XBox availablity
#5
Retired
It's not out until the 15th as Flay said.
It will be pretty difficult to get one, but I don't think it will be as bad as the PS2. MS will probably have a few more systems out, and I don't think the demand is quite as high. 1.) MS is new, Sony had name selling power after the success of PS1. 2.) The Gamecube launch will take away from the demand a little (and vice versa) as most people can't afford two systems.
However, I think the x-box will be harder to find than the GC, at least in my area. All the stores I have asked are getting more GC's than X-Boxes. Wal-mart is the only one that's given me a specific number, which is 60 GC's, 28 X-boxes.
It will be pretty difficult to get one, but I don't think it will be as bad as the PS2. MS will probably have a few more systems out, and I don't think the demand is quite as high. 1.) MS is new, Sony had name selling power after the success of PS1. 2.) The Gamecube launch will take away from the demand a little (and vice versa) as most people can't afford two systems.
However, I think the x-box will be harder to find than the GC, at least in my area. All the stores I have asked are getting more GC's than X-Boxes. Wal-mart is the only one that's given me a specific number, which is 60 GC's, 28 X-boxes.
#6
DVD Talk Legend
I wil be at Wal Mart next evening about 10:00 to try my luck. If I don't get one I will live. I think picking up the GC could be as hard with it coming out on a weekend. We shall see. I am getting both.
#7
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Just wait a couple of months, they'll be plenty to go around.
This is surely a "manufactured" shortage on MS's part. They have a very good distribution network, so it seems a bit ingenuous that they'ld have a shortage at the last minute.
First they said 1mil units at launch, then they cut back to 600,000, now half that. Smells fishy to me.
SB already said they have plans to flood the market with these things and try to drive the price down as fast as possible.
This is surely a "manufactured" shortage on MS's part. They have a very good distribution network, so it seems a bit ingenuous that they'ld have a shortage at the last minute.
First they said 1mil units at launch, then they cut back to 600,000, now half that. Smells fishy to me.
SB already said they have plans to flood the market with these things and try to drive the price down as fast as possible.
#8
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Originally posted by Eric F
This is surely a "manufactured" shortage on MS's part. They have a very good distribution network, so it seems a bit ingenuous that they'ld have a shortage at the last minute.
First they said 1mil units at launch, then they cut back to 600,000, now half that. Smells fishy to me.
This is surely a "manufactured" shortage on MS's part. They have a very good distribution network, so it seems a bit ingenuous that they'ld have a shortage at the last minute.
First they said 1mil units at launch, then they cut back to 600,000, now half that. Smells fishy to me.
Here is a quote from the VP of the XBox division if you want to get an idea of how many they will have. Keep in mind they have been manufactuing these for about 7 weeks now.
GS: So those final numbers, do you have any specifics for us?
EF: I can't really talk about specific launch units, but let me give you a little scoop. I can tell you that we made 27,000 units last Friday alone. That's more than Sony was manufacturing PS2s, in a week, when it first launched. And our facilities are manufacturing units six days a week, so you can do the math.
Link
#9
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Originally posted by Eric F
SB already said they have plans to flood the market with these things and try to drive the price down as fast as possible.
SB already said they have plans to flood the market with these things and try to drive the price down as fast as possible.
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Originally posted by joltaddict
SB?
SB?
Anyway, he said they want the price of the Xbox at $199 by the end of next year and $99 by the end of 2003. The guy is freakin nuts.
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Originally posted by Tigger
I doubt there will still be any good games to play on the X-Crap by 2003. Not one thing is impressive or unique.
I doubt there will still be any good games to play on the X-Crap by 2003. Not one thing is impressive or unique.
Macbeth
#15
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Of course not, your post would have been:
Originally posted by Trigger
I doubt there will still be any good games to play on the LameCube by 2003. Not one thing is impressive or unique.
I doubt there will still be any good games to play on the LameCube by 2003. Not one thing is impressive or unique.
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See the funny thing is, I work for a game company. I've seen the potential of the GameCube, PlayStation2 and X-Box first hand. We're working on a game right now that has some potential, however it looks nothing superior to a second generation game on the PS2. Do I think people will buy it.. yeah, but why? Because of hype and marketing. X-Box has, as mentioned in other threads, spent 500 million on marketing, to let everyone know there is a system coming out. Thats how games are sold, in my opinion. Because people either listen to the hype, based on no knowledge of performance and whats coming out, or just will buy it because so many people say it will fail. Games like Devil Dice, Saga Frontier and the Tomb Raider series have sold millions. It is all personal preferrences for liking a game, but because they flooded the market with commericals and hype, it sold a ton. If it comes from Square, it must be good right? ... a CG chick who has huge breasts? Every guy and girl will buy it.. a system has to deliver for it to be successful. Half the games that are coming out for X-Box at launch are ports of the PS2 games, about half of GameCubes are as well. Because I personally believe Halo looks and plays like crap, that yes people will enjoy it along with Munch's Odyssee and a couple of other games. If these are the keys that are convincing gamers to get the system, then fine. However I think in the long run, it won't hold them afloat. And just on sheer first glance, The controller feels and reacts horrible. the system is an oversized paperweight. The thought of possible patches for Console games deters me even more. Microsoft has been playing hardball for months by threatening game stores that if they place any GameCube material up, they will not ship systems and games to those stores. It really comes down to games. E3, I was unimpressed with the lineup of Microsoft. Halo was seriously chuggy, what I've played so far was decent, but again nothing special. Cel Damage was horrible. Simpsons Road Rage was even worse. Project Gotham... MSR for the X-Box with slowdown. The promising one would be Dead or Alive 3.. but, I'll wait around to see if anything else comes along. Again.. personal preferrence. BTW, I think bundles suck. The $1200.00 X-Box bundle I saw was crazy. Even $400.00 and 2 games is a bit steep.
My intial feelings were wrapped up in one statement. My bad for not expressing more. I'm not mad about the comments, however personal attacks I do not condone. I instead offer why perhaps I am disagreed with? Tell me what you like about the X-Box that the PS2 or GameCube lacks. I am a fan of games and would buy any system that has games that I would enjoy playing.
My intial feelings were wrapped up in one statement. My bad for not expressing more. I'm not mad about the comments, however personal attacks I do not condone. I instead offer why perhaps I am disagreed with? Tell me what you like about the X-Box that the PS2 or GameCube lacks. I am a fan of games and would buy any system that has games that I would enjoy playing.
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Originally posted by Tigger
We're working on a game right now that has some potential, however it looks nothing superior to a second generation game on the PS2.
We're working on a game right now that has some potential, however it looks nothing superior to a second generation game on the PS2.
Half the games that are coming out for X-Box at launch are ports of the PS2 games, about half of GameCubes are as well.
Because I personally believe Halo looks and plays like crap, that yes people will enjoy it along with Munch's Odyssee and a couple of other games. If these are the keys that are convincing gamers to get the system, then fine. However I think in the long run, it won't hold them afloat.
And just on sheer first glance, The controller feels and reacts horrible. the system is an oversized paperweight.
The thought of possible patches for Console games deters me even more.
E3, I was unimpressed with the lineup of Microsoft. Halo was seriously chuggy, what I've played so far was decent, but again nothing special. Cel Damage was horrible. Simpsons Road Rage was even worse. Project Gotham... MSR for the X-Box with slowdown. The promising one would be Dead or Alive 3.. but, I'll wait around to see if anything else comes along.
Again.. personal preferrence. BTW, I think bundles suck. The $1200.00 X-Box bundle I saw was crazy. Even $400.00 and 2 games is a bit steep.
Tell me what you like about the X-Box that the PS2 or GameCube lacks. I am a fan of games and would buy any system that has games that I would enjoy playing.
As a side note.....
Is your name Trip Hawkins?
#19
Banned
Hey, I never said MS officially announced they'ld cut back units for release day, it's just that they've never denied the 300,000 # that's been floating around froom some pretty reputable sources. Whether they meet the 600,000 mark we'll know shortly. I bet not. It's more in their interest to create massive PR by causing a feeding frenzy like the PS2 had last ear.
As far as pricing strategy goes, I can see why MS wants to lower the price as soon as possible. Billy-boy realizes that this is the perfect way to infiltrate every household. You think the HD/ethernet is there just for games? I'm certain MS has big plans with PPV downloadable movies and music. Now all MS has to do is drive the broadband market harder.
As far as pricing strategy goes, I can see why MS wants to lower the price as soon as possible. Billy-boy realizes that this is the perfect way to infiltrate every household. You think the HD/ethernet is there just for games? I'm certain MS has big plans with PPV downloadable movies and music. Now all MS has to do is drive the broadband market harder.
#20
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Originally posted by Flay
Seamus Blackley. The hardcore Xbox promoter. He is like a 40 year old Frat Jock wrapped up in video games. ...
Seamus Blackley. The hardcore Xbox promoter. He is like a 40 year old Frat Jock wrapped up in video games. ...
Not a good sign for the Xbox.
#21
Here's a couple of things that I remembered about Blackley that I read in magazines several years ago:
He's got a mathamatics PhD from MIT or some Ivy League school
He used to work at Looking Glass when it was under Origins, and was involved in filght sims like "Flight Unlimited" and "FU II"
He bailed on Looking Glass and joined MS several years ago
I saw this guy at Bill Gates's Comdex keynote speech last Sunday pimping the xbox. Flay's description of Seamus Blackley was right on.
They also gave away 4 units of xbox that night, too bad I didn't get one of those.
He's got a mathamatics PhD from MIT or some Ivy League school
He used to work at Looking Glass when it was under Origins, and was involved in filght sims like "Flight Unlimited" and "FU II"
He bailed on Looking Glass and joined MS several years ago
I saw this guy at Bill Gates's Comdex keynote speech last Sunday pimping the xbox. Flay's description of Seamus Blackley was right on.
They also gave away 4 units of xbox that night, too bad I didn't get one of those.
#23
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Originally posted by Tigger
See the funny thing is, I work for a game company.
See the funny thing is, I work for a game company.
"I doubt there will still be any good games to play on the X-Crap by 2003. Not one thing is impressive or unique."
"
Because I personally believe Halo looks and plays like crap, that yes people will enjoy it along with Munch's Odyssee and a couple of other games.
I love PS2, but why somone would go out of there way to knock a console that hasn't been released seems to be pure fanboy nonsense.
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Tigger Thanks for your post. It's nice to get the opinion of someone who is looking at this whole console war from the inside of a gaming company.
I've been a somewhat reluctant gamer, I tend to wait and see how the systems pan out. I acutally picked up a Dreamcast cheap earlier in the year (knowing it was going away) and have loved getting $50 games for $9.99. Then just won a PS2 the other month.
Funny thing, I apreciate how good the PS2 can be, spent hours playing Grand Theft Auto III, but I have to say I like more of the Dreamcast titles over PS2, it isn't about the system. Side by side who knows which one is better. I enjoy both for different reasons.
I think it all comes down to the games. And man I've played more stinkers on PS2 than Dreamcast (can anyone say Batman PS2!). But GTA3 and the demo for Metal Gear Solid 2 made me go WOW, I don't think Dreamcast has ever made me go WOW.
Who knows how it'll be for Xbox or Gamecube, but HONESTLY I think it's too early to judge the new systems.
The real test will be how the titles pan out for PS2, Xbox and Game Cube over the next year. Which platform is going to best meet its game release schedules and which are going to have titles delayed over and over and over again.
It's SOOOOO easy to bash Microsoft, they're so preditory it's hard to be excited about Xbox without having that fact in the back of your mind. And I've seen a lot of gamers knock GC because it's more oriented towards a younger audience.
Having said all that there's part of me that would love to run down and pick up both Xbox and GameCube (yeah right), because at the end of the day, there's always going to be SOMETHING about a system that's worth checking out and always something that will be less than great.
I just wish games weren't $50 each.
I've been a somewhat reluctant gamer, I tend to wait and see how the systems pan out. I acutally picked up a Dreamcast cheap earlier in the year (knowing it was going away) and have loved getting $50 games for $9.99. Then just won a PS2 the other month.
Funny thing, I apreciate how good the PS2 can be, spent hours playing Grand Theft Auto III, but I have to say I like more of the Dreamcast titles over PS2, it isn't about the system. Side by side who knows which one is better. I enjoy both for different reasons.
I think it all comes down to the games. And man I've played more stinkers on PS2 than Dreamcast (can anyone say Batman PS2!). But GTA3 and the demo for Metal Gear Solid 2 made me go WOW, I don't think Dreamcast has ever made me go WOW.
Who knows how it'll be for Xbox or Gamecube, but HONESTLY I think it's too early to judge the new systems.
The real test will be how the titles pan out for PS2, Xbox and Game Cube over the next year. Which platform is going to best meet its game release schedules and which are going to have titles delayed over and over and over again.
It's SOOOOO easy to bash Microsoft, they're so preditory it's hard to be excited about Xbox without having that fact in the back of your mind. And I've seen a lot of gamers knock GC because it's more oriented towards a younger audience.
Having said all that there's part of me that would love to run down and pick up both Xbox and GameCube (yeah right), because at the end of the day, there's always going to be SOMETHING about a system that's worth checking out and always something that will be less than great.
I just wish games weren't $50 each.
#25
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I feel the need to just edit my post since opinons are not wanted when they are disagreed upon. I was bashing a console and the company behind it. Instead, you guys wish to bash me, disregard my opinions and blatently call me a liar. I've been a member for quite a while and usually keep my opinions to myself. In this instance I wished to voice what I felt and thought. I guess it is wrong to express opinions when they disagree with others. I don't know what kind of response you guys want, but rest assured you will not have to hear from me again.
BTW, I'm not Trip Hawkins.. I'm a man.. that guy thinks he's a God.
BTW, I'm not Trip Hawkins.. I'm a man.. that guy thinks he's a God.
Last edited by Tigger; 11-14-01 at 07:33 PM.