

And I was just in Wal-Mart yesterday, buying...uh...FOOD! Yeah, that's the ticket...

NoName

10-19-2005, 11:40 AM

Is Walmart using the kiosk this time? One of the post in the thread said it was just laying behind the counter not bolted down. Sounds to me like they are not going to have the memory card slot on their display units. That will suck if true because the kiosk are going to allow for exclusive content download.
Yes, it's behind glass in a kiosk and is already playable at many Walmarts. You miss read the comment...
I am wondering if there will be any reports of some being stolen... the 360 at the walmart i went to was just behind the glass not locked down or anything, i could see an employing running off with it...
That's not behind a counter, behind glass.

Though the comment does bring up the obvious question, how long until some of these kiosks end up on ebay? I think it'd be funny if Microsoft had secretly planted GPS locaters in them...

TheKeck

10-19-2005, 11:57 AM

I want reports of EA readers getting their hands on these things. And, um, of course... people should give me what I want. :)

rein

10-19-2005, 11:58 AM

Yes, it's behind glass in a kiosk and is already playable at many Walmarts. You miss read the comment...

That's not behind a counter, behind glass.

Though the comment does bring up the obvious question, how long until some of these kiosks end up on ebay? I think it'd be funny if Microsoft had secretly planted GPS locaters in them...

Well... ....E-X-X-C-U-U-U-S-E ME. </Steve Martin> :D

I am wondering if every retail chain will have different levels/content to download similar to what Guild Wars did with their pre-order promotion. That would be cool but a pain in the ass.

laggerific

10-19-2005, 11:58 AM

more like RFID tags.

NoName

10-19-2005, 12:00 PM

Hehe, this is sort of funny, though I think Joystiq is probably giving themselves to much credit?
Our story about Wal-Mart having playable 360s generated such massive amounts of traffic to the zip-code lookup feature at walmart.com that they’ve taken it down for the time being. Or maybe someone just tripped over a power cord or something. Either way, lots of readers have written in to let us know that their local Wal-Marts have playable 360s in them. This looks like a nationwide rollout that’s not limited to just a few stores.
The nationwide rollout thing is good to hear, or at least confirmed.

bapenguin

10-19-2005, 12:07 PM

The nationwide rollout thing is good to hear, or at least confirmed.

I've heard someone jumped the gun possibly....most likely not the "official" Kiosk rollout...we'd have a press release or something.

NoName

10-19-2005, 12:10 PM

I've heard someone jumped the gun possibly....most likely not the "official" Kiosk rollout...we'd have a press release or something.
I agree with you, but it seems the Walmarts need to have an "official" Microsoft rep be there to set them up (thus it's not in every store quite yet). Not vouching it's that way, that's just what Walmart is saying.
Naugatuck, Connecticut Walmart has the Xbox360 playable unit, but they have to wait for a Microsoft Rep to set it up. I bet the electronics department at Walmart has already had a field day with this thing.

Hizawky

10-19-2005, 12:20 PM

Does Walmart typically have game kiosks? The two near me in T.O dont have any. Nor ever did.

TheKeck

10-19-2005, 12:43 PM

Does Walmart typically have game kiosks? The two near me in T.O dont have any. Nor ever did.

Yes. I've been to many Walmarts, and they all have had them.

Where is this T.O, that I may never accidentally find myself there and be left without gaming kiosks? ;)

NoName

10-19-2005, 01:12 PM

Has anyone here on EA found out if their walmart has a kiosk up?

XenonCJ

10-19-2005, 01:34 PM

FYI - I was just told that they got one set up (but turned off??) at the new Meyerland Target in Houston Texas.

BleedTheFreak

10-19-2005, 01:38 PM

Has anyone here on EA found out if their walmart has a kiosk up?

I just talked to one of the Super Wal-Marts here in Waterloo, IA (it's only a year or two old) and the guy I spoke with said the MS rep still had to come out to set it up, and he had no ETA on that. :(

Conner Dain

10-19-2005, 01:53 PM

I would not sully myself by entering a Wal-Mart if they were giving 360's away. Wal-Mart is the very personification of corporate evil.

Rakael

10-19-2005, 01:54 PM

So, how long until snot-nossed little bastards break them? I give it two weeks.

Zeal

10-19-2005, 01:56 PM

Damn, I had some friends who got the chance to play some of the demos. They walked away unimpressed.

Another told me he couldn't distinguish the games from Xbox, which I believe.

if76

10-19-2005, 01:57 PM

Does anyone know what kind of display the kiosks will be using?

zangster

10-19-2005, 02:10 PM

I called the Walmart near Nottingham, MD and they have a kiosk up and running, or so I've been told. I may have to head over there after work.

rein

10-19-2005, 02:14 PM

Does anyone know what kind of display the kiosks will be using?

LCD HD monitor... ..I think they are 22".

fitbabits

10-19-2005, 02:17 PM

Does anyone know what kind of display the kiosks will be using?
Samsung HDTVs (http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=22909) - The Inquirer (http://www.theinquirer.net)

Samsung HDTVs (http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/8145/Xbox-360-Microsoft-and-Samsung-Electronics-Announce-Revolutionary-HDTV-Alliance/) - Team Xbox (http://www.teamxbox.com)

BleedTheFreak

10-19-2005, 02:19 PM

Damn, I had some friends who got the chance to play some of the demos. They walked away unimpressed.

Another told me he couldn't distinguish the games from Xbox, which I believe.

Hmn, that seems to run counter to what some of the guys I spoke with at my Gamestop said. They got to play it at a conference to show the employees about the system (so they could better sell it, I presume) and the three I was talking to raved about it for the better part of an hour.

From the footage I've seen, it's pretty amazing, but I have not seen an X Box on HD before, and all the gameplay for the 360 I've seen was HD. Even so, I can't help but think it's suspicious to not be impressed by Kameo, which everyone seems to adore. *shrug*

Major Scud

10-19-2005, 02:23 PM

I just played kameo at my walmart til some snot-nosed kids begged for a turn. Graphically I wasnt "that" impressed, but gameplay wise I thought it was stellare, and cant wait for my system to play it. BTW, I didnt see ANYTHING on the system about perfect dark zero, seems like MS is playing it lower key on this one now...

Bibowski

10-19-2005, 02:23 PM

EternalGamer

10-19-2005, 02:30 PM

I buy nothing at Walmart. But I'm willing to soak up some of the electricity and airconditioning while giving the demo a spin. ;)

Dan

notcivx

10-19-2005, 02:32 PM

lowlevel

10-19-2005, 02:45 PM

You couldn't pay me to shop at Walmart. I'm neither a) a middle aged white trash woman, or b) a retired veteran with absolutely nothing better to do.

Oh yeah, the whole corporate america taking over everything in site also has a lot to do with it.

I see this kind of attitude all of the time, and it makes me laugh.

So how much of the American population do those two stereotypes make up? And moreover, how much of the American expendable income do these "middle-aged white trash women" and "retired veterans wasting their days away" control? These target demographics must be HUGE! :rolleyes:

I'm sure there aren't any average families out there that can't afford to buy clothes from a boutique in the mall, are there? I mean, with the economy booming as it is, anyone that can't afford a Jag and a Beamer in the driveway and twelve pair of TH, Sean Jean, or whatthefuckever jeans for each of their kids has GOT to be white trash, right?

I don't go to Walmart often, and I don't disagree with the fact that the company is driving small business out of every community that they enter, but the people I see there don't seem any different to me than the people you would see at a Target, Sears, Best Buy, etc.

So I'll end with giving you the response you were obviously fishing for: I guess you're just that much better of a person for never having stepped foot in a Walmart . . . elitist snob.

mkelehan

10-19-2005, 03:06 PM

I would not sully myself by entering a Wal-Mart if they were giving 360's away. Wal-Mart is the very personification of corporate evil.

Everyone's got a price. A $400 360 would easily buy me off.

Sensei-X

10-19-2005, 03:19 PM

I would not sully myself by entering a Wal-Mart if they were giving 360's away. Wal-Mart is the very personification of corporate evil.

Shouldn't it read
"I would not sully myself by buying an Xbox 360. Microsoft is the very personification of corporate evil." :D

But kidding aside, I hate Walmart, I've been to a few and have never run across those amazing "can't get them anywhere else" deals everyone keeps ranting about. What I have noticed is that all the Walmarts I've been too are cluttered, dirty, unkept, filled with less then helpful employees who all look like they'd rather be anywhere else and a bunch of screaming kids. I've had my reservation for 2 months now, and I can wait one more to play it, or at very least until a more appealing chain of stores gets the demo kiosks.

goc_sin

10-19-2005, 03:38 PM

You couldn't pay me to shop at Walmart. I'm neither a) a middle aged white trash woman, or b) a retired veteran with absolutely nothing better to do.

Oh yeah, the whole corporate america taking over everything in site also has a lot to do with it.

Isn't the Xbox360 a personification of corporate america? We are talking about one of the bigest offenders here.... Microsoft.

NoName

10-19-2005, 04:18 PM

Isn't the Xbox360 a personification of corporate america? We are talking about one of the bigest offenders here.... Microsoft.
Which is why everyone should just buy the Nintendo Revolution instead! :D

/fanboyishness

Achilles

10-19-2005, 04:58 PM

A lot of raging against the machine going on in this thread.

I’d check out one of these kiosks if there was a Wal-Mart around here, but all we’ve got is Target and Fred Meyers.

Conner Dain

10-19-2005, 05:18 PM

Shouldn't it read
"I would not sully myself by buying an Xbox 360. Microsoft is the very personification of corporate evil." :D

Microsoft has issues, but Wal-Mart screws it's customers, it's mid-level to low-level employees, it's suppliers, and it's competition. I'm no Microsoft fan, but from what I understand, it treats it's employees well, and plays fair with the companies that perform sub-contract work. Wal-Mart, as a corporate entity, is ONLY concerned about Wall-Mart.

NoName

10-19-2005, 06:54 PM

So... is there a large general store that has liberal approval? What about Target, I like shopping there...

fitbabits

10-19-2005, 06:57 PM

So... is there a large general store that has liberal approval? What about Target, I like shopping there...
HEATHEN! :)

Or you could try The Liberal Store (http://theliberalstore.com/).

novicius

10-19-2005, 07:14 PM

Heh, I'm in Sun Prairie, WI, I'll go check it out tomorrow...

vladcole

10-19-2005, 07:53 PM

Joystiq is still updating the thread. If you're wondering if your area has it, check here: http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000753064065/

Krunko

10-19-2005, 11:51 PM

This is exciting to me. 6 years ago I was an employee at wal-mart working as a cashier up front, waiting for the day that they'd just move me back to electronics. They never did! But who cares, because now I can go into the electronics department and actually play a game I worked on in a xb360 kiosk. (cod2)

ianagain

10-20-2005, 01:27 AM

So... is there a large general store that has liberal approval? What about Target, I like shopping there...

Costco is very generous to its employees, sells its products at the lowest price it can afford to, and makes sure its suppliers give Costco the best deal in the industry by treating those suppliers right. Their benefits to employees are equal to practically no one in the industry. Their stock holders constantly harass Costco to reduce employee benefits and raise prices for higher margins, yet Costco's owner refuses to on principal: they save a fortune by treating employees well and reducing turnover, and refusing to spend money that could be spent on their stores on wasteful advertising. Yet they continue to grow at a rate which makes them the WalMart's biggest fear.

I don't know about "liberal approval" but Costco should definitely have the support of anyone whose alarmed by WalMart's rise and corporate mentality.

bapenguin

10-20-2005, 05:26 AM

Cool, these units have the memory card insert on them to download bonus content. I should bring the memory card along I got from the NYC show and see if there's anything there.

NoName

10-20-2005, 06:20 AM

Cool, these units have the memory card insert on them to download bonus content. I should bring the memory card along I got from the NYC show and see if there's anything there.
LOL, nice. So when does the rest of EA get to go to some fancy game preview event? :P

zangster

10-20-2005, 06:50 AM

I got to spend a little time with the Xbox 360 kiosk at the Walmart near me last night and it was fun. Unfortunately the monitor is another couple feet above the display so to be able to see the screen it felt like I was looking straight up which was a pain in the neck (literally). It was also getting pretty late for me to be out so I couldn't spend much time with it. My thoughts: the controller feels nice, the menu looks nice (the Xbox guide button does work but all of the features aren't enabled), and the games I played were fun. I tried Kameo and King Kong. Kameo will be a really fun platform experience and King Kong looks fan-freakin'-tastic. Sadly I didn't get to far into the game since the actual controls weren't given so I wasn't really sure what I was doing but it still looks and plays pretty fun. I might head back there tonight after work when I can clock some decent time with it.

Oh, and the display also had the memory card slot. And if you haven't seen the Xbox 360 in person yet and I can concur that the thing looks damn sexy. It's smaller than you'd think even with the HD attached. I'm even more excited than I was before.

Magnanimous Gnome

10-20-2005, 09:41 AM

So... is there a large general store that has liberal approval? What about Target, I like shopping there...

My "Liberal approval" mostly lies with local stores. You know, the ones who pay their employees decently, support the local economy (instead of supporting sweatshops in Asia and a few billionaires in Arkansas), and generally carry much higher quality products.

I do support a few large chain stores though, such as Whole Foods. I really wish there was one here in Lincoln. :(