XBOX 360 Release Date Announced.

Xbox 360 set for November launch

	 		     		 		                                                                	 		                     	 		 			  	 		 			 			 				![http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40803000/jpg/_40803028_xboxlaunch-microsoft203.jpg](http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40803000/jpg/_40803028_xboxlaunch-microsoft203.jpg) 				Microsoft has set a date for the launch of its Xbox 360
		
		 		 		 	  	   <b>Microsoft's next generation Xbox 360 games console will be in US shops on 22 November, the company has announced.</b>   The software giant is set to be the first of the console makers to release a next generation machine. 

Once launched in the US, the Xbox 360 is due to be in stores in Japan and Europe in early December. Up to 20 games will be ready at the launch.

The move could give it a vital edge over rival Sony which plans to release its PlayStation 3 in spring 2006.

Package deal

The 22 November date falls just before the US Thanksgiving holiday, which traditionally starts the end of the year shopping season.

         	 	             ![http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif](http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif)                               		                                                             	 		![http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif](http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif) 		<b>We expect a strong portfolio of titles on launch day and through the holidays that will appeal to fans of every genre and gamers in every region</b> 		![http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/end_quote_rb.gif](http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/end_quote_rb.gif)

 
                                                         	Robbie Bach, Microsoft

                                    	 	              Official launch date for Europe is 2 December and in Japan on 10 December. 

Christmas sales of the Xbox will be vital to Microsoft if it is to fulfil its ambition of clawing back market share from arch-rival Sony.

Sony launched its PlayStation 2 more than a year before Microsoft’s first Xbox console, and with many more games.

Although the success of the PlayStation 2 was built on the back of the popularity of the first PlayStation the year-long lead it had over Microsoft contributed to the success.

The Xbox 360 will come in two packages. The high-end version will sell for $399.99 (£279.99) and will include the console, external hard drive, wireless controllers, headset and membership of the Xbox Live gaming service.

The core version will sell for $299.99 (£209.99) and includes console and wired controller.

At launch Microsoft said up to 20 games would be ready and it expects that number of titles to swell to 40 by the end of 2005.

“We expect a strong portfolio of titles on launch day and through the holidays that will appeal to fans of every genre and gamers in every region,” said Robbie Bach, chief Xbox officer for Microsoft.

Microsoft would not say how many Xbox 360s it is stockpiling ready for Christmas shoppers but retailers are looking forward to a bumper season.

“Our plans for a massive launch are already under way, and we expect the excitement and demand will be enormous,” said Tricia Brennan, Buying Director at Europe¿s largest games retailer, Game.

“We know that they will be in short supply at launch, new consoles always are, so customers¿ best chance of getting one as soon as possible is to pre-order one.”

Michael Pachter, a games industry analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities, predicted that two million units will be sold in the US and Europe.

Sony has said it will release its PlayStation 3 in the spring of 2006, while Nintendo’s next generation console, the Revolution, is also expected to go on sale in the next year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4247822.stm

so the main difference between the 2 is the HD.
i think i heard on attack of hte show that the cheaper model isnt backwards compatable and the more expensive one is. any truth to that?

Yeah I need to find that out before I go out and get it.

the preorder bundles are $600-700, with four games that you may or may not like at all though. :bloated: :tif:

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/categories/systems/xbox360/

that’s fucking :bloated:

^^that’s what i’m saying… wtf.

i was thinking of preordering… but now i think i can wait.

btw did you notice games are going to be $60/each?? :gay:

You need the HD for backwards compatability…you have to download something to play the old games

i will buy the cheap one and use my own HD :slight_smile:
it shouldnt take long for someone to put out a mod chip for these.

:word: I’m betting first mod’s are out my xmas.

I’ll go cheap and use an old hdd.

i’d rather wait and get ps3

definatly gona have to get one

Will previous accounts be transferable for xbox live?

i was originally a playstation guy (1&2)… but the xbox v.2 will be much more capable. basically it’s an HT pc w/connectiviy & plays games.

Granted, i’ve seen reviews of the Playstation 3 CPU that is :tits:, but that’s all they have so far.

$0.02

From the videos I saw, there wasn’t anything amazing that the current XBOX couldn’t handle.

and for what your paying… build a sweet PC… you’ll laugh at all the consoles… then when they are cheap (~200) buy one and know what titles are good and what isn’t and get them cheap too

Everything I have read and heard about the PS3 points to it being the superior machine. Plus Sony has close to an other year before its released so they will be able to change some things based on what Xbox 360 does.

Either way I want to get both.

fuck sony and its ps3

xbox >

why such anger?

I think PS2 has better games than Xbox. I’ve owned both and I now only have PS2.:shrug:

Xbox live greater than all!

GT4 is the only noteworthy title that is not available for xbox. Since personally I think Forza much better, I could care less.

I’ve owned a ps2 and 20 retail games (no burned, no mods) and I sold it because it did nothing but collect dust after I bought an xbox.

summary:

graphics: xbox > ps2
online play: xbox > ps2
game titles: xbox > ps2
ease of mod-abilty: xbox > ps2
and let me just add that IMHO: Halo 2 + Xbox Live > *

that is all. :slight_smile:

my $0.02.

eh, i’ve been migrating towards buying PC games in the last couple of years anyhow. Titles like Madden & NFS and what not are better on a decent PC then on the consoles anyhow.

I prolly wont buy anything till next summer anyhow. Wedding funds >>>> me.