X BOX 360 Delayed?

[virtual alan]

Tuesday 19th July 2005 XBOX 360 LAUNCH DATE DELAY?

Will launch be pushed back to early 2006 in Japan, colliding with the arrival of PS3? Update - Microsoft: 'there's no delay'

11:45 The expected worldwide launch for Xbox 360 looms ever closer but new reports suggest Microsoft may be about to drop a bombshell and announce the Japan launch for the next-gen console is being pushed back.



GameInformer.com claims to have received information from an "inside source" stating that at the 'E3-scale' Xbox 360 event in Japan on July 25 the Washington, Redmond giant is to reveal that the console will miss this year in Japan with the launch slipping to early 2006, March next year looking most likely.

++ UPDATE ++ Since publishing this news piece we've been contacted by Microsoft. A spokesperson responding to our query on this delay report said that at E3 the company announced plans for a worldwide launch for Xbox 360 during the Christmas 2005 period and that Microsoft "remains on track for each territory" with Xbox 360's launch. However we'd hardly expect them to be springing any relaunch updates on us right now.

++ UPDATE ENDS ++


It's speculated that a delay in Japan could be the result of lack of console units to adequately support a worldwide launch or lack of strong launch titles - or both.

Microsoft's UK arm remained unavailable for comment on this report at the time of writing, but if it offered anything other than 'we do not comment on internet rumour and speculation' we'd be peeking out the window on the look out for pigs flying past.

If Xbox 360 is delayed until March 2006 in Japan - and that's a very big 'if' surrounded by blinking neon lights at this stage - Microsoft's next-gen console is going to release on those shores around the same time as the PS3, according to the current projection of spring 2006 (though we are yet to be convinced about that projected PS3 release date - at least in Europe - too).

Microsoft may have snapped up some high profile Japanese talent to develop for Xbox 360, but considering the original Xbox's lacklustre performance in the Japanese market a launch coinciding with PS3 could prove - shall we politely say challenging - for the company. The launch delay reports will - hopefully - be revealed as truth or wide of the mark on July 25.

From C&VG

[cos2k3]

please dont delay the PAL release!

[adam-james]

wherever it comes out first, im gonna get it!

Hope it has some kind of DVI out on it...

[Taemos]

I don't really want any of the new consoles until I see a decent title for it. Perfect Dark Zero just doesn't look interesting to me...

[g_sepp]

i want the xbox 360 for the articals ...lol .. i want the xbox 360 and then i want the ps3 but if that ps3 is 500 bucks sony can go fuck themselves.

[JTI2K]

To be honest, i dont know why M$ is still trying to get into the japanese market.

Honestly, in the psicological point of view is like trying to sell nazi swastichas to israel. Plus japan is the only country were macs have a sustantial part of the computer market (and M$, well, it the anticrist)

If i was gates I`ll go and try to take the american and european market by storm, and dominate it, just like SEGA when the Genesis/MD hit the 65% of the market in the us, and almost 70% in europe.

Lets remember that the MD didnt sold too well in japan, but that didnt stop it from being the most succesfull SEGA console ever.


PD: kinda funny how the saturn was a failure in the us and europe but a total sucess in japan :smt043

[SuperGrafx]

I don't really want any of the new consoles until I see a decent title for it. Perfect Dark Zero just doesn't look interesting to me...

That Morrowind game has me intrigued. That and Gears of War and PGR3. That's all I'd need till Halo 3.

[Taemos]

That Morrowind game has me intrigued. That and Gears of War and PGR3. That's all I'd need till Halo 3.

I forgot about Oblivion :). I should have a good computer built by then, though.

[RPA]

How much money do you guys think MS is losing per console? I figure atleast $300 if you compare to PC prices. Which brings up another point why would anyone who has a PC buy a 360? So you can play the same games in a much lower resolution without the precision of a keyboard and mouse?

[JTI2K]

I dont know dude, but if videocard prices rise again I`ll go for a X360

See the new 7800? 600 bucks. I never tough they would dare to charge that much for a card :mad:

[PoopAndHammer]

video card prices are ridiculous. I stopped a couple of years ago and will give up the minimal difference to play my console on my comfortable couch in front of a big screen tv. I much prefer a controller to mouse and keyboard anyways.

btw. take the loss per console number that gets thrown around with a grain of salt. MS has the buying power to get the components very VERY cheap compared to the average cost so it's never going to be as expensive as people may think for MS. They're an intelligent business that knows how to make the highest profit possible.

[atomiX]

Which brings up another point why would anyone who has a PC buy a 360? So you can play the same games in a much lower resolution without the precision of a keyboard and mouse?

Gaming on a console has a different "feel" to it. Some people (like me) prefer console gaming over PC gaming. I play PC games once in a while but my preference lies with consoles.

Some games (or game types) also play a lot better with a gamepad than a keyboard and mouse. Sure, you can hook up a gamepad to a PC but for me, the experience just isn't the same as playing on a good ol' TV.

[cahaz]

you don't have to think about your memory, video card and drivers on consoles. there's no installation and no fu****** viruses. You just go at your favorite shop, head to the game corner and pick the one you would like to play.

[SuperGrafx]

How much money do you guys think MS is losing per console? I figure atleast $300 if you compare to PC prices. Which brings up another point why would anyone who has a PC buy a 360? So you can play the same games in a much lower resolution without the precision of a keyboard and mouse?

The latest issue of OXM estimates the loss to be about $150 per console if they sell it at $299.
Not as bad as many are making it out to be.

[RPA]

The latest issue of OXM estimates the loss to be about $150 per console if they sell it at $299.
Not as bad as many are making it out to be.

I highly doubt it's only $150 per unit. Three 3.2ghz procs and the latest ATI chipset alone is going to cost a shit load of money even if it is Microsoft.

Don't get me wrong. I like MS and I hope they blow Sony out of the water. I just dont see the point of MS being in the console buisness. They loose a lot of money from it.

[PoopAndHammer]

I'm not a big fan of MS but I am a fan of their business sense. MS losing money on being in the console business???

they lose money on the CONSOLE. They profit big time on people making games for their system. They used the xbox to get into the arena and didn't make as much as say SONY but it's just a start. They've won at getting their hat in the ring and have always just wanted to survive the first round in an effort to go the long haul with their console/games division.

They're now a player in the billion dollar industry of gaming consoles.

[Evangelion-01]

shenmue 3 is comming to 360!

[SuperGrafx]

shenmue 3 is comming to 360!

Where?!?!?!
Dear god, please be true!

[Paulo]

Resident evil 5 is coming :)

[JTI2K]

Say Sonic Adventure 3 and I`ll buy it :smt045