At this point, Microsoft is sending more mixed messages than your typical woman. We heard that pre-orders were sold out, then they weren’t, and now it seems that Microsoft is arranging for some units to be available in stores on day one for those people who didn’t preorder.
Microsoft’s Phil Spencer told Game Informer:
“You want people to be able to walk in the store and buy one on day one, so you’re trying to manage the inventory that isn’t pre-sold. It’s not a yield problem, it’s us trying to manage the hardware side. I want parents who don’t think about pre-ordering electronics to be able to walk in and have a chance to find a box. There might be a line, but I don’t want it to be that if you didn’t pre-order in September, you can’t get one. That doesn’t feel like a great consumer experience.”
It’s not just the consoles that will be available – for those who want to pick up extra controllers and games, everything is planned to be well stocked and available on 22 November in those countries where Xbox is launching. I’m still curious about when we can expect it to land on local shores, and how much stock we can expect in South Africa.
Regardless of the limited number of launch countries, Microsoft is confident that they will sell millions of units. Yusuf Mehdi told DualShockers that sales expectations for the first year are in the tens of millions:
Certainly in the beginning, it’s primarily a gaming console. That’s going to be the primary buyer. In all the research we’ve seen, there’ll be tens of millions of buyers in the first year and in the research we do, over 90% of them own an existing console.
So I think there’s going to be supply constraints in the beginning, and I think all those purchasers are going to be gamers.
Good to know that they have faith in gamers, even if their advertising is focused on non-gaming functionality. That seems like a lot of units to ship in the first year – I hope that they can keep up stock levels without falling into perception issues like the Wii U. I suppose they are planning to get the launch countries fully kitted out before the rest of the world sees anything. Very disappointing and frustrating for us, but at least all the parents in the US who didn’t preorder can still cave in to their screaming children when the console is released.
Last Updated: September 9, 2013
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| was reviewed on PC | |
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 9, 2013 at 10:23
Totally unrelated, but just as a reminder….
(nope, not letting it go :P)
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
September 9, 2013 at 10:27
Poor Tanya 😀
RinceThisandFINALLYlvUP!
September 9, 2013 at 10:30
Good man 🙂
Alien Emperor Trevor
September 9, 2013 at 10:37
Tanya has a very manly beard.
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 9, 2013 at 10:37
That is his royal announcer
Hammersteyn
September 9, 2013 at 10:56
You meant her?
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 9, 2013 at 11:15
Lol.
*her
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 9, 2013 at 10:23
So if they sell badly, I can mos get one cheep cheep in a while?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
September 9, 2013 at 10:53
lol, but do you really want a bone? I mean… that’s like getting your uncle’s vuka scooter instead of a new Harley.
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 9, 2013 at 10:54
Yes, but only if for freeeeeeeeee 😛
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
September 9, 2013 at 10:30
Yeah, I was rolling on the floor laughing when Whatsisface Otherjacket said that they’re going to sell tens of millions in the first year. I thought Don “The Jacket” Mattrick was on a crackpipe, but the new guy is a laugh-a-minute source of crazy corporate exec speak.
They’ve even infected Larry too. I mean he was mumbling that the term “xbone” is disrespectful. I mean honestly Major Nelson, why don’t you just paint a bullseye on your forehead and have lunch ready for all the trolls.
RinceThisandFINALLYlvUP!
September 9, 2013 at 10:30
“tens of millions of buyers in the first year” BWAHAHAHAHAHA!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
September 9, 2013 at 10:32
“That Microsoft is so hot right now” Mugatu
Alien Emperor Trevor
September 9, 2013 at 10:44
They’re really betting on tons of Americans buying the Bone in the first year. I think they will, but it’s going to be interesting to see what happens.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
September 9, 2013 at 10:49
I think they’ll do fine in the states; all the advertising and crazy product endorsements will pay off, but it’s the rest of the world I’m interested. I have a feeling the xbone is going to hit the wall with an awkward and bonecrunching thud – just like its grandaddy the xbox classic.
Jakster
September 9, 2013 at 11:04
The Xbox classic had to be duped due to contractual agreements with GPU.
Sounds like you are hoping for a Vita fail for the X1.
Skyblue
September 9, 2013 at 11:19
“I’m not sure if this is true Jim, the Delta Quadrant residents have been prone to brainwashing and yet they still seem to resist integration into the New Federation”
Nathan O
September 10, 2013 at 10:05
Really just depends on how awesome it really is. If it’s a truly great product it will do well worldwide in the long run.
Nikki
September 9, 2013 at 11:02
In essence…
“At this point, Microsoft is sending more mixed messages than your typical woman.”
“Good to know that they have faith in gamers, even if their advertising is focused on non-gaming functionality.”
“I hope that they can keep up stock levels without falling into perception issues like the Wii U”
geipel izzy
September 9, 2013 at 11:10
who cares 😛