VIDEO GAMER X GETS THE X-BOX 360

It's that time again. Next Generation consoles are now beginning their debut. The first kid on the block this time is Microsoft with the Xbox 360, the sucessor to the Xbox. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the console on launch day, November 22nd. Every store I went to was swamped with people, and a very limited quantity of consoles. One Target I went to had 12. Best Buy had the most, but that topped out at about 40, 20 of which were the less desirable "core" systems. The next morning I saw Xbox 360's on Ebay for $1000, not that I'm surprised. So I pretty much accepted the reality that I wouldn't be getting one until next year. Now it's not for lack of trying. I had previously went to GameStop and EB Games a full two and a half months before launch and wanted to preorder but was told I wouldn't get one until after New Year's, possibly as late as February or March so I didn't even bother wasting my time. This begs the question, WHY do these companies produce too few product to meet demand when they know for a fact they are going to sell every one they make? Nevertheless, I was settled into the idea of not getting a 360 until 2006. Then an opportunity arose.

When I went into Best Buy to buy a DVD and use one of my Reward Zone coupons, a friend of mine who is a department manager there told me that the store would be getting a shipment of 360's in that weekend and they would be going on sale Sunday morning. This insider info prompted me to make preparations to camp out the night before to get the console. I wasn't sure at first what I would do if I got one, either keep it or Ebay it, but nevertheless there was every reason to try to get one. Since I didn't have to work that weekend it was a perfect opportunity to get the console.

During the day Saturday I went to Best Buy to check things out and there were already 4 people sitting in front of the store at about 1:30 PM on folding chairs with a radio. That evening I went to an orchestra playing Beethoven's 9th Symphony at a local venue with some members of my family. Afterwords, I spent some time with my family at my home and after they went home, I immediately departed for Best Buy afraid that I was already too late to get a spot in line. As it were, I got there and there were numeous peole outside the store. The guy at the end of the line said that he was #35 in line and that the manager or employee that came outside earlier said there were only 36 consoles. I had just made it, but it was very likely that I would get a "core" system.

The scene of this line was indicative of what I had seen previously with waits for the Playstation 2 and the previous Xbox. At the front of the line there was a guy that a table, a TV set, a bunch of pizzas, sleeping bags, etc. That evening an employee of Best Buy, possibly a manager came out and confirmed that they had between 30 and 37 consoles but refused to tell anyone how many exactly even as more people piled onto the back of this line. Several people in line suggested that he give out tickets or some kind of verification that we had a certain place in the line that way by morning there wouldn't be any cheaters and cutters. There were several people out there staying with their friends and adults who had brought children to stay with them. Some people were suspicious that the adults would extange the children for adults later on to get more consoles. The Best Buy employee said they would not be giving out any vouchers or tickets. And he also refused to confirm or deny the number of consoles they had. Another member of the line had mentioned that a Best Buy in a neighboring city to mine was giving out such tickets that night to avoid confusion later. This employee was a total asshole, and would have saved a lot of people a lot of hassle had he just used common sense and wasn't afraid of thinking outside the box despite what some corporate policy might have been (if there even was one in this regard).

A different Best Buy employee also mentioned that Best Buy had already received a shipment of Xbox's from Microsoft because they had a special contract with them, however Micro$oft systematically only allowed them to release them on a certain date, even though the release date had already past. Essentailly Micro$oft was engineering a demand frenzy as a marketing ploy. Best Buy had thousands of consoles stored in a warehouse until M$ gave the all clear. Apparently Best Buy would be penalized if it didn't kow tow to M$'s demands.

I would say that there was an almost 50/50 split of people in that line to buy one for personal use, or as a Christmas gift and those planning to profit from it on Ebay. The sad thing was that there were some who had already gotten the console for personal use or a couple consoles and were just there to Ebay it for $800 - $1000. (which as it were was likely not what they got for it). This kind of profiteering probably alienated a lot of hardcore fans and parents who wanted to get the console before Christmas this year.

The guy in line front of me just wanted it for himself, but the one in front of him wanted to get it to sell it on Ebay and was habitualy bragging about how he had made a big profit on it and so on and so forth. The puerto rican woman behind me just wanted to get the console for her son (who was with her), and mentioned that she had waited for the previous Xbox, Playstation 2, and even a Tickle-Me-Elmo.

As the night progressed, the weather conditions worsened. It was generally chilly probably about 55 degrees, and foggy, then the rain started. That's when conditions went from bad to worse. It could handle a little cold, but then when it rained the water innundates you and it becomes twice as cold once you are wet and the wind is blowing in your face. Once my feet got cold, that was it, I was cold. I was lucky enough to have had a cheap umbrella that I got for free from a now bankrupt VA Mortgage telemarketing company I had briefly worked for in my vehicle. It wasn't much but it saved my hair and body from getting soaked. The blanket and pillows I brought out there though did get soaked. The woman next to me gave me an extra pair of socks. (thanks a lot!).

I didn't sleep. It was impossible. A few people near me fell asleep, but most didn't. I had been calling a few of my friends to see if anyone could join me or bring me a bigger umbrella or possibly food. As it were one friend of mine managed to show up around 2:30; he brought a jacket and some Taco Bell, that was the only thing still open. I played my Playstation Portable, primarily the games I hacked into it like Doom, Quake, and some emulated SNES titles and Sonic III. A lot of people were boggled by the fact I was playing Doom II, a PC game on the PSP.

By the time morning came I has spent a great deal of time talking with some other people in the line about video games, movies, music, etc. At around 7:30 AM another employee of Best Buy came out and said vaguely that they had the minimum requirement of 20 consoles as what it said in their Sunday advertisement. Yet at this point in time, I wouldn't doubt there were about 60 people in line including the people who had waited over night and straglers that showed up close to morning. As soon as he said this there were grumbles, profanity, and comments, that "Why didn't you say this last night! Your other employee told us there was 36! What kind of bullshit is this?" etc. I was also beginning to asess ways I could verbally torment that guy if I didn't get a console. Rapeatedly he was asked, "so you are saying you have the minimum of 20, so what does that mean, you have more than 20 or just 20. " And employee starts handing out brochures about the 360. The manager comments about the possiblity of the Xbox overheating and how their replacement warranty would cover this and replace the unit.

Just before the store opened, a group of employees emerge, one with a little Canon video camera to film the crowd. He said he was doing this "just in case there was trouble he could turn it in to the police." (fuckwad!) One guy instructs us to get in a single file, and he starts handing out tickets, supposedly one for every Xbox they have. I watch with ardent intensity at the employee handing out the tickets. The pile dwindles as he approaches me and he hands me a ticket that says "Xbox Premium Bundle" and a #29 is sharpie'd in the corner. Then he comments to the lady behind me, "all we have left is the core system, do you still want it?" And she takes it, and the guy with the dredlocks and the lip peircing behind her gets the last ticket after the employee mistakenly hands the last ticket to her husband who showed up that morning to join her and her son in line. Apparently that manager had in fact been jerking people around for the sport of it, and they had 31 units, or maybe they had the full 36 the other employee had told us, but they were keeping those behind for other employees to buy or possibly as stock in the event of defective returns or extanges. Those tickets had obviously been in possession the night prior and all of the waiters at the back of the line could have gone home or we could have gone home, got some sleep and returned the next day. Best Buy sucks for this, and I'll remember for next time.

So I go in the store and they already have an area set up just for Xbox 360 sales, with games layed out on a table and a rack of assessories, and of course a guy hawking the Replacement Warranty, out of the principle of not giving Best Buy any profit on me (outside of what they made on the Wireless Controller I bought) due to the hassle they put me through, I didn't buy the extended warranty. I had already purchased an extra conroller and Two Games earlier that day. I picked up Project Gotham Racing 3, when I got the console. I was a lucky one that got the Premium Bundle, the last one.

Once I got home my friend and I checked out Ebay. If the unit was closing auctions at a $1000 or close to it I would be forced to sell it, because pretty much that would mean a free 360 later with the profit. But I asked a family member of mine who is an avid Ebayer what their fees are on a reserve of 1140 dollars (the Premium Bundle console + games + extra controller + $500 profit). As it turns out, units were closing out at around $600 with assessories and games sometimes getting the price of $800. So essentially after all the Ebay fees, Paypal fees, shipping, etc, I wouldn't make a whole lot. It wasn't worth the hassle for about $120 - $180, so I made the decision to break the seal and just play the thing.

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