November 22: Xbox 360

[Glockstar]

It's official; the release date has (finally) been announced.

Xbox 360 launching November 22
[UPDATE 3] Microsoft announces its next-gen console's US launch date at the Tokyo Game Show; console will hit Europe December 2, Japan December 10 for 37,900 yen. Show lineup also revealed.

Ever since Microsoft revealed it was going to launch the Xbox 360 worldwide this year, gamers have been asking themselves one question--when? The majority of industry-watchers agreed that it would likely be in mid-November. After all, that would coincide with the fourth anniversary of the original Xbox's November 15 launch and the third anniversary of Xbox Live going online. It would also give developers the maximum amount of time to polish the first games for the console while allowing Microsoft to take full advantage of the holiday shopping season, which traditionally starts the day after Thanksgiving.

As the fourth quarter of 2005 approached, more clues to a mid-November launch surfaced. Even before Microsoft unveiled the machine on MTV on May 12, the network accidentally revealed the first games for the platform would be "due in November." Later that month, a Canadian subcontractor accidentally told a newspaper that the company had "a huge mandate for getting [the Xbox 360] out for Thanksgiving this year."

Now it appears that Microsoft will make its pre-Turkey-Day mandate…barely. In its pre-Tokyo Games Show conference on Thursday afternoon, Microsoft announced that it is shipping the Xbox 360 in North America on Tuesday, November 22, two days before Thanksgiving. The company also said the console is already being manufactured en masse, with "state-of-the-art facilities producing millions of units."

As previously revealed this week, Microsoft will stagger the release of the Xbox 360 by territory. Europe will get the console second on Friday, December 2, while it will hit Japanese store shelves on Saturday, December 10. Microsoft also announced the Japanese price for the Xbox 360. Instead of the two SKUs announced for North America and Europe, Japanese gamers will only have one available for 37,900 yen ($343.20). It will be the equivalent of the $399 Xbox 360 package in the US, and will come with the 20GB detachable Xbox 360 hard drive, wireless controller, media remote control, a component HD-AV cable, ethernet cable, and batteries. The first Japanese shipment will include a number of commemorative packs that also bundle in an Xbox 360 headset valued at 2,500 yen. The possibility of a "core" system sans hard drive being released in Japan in future wasn't ruled out, but there are certainly no plans to do so at this time, even though the only announced game that actually requires it at this point is Final Fantasy XI.

...

"This holiday season, gamers in Japan, Europe and North America pining to experience jaw-dropping high-definition graphics, unmatched online play and compelling digital entertainment features of Xbox 360 will finally have the chance," said chief Xbox officer Robbie Bach. "Renowned development studios around the world are busy putting the finishing touches on their Xbox 360 games. 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, and with more than 200 games currently in development, continuous new additions to the library are on the way."

Of the 200 games Bach mentioned, 27 will be on display at the Xbox 360 booth at the Tokyo Game Show. Those in bold are expected to be playable.

· (eM)-eNCHANT-arM (FromSoftware Inc.)
· Bomberman -- Act Zero (Hudson Soft Co. Ltd.)
· Call of Duty 2 (Activision Inc.)
· Chromehounds (Sega)
· Dead Rising (Capcom)
· Dynasty Warriors 5 Special (Koei Co. Ltd.)
· Everyparty (Microsoft Game Studios)
· Far East of Eden -- Ziria (Hudson Soft)
· Final Fantasy XI (Square Enix Co. Ltd.)
· Frame City Killer (Namco)
· Gears of War (Microsoft Game Studios)
· Kameo: Elements of Power (Microsoft Game Studios)
· Mobile Suit Gundam (tentative title) (Bandai Co. Ltd.)
· Need for Speed Most Wanted (Electronic Arts)
· Ninety-Nine Nights (Microsoft Game Studios)
· The Outfit (THQ)
· Project Gotham Racing 3 (Microsoft Game Studios)
· Resident Evil 5 (Capcom)
· Ridge Racer 6 (Namco)
· Rumble Roses XX (tentative title) (Konami)
· Shutoku Battle (tentative title) (Genki Co. Ltd.)
· Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega)
· Saint’s Row (THQ)
· Test Drive Unlimited (Atari Inc.)
· Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (Ubisoft Entertainment)
· World Air Force (tentative title) (Taito Corp.)
· Wrestle Kingdom (Yuke’s Co. Ltd.)

GameSpot will have details about Chief Xbox Officer Robbie Bach's keynote and Xbox 360 game impressions fresh off the show floor as part of our ongoing coverage of the 2005 Tokyo Game Show.

By Tor Thorsen, Justin Calvert -- Gamespot

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

Though I'm not going to get on in '05 (now that's some official news), it's good to see NA get new hardware first for a change. None of that waiting months and months for a console that's already been released in Japan this time.

Just think of how European gamers must feel. They're usually the last on the list, having to wait even longer than we do for new hardware. Now, their wait will be the shortest ever.

I just found out that Enchant Arm is being developed by the Otogi guys from From Software. I'm interested, but I really have to have solid details on the combat system before I consider putting it on my 360 list.

[Glockstar]

Yeah and they're behind Chromehounds too.

Besides Otogi, From Software is known for their Armored Core games for the Playstations. But the only other Xbox game that they did was Murakumo - which was a real stinker.

Well, actually, they did a couple of other Xbox games too... but they were never released outside of Japan:
- Thousand Land = "a combat map creation simulation game."*
- MetalWolf Chaos = "a frantic, barrel-emptying release of Gungrave crossed with the heavy metal snarl of MechAssault. This game is all about destruction and, as the title suggests, chaos."*

* descriptions by IGN

We've been talking a bit about 360 games in the 'Who's Down For Launch' thread - wherein I posted a list of the supposed "launch window" games - but nobody's sure exactly what's going to be available when. That's the next thing we need to hear.

I'm definitely getting a 360 - but not before Oblivion comes out. And I doubt that that's going to be a "Day 1" launch game.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

Yeah and they're behind Chromehounds too.

Besides Otogi, From Software is known for their Armored Core games for the Playstations. But the only other Xbox game that they did was Murakumo - which was a real stinker.

Well, actually, they did a couple of other Xbox games too... but they were never released outside of Japan:
- Thousand Land = "a combat map creation simulation game."*
- MetalWolf Chaos = "a frantic, barrel-emptying release of Gungrave crossed with the heavy metal snarl of MechAssault. This game is all about destruction and, as the title suggests, chaos."*

* descriptions by IGN

We've been talking a bit about 360 games in the 'Who's Down For Launch' thread - wherein I posted a list of the supposed "launch window" games - but nobody's sure exactly what's going to be available when. That's the next thing we need to hear.

I'm definitely getting a 360 - but not before Oblivion comes out. And I doubt that that's going to be a "Day 1" launch game.

Are the same guys at From Software responsible for both Otogi and Armored Core? I figured it was two sets of devs at the place, and one got tired of making mech games. The fact that Otogi was a hanck and slash gives me a little bit of hope that Enchant Arm will not have turn-based combat.

I have a feeling Oblivion will come out sometime early December if it's not a launch game. That's one of the two games that really has me wanting a 360 (next-gen version of Tomb Raider is the other).

I still do not think I'll et one until Jan/Feb at the earliest, though. I really want to wait a little bit and see if there's any problems with the new hardware, plus I get the feeling that stores will be sold out of them from launch until Christmas, with each shipment being snatched up as soon as they leave the UPS trucks.

[Glockstar]

I don't know... but From Software has gotta have two teams, don't they? I mean, Chromehounds and (eM)-eNCHANT-arM are coming out right on top of each other - how do you work on two games at once?! Right?

As far as the availability of 360s... I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. Because I don't think it's going to be that hard to find one.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

I don't know... but From Software has gotta have two teams, don't they? I mean, Chromehounds and (eM)-eNCHANT-arM are coming out right on top of each other - how do you work on two games at once?! Right?

From is also making a next gen Tenchu and Armored Core, so with those four combined games, there's no way one dev can work on all of those at once, even if they end up being crappy.

As far as the availability of 360s... I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. Because I don't think it's going to be that hard to find one.

The guy at EB gave me the impression that they were going pre-order only for the first so many shipments of 360. I have no idea of that would be a week or two, or the rest of the year. With Gamestop and EB merging, I figured they would be doing the same. I'm sure some stores like K-Mart may have a few stashed somewhere (especially my local one since they don't get a lot of business). You may be right, it shouldn't be that hard to get a 360 if it's not pre-ordered. The shipment will not be as bad as the PS2s were.

[DarkJason]

I can't wait to see this console at my house.

[Superior Beatslayer]

jason is a dink, jason is a dink

[E.T.]

jason is a dink, jason is a dink

:confused:

[Fivespot]

Gamestop has a special when you trade 4 or more games - they give an additional 40% credit. I cashed in a combination of 44 games and DVD's and got over $200 this afternoon.

I put all of that credit towards my 360 reservation and two games; Call of Duty 2 & Madden 360.

I'm still on board for 11/22 with a Gamestop warranty of course (just in case the brand spanking new hardware has any problems).

[Glockstar]

44 games and DVDs?! Geez!!!

[Fivespot]

44 games and DVDs?! Geez!!!

I know - Crazy. Most were DVD's.

My wife and I own 350+ DVD's and are running out of places to go with them. We recently sat down and identified a bunch to give to charity since we had no desire to watch them again (we can only watch certain movies more than once so why bother keeping the others around forever).

Unfortunately, we ended up giving them to the Fivespot 360 charity instead. :)

[Glockstar]

Nine more games target 360 launch
Take-Two, Activision games add to growing list of launch games--and hype; number now reaches a possible 17.

Though Microsoft has not officially confirmed the entire launch lineup of games expected on day one of the Xbox 360's debut, two game publishers are publicly declaring their contributions. According to a report from Reuters, Take-Two Interactive and Activision have announced nine Xbox 360 games between them that will be on store shelves November 22, the day the console is released in the US.

The rivalry between Take-Two and Electronic Arts in the sports market will continue in the next-generation, as Take-Two, parent company of the 2K Sports brand, is expecting to have NBA 2K6, NHL 2K6, Top Spin 2, and Amped 3 on the Xbox 360 opening bill. Away from the feats of cyberathletes, Take-Two expects to take on the role-playing world with Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Activision is declaring a quartet of launch games for the 360, including a trio of sequels and an all-new IP. WWII shooter Call of Duty 2, first-person shooter Quake 4, and skater Tony Hawk's American Wasteland have all been pegged for day one release by the publisher. Activision believes Gun, an all-new Western-themed action game, will also mosey into stores November 22, according to Reuters.

Microsoft has not officially announced any of these games as available for the launch of the Xbox 360.

Adding these nine to the previous eight confirmed at X05 (Project Gotham Racing 3, Kameo: Elements of Power, Perfect Dark Zero, Madden NFL 06, NBA Live 06, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06, FIFA 06, and Need for Speed Most Wanted) would bring the total to 17 games ready for launch.

Given that Microsoft has repeatedly stated that 15-20 games will be ready for the console's debut, including all of these games would mean that other launch candidates may not be ready for day one, as previously thought. Games such as THQ's Saint's Row, Sega's Full Auto and Condemned: Origins, and Tecmo's Dead or Alive 4 would now be put on the bubble or pushed back to the second wave of games expected at the end of this year, or early 2006.

According to David Reid, director of platform marketing for the Xbox, the remaining games for launch are still "in the final stages of certification" and will shortly be announced officially.

By Tim Surette -- GameSpot
Posted Oct 6, 2005 3:01 pm PT

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6135223.html