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Xbox 360 'Must Sell Out' on Release Day
tlhIngan writes "According to a Norwegian retailer (as reported by Gizmodo), Microsoft's making some peculiar demands during the XBox 360 launch. In particular, each retailer is to get 20 XBox 360 consoles (6 core editions, and 14 premium editions). However, to get the full allocation, they have to ensure they will sell out on the day of release (December 2nd over there)! Plus, each console must leave the store with at *least* two games each. Is Microsoft marketing like the beanie babies again - using 'Sold Out!' as a way to hype the popularity of their machine? It may appear to be, since Microsoft recently slowed down production of the XBox 360 as well."
Halo 3 won't be a launch title, MS announced they'll release that for the PS3 launch. Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion was delayed as well so how many launch titles do you really want?
Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
I really don't give a frosty crank about the system. It's the games that matter, and there's nothing out there right now that makes me want to go buy a 360 so I can play it. Right now, I'm far more inclined to put the substantial cost of the latest gen console toward a new HD TV.
Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
PS2 didn't have Tekken 4 at launch. Nowhere near it.
No, grandparent is correct. It is illegal in many places to force a person to purchase one product if they want to purchase another. However, this is typically only the case where the product they actually want (the 360, in this case) has significant market power that is being abused in the sale of the secondary product (the games).
Fairly typical competition law stuff.
Read Pynchon.