360's Are Coming!

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 5:25 pm

pk500 wrote: So I think buying a 360 without an extended warranty right now is gaming Russian roulette: the equivalent to boinking a cheap whore without a condom. You might get the drip; you might not. I'd rather slip it on before I slip it in.

Take care,
PK

After such a detailed explanation I must just go after that extended warranty after all.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 5:35 pm

blueduke wrote:
jLp vAkEr0 wrote:
blueduke wrote:Scored an Xbox 360 core last night. Ordered the hard drive from EBgames website. Man I hope this thing is worth the money. I'm going to prowl the stores this weekend and pick up a couple games. Suggestions?
Blue, where did you get it?
The store everyone loves to hate........Walmart. Snagged it at their store in Hickory, NC.

people have money for these in Hickory?

blueduke · Post by **blueduke** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 6:30 pm

fsquid wrote:
blueduke wrote:
jLp vAkEr0 wrote: Blue, where did you get it?
The store everyone loves to hate........Walmart. Snagged it at their store in Hickory, NC.
people have money for these in Hickory?

Yes. Shocking I know. After a few complaints by snotty yanks they were forced to do away with the barter system. Now I'll just have to hang on to my pig or eat him

Seriously though Hickory has been whalloped by an incredible loss of jobs (mostly furniture manufactoring) in the last few years. Those manufactoring jobs will never be coming back (Thanks NAFTA and GATT). Where those people went to work (if they found any) I'll never know. Now Hickory is mostly service related or professional related as far as jobs go

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:52 pm

I walked into Target here in Buckhead, GA this morning and saw that they had one premium and 2 cores in their display. Almost couldn't believe it. The clerks said that they got 2 of each in last night, and I got the last premium. Had no idea when they would be getting any more in.

Great weekend...first the Steelers win that game yesterday, and today there's a 360 waiting for me at Target.

Can't wait for Fight Night 3 to drop next month.

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:31 pm

GTHobbes wrote:I walked into Target here in Buckhead, GA this morning and saw that they had one premium and 2 cores in their display. Almost couldn't believe it. The clerks said that they got 2 of each in last night, and I got the last premium. Had no idea when they would be getting any more in.

Great weekend...first the Steelers win that game yesterday, and today there's a 360 waiting for me at Target. Can't wait for Fight Night 3 to drop next month.

Congrats GTHobbes...welcome to the "cool" club...lol. Now go download that FN3 demo and drool.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:38 pm

blueduke wrote:
fsquid wrote:
blueduke wrote: The store everyone loves to hate........Walmart. Snagged it at their store in Hickory, NC.
people have money for these in Hickory?
Yes. Shocking I know. After a few complaints by snotty yanks they were forced to do away with the barter system. Now I'll just have to hang on to my pig or eat him

Seriously though Hickory has been whalloped by an incredible loss of jobs (mostly furniture manufactoring) in the last few years. Those manufactoring jobs will never be coming back (Thanks NAFTA and GATT). Where those people went to work (if they found any) I'll never know. Now Hickory is mostly service related or professional related as far as jobs go

Yup, that's what I was meaning by my comment. That town took a big hit. Same with Gafney, SC too.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:12 pm

I have seen them pop up online, and in fact Wal-Mart online has had them available all week. It's just that one bundle is ridiculously expensive (a six-game $850 premium bundle), and the other is a core system bundle w/o the hard drive. KB and Target.com also had bundles in stock (briefly) a couple weeks ago, and I've seen them show up on the Best Buy inventory locator (although not in my area).

So I think the shortage is probably due to end fairly soon. It seems pretty silly to pay for an outrageous bundle or get gouged on EBay at this point.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:48 pm

I've bought 4 of them in the last 2 weeks by just walking into Target in the morning before 11 am. We finally got everyone their xmas present here, of course mine is the only won't that doesn't work. I am waiting for my 3rd one to come back from repair, if this one is still broke. I am just going to pick one up at the store, switch the system and pray.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:27 pm

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/fun.games/ ... index.html

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:55 am

sportdan30 wrote:http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/fun.games/ ... index.html

From the *ahem* "article":
"Microsoft said in a statement that its challenge has been to meet consumer demand for the Xbox 360. "

It's always hard to meet demand when you aren't shipping hardly anything

600,000 after 60 days is a failure. They missed out on Christmas, which accoutns for what, 50% of spending for the year? The biggest Christmas present they gave was the one they just handed to Sony.

DivotMaker · Post by **DivotMaker** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:34 am

matthewk wrote:The biggest Christmas present they gave was the one they just handed to Sony.

Before we concede such a "present", lets see how Sony launches the PS3. Each new console gets more and more challenging to manufacture as the hardware gets more and more complex and powerful. Sony has not yet had to produce such a complex machine, much less in mass quantities. Also keep in mind that MS and Sony are not in "total control" of their parts supply chain. I have never seen such a dramatic change in some of the markets (chemicals, etc) that I have seen in the past 18 months. Anything produced today that has any parts related to petroleum/hydrocarbon production has seen some incredible changes in pricing and availability of those products. I don't see this changing anytime soon....

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:52 am

matthewk wrote:
sportdan30 wrote:http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/fun.games/ ... index.html
From the *ahem* "article":
"Microsoft said in a statement that its challenge has been to meet consumer demand for the Xbox 360. "

It's always hard to meet demand when you aren't shipping hardly anything

600,000 after 60 days is a failure. They missed out on Christmas, which accoutns for what, 50% of spending for the year? The biggest Christmas present they gave was the one they just handed to Sony.

I won't claim MS's 360 launch was flawless but lets keep in mind they went with a worldwide launch...unheard of as far as console launches. I do believe they spread themselves thin by lumping Europe and Japan into the launch. I don't think Japan will ever buy into any foreign console. They seem kinda stubborn that way but MS gave it a try. I won't comment on the PS3's "greatness" until I actually see it. My projection is that the 360 will end up being the better console but Sony will sell a boatload because the average consumer still believes Sony makes a better console. To each his own.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:01 pm

The worldwide launch turned out to be a bad idea. If you have devoted customers still searching for consoles at this point while Japan can't sell them, then it is a tactical error.

I think they screwed up by not being able to deliver more consoles to their key market during Christmas.

I also don't buy the "Japanese won't buy a foreign console" stuff, either. It isn't like all American company-made electronics collect dust. MS' offerings just aren't attractive to them.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:04 pm

Let's get this straight right off the bat. I do not care who "wins" between the 360 and PS3. I'll get 1 of the two, but at this point I'm not sure which. Just want to make that clear, because the first 2 responses to my statements sound like you think I'm rooting for Sony.

How is this not a gift for Sony? Every developer, retailer, and analyst has said the 600,000 number is well below expecations. The whole reason for realeasing the 360 first was to get the jump on Sony. Sure, thay are still first out of the gate, but they came out jogging, not runing. There is no way this is not making Sony very happy at this point. This doesn't mean MS blew it so bad that Sony is guaranteed victory, if that's what is meant by conceding.

DivotMaker · Post by **DivotMaker** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:05 pm

Dave wrote:The worldwide launch turned out to be a bad idea. If you have devoted customers still searching for consoles at this point while Japan can't sell them, then it is a tactical error.

I think they screwed up by not being able to deliver more consoles to their key market during Christmas.

Could not agree more.

AcemanPR · Post by **AcemanPR** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:41 pm

It's only a gift for Sony if the PS3 actually launches this year. But, I'm banking it will be 2007 before Sony rolls out the PS3. If there are no playable games at E3 for the PS3, were not going to see it in the US in 2006.

When MS announced the launch date of the 360, they thought they could meet supply on a worldwide basis. But a couple things prevented this from happening. Early in the production process, a great number of machines had to be scrapped because of a production flaw in the chips used. This was part IBM's fault, but more MS's fault for making IBM do a 30 month job in 18 months. So that put them behind a couple months. Also, their third production plant never got up and running in time. So that cuts the production by a third right there. If we lived in a perfect world, MS would have rolled out 1.5 million units for launch.

Like DivotMaker said, it is amazing how much costs have skyrocketed in the chemical industry. I work for a chemical company. In 2005, we had 2 price increases. In my previous 9 years here, we had 2 total. We had another one yesterday. Some of our competitors had 6 price increases in 2005. Our purchasing manager who has been here for 30+ years has never seen anything like this since he has been with the company.

Yeah, it is real easy to blame a company when you don't see results you expected to see. But when you dig in and get some actual facts, then the numbers don't look shocking at all. For all that has happened, I'm pretty impressed that Microsoft has done as well as they have. Now that the 3rd manufacturing facility just got up and running, it won't be long before you can walk into a store any given day and pick up an Xbox 360. And this could very well happen a full year before Sony gets their first PS3 to market.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:52 pm

Diablo25 wrote:I don't think Japan will ever buy into any foreign console. They seem kinda stubborn that way but MS gave it a try.

I don't buy that, Doby. I think the major reason the Xbox and Xbox 360 haven't been successful in Japan is the gaming library, especially at launch.

MS has tailored the Xbox and 360 libraries around games that are popular among North American male gamers -- sports games and first-person shooters. From what I've read here and elsewhere, those games don't set Japan on fire.

The Japanese prefer adventure games, quirky, unique Nintendo-style games, puzzle games, music-oriented games, fighting games and RPG's -- most of which are big weaknesses in the Xbox and early 360 lineup.

MS loves its big-bang shooters and American sports games, and that's why its consoles have flopped in Japan, in my opinion.

Take care,
PK

DivotMaker · Post by **DivotMaker** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:53 pm

matthewk wrote:Sure, thay are still first out of the gate, but they came out jogging, not runing.

There is no guarantee that Sony's PS3 launch will be any less or more troublesome than MS's given today's worldwide market conditions in raw materials.

matthewk wrote:There is no way this is not making Sony very happy at this point.

No question. Publicly they are very arrogant ("HD gaming doesn't start until the PS3 comes out"...puhlease....) and I feel dangerously overconfident. I am sure they know alot more than I do obviously. However, if I was a betting man, I would bet they are sweating every single day that the 360 is out and available and the PS3 is not.

matthewk wrote:This doesn't mean MS blew it so bad that Sony is guaranteed victory, if that's what is meant by conceding.

While I agree with you and everyone else that the 360 launch was less-than-expected. However, this question won't be truly answered until Sony launches the PS3 and then for the first 6 months after that. Let's see how they deal with launching a complex and powerful product in mass quantities. If they DO, I will be first in line to congratulate them because it would be an INCREDIBLE achievement in this day and market.

DivotMaker · Post by **DivotMaker** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:09 pm

Interesting article at Forbes on this very topic...

http://www.forbes.com/technology/feeds/ ... 53335.html

F308GTB · Post by **F308GTB** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:38 pm

You've got to consider the launch a failure at this point. Developers, and particularly those who've already released software, must be looking at each other and wondering WTF? For every console not sold due to supply issues, that's one or more software titles sitting on store shelves. If you were a developer would you want to spend resources for an installed base of 600,000? Sure it will grow, but by how much and how fast? It may end up being a situation where the cat chases its tail: developers slip their release dates to wait for more units to be available to the public, the public doesn't buy the hardware because there's no software for it, developers don't develop because no one is buying...

Honestly MS blew it big time with me. I was psyched about the 360 to the point where I was checking a few stores and following leads on the internet. Other things have come up where I don't have the time or desire to go for a 360 right now. Looks like I can wait for a price drop, either on the hardware and/or software side. These supply issues make you realize just how little you really need to have one.

The good news for MS is that they probably won't have to worry about shipping any more units to Japan. At the rate they are selling they probably have a lifetime supply over there already.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:52 pm

F308GTB wrote:Honestly MS blew it big time with me. I was psyched about the 360 to the point where I was checking a few stores and following leads on the internet. Other things have come up where I don't have the time or desire to go for a 360 right now. Looks like I can wait for a price drop, either on the hardware and/or software side. These supply issues make you realize just how little you really need to have one.

I have to wonder how many people are feeling the same way as you. Don't forget that as you wait for a price drop, Sony or Nintendo could blow you away with their offerings and sway your opinion on which system you'd like.

Great points on the software side of things, too.

Also, to be fair, Nintendo screwed up in a different way with the DS recently--too many North American units and not enough in Japan.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:18 pm

The lack of supply is a bummer, but the number of defective consoles has scared me from buying a 360 anytime soon more than the man hours it might take to find one.

There sure seems to be a lot of defective 360s. I'm reading posts here from dudes like Mix and Danimal who are on their THIRD 360, and the damn thing hasn't been on the market two months. They're not alone: There's a thread about defective 360s at OS that's longer than Jack Abramoff's lobbying crony list.

That frightens this consumer, especially since the unit costs $400. I expect better quality for an investment like that.

Sure, the PS2 had quite a few defective units at and shortly after launch. But per capita for the number of systems Microsoft shipped to the U.S., the number of defective 360s sure seems a hell of a lot higher.

To me, that's an even more serious issue than the lack of supply in the U.S. market. I'd rather have $400 in my pocket and no 360 under my TV than be $400 lighter and have a busted white box under my set.

Take care,
PK

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:20 pm

matthewk wrote:Let's get this straight right off the bat. I do not care who "wins" between the 360 and PS3. I'll get 1 of the two, but at this point I'm not sure which. Just want to make that clear, because the first 2 responses to my statements sound like you think I'm rooting for Sony.

How is this not a gift for Sony?

How is it a gift?

Do we have a confirmed launch date for the PS3?
Most people expect Spring, I think that we would know a date if that were true. People in the industry I tend to trust say it won't even launch this year. Sure that is speculation, but so is a spring launch at this point. I'll trust my friends judgement, and if they are wrong and it does launch in spring i will congratulate sony for launchign a system with absolutely no hype or marketing...

Is the PS3 doing a worlwdie launch?
Usually they do not and they release up to 6 months prior in Japan before the US. If they hold to that track record, if the PS 3 launches in Japan this spring, it will launch in the US in the fall.

Whats the launch price? whats included?
Speculation is anywhere from 300-500 beans. Plus we don't even know what it will included. I'm not paying $500 for a system with no HD and no online gaming strategy. Not just so I can play blue Ray Discs.

What playable games / demos have been shown for the PS3? whats the launch lineup?
Another unknwon at this point, in fact we don't even know if final dev kits have been sent. If people though the 360's launch lineup was weak, imagine how bad the PS3 will be considering we have seen nothing in terms of playable demos.

I have been and continue to be highly critical to MS launch, but to deem it a failure is stretching it a little. People are still hunting for them and they are still selling out. the Target I got some from last week got in 30 systems in two shipments and sold out by noon. If that is a failure, I'm sure Sony wants to fail as well.

Consider this, if the PS3 launches next Holiday season (which i think is a stretch at this point) the 360 will be releasing 2nd or 3rd generation titles, which are going to look a lot better then launch titles.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:25 pm

Danimal wrote:Consider this, if the PS3 launches next Holiday season (which i think is a stretch at this point) the 360 will be releasing 2nd or 3rd generation titles, which are going to look a lot better then launch titles.

Plus you would assume that the supply and defect issues will be long worked out by then. Combine that with the second-gen titles that Dan mentioned, and Holiday 2006 will be a much better season for the 360 than the one that just passed.

For this to be a gift for Sony, the PS3 would have to be launched in the U.S. this spring. That's not happening, from all accounts.

People have short memories. The issues we're b*tching about today will be long forgotten if MS gets its sh*t together by this fall, which it probably will.

Take care,
PK

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:29 pm

PS3 will likely launch this fall in Japan and next spring in the US. If that is the case that is an awfully long time to give the 360 the next gen stage.