On the hunt for an Xbox 360? Keep looking!
According to Realm Media, the next-gen console will remain hard to find in North America for some time to come. The site reports that Microsoft spokespeople have said they “underestimated” demand.
The next-gen console has been plagued by problems since its release late last year. In addition to shortages, gamers have reported issues with stability and compatibility. Some supply problems have been blamed on issues with obtaining chips. To help speed up production, Microsoft recently added a third manufacturer.
In the short term, prospects don't look good. Microsoft initially hoped to have shipped as many as 3 million systems by the end of February. But by the end of the year, Microsoft had shipped only about 1 million worldwide (about 800,000 to the USA and 100,000 each to Europe and Japan), according to estimates from analyst Michael Pachter with investment firm Wedbush Morgan Securities.
The NPD Group estimates that Microsoft sold 600,000 systems from Nov. 22 to Dec. 31. In comparison, it sold 1.4 million of the original Xbox systems in the first two months of 2001. "That was a new brand, and certainly now that it's established with a very loyal following and given the amount of hype and buzz they created, that is one barometer of what possibly could have been," says NPD analyst Anita Frazier.
Realm Media
On the upside, those willing to hunt for their Xbox 360 on eBay will find the prices have dropped a lot. Going from the $10,000 sale around the holidays to today’s $469, the console’s a steal on the online auction site. Plus, if it takes until spring for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 woes to subside, it will almost be time for the Nintendo Revolution and PlayStation 3 to make their market debuts. Or maybe the new Nissan, complete with an Xbox 360, will hit the market.
Related:
Man Pays $800 for Empty Xbox 360 Box on eBay
Xbox 360 Goes for Over $10K on eBay
Nissan Concept Car Comes With Xbox 360
Xbox 360: A Tale Of Two Markets
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