Xbox 360 Launches In U.S.

Well, it's here. Braving long lines and launch parties, and even jail time, those that were willing to pony up the time and money have their hands on the first player in the next-gen war. 360 impressions are available all across the web, with [H]ardOCP and Gamespot offering exhaustive experiences for the interested gamer. The BBC, as always, offers a bigger perspective on the launch, and Gamasutra confirms that Microsoft is in for the long haul in the games industry. From the BBC: "Sony and Nintendo are planning to unleash their next gen consoles during 2006, giving Microsoft an edge over its rivals. The software giant is virtually tied with Nintendo for second place, way behind Sony, in a games market worth $25 billion globally. Microsoft has ambitious plans for its new machine. It said it expects to ship up to three million 360s worldwide within 90 days. But the company has admitted that the worldwide launch of the console could mean shortages in the run-up to Christmas. The console is due to hit Europe on 2 December and Japan on 10 December and some retailers are also warning about limited supplies."

Comments

Microsoft is in for the long haul

[ackthpt]

Microsoft is in for the long haul

This is where it all falls apart. Killer this, great that, awesome the other thing. Really, the only hype that matters is this:

1. It's another game console.
2. It's going to have some great games.
3. The manufacturer is irrelevent, because no matter what else the box promises, once you're tired of playing the games it'll end up in the back of the closet, covered with hardened Cheeto grease, dust, a few dents from being kicked when things didn't go quite to plan in a game and utterly forgotten until Garage Sale Season.

Microsoft touts this as a brilliant center of home media and that's probably true for anyone who doesn't already have a home entertainment center of some sort. But what the distillate is you're not going to buy it to watch DVDs on, you're going to play games with it. You're not going to surf the internet, you're going to play games with it. It won't transform you into some actuallized renaissance man (or woman) through shear wonderfulness of the Total Microsoft Experience, you will play games with it.

Microsoft is under some crazy dellusion that this is some hook into the household which will bring more fish in. Really, it'll just bring gamers who are only loyal until the next gotta-have game pops up on the next revolutionary console.

If you've guessed by now that I'm not getting one, you would be right. My Athlon64 PC with top of the line video and sound cards plays this game just fine. I see no reason to switch.

"worldwide launch of the console could mean shortages in the run-up to Christmas. The console is due to hit Europe on 2 December and Japan on 10 December and some retailers are also warning about limited supplies."

Argh, the hype! Must resist... must resist!

Oh. That wasn't so difficult.

I wonder how many of these will actually go straight from the store to eBay because money is more attractive than having one.

It must suck to live in a rural area and have to get your fix this way.

new for xbox 360: uncle steve's chair toss and monkey dance combo! limit numbers, buy today!

Re: Microsoft is in for the long haul

[Ryan Amos]

More college students have computers than televisions. Most use the computer screen *as* a television for watching DVDs or whatever movies the guy down the hall got off of the internet.

Re: Microsoft is in for the long haul

[stonedonkey]

Seriously, at $399 a unit, I'm absolutely shocked that Microsoft is still losing money on the thing. The CPU and the GPU are the two expensive components. In bulk, I'd have a hard time believing that they cost more than $150-$175 together. The rest of the hardware is relatively inexpensive stuff, costing maybe $50-$100 at most. That leaves me with a total of $200-$275 for manufacturing, making me wonder where the inefficiency is. Is Microsoft really that BAD at hardware design that they can't sell a $399 integrated PC at anything less than a loss?

Yeah, they'll make a killing since they didn't spend a penny on advertising, manufacturing, research and development, haggling with developes, distribution... nigga, please.

Out first=Clear Advantage?

[Puhase]

I'm still unclear about why the fact that 360 is out first is a definitive advantage. I guess they get a chance to take a first crack at the market, but...there seems to be some extremely dark clouds on the horizon due to this early arrival.
1. No HD-DVD or Blu-Ray- whatever happens with this media format debacle, the people with the new 360 out now wont have it.
2. Future Version Product Confusion/Backlash- Because of the above, when they begin to release future updated hardware versions of the 360, the market will be confused as to what they should purchase. Its not a new system, but it has new features this time around. Will there be expensive add-ons to accommodate current owners? Because those who have the old and not the new are gonna be pissed that they didn't get the finished system. This isn't the slim-downed PS2 I'm talking about here. That was a cosmetic change or downgrade option(imho), this will be a complete technical upgrade.
3. Debut game lineup-What lineup? If I don't like sports or shooting Nazi's... not much left, maybe Kameo. Much of the "meat and potatoes" was delayed past X-mas, creating a weird kinda of late winter "secondary launch".
4.All they are competing with is heresay and conjecture-The hard and fast realities of the PS3 and Revolution are still out in the open. So a decision by the consumer is hard to make, because no real comparison can be made. This will inevitably create a bubble of "undecided". Although with how rabid gamers can be, there will always be those too impatient to wait.

I'm no fanboy, I own all three of the current generation and agree all have things about them I like. It just seems to me that we've got a situation here where the 4th grader has rushed to finish his test first and hand it in to the teacher so he can look back at the class and say "I'm done first". Even though he did a sloppy job, didn't fully answer each question and in the end didn't get a great grade.

Re:Out first=Clear Advantage?

[SilentChris]

1. No HD-DVD or Blu-Ray - I agree this is a flaw, but not an earth-shattering one. The number of HD-DVD/Blu-Ray titles are initially going to be extremely slim, due to the fact that HDTV (*still*) hasn't made much penetration in the marketplace. Maybe in 2-3 years it'll be another story -- but MS has already said they'd release a new HD DVD version of the console if there was demand.

2. Future Version Product Confusion/Backlash - I don't see the problem here. This happens with every generation. Backward compatibility has always been a sore spot, and even the PS2 didn't fully support EVERY PS1 game out there.

3. Debut game lineup-What lineup? - See, now, here's where you and I differ. I see a console built for 21-34 somethings with an 18-game launch. Those 18 games more or less cater to that demographic: shooters, sports and racing. The only thing really missing from the launch is platformers, and that usually only covered well by Nintendo's launches. Kameo looks to be a good game for the kids, and that's all I really need to justify the purchase for the family: one good game for them.

4.All they are competing with is heresay and conjecture - This happens with EVERY launch with EVERY console. It's a part of the entertainment industry. From the beginning of the first medieval jester's appearance, likely announced with "this'll be the funniest thing you see ever", there's been hype. That "bubble of undecided" always exists, and it's always negated by market whims.

In short, don't read too much into this. If you're a gamer you'll get all 3 regardless. I'm a gamer: I'm getting all 3.

Re:I don't know...

[Rude Turnip]

Revolution would win hands down:

1. It's rumoured to have a lower price tag.
2. You get free access to Nintendo's back catalog of games (excl. GCN games) going back to 1985.

Therefore, right out of the box, you've got access to tons of games. And if you're in your late 20's or 30's, you probably won't need much more than those games. Throw in a couple physically-oriented games that use that gyroscopic wand and you're all set.

fake shortage may backfire

[asv108]

From all accounts, it appears that Microsoft is trying to create an artificial shortage by only allowing a small number of units to be sold today. I called a few retailers this morning, all of them are sold out. Most of them had less that 40 systems for sale, and this in the Philadelphia area, not some rural market.

While the intended effect is to create a buzz that encourages a christmas buying frenzy, it could backfire just as well. The original Xbox launch had an enormous supply. I wasn't really looking to buy an xbox at the time, but I happened to be in Best Buy 2 days after the launch, so I decided to give it a shot.

Today, Xbox 360's are selling for nearly $2,000 on ebay. Not even a package, just the system. The "shortage buzz" will certainly keep casual purchasers away and I'm sure quite a few people might decide to wait a few months for the ps3.

Not Trolling, just bitter

[saskboy]

Where are all these people that have $500C for a game system with no games? Do they have no other forms of entertainment that they must buy a bleeding edge Microsoft game console? Might I remind them politely that they can get a computer for the same price, and it can do games and everything else the XBox 360 can do, and not be locked into Microsoft only Xbox 360 games and software?

Why not buy an XBox original and get oodles of games for it if you don't already have a system. You get way more entertainment bang for your buck. I guess keeping up with the Joneses is more important these days than it's ever been in the past?

The media coverage this thing is geting makes me nearly sick. It's on the radio, the TV, and in print. I've only heard one reviewer say they wouldn't buy their kids the system because it's going to be at least $150 less in 6 months. Don't these parents realize that their heating bills are going to be about 50% more this year?

Re:I admit it

[Red Flayer]

1. "Microsoft sooo does not belong in the game console market. They make Office software, for Christ's sake."

Lest you forget, they also make an Operating System. They also make media apps. Why are you upset about greater competition in the console market? That should benefit all of us.

2. "The first X-Box was just a PC in a box."

Ata fraction of the cost. Tons of people won't spend $1k to buy a new computer, but $300 for a console is fine.

3. "The name is stupid and personifies what I hate about this machine and its community"

What does this have to do with anything? Is the Dreamcast, or the Revolution, any better? Who cares what it's called.

4. "The game library will mostly just be PC ports and Playstation ports"

See above comment re: PC-in-a-box. Also, as a social activity, gaming on a PC with a few friends just sucks. Much easier to sit on the couch.

5. "At least with the Playstation 3, it has the appeal of being the absolute top hardware"

Hah. It's not so different from the 360. By the time the PS3 launches, it won't be near the top, compared to first-class gaming rigs.

6. "Instead of letting the product sell itself based on its own value, as other companies do (a cliched example, but see Apple and its iPod...all Steve Jobs had to do was hold up an iPod nano to the camera, and everyone was SOLD on it)"

You really crack me up. Apple spent millions and millions to market the iPod brand.
"this thing is just a shareholder-driven profit grab"

Now, a profit grab would imply that MS is making a profit on these. They are building a long-term business with the 360, not grabbing profits.
"not a genuinely fantastic product from a company that actually makes games and game consoles and belongs in that market

I won't claim to know if the 360 is fantastic or not, but like it or not: MS makes game consoles and they also make games. By your rationale, shouldn't Sony stick with audio equipment, and get the hell out of the game console market?

It's obvious you hate MS. That's fine. By why are you upset that they released a product YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY? Or are you just upset that it gets press?

Re:Zero Hour

[Saige]

I realized after a bit of play last night and this morning that Live is what's going to make or break the 360. The better graphics and more power is nice, but it's the amazing ton of features on Live that make it such a next-gen experience. Being able to voice chat with my friends while we play different games and even switch between them. Streaming my music from my PC to my 360 as a custom soundtrack in any game. Achievements and Gamer scores. Xbox Live Marketplace offering amazing games for $5.

I feel about 10x more connected to people on my friends list than I did on the original Xbox. It's no longer this separate "play online" section - you're ALWAYS playing online in one way or another, with scoreboards or directly against opponents.

I really think that anyone with a 360 and broadband needs to at LEAST make sure they're connected with a silver account, even if you don't want to pay the $50 to play online. It adds that much.