Something MS didn't factor into their plans?

[Jon Brittan]

As an American I resent that comment. Microsoft messed up on launch and thats all it is. More premiums would have been great but I guess we just have to wait now. No need for ridiculous name calling.

Come on, be fair, he was just responding in kind.
The thing is, it's only Americans currently claiming that MS has messed up and seemingly because a lot of you seem to think you have some divine right to be served before the rest of us. While to you guys it may seem like a "messed up" launch you have to realise that to the rest of us it currently seems like a really good launch, we quite appreciate only being two weeks behind you guys rather than our usual ~6 months...

 

[Alpha_Spartan]

I understand you are upset, but there are hundreds of thousands of others that are enjoying their 360 at this time.

Damn, I can't believe I flamed the duk! All's not well in Xboxland. Damn you Emperor Microsoft!!!!

 

[Alpha_Spartan]

Take a look at that statement closely...pot meet kettle.

How does that make me arrogant? Selfish, maybe, but arrogant how?

 

[RavenFox]

Come on, be fair, he was just responding in kind.
The thing is, it's only Americans currently claiming that MS has messed up and seemingly because a lot of you seem to think you have some divine right to be served before the rest of us. While to you guys it may seem like a "messed up" launch you have to realise that to the rest of us it currently seems like a really good launch, we quite appreciate only being two weeks behind you guys rather than our usual ~6 months...

Okay lets ease back a bit. Im not defending Spartan or anyone who claims divine right. I dont know but we're not as self centered as you seem to think. The reason the launch seems botched is because of shortage of the 360's that are worth a damn. You know the ones with the HDD that really makes the system shine. Its not some hidden anger against Europe or Japan or a plot to leave you out in the cold. Just a general gripe from consumers who felt that more systems just a nice percentage more could have suffice for the grievance they feel now about not getting one after 12 hours in rain and cold. Thats just common human behaviour not some country vs country pow wow.

 

[Corwin_B]

What makes an European or Japanese customer getting his 360 at launch without problem, with a couple of games and accessories, less valuable to MS than an American customer doing the same thing ?

In Europe especially, MS has a tremendous impact to make, because Europe has been getting the shaft from Sony on numerous occasions, PSP most recently (shipping 9 months after the Japanese launch). And shipping late didn't help with PS2 shortages either. I know many European gamers who are very happy with the worldwide launch...

Also, what makes people confident that unlike MS, Sony won't have any launch availability problems ?

 

[scooby_dooby]

What makes an European or Japanese customer getting his 360 at launch without problem, with a couple of games and accessories, less valuable to MS than an American customer doing the same thing ?

If you're being totally logical then the Euro or Japanese gamers is actually MORE valuable to MS than the NA gamer, since they will have a harder time succeeding in these regions, each customer is more valuable in EU or JPN than NA.

You can see why people woudl be angry though, what did EU or JPN ever do to support xbox? Do they even DESERVE a worldwide launch? If not for USA and Canada, and our huge level of support, there would be no X360. So there's 2 sides.

 

[assen]

Arrogant assholes. Should have delayed the Euro and Japan launch.

Now who's the arrogant asshole? They should have delayed the US and Japan launches, if you ask me

 

[Corwin_B]

You can see why people woudl be angry though, what did EU or JPN ever do to support xbox? Do they even DESERVE a worldwide launch? If not for USA and Canada, and our huge level of support, there would be no X360. So there's 2 sides.

Just another reason not to become emotionnally engaged with corporations reaching for your money.

Emotional engagement leads to irrationnality.
Irrationnality leads to fanb0yism.
Fanb0yism leads to mindlessly spamming message boards, and then your journey to the Dark Side will be complete.

 

[Phil]

On the other hand, the mere fact he was able to get through to a customer rep so easily on launch day says something as well. If it's a 10% failiure rate, you would've had 50,000 customers all calling on the same day.

You call "I was on hold for about 40min" getting through to customer rep "easily"? I'm also confident that Microsoft has more than one customer service across the country, so you can't really base things off how quick he got through either. The way I see it, neither you nor Xbdestroya have evidence that either scenario holds through (the scenario that ths is a "major" problem) - but then again, Xbdestroya never implied he did. In fact, we can either listen to you that this news is over exagerated (which it very well may be) or we can continue the IF statement assuming it is a wide-spread problem and see to what conclusions we arrive. If it doesn't hold through, it can only be good for Microsoft after all and no one looses anything.



As for Shifty's thread (which I appologise if I have taken this further off-topic with my reply above); excellent points. Given the reactions I'm seeing on various message boards, I do think the world-wide launch was something that perhaps wasn't that good of an idea and the whole thing does look very rushed, especially if you take into account the problems they may be facing with the defection rate (reinforcing Xbdestroya's point). How much of a problem it will eventually become really depends on what Sony is up to as well. What I do wonder though is inspite the defection-rate-stories that are surfacing: how many are going to rush out and buy one?

 

[Platon]

I don't understand, how people could not expect a shortage? There has awlays been one at launces. What should they do, keep the launch on ice for four more months so that they can built a stock of 5 million consoles just so that they can meet demand?

Sure maybe you can not launch with 100,000 units but still there is a limit to how long you can keep the launch on ice just so that you can built up stock, having millions of consoles just collecting dust in some storage somewhare instead of being on the market and gamers homes...

 

[Gubbi]

Don't forget, it's not just the hardware that has the head start...but more importantly the software. There will be many more titles on the market, and (if MS is lucky) one or two blockbuster types to help continue to fuel 360 sales through a PS3 launch.

That's a good point. I betting MS will time the release of some top notch titles with the PS3 launch to steal as much thunder as possible.

Also the press will invariably compare PS3 launch games to 360 games coming out at that time, which will be in 360's favour (360 development will have matured a bit by then). I'm sure Sony is working hard to make sure there'll be some fantastic games at launch, otherwise it could be a disaster.

Cheers
Gubbi

 

[Phil]

Don't forget, it's not just the hardware that has the head start...but more importantly the software. There will be many more titles on the market, and (if MS is lucky) one or two blockbuster types to help continue to fuel 360 sales through a PS3 launch.

Given that both have had developer kits out at around the same time (in similar stages, though Xbox360 probably in higher quantities), I wouldn't necessarely expect that to be a big advantage on Microsofts part. In fact, given the support Sony is getting with the PS3 already and the timeframe of when they shipped kits to developers, I'd expect more or less around the same amount of software on both hardware.

There's one thing to remember: Sony is launching a few months (4-6 months) behind the Xbox360, yet development on software roughly started within the same timeframe. How much of an advantage would 3-4 months of receving final devkits sooner yield to developers and the quantities of the titles they can push out?

The Xbox360 launch is quite evidently a rushed one, as was PS2 at its time. It's not uncommon for the first console launching in advance to be rushed. The ones launching later usually put in more effort and emphasis on the software lineup simply because they are competing with an already established platform.

 

[pipo]

There's one thing to remember: Sony is launching a few months (4-6 months) behind the Xbox360, yet development on software roughly started within the same timeframe. How much of an advantage would 3-4 months of receving final devkits sooner yield to developers and the quantities of the titles they can push out?

AFAIK there are no final PS3 devkits out now. They are scheduled for next month though...

 

[Phil]

AFAIK there are no final PS3 devkits out now. They are scheduled for next month though...

neither did Microsoft for a very long time (in fact, I think they just shipped them barely 2 months ago) - thus my question How much of an advantage would 3-4 months of receving final devkits sooner yield to developers and the quantities of the titles they can push out?

On the other hand, while Microsoft still had beta kits running, Sony had already shipped their beta kits to [key] developers (although in lower quantities) which were arguably already quite comparable in that they already had a lower clocked CELL to work with.

 

[one]

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Business/story?id=1341972&page=1

Is Microsoft's New Xbox 360 a Bust?
...
When Stapleton's mother brought the system home on Tuesday, Matt said he was thrilled to be one of the first kids on the block to try it out.

"I was extremely excited about it and to go to school and tell everyone and see everyone's reaction," he said.

But after hours of trying to get the system to work, he became so frustrated he threw the machine's game controller across the room.

"I thought it was going to be good, but now I don't know," he said.

Stapleton's main problem was trying to connect to the much-touted Xbox Live service, which allows 360 owners to play with and against each other online.

What this Live problem? It's not clear from this article.

 

[PARANOiA]

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Business/story?id=1341972&page=1

What this Live problem? It's not clear from this article.

What's that saying about the problem being between the chair and the keyboard? If you can't connect to a service like Live maybe gaming isn't for you

 

[Phil]

"My kameo disk keeps being detected as a DVD instead of a game," wrote another frustrated gamer, referring to a new action-adventure game called Kameo: Elements of Power. "When it tried to play the disc as a DVD it gives an error that it is a 360 game. Make up your mind!"

lol... if true. Reminds me of something funny one of the resident developers here wrote (Fafalada?): Hardware companies tend to fuck up hardware problems, amusingly, software companies fuck up on software problems. Sad but true.

 

[Jov]

... - something like 2 million in 3 months - are MS going to be able to get a substantial user base? What were they aiming for (10 million worldwide by the time PS3 launches? 5 Million XB360s in the US by the time PS3 hits US shores?) and is the complexity of XB360 fabrication going to make that difficult?

Firstly wasn’t it 3 mil in 90 days was MS's goal?

Anyway, to your point of 'how many units sold' before the PS3 will convince more developer's support of the platform?

I'll have to answer that with another question! How many units sold/shipped is enuff to persuade potential publishers to support the X360? 3 mil, 5 mil, 10 mil?

Lets look at history (I am not starting a 'X360 is another DC story, so no flaming!), how many DC units sold or shipped before the PS2 was launched?

Let’s say given X mil, and that was not enuff to convince the developers to jump onboard. Why? (Oh dont start the Sony Hype machine argument, it’s truly old)

My point is, if MS sold X mil X360 before the PS3 and with a higher consumer confidence due to MS's deeper pockets to support its platform, then will these factors be lucrative enough for more developers to support the X360??

I am interested to know are the any other major factors (besides easy of dev, HW superiority, etc..)?

 

[Joe DeFuria]

There's one thing to remember: Sony is launching a few months (4-6 months) behind the Xbox360, yet development on software roughly started within the same timeframe.

I disagree...unless by "roughly" you mean 4-6 months later.

Oh, and I only see Sony launching 4-6 months later in Japan only. My bet is on 10-12 months later in the U.S.

 

[hey69]

I thake that bet and rais it by 50$

10months later is januarie 2007 at the least by your reasoning..