Despite recent assurances from Microsoft reps to the contrary, Wired News has an article up today speculating that unless you buy one of those bundles now, you may be shut out of getting an XBox this holiday season.
Despite the fact that this looks like a blatant attempt by some covert Microsoft PR flack to drum up demand for the preorders, it's probably worth a look. Most of the quotes aren't from retailers, from Microsoft, or from any other source with information about XBox availability, but from consumers who are pissed off at the high price of bundles and concerned that they're being railroaded into buying one by the fear that none will be on the store shelves come shopping season:
More interesting than that was this quote from ToysRUs, whose vice president for corporate communications Jeanne Meyer indicated that hardcore gamers prefer to shop this way because it saves shipping and handling costs.I would like to have a choice in what games I buy, complained Richard Grimes of Virginia Beach, Virginia, who balked at the prices of the bundles. Chances are if you buy a bundle, you will pay $50 for a game you don't want.
Anybody buy that?
James Bernard of Microsoft PR reiterated that the XBox will be available as a standalone product on November 8.