• Join Us |
  • |
  • Sign in with:

Waiting for the Xbox 360

by Chris Remo, Nov 21, 2005 10:15am PST
Related Topics – xbox 360, Games: PC

So, some of you might be planning to attempt to grab an Xbox 360 when they go on sale at midnight. After all, it's something of a tradition in the games industry, the whole camping out to get a new console thing. 1UP has a short examination on the whole phenomenon, discussing console shortages and why they occur. There are also some firsthand accounts from gamers recounting the lengths to which they've gone in the name of being the first ones to get cool stuff.

"I don't do this anymore...but in the past I've faked being sick just to stay home on the release date of a game I've really wanted. But it wasn't simply a "call in sick" day. No, I'd go the full-on Oscar-worthy production. I could plan well in advance what days I'd be "sick" on just to get in a few extra hours with a much-anticipated game. Starting a couple days before, I'd begin "acting sick", puttin in a cough here or there and saying "Wow, I feel achy." The day before I'd up this a little, making myself look weak and tired and when people ask "Are you OK?" I'd say, "Man, I don't know, I'm just starting to feel kind of icky." Then it'd be no suprise when I call in "sick" the next day...and people believed it!"
Do any of you guys have any particularly crazy or elaborate contingency plans to ensure that you'll have a 360 by daylight tomorrow?


Read all the News


Comments

« Previous 1 2 Next »
78 Threads | 404 Comments
  • #320
    Refresh Thread
    By: Vic Viper x
    Reply
    Yeah, waited about 15 minutes in the cold, pouring rain as there were about 30 or so people at the nearby Best Buy camping out (literally). This store had like a 60 count allotment for consoles. I thought they were going to open at midnight. Come to find out that it's really 8AM.

    Sorry, I must be showing my age because there's just no way I'm going to stand for 10 hours in shitty weather. I'll take my chances online when those surprise orders pop up or I'll wait until after the holiday rush. I guess I'll just stare at my Madden and PGR3 for a while. *sigh*
    Nov 21, 2005 8:13pm PST
  • #274
    Refresh Thread
    By: weaselmeister x
    Reply
    So. I went to two Walmarts and a Target on my way home tonight.
    Walmart 1 - Asked clearly knowledgable scruffy looking gamer working in electronics about the 360 launch plans. (I know what you're thinking. I too, was shocked to find someone who knew his ass from a hole in the ground working at Wallyworld, but I digress). He gives me a knowing smirk, bordering on assholishness, and says "We got 14 of 'em, and those 14 guys over there are getting 'em" indicating the line of soccer moms and highschool nerds.

    Walmart 2 - Girl in electronics didn't know anything about it, but "thinks there might be a big line outside for that". Girl at customer service doesn't know anything about it. Grabs some dude in a dress shirt (but somewhere around 20, so I wouldn't have guessed that he's a manager) and he says (clearly tired of the question) that "yes, the line outside is for the 360". I explain that no, I get that the line is outside, I want to know how many did they get, and are there already that many people in line. He responds that they have "about 20" 360's and he hasn't checked on the line in a while. I go investigate the line, and there is at least a 2:1 ratio of jobless people to xboxes, assuming that the xbox count he gave me is correct.

    Target - This was the best. I saw a fairly small line of people, maybe about 20. I ask the guy in electronics how many xboxes they got. 16. They have at least 4 more people trying to buy them than there were xboxes to go around, and Target isn't open 24 hours. That means these fuckers are waiting all night, and the last handful of them aren't going to get one anyway. Beautiful.

    GUN.
    Nov 21, 2005 6:20pm PST

    Thread Truncated. Click to see all 3 replies.