Launch Policies at B&M (target + BB + WM) + Official Launch Day Titles

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Ofiicial Launch Titles (from kotaku)

Amped 3
Activision Call of Duty 2
Sega Condemned
EA FIFA 2006: Road To The FIFA World
Activision Gun
Microsoft Kameo Elements of Power
Peter’s Jackson’s King Kong (hard
Madden NFL 2006
NBA 2K6
NBA Live 2006
Need For Speed Most Wanted
Perfect Dark Zero
Perfect Dark Zero (Limited Edition)
Project Gotham Racing 3
Quake 4
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006
Tony Hawk: American Wasteland


Like always this may not be universal but it will be the majority of the respective B&M. Call if you are uncertain or if your B&M has handled things differently in the past.

On Target

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/xbox-360/target-xbox-360-launch-policies-134231.php

“Consoles are under a strict Nov. 22 street date and they mention that any failure to adhere to this will result in Target losing all future shipments.”

“The average store can expect to have between 25 and 50 consoles the first day, but it mentions elsewhere that this number can be as low as 10. This is all determined by average store volume. I checked the computer and the consoles, games and peripherals are already in the system, so if you have a generous Target employee they can check to see exactly the amount of consoles they have in when they get the shipment.”

On Nov. 22:

“Every store will print up tickets representing the number of 360’s and core systems they have in stock. They are also supposed to print a large sign informing customers that the store has sold out and keep it on hand.”

“Starting at 6:00 a.m., team members (employees) are supposed to go out and hand out tickets to people in line on a first come first serve basis. If all the tickets are not handed out on the first trip, they will go out every 15 minutes until there are no more left.”
Click to expand...

On BB

- There will be some Midnight Launches at certain locations, call your BB to find out.
- Will be handled with ticket system like the PSP Launch. (Most BBs may vary)
- I have heard employees cannot reserve a console
- Heard BB's will carry anywhere from 30-266 consoles (more reg typically)
- Will have IGN guide with coupons (similar to PSP launch)
- Double RW points if you spend $599
- Midnight launch stores will have more (100 more reportedly)
Midnight launch stores confirmed
• Store #104 (Hawthorne, CA)
• Store #120 (Santa Rosa, CA)
• Store #146 (Sterling, VA)
• Store #164 (Lone Tree, CO)
• Store #202 (Plano, TX)
• Store #281 (Richfield, MN)
• Store #291 (Galleria, TX)
• Store #311 (Burbank, IL)
• Store #498 (Bellevue, WA)
• Store #516 (Alpharetta, GA)
• Store #557 (Miami, FL)
• Store #1028 (Midtown, NY)
- Go here for the lodown of how many your store is getting (taken from other thread)
http://www.gamersreports.com/index.php?sid=4406
Find store# at store locatore at BB.com
http://www.bestbuy.com/

Wow it looks like the one right near me in hawthorne is getting the 2nd most units in the nation (234) just under the Washington. Wohoo!


On Walmart

- I have heard it will be a forced bundle.
- Some reports of midnight Launches

kotaku reports on walmart
http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/xbox-360/xbox-360-supply-watch-134590.php

*All stores are supposed to open at midnight to sell their limited supply of 360s and games.
*Specific store’s 360 supply will be dictated by corporate based on how their game sales are in general.
*Store supplies will likely be similar to what Target stores will be getting. (10 to 50)
*Only one 360 can be sold per a transaction.
Click to expand...
- Will use tickets, some passed out even starting 9pm on the 21st

On Kmart

-Expect very few

On Gamestop/Gamecrazy/EBgames

- From what I have heard Pretty much forget about it unless you have preordered

Pls contribute to this thread if you know of any errors or have new info. Thnx.
 
Target for me. If not, I'll check out a Sears since most people don't think about getting games there (I'll check before hand to see if they even will sell it on launch day)
 
Just a heads up if you have a Target Visa Card and you get one of those 10% discount coupons between now and Nov. 22 (I think they mail you one each time you spend $500 on the card).

I read the terms and conditions on the back of the 10% discount card and there's no exclusions, so you could actually pick a premium bundle up for $360 plus tax after the 10% discount.
 
They'll be begging you to sign up for Target cards outside if the employees have a brain. There's a tickbox for a non-Visa card on the application if you'd prefer to limit the mark on your credit report. Future allocations will be based off of game/accessory sales, so they'll be bending over backwards to get you with a bunch of extras + 10% off discount. Yes I plan on doing one, 10% for the card on top of employee 10%
 
im going to best buy but if they have a midnight thing i wont even try.. Im not standing in line at midnight to get a stupid game system when i have to be standing in line a few days later for DATG
 
And what's the plan for K-Mart, you ask?

Absolutely nothing! As far as I know, corporate has not yet come up with a plan for the 360. I believe K-Mart is in the lowest tier of video game sales, making up 3% of the entire market, and as such corporate just brushes it all off. I mean, I will keep you all updated, because K-Mart may actually surprise me and have a plan.

I gurantee we will get the absolute bottom number (10), and more core systems then premium's. Our own monthly ad actually advertises the $299 bundle, and in VERY small print says "Premium $399 bundle also available". This assures me that K-Mart will get in maybe 2 or 3 premium bundles, and pass on core units to poor, unsuspecting folks.

Also, I believe that they really have no rules regarding employee purchases, like Best Buy does. It's probably governed on a store to store basis, like the launch seems to be (and all major events, Star Wars Episode III release was completely left up to me on what to do and how to display it). I mean, you may get to the store, and find an employee has bought the only premium system... I call it perks of the job, to be honest.

Yea, might want to avoid K-Mart though, and to a higher extent Sears, since we are all one big company, as they seem to be banking on the $299 version.

I might do a ticket system, but I might just not do anything and have first come, first serve, to see what kind of anarchy I can amass for my own pleasure.
 
[quote name='Gojtron']They'll be begging you to sign up for Target cards outside if the employees have a brain. There's a tickbox for a non-Visa card on the application if you'd prefer to limit the mark on your credit report. Future allocations will be based off of game/accessory sales, so they'll be bending over backwards to get you with a bunch of extras + 10% off discount. Yes I plan on doing one, 10% for the card on top of employee 10%[/QUOTE]

OT:

No-offense, but there's no such thing as limiting the hit on a credit report. I work for a major financial institution and credit inquiries are cut and dry. If you fill out an application for credit, it's an inquiry on your credit report. Major financial institutions and banks can view your credit report, which in the business is known as a "soft hit," not an inquiry. You're basically looking at their history and score to see if they've ever defaulted on loans / deliquent more than 30-60 days in the past 2 years, etc. Soft hits are just reviews of reports, they don't show up on the report. But anytime you fill something out for any card, its an inquiry and your score will go down.
 
[quote name='Roufuss']And what's the plan for K-Mart, you ask?

Absolutely nothing! As far as I know, corporate has not yet come up with a plan for the 360. I believe K-Mart is in the lowest tier of video game sales, making up 3% of the entire market, and as such corporate just brushes it all off. I mean, I will keep you all updated, because K-Mart may actually surprise me and have a plan.

I gurantee we will get the absolute bottom number (10), and more core systems then premium's. Our own monthly ad actually advertises the $299 bundle, and in VERY small print says "Premium $399 bundle also available". This assures me that K-Mart will get in maybe 2 or 3 premium bundles, and pass on core units to poor, unsuspecting folks.

Also, I believe that they really have no rules regarding employee purchases, like Best Buy does. It's probably governed on a store to store basis, like the launch seems to be (and all major events, Star Wars Episode III release was completely left up to me on what to do and how to display it). I mean, you may get to the store, and find an employee has bought the only premium system... I call it perks of the job, to be honest.

Yea, might want to avoid K-Mart though, and to a higher extent Sears, since we are all one big company, as they seem to be banking on the $299 version.

I might do a ticket system, but I might just not do anything and have first come, first serve, to see what kind of anarchy I can amass for my own pleasure.[/QUOTE]
I'm still going to K-Mart, nobody ever suspects K-Mart.
 
[quote name='TimPV3']I'm still going to K-Mart, nobody ever suspects K-Mart.[/QUOTE]

But as I said, it is HIGHLY likely we are going to get stiffed on the premium systems, since K-Mart seems to be advertised the $299 bundle more - and since corporate feels that $400 may be too pricey for our clientele (which I agree) we may get 8 core system, 2 premium systems, and who knows if employees will scoop those up.

You will have better luck at Best Buy, probably, unless you really want a core system, then yea, we'll have those.
 
Point taken, I was referring to the outstanding limit that they'll give you. The visa goes above 10K, the store card I believe doesn't break 2.

Considering my Kmart still has a Duke hooked up to their XB kiosk, that doesn't surprise me.
 
Best Buy -- Skokie -- 60 of each type (confirmed this with a couple different people working there) -- some employees say they'll open up early and aren't sure about the 12pm launch, others say they'll do a midnight launch AND open up early.

3 more weeks!
 
I copied this from some website.

www.kotaku.com/gaming/xbox-360/xbox-360-supply-shortages-134370.php

"Xbox 360 Supply Shortages?

More details on the launch day Xbox 360 supplies and things are continuing to look bleak. According to one GameStop employee their store is expecting a whopping 18 Xbox 360 premium packages. (They have 90 reservations.) The first 18 people to put in their reservations will get a system. On Monday night, Nov. 21, the store will create little piles for the lucky customers with their system and whatever games they want to buy, then at midnight they will be let in one at a time to collect their goodies. The unlucky customers will still be able to come in to buy games so they can go home and cry themselves to sleep with them.

Here’s the store-by-store launch day break down for those of you keeping score:

Target: 10 to 50 Xbox 360s depending on average volume of store.

Best Buy: 20 to 60 Xbox 360s with a larger shipment coming “later that week.”

We’re still waiting for word from our moles at EB Games and any other retail outlet (cough)Circuit City(cough) that may be expecting consoles on launch day.

By all accounts so far it’s going to be a very unhappy Nov. 22 for most Xbox fans. "


I'm going to be seriously pissed if they only have 18 units at the GameStop I pre-ordered from and am not one of the first 18!!!
 
[quote name='Gojtron']
Considering my Kmart still has a Duke hooked up to their XB kiosk, that doesn't surprise me.[/QUOTE]

That's not really our fault... Sony and Microsoft do a VERY shitty job in keeping up on our stores. I have never seen a Microsoft rep come by, EVER, and my Xbox is BROKE, and was running a demo from Winter 2004 before that. I've gotten into it with Microsoft over the phone, as well, they really give us the shaft when it comes to this sort of thing.

Not to mention I've gotten a letter from Sony telling me that "Your local playstation representative is no longer covering your store, for further questions call 1-800- some number". I'll probably call the number to return the big fuck you they sent me in that letter, since my ps2 is slowly dying now and the demo in there is old as dirt.

Only the Nintendo rep stops by every month. The moral of this long ass story where I went off on a tangent is that MS isn't really supportive of K-Mart, I don't think we'll EVER get an Xbox 360 kiosk, let alone a good number of Xbox 360's.
 
If you live in Midwest (west of Illinois), don't forget Shopko, in Michigan and Ohio, Meijer is another option. I don't think Shopko will be getting many but like K-Mart, people don't think about those as gaming stores, if you live in Green Bay/Madison areas, absolutely try ShopKo first, the corporate always give those stores good stuff first. During PS2 launch, my store (Shopko) had 6 units, and we had 5 customers waiting in line right before store opened. Sears, on the other hand, had more people than units available. Forget Best Buy and Walmart - absolutely last place trying to get system at launch, highest # of competing customers per unit.
 
[quote name='mick16']I copied this from some website.

www.kotaku.com/gaming/xbox-360/xbox-360-supply-shortages-134370.php

"Xbox 360 Supply Shortages?

More details on the launch day Xbox 360 supplies and things are continuing to look bleak. According to one GameStop employee their store is expecting a whopping 18 Xbox 360 premium packages. (They have 90 reservations.) The first 18 people to put in their reservations will get a system. On Monday night, Nov. 21, the store will create little piles for the lucky customers with their system and whatever games they want to buy, then at midnight they will be let in one at a time to collect their goodies. The unlucky customers will still be able to come in to buy games so they can go home and cry themselves to sleep with them.

Here’s the store-by-store launch day break down for those of you keeping score:

Target: 10 to 50 Xbox 360s depending on average volume of store.

Best Buy: 20 to 60 Xbox 360s with a larger shipment coming “later that week.”

We’re still waiting for word from our moles at EB Games and any other retail outlet (cough)Circuit City(cough) that may be expecting consoles on launch day.

By all accounts so far it’s going to be a very unhappy Nov. 22 for most Xbox fans. "


I'm going to be seriously pissed if they only have 18 units at the GameStop I pre-ordered from and am not one of the first 18!!![/QUOTE]


Kotaku is wrong about the BB though, various BB's near me said they will have 300
 
[quote name='vincewy']If you live in Midwest (west of Illinois), don't forget Shopko, in Michigan and Ohio, Meijer is another option. I don't think Shopko will be getting many but like K-Mart, people don't think about those as gaming stores, if you live in Green Bay/Madison areas, absolutely try ShopKo first, the corporate always give those stores good stuff first. During PS2 launch, my store (Shopko) had 6 units, and we had 5 customers waiting in line right before store opened. Sears, on the other hand, had more people than units available. Forget Best Buy and Walmart - absolutely last place trying to get system at launch, highest # of competing customers per unit.[/QUOTE]

Supposedly, the Meijer out by me had a PSP launch event... but nobody knew about it, even the people that worked there.
 
I'm still on the fence about getting one at launch. I keep saying no but I love console launches and going to Target, Best Buy or Walmart at midnight might be fun... expensive, but fun...
 
[quote name='javeryh']I'm still on the fence about getting one at launch. I keep saying no but I love console launches and going to Target, Best Buy or Walmart at midnight might be fun... expensive, but fun...[/QUOTE]
Just wait it out and see what games there are for launch. Every time I look at the launch game list, there's something that goes from day 1 to launch window timeframe, so I'm waiting it out until MS gets a clue about how to launch their consoles right.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']Just wait it out and see what games there are for launch. Every time I look at the launch game list, there's something that goes from day 1 to launch window timeframe, so I'm waiting it out until MS gets a clue about how to launch their consoles right.[/QUOTE]

yeah, that's what I'll probably do... it likely means that I won't be getting one until 2006 though if there really are shortages...
 
[quote name='javeryh']I'm still on the fence about getting one at launch. I keep saying no but I love console launches and going to Target, Best Buy or Walmart at midnight might be fun... expensive, but fun...[/QUOTE]

I am still on the fence as well. I have a xbox right now and I am really happy with it. I would like to get the 360 but I don't know if I should wait or not. I really want to play PGR3 though. When the xbox came out I didn't get one for Christmas so when I went out to get one I had to wait until February before any stores around me got some in. I also don't think the price of the 360 is going to go down until next Christmas so I don't want to wait a year to get one.
 
[quote name='ryan838']I am still on the fence as well. I have a xbox right now and I am really happy with it. I would like to get the 360 but I don't know if I should wait or not. I really want to play PGR3 though. When the xbox came out I didn't get one for Christmas so when I went out to get one I had to wait until February before any stores around me got some in. I also don't think the price of the 360 is going to go down until next Christmas so I don't want to wait a year to get one.[/QUOTE]


Exactly, if your not gonna wait for the price drop, you might as well maximize your fun time by buying it at launch. That's slowly becoming my justification.
 
Here's another article I found on the web which makes it appear that EBGames will not be getting a lot of 360's to distribute. I'm not sure what constitutes a "guaranteed" pre-order though...

http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/663/663438p1.html

"EB Games Facing Severe Xbox 360 Shortages

November 01, 2005 - EB Games is facing severe shortages of Xbox 360 stock according to one employee who wrote in. The employee, who shall of course remain nameless, stated that his Arizona store has had over 90 pre-orders, 32 of which were guaranteed to be fulfilled, until today when the EBG head office revealed that the store would receive just 16 units on November 22nd, leaving another 16 "guaranteed" pre-orderers bitterly disappointed, and another 60-odd sod out of luck for who knows how long.
While one may imagine this to be an isolated incident, our intrepid reader / EB employee contacted other stores in the local area to discover whether this unfortunate business was happening elsewhere too, and yes, it is.

So, if you have a pre-order, "guaranteed" or otherwise, I suggest you contact your local EB Games to discover whether you'll be diddling with the Xbox 360 and its diminishing launch-day line-up on November 22nd, or indeed, any time soon.

Many thanks to the source of this story - we salute you!

Update: A GameStop employee located in the same area informed us that they have yet to receive confirmation as to the availability of units for their customers, but do believe that all 'guaranteed' pre-orders will be fulfilled.

Update #2: An EBG employee from Florida let us know that his store will also only receive 16 units on November 22nd, while the company as a whole will supposedly only receive around 35,000 units to distribute to all outlets across North America."
 
[quote name='Zoglog']Kotaku is wrong about the BB though, various BB's near me said they will have 300[/QUOTE]

How reliable are the store clerks? How many a store wants is different than how many they can get. I've recently read articles from corporate Best Buy, 20-60 is correct, of course you can hope for 300 units per store, just don't be dissapointed if they turn out very few.
 
ya know what really sucks? GS won't give out ANY refunds-- store credit, cash, or anything until after the system releases. I went there on the last day before this friendly policy went into effect and they wouldn't even give me the $40 I had left on the system-- instead they gave me a slip that said "Storebucks -- Xbox360" and let me know that no store would exchange it for cash. then the kind employee blatantly admitted that he was too lazy to transfer my credit to some 360 games and warned me multiple times about how best buy was going to be hell and that I was absolutely screwed and that I bettah be prepared to fight for a.....you get the picture, the guy was a total dick. he got some girl to do the credit transfer for him :roll:

also: back in may, Gamestop employees at all stores were saying their initial load would be 25,000 throughout the states. if that's still true, then I imagine there will be a lot of salty folks who were "guaranteed" a 360.
 
Might want to consider Hastings. The Hastings where I live usually has midnight launches for hyped items (Harry Potter movies/books, Doom, Warcraft, Half-Life, PSP, etc...).
 
[quote name='vincewy']How reliable are the store clerks? How many a store wants is different than how many they can get. I've recently read articles from corporate Best Buy, 20-60 is correct, of course you can hope for 300 units per store, just don't be dissapointed if they turn out very few.[/QUOTE]

well the people I asked were the managers of the media sections at 2 different best buys. They were pretty confident about thier numbers since they said they checked it in the system. I realize there are alot of retarded best buy employees tho. They have a tendency to accidentaly hang up =p when you ask a simple question. "Hey is guitar hero in stock?"
"let me check"
"...... click"

But yeah anyway it could be a reigon thing. I'm in a pretty damn populated area "LA County"
 
I think the ebgames shortage is true. To go with that store in Arizona my store in Western NY is only getting 20 in for the launch on the 22nd and someone i know in Wisconsin just told me that his store is only getting 20 in. Looks like there will be many disappointed customers this holiday season
 
For what its worth, a clerk at GameStop told me today that they were supposedly getting a larger allotment than EB Games as GameStop's pre-orders were going to be given a priority (as GameStop recently acquired EB Games) and assured me that my pre-order in early September would get filled.

I'm not a very trusting person, so I'll believe it when I see it in my grubby little hands on the 22nd of November.
 
I talked to a Best Buy employee today and he said they were getting about 40 units in for their 1st shipment (didn't specify core or premium) and that they were opening at 8 a.m.. A Best Buy store not much farther away will be having a Midnight sale but I don't know how many they are expecting.

I don't know if he was BS me but he said alot of people have been asking about preordering the system, so it looks like I'll have to get there early.
 
I just got back from pre-ordering from Toys R Us. The one I went to is only getting 4 and they are ALL the premium package. The manager said they were expecting at least 50 and just found out today the number was a lousy 4 units. They didn't have a 360 kiosk yet either. They are offering 2 packages:

XBox 360 Premium, Microsoft Wired controller, Madden 2006, NBA Live 2006, and Kameo for 609.95 with a 50.00 deposit.

XBox 360 Premium, Microsoft Wired Controller, Madden 2006, NBA Live 2006, Kameo, Perfect Dark Zero, Tony Hawk, and Gun ( I can't be sure of this one but I'm pretty sure it was GUN) for 769.95 with a 50.00 deposit.

Anyways, even though I didn't want a bundle I went with the first one as I don't think it's that bad of a deal. Wish it was an extra wireless controller but the wife won't mind. Hope this helps.
 
[quote name='vivisection']I just got back from pre-ordering from Toys R Us. The one I went to is only getting 4 and they are ALL the premium package. The manager said they were expecting at least 50 and just found out today the number was a lousy 4 units. They didn't have a 360 kiosk yet either. They are offering 2 packages:

XBox 360 Premium, Microsoft Wired controller, Madden 2006, NBA Live 2006, and Kameo for 609.95 with a 50.00 deposit.

XBox 360 Premium, Microsoft Wired Controller, Madden 2006, NBA Live 2006, Kameo, Perfect Dark Zero, Tony Hawk, and Gun ( I can't be sure of this one but I'm pretty sure it was GUN) for 769.95 with a 50.00 deposit.

Anyways, even though I didn't want a bundle I went with the first one as I don't think it's that bad of a deal. Wish it was an extra wireless controller but the wife won't mind. Hope this helps.[/QUOTE]


gawd I hate bundles lol, they should at least let you pick the damn games.
 
yeah, eb and gamestop stores surrounding the philly area all seem to be getting half their anticipated launch allocations.

lesson here?- M$ are a bunch of lying, money grubbing pricks. get everyone hyped up, have us pre-order craplots of their games and accessories. and then tell us thanks for that, we won't get the system til next year. gotta love it.
 
[quote name='starboyk']yeah, eb and gamestop stores surrounding the philly area all seem to be getting half their anticipated launch allocations.

lesson here?- M$ are a bunch of lying, money grubbing pricks. get everyone hyped up, have us pre-order craplots of their games and accessories. and then tell us thanks for that, we won't get the system til next year. gotta love it.[/QUOTE]

EB and GameStop has done this with every launch. Over sale consoles is their moto.
 
[quote name='starboyk']yeah, eb and gamestop stores surrounding the philly area all seem to be getting half their anticipated launch allocations.

lesson here?- M$ are a bunch of lying, money grubbing pricks. get everyone hyped up, have us pre-order craplots of their games and accessories. and then tell us thanks for that, we won't get the system til next year. gotta love it.[/QUOTE]


it's not MS, it's EB and GS booking as many pre-orders as possible without knowing how many systems they'll actually get.
 
[quote name='Zoglog']well the people I asked were the managers of the media sections at 2 different best buys. They were pretty confident about thier numbers since they said they checked it in the system. I realize there are alot of retarded best buy employees tho. They have a tendency to accidentaly hang up =p when you ask a simple question. "Hey is guitar hero in stock?"
"let me check"
"...... click"

But yeah anyway it could be a reigon thing. I'm in a pretty damn populated area "LA County"[/QUOTE]

As of last night when I closed, the numbers for the systems arent in the system yet. Normally it says how many of a particular item we have on order, but we dont have that information yet. It was in there for a day and then was taken out, and the guesstamates from you guys/the industry for the number of systems BBY would get is about right.
 
tickets is a stupid idea first people in line wil be dealers .

People should have to wait till the store opens rush to the electronics section and pull a ticket there first come first serve.
That eliminates pesky old people and gives kids a chance.
 
Definitely more than the 350,000 which was estimated. Think that will be enough to satisfy demand?
 
nope, but it will be enough so that you won't have to kill your neighbor to get one. I'd expect a 100 dollar profit per ebay sell though.
 
Stopped at Target and Circuit City tonight and talked to managers at both stores. When I asked the Target manager if they were getting in 10 or 12 he laughed at me. They had already received "boxes" of 360's, they come four to a box and they would probably receive more before the release date. I then asked if it would be more like 50 and he said that was a better guess, but he couldn't tell me an exact number. At Circuit City I was surprised to find out that they will not be selling any 360's on launch day. They are saving them until Black Friday when they open at 5 AM, and they will be treated like all of the other hot BF items (i.e. tickets will be distributed to people in line on a first come, first served basis). I did not ask if it was a corporate policy, but it seemed like it was. So, if the CC BF ad is any good, I should be able to kill two birds with one stone.
 
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