US Retailers: Xbox 360 Primed for Thanksgiving

[VictoryOverWar]

for those of you who had missed this IGN article

US Retailers: Xbox 360 Primed for Thanksgiving
Retailer chains point to November 25 as hardware launch date in US.
by Douglass C. Perry
August 31, 2005 - Microsoft plans to launch the Xbox 360 as late as Friday, November 25, the day after Thanksgiving, with software potentially hitting shelves earlier that week, sources from three US retailers told IGN today.



The three retail chains, all of whom independently pointed to Friday, November 25, as the hardware launch day, received email describing launch data late Monday. Launch day games have been re-assigned from early November to Monday, November 22, as potential first day ship dates. When contacted, Microsoft would not confirm or deny the information. In previous official announcements, Microsoft has said Xbox 360 will vaguely launch this fall.

Why the late date? Microsoft is hoping to give developers as much time as possible to finish and polish their games while simultaneously shipping their concave new box during the most active day in North America. Additionally, independent sources have told IGN that final dev kits haven't replaced the mid-summer beta kits, which has added to developers' frustrations.

Game developers, analysts, and retailers have all been unofficially told by Microsoft that November is the launch month, but even as late as today, when IGN phoned a handful of teams, they were still uncertain of a concrete date. Retailers, have thus far, provided shifting and often conflicting information, but rarely do their dates or numbers match up as evenly as this data.

Is that too late for Microsoft? Hardly. In the current generation, the PS2 was the earliest to launch on October 26, 2000, while Nintendo and Microsoft launches their systems on Sunday November 18, and Thursday November 15, respectively.

We'll have more on the Xbox 360 launch soon.

[Cybergig1]

I pray that its not on the 25th.....I mean thats black friday are they trying to get us killed? I always stay in on that day, I've tried the whole fighting through the lines bit. I just think its psycho because they dont have to create even more demand. We're already rabid on the system it doesn't matter what day it comes out I'm going to get it. They should really release it like the 23rd so that all of us with preorders can get ours without fighting thousands of insane mothers out getting those "must have items" for their spoiled kids. Then 2 days later they can still get sells from those crazy people on any systems that are left.

I just dont see the need for them to make all of us devoted fans who are getting it on launch day have to deal with all the mess that is that horrid horrid (heck not to mention dangerous) shopping day. It disappoints me to think I'll have to deal with this, they better do a midnight sell if it is in fact going to be released on the 25th.

[VictoryOverWar]

i agree that would be absolutely ridiculous.....So now ill have to park like a mile away just to get inside.....i also hope they release it the 23rd or something or even better the 15th when i originally thought it would come out........it just hard to find out your going to Die when a rabit shoper beats you to death with her umbrella

[co_ray]

if you have a preorder then it doesnt matter because they have to hold the system for you anyways...plus I asked a the guy at gamestop and he said the public(people without preorders)wont be able to buy a system till the 3rd shipment or so...

[VictoryOverWar]

haha yah i know i preordered thats not the problem.....have you ever shoped on Black friday let alone tried to go into a gaming store......yes you may have the system waiting for you but you will still have to fight your way through the crowds not buying xbox360.....its going to be a huge headach with or without a preorder.....you just wait buddy when you see a line out the door of the malll....thats right the Mall

[Blank]

I hope it's not launched that late. If it launches on the 25th November in the US, it more than likely won't launch until the middle of December in Europe. IN THE MIDDLE OF CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!

Unless we get it on the same day, which I doubt will happen, but it would be nice :)

[Cybergig1]

yeah just to back up what Victory said, we're not worried about getting ours as I know it'll be there for me, we're worried about the HOURS we'll waste in lines, trying to get out of parking lots, heck you'd be surprised I can imagine the reports now of people being mugged and their 360's stolen. Just all kinds of crazyness happens on Black Friday. People are insane on that day. If you've never been out on that day you can't fully understand what a nightmare it truly is and I just hope against everything they do not release on that day, even just two days before PLEASE M$ please! haha I know it wouldn't be on the 24th cause thats Thanksgiving but you know c'mon! just 2 days earlier thats all I ask! lol

[G4everX]

It won't launch that late, and if it did you could go to the midnight launch, and avoid the crazies...err craziers.

[Grindstone]

I feel obligated to put in my .02 cents of disgust for the Nov. 25th launch date. Even here in Oregon, the madness on Black Friday is terrible. And I also pre-ordered in a mall, had I believed that it would launch on the 25th, I would have gone elsewhere. Now I'll have to bring a baseball bat and sidearm just to get to the line, then break out my uzi and hand grenades to get out alive with my new toy (this is where playing FPS really pays off in the real world). If they could bump up the launch day at least 48 hours, it'll make things a whole lot easier.

[bxgladiator]

This may sound stupid but wtf is black friday and if they do a midnight launch then ill be good cuz I get off at 10 take the train home and gamestop is right there haha I'm lucky

[Blank]

This may sound stupid but wtf is black friday

I'm wondering that too. Doesn't sound too cheery.....

[Cybergig1]

its what they call the Friday after thanksgiving which is well the worst shopping day of the year (because EVERYONe has insane sales and deals) people -especially women- get in line at stores at say 5a.m. and every year you see reports of people damn near rioting and beating eachother for those "must have" items. One year I saw fights for those tickle me elmos lol!

But its just the biggest sales day of the year and is always a nightmare to go to malls or large shopping venues

And I hear you Grindstone! They make us live up to those "violent gamers" labels we've always been given! course I'd call it self defense from the mad crazed women going to buy there kids whatever crap they are getting

[VictoryOverWar]

i have another one to throw everything off again

from today's press release of Intec's Xbox 360 peripheral line-up:

(Miami, FL) – September 1st, 2005 – Intec, Inc., the leading manufacturer of cross-platform video game accessories, today introduced its new line-up of accessories designed exclusively for the new Microsoft® Xbox® 360™ console. The line-up, which offers a full complement of products, including items such as a vertical stand, TFT screens, aluminum protective cases, an A/V selector, and game holder - all of which are set to enhance the gamer’s experience when using the new console - will be available on retail shelves in North America on November 4, 2005, the expected launch date for Xbox 360.