I've been keeping tabs on this thread and toying with the idea of buying an XBOX 360 so with all the talk about Best Buy getting shipments yesterday I went to check it out. I didn't have my hopes up much, this was the first time I went to try and buy one. Of course they were out already.

Next I was going to head over to Circuit City and check there, but decided to try my luck at Target, and boy did I have some luck. I walked straight to the electronics section where I saw to my amazement a single premium system behind the glass. I held back excitement because I had seen empty boxes lying around other places so I went to ask an employee.

There was a sign on the counter saying "NO XBOX 360s!!!!" While standing right in front of that sign I ask him, "So, do you have any XBOX 360's" feeling a little silly and half expecting him to ask me if I could read the sign. Then he turned around, pointed and says, "Yea, we have one over there." Yessss!!

Apparently, some kid had just returned this factory sealed premium system (with the remote control) no less than an hour before hand because, get this, he had received TWO as gifts this christmas. Pretty lucky kid, pretty unlucky for whoever went through hell to get this system in the first place.

The employee said as I was checking out "I don't know who's luckier, you for getting this thing or us for getting $500 of your money." I told him we could just call it even, although I'm sure someone else would have snatched it up in no time.

Wait, what exclusive content is now available at stores?

That's called a 'Lack of Gatorade'

Chris

If they only put out 20% of what they said they were going to put out and the demand is for about 20% greater than what they said they were going to put out, then yeah, that's FAILED.

A successful launch would've meant that everyone who wanted one would have one and Microsoft's profits would've soared. Pretty far from what we're seeing.

NO system Launch could meet those requirement!!

But I'm talking about the requirements THEY set! If Microsoft says they will ship out 100,000 units on release day and only ship out 20,000 and people want 120,000 units, that is a complete failure.

Bottom line: Whatever the exact numbers are, they didn't ship what they said they were going to ship. Not even close. Demand even exceeded what they said they were going to ship. That equals failure in my book.

Best Buy in Cerritos, CA are getting some in tonight. They will sell it first thing tomorrow morning.

I miss my 360

Well, he had already swam 2.4 miles and biked 112 miles. He did finish the marathon, just didn't win.

I must have missed something, what happened to it? Robbery?

Marriage.

Shortly before the launch, MS announced they would offer downloadable content at 360 kiosks which are at retail stores. If you go to one of those kiosks, you will notice there's a slot in the center for a memory card. Also, Microsoft's vendor website mentions this as well. At the moment, we haven't recieved the disc with downloadable content, but it should be around sometime soon. It'll probably be skins and things, is my guess.

I can live with skins & themes at the kiosks. It would sure beat paying for that crap.

Well walmart called my two friends yesterday about there raincehck's so they are now in the fold with a premium system each, pretty nice they did the aincheck deal.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=13895

CES: Xbox 360 aiming for 4.5 to 5.5 million shipments by summer

Rob Fahey 14:10 05/01/2006

New factory to help Microsoft ramp up shipments, says Moore

Microsoft's Xbox chief Peter Moore has provided updated guidance for hardware shipments of the Xbox 360, saying that the firm is bringing a new factory online with a view to shipping up to 5.5 million consoles by June 30th.

Speaking during Microsoft chairman Bill Gates' presentation at CES in Las Vegas last night, Moore announced that manufacturing firm Celestica will begin production of the Xbox 360 early next month, joining existing manufacturers Wilstron and Flextronics.

The addition of Celestica should help the firm to meet demand for the console, which has been sold out in North America and Europe since its launch late last year, and is believed to have shipped around 1.3 million units worldwide to date.

Some analysts have expressed doubt over Microsoft's original target of shipping 2.5 to 3 million units by the end of March, especially given the possibility that as few as 200,000 new units may ship in North America in January, according to comments made by Banc of America Securities analyst Gary Cooper recently.

However, with Celestica set to come online in early February, units from the new factory may be hitting stores in time to help the firm reach its targets for the March quarter as well as its new targets for the June quarter.

Moore also took the opportunity to announce a number of statistics relating to the Xbox 360, including the fact that over half of all Xbox 360 owners to date have used the Xbox Live service (although whether they're just connecting to it over Xbox Live Silver or actually playing games through the paid-for Xbox Live Gold service wasn't mentioned), and that four million pieces of game, movie and music content have been downloaded through the service.

Another key part of his speech focused on the relationship between Xbox 360 and HDTV sales, and presented statistics based on a survey of Xbox 360 owners - revealing that 90 per cent of them either own, or plan to buy a HDTV, and that of those who plan to buy one, 90 per cent cite the Xbox 360 as their primary reason for purchasing.


Chris

No, the wife talked me into selling it. She said she'd get one for me in March when there are more good games out (like Elder Scrolls IV) and it's easier to find. I don't mind since I made a profit on it, but I do miss it. The guy that bought it is coming to pick it up today, actually.

Are you gonna throw in your man-card for free?

The one thing that doesn't make any sense to me is how your wife forced you to sell your 360 now, but she'll be fine with you buying one 2 months from now. Don't be suprised if you get the run around in March when you try to pick one up.

Seen a couple in Walmart and one at Target during the past few days.... all Cores though.

.

nice scrubs reference ...

i saw some cores on the shelf this week at a local wally world.

It wasn't forced, it was a "do we really need it right now" talk. Besides, we should be getting money back from taxes this year, so that would help. Not to mention the fact that I literally sold my Halo Xbox, and about 80 DVD's. I don't feel bad, I didn't really need all that anyway.

I have a habit of buying things when I don't need them. Not as bad as before, or as some of the people on this board

Still, a bad habit.

Nope, just my soul.

I saw 6 cores at a Wal-Mart in a small town today. Then in a bigger town, at another Wal-Mart, I asked and they said they had one core behind their desk.

I think Microsoft should stop putting out numbers when it's obvious they didn't even get 3 million out before the new year like they said before.