XBox 360 Takes Europe

[Vandenh]

Yeah, the 360 was unleashed on the Old World and just like in the US, all system were gone in seconds. BBC has a report (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4490798.stm).

"We have been waiting in this queue for hours and hours and now I can't wait to get home and play this game," he said.

"I've made so many new friends through this, it's a surreal experience and I will remember this for the rest of my life."
Here in Belgium, it was crazy as well. I managed to get one of the 3 "free" systems here in my local (giant) electronics chain. What are you war stories?

[Pornstar_NL]

sold out.... :(

[Doctor Worm]

Well my story is a bit rubbish but it amuses my mates (as in faces aghast with astonishment kind-of amused). I cancelled my pre-order last night due to a distinct lack of funds, the guy at the store said "You do realise you've just made someone's Christmas?". Yeah, great. Probably his Christmas actually now that I think about it.
So I had it on pre-order for 5 months only to cancel it the day before release. That's got to be up there on the list of pathetically silly things to do around a console launch.

[baz]

Woohoo! I have my premium system, crazilly enough my pre-order from Game (with £20 deposit) actually resulted in me getting a system. There were a lot of dissapointed people in the queue with me this morning though. If you didn't put a £20 deposit down at least a month and a half ago, you weren't getting a premium, and only the first 15 in the queue at my game (Canary Wharf in London) ended up getting a core.

So yeah, pretty stoked. We have a few HDTVs lying round work, so I had a bit of a play at lunchtime... liked what I saw, there was some flickering on the screen, hopefully that doesn't happen with my HDTV at home.

[Taco]

It's possible to convert a core to a premium right? Attach a hard drive and buy a headset?

[Vandenh]

>It's possible to convert a core to a premium right? Attach a hard drive and buy a headset?

Yes

The premium also has wireless controller instead of wired one. Also don't forget that your old Live headset works on 360 (I love my Halo 2 ear-plugin one).

[TRiLoGY]

From what I have heard, The Core System is the Premium system but with out the Hard-drive and accessories..

[Taco]

Was just wondering how hosed these guys getting stuck with a core are. Not too bad then.

[CapnAJ]

I believe that all 12 of the XBOX360's allocated to the UK have sold out. Microsoft seems to have been quite clever in making the new console look popular by having a release with only 97 machines actually ready and then having queues forming up on release day by people despertate to buy one the miniscule amount available for this year.

I feel smug in the knowledge that I will be getting one with tonnes of games for christmas... 2006.

[Kelegacy]

Was just wondering how hosed these guys getting stuck with a core are. Not too bad then.
Still pretty hosed. They need to spend an extra 100 bucks for the harddrive alone, get a wired controller instead of wireless, and still are without the other accessories like the headset and remote.

So yes, still hosed.

[Bumbuliuz]

Here in Iceland the X-Box 360 was not advertised and no pre-order schemes were available, but I managed to pick up a premium pack and; Project Gotham3, Kameo, Condemed and Perfect Dark. I only had to stand in below -6 degrees celcius for 3 hours but it was soo worth it ;) I am loving my HDTV now

[Taco]

The cold suddenly doesn't seem so bad in Rhode Island today.

[hell_on_toast]

Pre-Ordered my 360 on August 18th with Amazon, considering my early pre-order time I was slightly (i.e. very) annoyed that not only am I 360 less on launch day, but that amazon didn't even tell me that I wasn't going to get a console on launch.

Guess I'm waiting 'till they get some more then.

[BabyJesus]

Congrats to the 10-12 europeans that got one!

[fabico]

No problem here in France. I live near Paris, and there was at least 20 Xbox 360 waiting for me this morning in the shop :D (premium and core)

[baz]

The core is minus the HD cable, remote, wireless controller and HDD. So thats quite a bit of stuff you get for your extra £70, well worth it in my opinion. You can obviously convert a core to a premium, but at quite a bit of extra price.

[Taco]

Yeah wouldn't be a choice, but if you are desperate to get one so early you won't be screwed to the point of having to buy another system later on down the road.

[pomeroy]

Also, there are no hard drives anywheres.

[Bumbuliuz]

One thing I am curious about. Are there any HD drives available anywhere to buy for the people that bought the Core?? Havent seen any here in Iceland, but it is still early. I wanted to buy a face plate for my Premium but the shop I went to only had Silver :(

[fabico]

I have seen 5 or 6 HD drives this morning here in France. You should pay us a visit ;)

[ruprect]

To convert the core system all you really need is the Hard Drive. That will give you access to all the gaming goodies the core can't access (backwards compatibility, the Arcade, etc.) I haven't found the remote to be too useful as of yet. . . but then I already have a DVD system. The wireless controller is nice though.

For Live, if you have an XBox headset you can plug that in, but it won't have the volume control/mute on the base of the plug.

All in all, the Core is not as good of a deal, but better than nothing if you absolutely need a system.

[trip1eX]

Dam I should fly over to Japan and pick up a couple of 360s since no one over there is going to want them. I think putting them on ebay could pay my travel expenses.

[baz]

The wireless controller is damn fancy. I'm playing halo 2 at the moment, just so stoked to finally playing it in HD.

[Morratut]

Very boring. Pre ordered at a local Gamestation in Hull. The little one not the main in the centre. I picked it up at 8am. 18 consoles in stock. All sold.

I feel very lucky. Everyone was grinning in the queue because we knew we was getting one :D