Data: Microsoft's Xbox 360 shortage claim

Microsoft last week blamed lingering Xbox 360 shortages in February for its second straight third-place finish in the NPD Group's monthly U.S. console sales data. The company is hoping to head off any suggestion that the Xbox 360 is losing steam in its competition against Sony's PlayStation 3. Microsoft says the shortages were caused by higher-than-expected Xbox 360 sales over the holidays. To help assess that claim, here's a comparison of Xbox 360 sales during the 2006 and 2007 holidays

[kalistyles]

It sounds really fishy to use that as an excuse. I'll give you my reason too. 1. Those four months from Nov. 06 to Feb. 07 they sold 2,165,000. From Nov. 07 to Feb. 08 they sold 2,515,000. Now thats a difference of only 350,000. You would think that there only being that much of a difference from those months in different years they should have plenty in stock. There was no talk of this in the previous year. 2. I can only think that the amount of call backs on consoles being sent in for repair that they are somewhat losing out on production to repair so many units being sent in. There is no way they should have a shortage so bad like that unless they are selling them like hotcakes like the Wii. I mean the PS3 outsold them last year and so far this year and is far ahead of the 360's selling outlook if you put them head to head. So like I said, this excuse sounds really fishy to me.

[Milkman541]

"Right now, you can go into retail and find an Xbox (360) pretty much everywhere, today," Greenberg said. "But we don't consider ourselves fully in stock today because there are retailers who want to buy more consoles from us, and we're unable to supply that."

Umm ok...That is an interesting way to think you have a shortage...

[TheExecutive]

well I think he was meaning as of today there isnt a shortage consumers will notice, not that they ever did anyway.

but yeah this shortage crap is just that, crap.

[wow4u]

*TODAY*

@1.1

Did you read the article? Look at the lead up to 2007. Then Xmass 2007.

They have a 25% jump year over year, that they didnt expect. And, they've said October was very strong.

So, MSFT tells you the situation. This article basically shows the demand jumped proving the point, and you're basically just refusing to believe?

Can you elaborate with some *REASON* or *LOGIC* or *DATA*?

[psiom]

Yes. Logic. Easy.

2007 towards the end of the year was widely praised as one of the best years of gaming in history, due almost entirely to strong, high quality Xbox360 titles.

Believing that MS had no idea they would move more consoles at that time relative to 2006 is tantamount to believing they are braindead morons.

Do they expect good games to boost console sales, or not? If they do, then they clearly can't have been surprised by the sales. If they don't, well, then they might as well stop securing exclusive content.

[uxo22]

That was not logical, if so then why didn't the PS3 have a shortage being that they sold a lot less during the 2006 holiday season prior. Should they have produced fewer consoles than they or just just a few more than they did in 06?

These companies use forcast and input from retailers to determine the demands. There is no true way of knowing what your figures are truely going to look like ahead of time so that have to estimate. So believe it or not, it's actually possible for a company to mis-forcast the upcoming demand. Look at nintendo, the appear to have miss they're forcast every month since launch...lol

[psiom]

They don't simply use retailer data.

Microsoft secures exclusive games in order to boost the console base as well as get great games sales figures.

the latter half of 2007 was a crescendo of gaming excellence for their platform, yet this apparently had zero influence on forecast? Come on dude, where is your belief coming from? Is it because Microsoft said so?

[cmrbe]

Sony could only produce at most 2million console during holiday 2006. If they produced more they could have sold more console in holiday 2006.No way on Earth Sony would forcast their 2007 comparing to 2006 when they were having manufacturing problems in 2006. Its a different situation for the x360 and PS3 in 2006.

[TheExecutive]

n4user... i still dont believe that it took them 2 months to produce enough consoles to fulfill a demand. Especially when you consider they have been producing the console for over 3 years.

But hey, i could be wrong and we will find out this month if I am.

[The Lazy One]

Retailer demand is not the same as consumer demand. M$ reports it's shortages, not the shortages of the retailers. If you go to the store and there are 2 consoles on the shelf that doesn't look like a shortage to you.

If that store has those two consoles with 3 in the back, and they want to order 10 more, and M$ only has 7, that's still a shortage. You might never notice it because there's always 2 on the shelf, but if they still want to order more than M$ has, it's still a shortage.

[XiaoSet]

All I have to say.. "[email protected]"

[meepmoopmeep]

no shortage of propaganda.

ok, the shortage isn't for the consumer but the retailer? wtf?

[Breakfast]

Thats a pretty random site to find video game news on.

[Obama]

The shortage is clearly a lie, as the sales of the two consoles are still very close right now in the US. Ps3 outsold the 360 in Feb because blu-ray has just prevailed at the time.

"The timing "was a little suspicious," said Michael Pachter" This loon is finally right this time.

[Danja]

I mean the 360 is still selling good..i dont see why MS needed to created FUD becuase the PS3 outsold them..I mean wasn't this expected ne ways..?

[Harry190]

complain now.or will they.

[wow4u]

Ive noticed you trying to be reasoned here on N4G with the mindless hordes. Dont bother. They dont listen to reason or care about reality.

They've got their preferred world-view and they just reject anything that doesnt fit that chosen world-view.

[uxo22]

Once again, you seem to be one of the few people remaining on this site with a sense of reason. If you have an XBL account you should message me your gamertag so I can add you to my friends list. You seem to thing a lot like me. lol

[Raptors]

Add me too: kingkongjay

I refuse to be brainwashed by the blu ray monster's master. I don't know what happened to this site but I know that the words "neutral", "fair" or "reason" no longer exist here.

[marcdz1]

Microsoft is just using old tactics about the shortage. They are trying to create hype before GTA comes out. They just want to act like everyone want's and Xbox 360 . They also were in the process of redesining their console to include either the HD-DVD add on or wanted to start putting some bundles together. It was the-same for Sony since they just started selling the 80gb in a bundle. This is all it is. To think otherwise would be foolish. My local Best Buy and Wal-Mart's have had them since January.

[wow4u]

Microsoft didnt write this article.

The guy is just showing you the big increase in Demand in Nov. & Dec '07. That caused the shortage.

Its a little pathetic really. You guys getting all excited because the PS3 outsells the Xbox 360 for a couple weeks.

When you manage to make up that 10M gap, then maybe you'll have some room to brag.

[Asurastrike]

This article uses the 24% sales increase this Holiday season to support the shortage claims, but the 360 launched Halo just months before, how did they not anticipate a large increase in sales?

[PSWe60]

There's no shortage. Anyone saying otherwise is a plain liar and probably stupid

[wow4u]

Care to provide some evidence for your statement? This article pretty much tells you you're wrong.

Did you read the article? Do you have access to MSFT's POs?

[tplarkin7]

I was forced to buy an Arcade Pack last month because all of the Premiums and Elites were gone from my area. I went to 4 different stores and none of them had Premiums or Elites.

There was a shortage in my area.

[DRUDOG]

Damn, tplarkin. Why didn't you just order an elite/premium then?

[poopface1]

and still have no Idea that there are 3 different ones. I believe the shortages were of the Elites, which everybody wants, and the pros not the arcade. My roomate got one over winter break and he had to get the ugly halo one cause he couldent find the elite or the pro. While I dont know that the shortage was that serious I DO ACTUALLY KNOW PEOPLE WHO COULDENT GET THE ONE THEY WANTED and think that sales most defiantly would have been better had they had more elites or premiums instead of alot of arcades. But really I dont care if they have a shortage or not and it seems that alot of people just want to cry "microsoft is lyers, buy a PS3." Time to get the memo that the only thing thats going to get ps2/xbox1 users(me duh) to get a ps3 is GAMES. Not RROD, not microsoft lying, and not 360 shortages(my roomate had a ps2 only and got an ugly, really fuc&ing ugly, 360 over a ps3).

[sig7332]

Even fanboys know that this is a PR fabrication.

[wow4u]

Apparently award-winning technology writers disagree with you.

READ THE ARTICLE.

[c-redz]

^^^ do you believe everything you read!!! if i can go to any of my 300 local stores and find a x-box then i really dont think there is this massive shortage... Thats all the evidence i need.

[JD_Shadow]

More like N4Loser.

It's nice to know that you blast people for having a different opinion than your own. And that you wasted all your bubbles doing so (NOTE: GIVE ME BUBBLES, PEOPLE, PLEASE!! :) )

And it's obvious that you're the one that didn't read that article, because you're saying that it HAS to be a shortage, it HAS to be what Microsoft said it was because you said so, they said so.

Look at the figures for 2006-07. They was no shortage claim THERE, and they had alot of holiday sales then, and they still were able to eclipse the PS3 there. It the exact same scenario. Only now the PS3 is ahead in sales. There's no reason given, though we can expect the main reason why: There is a stronger lineup of games slated for 2008 on the PS3, and no one thinks (outside of the 360 fanboys and whoever believes Bitbag and Joystiq) that the GTA4 episodes will stay permanently 360 exclusive. Oh, and don't forget that MGS4 will be giving the PS3 legs, too.

One more thing, too...the Wii has had shortages since the day it came out. Yet they continue to post staggering numbers every month. Care to explain why THAT system CAN do that with shortages but the 360 can't?

[Sevir04]

So now it's retailers that want more than they have to supply? LOL!!! I mean really? I would have believed them if this was post holiday 2006 sale, because the 360 totally domniated holiday 2006 and the month on end. and they had software droughts and such with gears being the real console seller. but this was fine and dandy because they were out selling sony's next gen. Now come 2007 holiday and yes the demand was raised by 25% but they still sold less in 2007 than they did id 2006, so how the hell do you come out of a strong 2006 selling well domniating all year long with no shortages what so ever, all your manufacturing issues with console supply a thing of the past, going through 2007 selling well with an amazing line up of software which was it's pinnacle and sold amazingly in september and october with Halo 3, and bioshock, and PGR4, and COD4 and still end up selling 7.5 million just 3 million shy of last years Total with 10 million in that same period, only to end up with shortages in 2008 from your sopposed strong selling period?

After being in the market a year ahead of everyone with time to work out your supply constrainst. but since sony suddenly started out selling in the US it's a shortage. The last strong hold you had went under 2 months straight and you call it a "hollow victory" because your supply chain wasn't up to par, yet you sold 3 million less in 2007 verses than 2006, with better software than the competion this year than last year?

I think MS had a shortage alright, they had a shortage on Good excusses, because this is totally unsounded and is a pure and true example of a sore sore looser.

Own up to loosing, Sony has been doing that for the longest since this gen of Hardware start, and now they are turning the corner and beating you and you wanna say "My Pu$$y hurts" now when you were winnig all along.

Please explain MS why we never got that Shortage response from you when Nintendo totally lapped you and became the fastest and best selling console, was it because you arent competing with them and sony is who you are going after or is it because you were still selling better than Sony at the time the Wii eclipsed your sales and then passed you out?

Shortages are to reflect demand with you selling more and running out. Sales would have increased as the Wii has been doing consecutively since it's time on market. as it stands the only Console on shortages is the Wii and we can see that because they're are weeks when they less than the PS3 and then get bolsted by nintendo the following week.

It's as I've been saying those who want the 360 are getting it, But they also want a PS3 more than ever, Things have just changed for that to take place, it's cheaper, it's more reliable and it's software this year is far more amazing than MS's 2007. Not to mention it's due to get even more affordable this year, and the recent victory over the rival HD format. People want quality and they are seeing what was once too expensive is now in better reach for their desired entertainment.

I just wish MS would say ok we are behind so lets ensure our software offering can make a better dent in what sony is doing and suck it up.

[Clinton514]

You heard it here first, MS is stocking up to inflate April hardware/GTA IV sales.

;)

[wageslave]

What on earth are you talking about? Can you even explain that nonsense?

[Surfman]

Damn there's NO shortage. When are they gonna accept that the PS3 can sell more than the 360... It's not like the 360 is "THE" console.

[wageslave]

Well, Microsoft and this article tell you you're wrong. What the heck do you know?

[Mr Marbles]

is no shortage does that mean from this point on the 360 will be outsold by the PS3 in the USA? Will any of you bet on that? Cuz if you are not willing to say that, then STFU. How the F would a bunch of Sony slaves know what the 360 stock pile is doing, you idiots have no idea what you are talking about, the only way the PS3 outsales 360 in the USA is if there was some kind of shortage, period, the PS3 just does not have the momentum to do it without some kind of outside factor, not in the USA.

[SkolarVisari]

What does it matter to you if there is or is not a shortage Marbles?

[uxo22]

There are multiple FANBOYS on this site that are constantly call everything that MS say "BS". One thing that they seem have in common is that are almost all PS3 Fanboys, if not by definition, definitely by past commenting history.

Here's my question. How many of you guys have no sh!t (not blogs, and hearsay) solid numbers or facts about Microsoft's marketing, Microsoft's supply lines, Microsoft's manufacturing, or any other inside MS business operations? And when I say inside, I mean executive decision inside, you know that kind of people that would actually know if there was a shortage, or the kind of people that would know inside details about the 360 sales figures.

Almost every link that these stories come from a produced by blogs. Folks, I can create a blog. I can then have a friend log onto his N4G account and post my blog as news, and you know what, I can actually google for ps3, 360 and wii information create a story full of half truths and misinformation, and draw my own conclusions from it and post it.

I guess what I'm try to say here is, when someone posts something bad about Sony/PS3 or any other console that you like. You guys immediately dismiss it as a BS blog or say the person doesn't know what they are talking about. But when it's about the 360, or whatever the "dislike flavor of the week" is, you chime in with your ill-informed comments and start flaming. (double standard). Very childish!

I don't know it there is or isn't a shortage. All I know is that for the last two months the PS3 outsold the 360. So frickin what! Why is this something that puts you guys into such a frenzy? The sad thing about this is that you guys are relentless, you just won't quit, same thing day in and day out. Same stories being posted as news multiple time within the same week. Being approved by one another. (Really taking the integrity out of this site.) Although I own all three systems, I try and stay neutral about this console war, because anything you say will draw fire from the opposing faction. But after a while, you tend to get annoyed and want to take sides when one party continues to play dirty. (Some of you PS3 fans are like a loud virtual ringing in my ear that seems to never stop.)

I like coming here to see what the latest news is, but it appears to be the same things every day. RROD, PS3 GREAT, 360 BAD, Sony Our Savior, MS SUCKS, Heavy hitters coming, blah,blah,blah.

Maybe it's time to find my news somewhere else with a less parasitic demeanor.

Well, back to your regularly scheduled program...FLAMEON!

[wageslave]

You are 10000000% dead on.

You should see how they co-ordinate the approval processes now. Any article critical of PS3 is reported until it fails (even if it is worthy enough to be approved).

And, they scrap up every nonsense article they can find all-over the internet that defames MS, Vista, Xbox 360 or any other product.

If it is Microsoft, and it is negative, the same thing happens. It gets instantly approved without issue, and the usual cabal of children troll the article.

For a brief while, after the moderation changes, things got a little better. But the quality of discourse has plummeted again, and it has never been worse.

Look at this article for instance, it is written by an award winning writer, who is paid to cover technology, and people are here calling him names? The guy shows that sales were up 25% over the previous year. MSFT proabably didnt expect that big an increase, and didnt have enough Jan/Feb stock in-bound. This is *TOTALLY* reasonable and would not be suprising to anyone honest about the matter.

I wish I could give you more than one +Bubble.

[tplarkin7]

It is quite often where an article is posted, and then a second article is posted which refutes the first one.

N4G is just slightly more accurate than a games forum.

But I like N4G because it consolidates the best news into a single source. (It just happens to consolidate the worst, too.)

[takz]

yes i understand your point and you provided very valid ones. but the site hasn't changed as much as you would like to believe.

remember last year when everyone was so convinced over sony's prdisposition and forthcoming demise in the video game industry. you had over a million useless articles about that. i'm sure that didn't bother you much as your are still a memeber of this site. now the tables have turned and you seem to have a problem stomaching it. I wonder why?

If your still rather new to this site then sorry this obviously doesn't apply. i suggest you read the articles that matter to you then ignore the ones that don't. it's how this site works, winning fan boys get to shout and scream to the death of us. while the losers shut up and listen.

i do agree with you though this business of blogs being regarded as news should come to halt unless of course coming from a credible source in the industry. i believe they should put forth a mandatory rule forcing all blogs posts submitted as news to be labeled as such, blogs, not news or data.

[Raptors]

I couldn't have said that any better. Please enjoy a bubble. God knows that since you're not speaking negative against the 360 you're going to need all the bubbles you can get...

[jctoyou]

@uxo22,yep its time for u to move on i think,you are the weakest link GOODBYE

[The Wood]

ill only comment on the part about the negative 360 news. I am not blind to the glut of negative 360 news now nor was I blind the the glut of PS3 news before. If my memory serves me correct the recent negative news about the 360 has not even touched the amount of negative PS3 articles this site has aired. How i see it the rrod news has always been a constant but the ps3 had negative articles about Release delay, Price, Blu Ray, Lack of rumble, No games, Multiplats under performing, suspiciously low marks for exclusives, Ken leaving, Lack of Features ie ingame xmb, sony pr speak, Sales, PSN being free etc.

These articles were full of 360 'preferers' and there were wave after wave of attacks and defence from 360 and ps3 fans respectively. Now things have shifted in the PS3's favour its just the reverse of how it was back then and you either felt the pinch then or you'll feel the pinch now because of the console you prefer. Karma is a b*tch sometimes. If no humility was shown then what makes you think they'll be humility shown now.

[thirstycamel]

-but it is impossible to state any form of opinion or fact, especially on a public forum, and not get into a flame war(differences of opinion will be fought to the end).

Now that's been said, I like to put my two cents in. I think anyone can be skeptical about MS's PR anouncement of shortages. Hell, even this articles writer starts off with a certian amount of skepticism about MS's claim, and even using words "appear to support", after producing the sales #'s. My opinion, is that there is something really wrong with the 360's manufacturing department. I mean, come on, they shipped over 10 million units their first full year. You can't tell me MS went from manufacturing 800,000 units a month to not even meet demand of under 600,000/mth. And this is even after their second year. You'd expect a major corp. like MS to be ramping up production and sales projections, not scaling them back.

Now, this brings me back to my original thought that there is something wrong in x-box land. I'm neither for or against the whole shortage issue. It could be 100% true, but I don't think MS is being forthright, as far why this occurred. Could it be replacing units due to the rrod issue is disrupting the manufacturing process. Microsoft
isn't that above everybody else that this becoming a huge public relations nightmare. They might have completely overhualed their manufacturing process, they've already changed disc drives, motherboards, smaller cpu's & gpu's, and putting that all into play on a mass scale takes time(time that would have been used to make x-boxs). This makes more sense to me than, the extra 400,000 we sold this christmas exceeded our projections [email protected] they're trying to feed us. I just don't like being treated as if I'm stupid. In closing I hope my little rant brings something to the table, and doesn't rub to many people the wrong way(but i'm pretty sure it will). I look forward to your opinions on this matter.

[uxo22]

Well said, but you know what. It really doesn't matter, it never has an never will on N4G. I wasn't feeling any pinch, I personally am going to benefit from whichever console does well because I own all three.

To put it in simple terms, I kinda like watch a basketball game where one team is purposefully running up the score. After the score have been run up too much, the crowds tends to from on the team that's running the score up. Other than that, they have no problem with that team at all.

I'm kinda burned out on n4g anyhow, so I bid you all a farewell for a few months or more. Enjoy.

[JD_Shadow]

Here's what is the frenzy: Microsoft is trying to do a CYA, not like what Sony tried to do when they were so far behind.

For one thing, and let me get this out of the way now, for you to come on here and label anyone who has a differencing opinion than your own a fanboy or a sh*t talker is way ignorant. No one claimed to exactly know the supply line of ANY manufacturer. But from common sense, we can see some various things that can tell us that something is off about the entire thing. But please listen to the other arguments before you start running your mouth. And for the love of GOD, PLEASE look about the site, too, and please introduce yourself to history. How many times has the PS3 been slammed by EVERYONE when it came out and for the first part of 07? EVERYONE was thinking that the PS3 was doomed. But no one really complained. However, now that the PS3 is getting some good press and the 360 is starting to see its momentum trailing off and they need to explain off this bad news that just keeps coming, you and those like you are suddenly like "how dare you post this and tell people about it." No, how dare YOU insist that we just ignore the 360 bad news and pretend it doesn't exist. Hell, I WAS one of those people that frowned when Sony wasn't doing anything right. Now that they FINALLY got their game face on, they seem to have the momentum, and the 360 is finding themselves trying to find the ladder out of the hole. Finally, yes, my blogs for a bit have been against the 360. However, this is not because I'm a PS3 fanboy (I'm not, by the way. Why would I still want to buy a 360, then?), but rather I'm using simple logic and common sense. Sorry, but that subtext of that line of thought really irked me to no end.

The last paragraph of that article had Michael Greenburg contradict himself, saying you could find a 360 anywhere these days but there is still a shortage somehow. What in the hell is he thinking to say something like that when he was doing so well in the interview. A HORRIBLE gaff (much like alot of other things MS has said lately). Even if there WAS a shortage, it never did explain off the bad sales. Nintendo has a Wii shortage every single DAY, yet you never see that lag off in sales. Plus, lost in all of this is the stuff about the games the PS3 will be getting this year. AGAIN, I stress that the PS3 has, right now, the strongest lineup of games for 08 that we should be seeing, with MGS4 topping the list. All the 360 has right now is the MULTIPLATFORM GTA4 and its so-called "exclusive episodes" that no one thinks will stay that way and that Rockstar tries to do the "quasi-confirm" method of PS3 episodes coming soon. GOW2 is basically what is left (someone said Ninja Gaiden 2, but that still doesn't change much about the strength). Plus, we can cook this up as the 13th straight spin/lie that Microsoft has told us about the 360 issues this last month or two.

So, yeah, again, all that aside, your assumption that all of this bad press is because every N4G user is a PS3 fanboy that is out to mess with the 360 is absurd and uncalled for. We're all independent minded people that can just use common sense when deciphering this stuff.

By the way, what's stopping you from posting anything or approving anything, for that matter? You know how to use the site, apparently. People can report stories just as easily. Why can't you learn THAT? You'd rather complain that nothing is going right for the 360 and that people are commenting and agreeing about that and that no one thinks exactly like you, huh?

[cmrbe]

is the problem. The increase is only 400k from 2006. With Halo 3, ME and Bioshock out as well as other Major multi like COD4 and AC. How in the world couldn't MS have predicted at least an increase of 400k?. Were they actually expecting to sell just as many consoles in holiday 2007 like they did in 2006?. If they did they are very stupid in my opinion.

[DJ]

And even at E3, they were rightfully touting that they were going to have the biggest holiday season. And looking at the number of consoles sold in North America during November and December, they obviously had plenty of stock to meet demand. They knew how popular their console was going to be; they simply didn't know that the PS3 would end up surpassing them in sales, despite their software advantage.

[psiom]

Exactly.

That's the stupidest thing about the shortages claim. For them to not expect higher sales than 2006 is just crazy. You'd have to be living under a rock to not think that's a bit odd.

[The Lazy One]

"How could they not expect an increase of at least 400k"

400k is a hell of a lot. 24% increas is huge regardless of how big your lineup is. You haven't even considered that even if you know something's coming it doesn't mean you're going to be ready for it. The manufacturing fairies aren't just going to drop 400k xbox 360s on M$'s porch.

Here's an interesting thing to note. If they didn't have a shortage, then why is january of 08 almost 30% lower in sales than 07 despite them having a 24% increase over the holiday season? wouldn't you think they'd at least break even on the year before after having a holiday that big?

[DJ]

since the beginning of the year, and that PS3 has had a steadily increasing sales advantage over the Xbox 360 since October of last year, and is currently at around 40%.

[psiom]

Why are you defending Microsoft?

Yes there are PS3 fanbois here, and yes some stupid stuff gets said, but so what if people want to call Microsoft on this propaganda, fanboi or not?

I love the PS3, but if Sony does something stupid, or dodgy, I'll call them on it and poke as much fun at them as anyone else.

Look at the games lineup of 2007 and tell me no one expected higher sales. It's ridiculous.

"Well, here is the 2007 holiday season! We've prepared about the same amount of stock as we had last year, when all we had was some weak launch titles. Should about cover it for the 2007 crowd looking to play the most stellar games lineup in history, aye? Excellent!"

[cmrbe]

look at the charts.

2006 Nov:511k
2007 Nov:770k

2006 Dec:1123k
2007 Dec:1260k

2006 Holiday 2006 only a few good x360 games out. 2007 the perfect storm x360 gamelineup. Why would MS expect only an increase of 400k Max?. You guys must admit that their explanation of this so called shortage is very fishy.

[uxo22]

It's not an question of defending MS, it really an issue with the "Stupid stuff being said, all day everyday". If I said "The only reason Sony didn't have a shortage, is because they sold so few units since launch that they had 7 million PS3's stockpiled in warehouses all over the world." The fanboys would eat me alive; not because I said something about sony or the PS3, but because I would have been talking out of my ARSE, simple because I have no solid evidence to support that theory. (Same applied to these Einstiens quoting the MS business model.) And for those of you that don't finish reading before commenting, the above comment about the stockpiles PS3s was hypothetically and not an actual thought of mind, so put the flame throwers away..lol

[psiom]

Right - I don't have evidence. That's correct, but nor do you.

The only thing available is Microsoft's story, and NPD sales figures.

It's an argument of opinion, so of course I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I'm not ;).

Likewise, you have a differing opinion, but you have absolutely nothing to back that up either.

Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, anybody really - they're all spindoctors running the damage-control hamster wheel 24/7 to keep up appearances for stock holders, etc.

Sony lies just as much as Microsoft does, but this story is about Microsoft. I personally believe 100% that their story is a complete farce the more I think about it. It just doesn't add up. There's no sense in what they claim.

[cmrbe]

Its the same thing PS fans went through last year. You are also generalising. We are basing our observation from facts and fact is x360 only had an increase of 400k from previous holiday season when there were only a few good x360 tiles out. Halo 3 was released for christ sake. How on earth MS couldn't figure out that there could be at least a 400k increase?. If it was me or anyone else with common sense i would have increase production to at least 500k more than 2006 considering the price drop and games lineup in 2007. Other evidence is the price drop. If there is indeed shortages. Why the price drop?. Why are they waiting until GTA4 release to resolve their shortage. It just sounds fishy. If they explained that they have repackage most x360 with GTA4 or they have used their inventory for replacement i am sure most people would understand but shortage?. You must be kidding me.

[uxo22]

I finally got fed up with hearing all the Pro-Sony / Anti-Microsoft talk on this site so I decided to speak out. Funny, although I tried to be as diplomatic as possible I still managed to lose a bubble because the closet anarchy decided to give one of my bubbles the "Death Penalty". That's exactly what I am talking about, this TOTALLY and completely proves my point.

Pop'em all, I'm pretty much done debating with you guys anyway. Simply put, this place of overly populated to virtual witch hunters.

@agent_plang - Just as I thought, you would totally misunderstand the point I was trying to make. (Happens all the time around here.) I wasn't trying to call you out, all I was say was many things are taken as fact on this site simply through hearsay from 14 - 19 year old gamers starting rumors and having diarrhea of the mouth.

That's cool though. Sh!t happens!

You folks enjoy yourselves, I think I'll be taking a break. Long live the king...right?

[c-redz]

dude seriously!!! bush is are president, so im pretty sure the world is filled with morons... but you need to learn to let a stupid people not affect you so much!!!

[cmrbe]

Do you remember when the PS3 was only 1-6 months old and almost every article on N4G were about the PS3's doom. 10 ways for Sony to revive the PS3.Blu a big mistake. PS3 a disaster. I for one knew this situation that we are in now would happen.I just didn't expect it to happen this soon.Instead of accusing x360 fans back then i tried my best to counter what was said. Please do the same.You know very well what i am talking about.

[The Lazy One]

Halo 3 and Bioshock came out well before xmas. They never got the boost around that time that they expected they would get, so they had no reason to expect everyone that they planned for in the september boost would purchase one in november and december.

Why is that so unbelievable?

[JD_Shadow]

For one, I'm one of those people that gave your bubbles the "death penalty", but it's not because you had a pro-MS opinion. That is yours, and you are certainly entitled to it (though I doubt I will get through, since I now got two ignores, and I believe you're it).

The penalty, as you wanted to call it, is that you labeled EVERY SINGLE PERSON who dared to have a different opinion as a fanboy. For one, I have blasted PS3 fanboys, as well (you know the difference between those that generally think there's something wrong here and those that are being immature). You, sir, need to know the difference, which you obviously do not.

You should instead just read what is said. You expect that much from us, yet you obviously do not do that yourself.

Again, no, we are not criticizing your stance on whether or not MS did anything wrong or if what they are saying is the truth (which we can agree or disagree with what you have said and back that up). You have EVERY right to do that, and no one is stopping you from commenting on anything here. It's obvious that people are disagreeing with how you're labeling anything or anyone that disagrees with you as a fanboy, and condemning anyone who dares show anyone about the bad news that MS is going through right now. There are just so many dimensions in which your statement is so wrong, yet your reason why people think you're wrong IS what is false. That is the saddest. The fact that my comment to you was the last comment before I got the additional ignore on me and that you labeled me (from the notion that you mentioned that label without saying who it was that gave you the "death penalty") and and others that called you on your policing what opinions you want to be shown on this site as the "closet anarchy" is not only wrong and immoral, it's also UNAMERICAN! You are right now to this site as what Donald Rumsfeld was in 06 to anyone that opposed the Iraq War (read Olbermann's Truth or Consequences book to see what I'm talking about).

And by the way, I'm 25 with my birthday coming on April 13th. And I have been an avid gamer all my life, dating back to when I was TWO playing the Atari 2600 all my life. I have read SO many gaming sites, magazines, and have followed the gaming industry for the longest time. I have owned the NES, Super NES, the 7800, 2600, PS1, PS2, Gamecube, Wii, and the PS3, and I wanted to get the XBox, as well, until they came out with the 360 and knew that, at the time, it would have backward compatibility. So, in short, don't you DARE try to even hint at the thought that I do not know my way around gaming, or that I have no idea what I am talking about, or that I have diarrhea of the mouth just because I disagree with you. I can't speak for anyone else directly because I don't know their gaming experience, but I can tell you that, at least when it came to you, it is about the same way.

You told people that you were sick of people disagreeing with you and trashing the 360 when that wasn't the case, you never listened to anyone who dared to have a valid point or to challenge your claims, and when you DID listen, you dismissed them as a fanboy, or saying that they didn't want to hear what you were saying, all the while damning that people on this site have a different opinion than you, and damning those that called you on it. THAT WAS IT!! No one said you didn't have the right to say what you thought. They damned you saying that no one else is allowed to even SPEAK out against you. PLEASE realize where you are WRONG!!

Hopefully someone replies to this to show what I said (assuming it WAS you that ignored me).

[JD_Shadow]

...I meant that I have played video games my whole life, not the 2600 my whole life (don't think anyone would make that assumption, but I'm doing this just in case someone was thinking of it).

[TheMART]

It's still having shortages... Here in The Netherlands 360 Premiums are sold out in about every store I went to. The Arcade suddenly also sells like hot cakes (the 200 Euro magic price where the mass buys...), Elite on short supply like a long time already.

Massive sellout overhere for sure with the new price!

[The gaming GOD]

So let me guess, you (who supposedly already has a 360) took time out of your "busy" life to check stores all over the Netherlands for a system you already own just for the sake of finding "facts"?

Anyone else smell the BS?

So, do we get the honor of seeing your POG persona today? Or will you be staying with the Mart?

[The Wood]

what are the game shops out there. I don't remember their names

EDIT
@mart

nice comeback i must say

ill be asking persona 3 where he lives in the US as that ip stuff was hard evidence, not irrefutable but hard all the same

[TheMART]

Wrong. You first should ASK before you judge. Are Sony fans that short sighted?

I had a launch 360, with 90nm chipset. I could sell that console for a good price just before the pricedrop, so I could get a 65nm 360. Thus: I've walked in many, many shops and ask all around.

Too bad. You fail.

@ Wood

Ah you're one of them that think I am POG. Nice. I'll show you otherwise: Bart Smit, Intertoys, Dixons, V&D, Dynabyte, MediaMarkt, Free Record Shop. You can buy 360's there.

Second, shall I talk Dutch to you?

Zo dom als jij zijn ze er weinig klaarblijkelijk, maar ach PS3 fans zijn ook niet zo snugger ze verkiezen een BluRay spelerboven de beste gameconsole, de XBOX 360!

There you go.