Fans Line Up to Buy New Xbox 360

[Phanto]

In more mainstream news, Yahoo! has an article online Fans Line Up to Buy New Xbox 360 (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051122/ap_on_hi_te/xbox360), talking about the system launch and the plan to marry the Xbox 360 with Windows Live.

Gaming fanatics turned out overnight across the country to buy up Microsoft's Xbox 360 as it went on sale today. GameStop, EB Games and Best Buy opened hundreds of stores across the country for midnight launch events. Buyers also lined up at 24-hour Wal-Mart stores.

Most retailers have refused to say how many of the consoles they have in stock, but Microsoft Corp. has conceded that an ambitious plan to launch the console worldwide within a few weeks will mean fewer consoles initially in North America.

While many of the eager buyers were focusing on the system's high-definition graphics and gaming aptitude, executives at Microsoft see video games as just the beginning.

The new consoles, which also can play music, display photos and show DVDs, are at the center of a strategy that will eventually tie in elements of Microsoft's new online initiative, called Windows Live, said company Chairman Bill Gates.
Where hopefuls sat in folding chairs that snaked around several aisles...lol?

[GrinR]

Xbox Launch = the fail.

To preempt the folks who think that lines at the stores and signs that say "sold out" are evidence of a success - answer me this: if that is a success, what would it be if the folks who are on line who don't get one because there are no more left could get one? What would it be if the folks who go there over this week (not to mention Black Friday, the biggest sales day of the year) could get one? A super-success?

Be real.

[Chandler]

these bastards are not lining up for xbox360, theyre lining up for the $2000 they will get on ebay!! wtf @ people buying them at outragerous prices!! :mad: I wish I bought one now

[AniAko]

Xbox Launch = the fail.

To preempt the folks who think that lines at the stores and signs that say "sold out" are evidence of a success - answer me this: if that is a success, what would it be if the folks who are on line who don't get one because there are no more left could get one? What would it be if the folks who go there over this week (not to mention Black Friday, the biggest sales day of the year) could get one? A super-success?

Be real.

:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

I'm sorry, but that doesn't make any sense.

You're saying the 360 isn't a success by sales alone?

[agentgray]

While many of the eager buyers were focusing on the system's high-definition graphics and gaming aptitude, executives at Microsoft see video games as just the beginning.

Translation:

Possible future...

PSP? Anyone? Anyone? It's gonna be a glorified media (movies, audio, mini-games) player built on micropayments. Games get you there and get you hooked, and before long we're PSP owners all over again.

[PantherModern]

My early adopter attitude towards the PSP is main reason why I avoided this launch. I got seriously burned by the hype on Sony's little movie player, and am just now starting to feel like I might have got my money's worth. I just kept feeling like I would be repeating that mistake if I plunked down the cash for a 360. If I had one right now? You bet that sucker would be on Ebay. People are paying crazy prices for this thing. I mean NUTS.

[Liquidize105]

I saw it in the news: One girl was holding a sign that said "This is how much I love my fiance."

She was first in line.

[GodFather]

I was going to buy one but have so many great pc games I havent finished I thought it would be crazy to get one now. Besides theres nothing released for it that is a "must have"

Im disappointed with the sports game reviews. Thats what I like to play most on consoles. Save the FPS for the pc, nothing beats a mouse and keyboard.

[GrinR]

:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

I'm sorry, but that doesn't make any sense.

You're saying the 360 isn't a success by sales alone?

To reiterate:

"Xbox Launch = the fail."

[DaXIthR]

GrinR has a valid point.

I agree with him. The launch is not one to appear successful because there aren't any systems on shelves. There simply aren't enough systems for an acceptable launch.

I bet you anything if the PS3 was launching right now, there'd be a hell of a lot more X360s in stores as well - not because everyone would automatically be PS3-Only, but because MS would have found a way to put more systems on shelves.

[AniAko]

GrinR has a valid point.

I agree with him. The launch is not one to appear successful because there aren't any systems on shelves. There simply aren't enough systems for an acceptable launch.

I bet you anything if the PS3 was launching right now, there'd be a hell of a lot more X360s in stores as well - not because everyone would automatically be PS3-Only, but because MS would have found a way to put more systems on shelves.

Much better stated.

Which is partially true. Retailers that take pre-orders have unkoiwingly over-sold their allotment, and Microsoft is controlling the supply and demand. Simple yet, greedy-evil-holiday economics is all. It's to their advantage since they have no competition.

[Borys]

I've read some pretty ridiculous stories about 200 people waiting in line when the store in fact had 24 systems (18 premium, 6 cores).

WTF? Is that real?

[AniAko]

Oh yeah, I was curious and headed to my local Walmart last night. There was over a hundred people in line for 48 incoming 360s. Some were there since 9am yesterday morning

[Borys]

Well it's not the amount of people waiting that made me go "WTF" but the abysmal amount of consoles in stock. That's lost money in any business book.

[momusak]

I have a preorder slated but got the dreaded computer call from Gamestop saying I won't get mine till after christmas. I am of the 534 sku and preordered in September.

I was going to go to Best Buy this morning but when I saw the news where Wal-Mart had over 200 people waiting and they only have 48 to sell I decided not to go. Supposedly at the Best Buy there were cops there to keep the peace as it got a little heated.

I am hoping there aren't any asshats in front of me on the pre-order list who will take what they got waiting in line and what they have preordered and sell on ebay.

Ah well, as time moves on, Xbox360 in my house will come to pass. Suka can wait.

[GrinR]

Much better stated.

Which is partially true. Retailers that take pre-orders have unkoiwingly over-sold their allotment, and Microsoft is controlling the supply and demand. Simple yet, greedy-evil-holiday economics is all. It's to their advantage since they have no competition.

Much differently stated. What he said is not what I said at all, even if the conclusion was the same. I'm not sure why you couldn't follow my point, as it was stated simply enough.

The launch is a failure. It's a failure because the purpose of a launch is to get your initial sales footprint as large and deep as possible while "all eyes are on you". Post-launch, it's just a regular sales day. The sales footprint for this launch is pathetic, as evidenced by the universal lack of product (and in some ways worse because of the negative publicity and bad consumer feelings this lack causes).

To put it in child terms, if I offer your class candy and then I only have enough for a few of your classmates, how do you feel about the candy when you realize you're not getting any - and how do you feel about me for offering it and then not providing it?

Hopefully that will make it around your noggin.

[Phades]

I've read some pretty ridiculous stories about 200 people waiting in line when the store in fact had 24 systems (18 premium, 6 cores).

WTF? Is that real?

It's very real. I bought mine at Costco and people kept lining up. A Costco employee that was supervising our line all night and even told them they were all gone, there were more people in line than systems. Still, they hopped right in and stood there for several hours to get nothing.

[DrHogie]

And if there were tons of 360s made, and they were sitting on store shelves right now, people would call the launch a failure because they didn't sell out.

Microsoft (and to some extent, any console releaser) is damned if they do, and damned if they don't.

[Knite]

Yeah, the damned if you do, damned if you don't comment seems fairly appropriate. For example, I seem to vaguely remember the stories about how the PSP was a "dissapointment" in sales because it didn't all sell out? anyone else remember those stories? The PS2 was a huge success and I remember not being able to get one for a LONG time after release unless it was pre-ordered, or you stumbled across one at a BestBuy on shipping day.

I think this launch not only demonstrates the difficulty of getting lots of things in one place at one time, but also shows how much more "in your face" gaming has become. Anyone ever DREAM there'd be a shortage when the first ninendo came out? No, but then again, you didn't have a few million people waiting in lines at midnight at stores just to get a shot at one either.

[AniAko]

And if there were tons of 360s made, and they were sitting on store shelves right now, people would call the launch a failure because they didn't sell out.

Microsoft (and to some extent, any console releaser) is damned if they do, and damned if they don't.

True true. Let the numbers speak for themselves when the dust settles from this generation.

[KhitomerRouge]

I'm surprised there's not a lot of references to the PS2 launch, which went exactly the same way. Either Microsoft failed to learn from the mistakes of others (which is negated by the availability of accessories and games), or their spokesholes are being intentionally stupid and misleading by saying there's no planned shortages. Maybe they assume the chains/stores will get all the blame for shortages while the press blows smoke up their ass. Of course, given our country's intelligence level, both citizens and media, I wouldn't exactly blame them.

Also, there's a difference between hedging your bets about over-producing, and leaving several potential customers out in the cold--literally in some places--for every unit you sell. If Microsoft received the pre-order numbers from the first month alone, they would have seen how high the demand was. Lines of 200 for 50 units? That's not just corporate greed, it's fucking stupid and mean.

[BabyJesus]

Sorry, I think MS has screwed up here, certainly the worst screw-up they have made yet. I preordered mine in late september and was told today I would not get it from EB until february or march. Of course this seemed silly to me, as you have people lined up to buy the console and now I have to wait until MONTHS from now to actually get it. I probably won't, it seems freaking silly to have EB's holding onto my $50 for what 3-4 months after the console was released. I don't think so. After they saw what the demand was they should have either changed the release date or stopped the simultaneous launch and picked a continent to release it to. Had they told me that I would get mine in a few weeks, I'd be fine with it. And in my opinion they should be at least able to fill the preorders that the stores sold BEFORE the end of the year. Now I have to get my money back for the preordered games that were delivered to me already.

So in this instance, fuck MS. You screwed up, you whores! Why are they even bothering to advertise the thing, its not like someone could see the comercial and go buy one?? And it just pisses off the people who already want one and can't get one. I'm now considering pulling my pre-order and saying to hell with it.

[AniAko]

So in this instance, fuck MS. You screwed up, you whores! Why are they even bothering to advertise the thing, its not like someone could see the comercial and go buy one?? And it just pisses off the people who already want one and can't get one. I'm now considering pulling my pre-order and saying to hell with it.

I'll let you in on a little secret, I worked at video game retailer, and they'll let you pre-order a PS4 if they have a sku for it. They OVER-SOLD, Now, MS is short on supply, so they can launch globally quicker, but the reason why people who pre-ordered got screwed was because of the evil entities that are Electronics Boutique, GameStop, GameCrazy, and other little outfits that NEED your money for pre-orders to stay afloat. Trust me on that one. MS did not promise anything to retailers, the retailers kept selling something they didn't have.

Supposedly some retailers didn't even prioritize chronilogically, they gave systems to those who pre-ordered the most stuff, at least that's some speculation I've heard.

Otherwise, hot commodities always sell out around the holidays, that's not MS fault. Look at tickle me elmo. If everyone in the world wants one NO COMPANY can keep up with that demand.

[Borys]

BabyJesus: you can always try eBay. $1500 for the premium and $1000 for the core system.

...

Yes, people are that rich and that dumb.

[BabyJesus]

I'll let you in on a little secret, I worked at video game retailer, and they'll let you pre-order a PS4 if they have a sku for it. They OVER-SOLD, Now, MS is short on supply, so they can launch globally quicker, but the reason why people who pre-ordered got screwed was because of the evil entities that are Electronics Boutique, GameStop, GameCrazy, and other little outfits that NEED your money for pre-orders to stay afloat. Trust me on that one. MS did not promise anything to retailers, the retailers kept selling something they didn't have.

Supposedly some retailers didn't even prioritize chronilogically, they gave systems to those who pre-ordered the most stuff, at least that's some speculation I've heard.

Otherwise, hot commodities always sell out around the holidays, that's not MS fault. Look at tickle me elmo. If everyone in the world wants one NO COMPANY can keep up with that demand.

Sure, I can see that. But take the numbers they delivered to my local Best Buy, 47 HD systems and 12 non HD, That was a rediculously LOW number because my local best buy is a busy busy store. MS was the ones who screwed the pooch on not meeting demand, not EB, BB,GS, Wal-Mart or whoever. THEY missed the demand so poorly that I bet there is a bigger percentage of dissapointed people than people who actually got one. They could have had a monster launch but now they have limited themselves and pushed some people from buying it at all.

[BabyJesus]

BabyJesus: you can always try eBay. $1500 for the premium and $1000 for the core system.

...

Yes, people are that rich and that dumb.

You mean just like the tards who did the same thing for a PS2, nah, maybe you're that dumb but certainly not me.

[Borys]

You mean just like the tards who did the same thing for a PS2, nah, maybe you're that dumb but certainly not me.

I didn't even have internet connection back then BJ!

But if this is true then whoa!. People are dumb. It's not food, it's not crack, you can always wait for the next shipment and yet some of them pay 4 times the price? Where's the logic in that?

[Twigz'N'Berries]

Wow,
It's amazing how the launch of the 360 has been spun. It's a failure? MS has pretty much sold out across the country. So f-ing what if someone bought it to put it on Ebay...hell i tried to get 2nd unit to do the same thing. Guess what, that is still a unit that has been sold. MS doesn't care if you buy it and then dress it up and call it your girlfriend...if the rumors that MS isn't losing money on the Premium Sku is true, then they have already made their money back.
Yeah, you can say there is no interest, but the thousands of people who lined up are evidence to the contrary. People who preordered (at least at my store) were at the EB 45 minutes early so they could be get their systems and go home and play quickly.
It's cool if you don't like MS and prefer Sony. But to call the 360 a failure at this point is just stupid. Yeah, they could have easily moved more units, but all of the units they did make have sold out or were given away during promotions. I went to three locations to try to get a 2nd system. Each one had more than 50 people in line....except Toy's R Us. They only had 15 people, but they were receiving 8 systems. Go figure. Even people camped out at 2 days in advance to get one of their 4 systems. If MS magically resupplied some stores on the day after Thanksgiving, they would easily sell out too.

[Twigz'N'Berries]

I didn't even have internet connection back then BJ!

But if this is true then whoa!. People are dumb. It's not food, it's not crack, you can always wait for the next shipment and yet some of them pay 4 times the price? Where's the logic in that?
The logic is that some people wouldn't be constricted in their budget as others. If you make $80k or more, its possible you won't mind dropping an extra $1300 to get the system now. A person who makes $20k probably wouldn't feel the same. Just because someone else sees the value in the system even at an astronomical price, doesn't make them stupid. They may be buying them for a myriad of reasons (gift or personal use).

And no, I paid $399 +tax for mine...and it is worth every penny.

[GrinR]

Twigz, that was a nice rant, but you're all over the map. Logic escaped your post.

The -launch- is in fact, a total failure. I've already explained this, so there is no need to talk about it anymore. Whether or not the Xbox360 is a great console, or a better seller, or what have you - that remains to be seen.

[Kelegacy]

So if somehow I find one tonight, does anyone want to buy it off me for 1000 bucks? Hell, I'll even throw in a picture of me fucking your mom in the ass.

[Kelegacy]

Twigz, that was a nice rant, but you're all over the map. Logic escaped your post.

The -launch- is in fact, a total failure. I've already explained this, so there is no need to talk about it anymore. Whether or not the Xbox360 is a great console, or a better seller, or what have you - that remains to be seen.

I predicted way back in the spring that the PS2 would outsell the 360 for the Christmas rush.

[GrinR]

I predicted way back in the spring that the PS2 would outsell the 360 for the Christmas rush.

Oddly enough, this may end up being true. What a miserable failure for Microsoft. It's so depressing to watch.

[momusak]

Wrote something but it rambled, failure or not, it is out, can't turn back the clock, and who to say what is a failure, it is all subjective. I could say we are all failures because we use up oxygen and destroy our earth every day but that is perception and perception can be the killer.

I perceive people who think this launch as a failure as cynical and jaded.

Smoke while you

or Game em while you got em

[Tyrant]

The way I see it, MS could have held back the launch and tried to get enough supply to fulfil demand...oh wait, it's now January, the busiest shopping days of the year have passed by and many parent's credit cards are now maxed out, so little Timmy ain't gonna get no 360 until Summ-oh wait, the PS3 is out! Screw the 360!!!

[BabyJesus]

The way I see it, MS could have held back the launch and tried to get enough supply to fulfil demand...oh wait, it's now January, the busiest shopping days of the year have passed by and many parent's credit cards are now maxed out, so little Timmy ain't gonna get no 360 until Summ-oh wait, the PS3 is out! Screw the 360!!!

Problem with that is most little timmy's arent going to get a 360 this X-MAS either.

[KhitomerRouge]

Yeah, a good 3/4 of the interviews with people in line, and from my judgement of newswire pictures of same, have been with people between 18-30. These are not people buying for little Timmy, or even for Chrismukkah. These are the "I want it now" gamers. I sure hope Microsoft has plans for more for next month. That is, of course, if they don't start breaking down (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7371).