UK Retailer Runs Down Kinect Reserves

[Logan Westbrook]

UK Retailer Runs Down Kinect Reserves

If you were expecting to just stroll into a Game store and buy one of the many Kinect [http://www.amazon.com/Kinect-Sensor-Adventures-Xbox-360/dp/B002BSA298/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1286972037&sr=1-1] boxes available, you've got another think coming.

Kinect would appear to have captured the imagination of the British public, as UK retailer Game has announced that its entire stock allocation for the launch of Microsoft's motion controller has been reserved, with weeks left before it's actually available.

Game is now taking pre-orders on its website for its next batch of Kinect stock, allocating people a "priority place in the queue" and promising to send customers their orders as soon as they become available. Obviously, Game has phrased its announcement to try and secure more pre-orders, but that doesn't change the fact that come release day, every Kinect already has someone's name on it.

Microsoft has previously stated that Kinect's launch would be massive [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103571-Kinect-Will-Be-the-Biggest-Platform-Launch-Ever-Says-Microsoft], predicting sales of around 3 million [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103519-Microsoft-Predicts-3-Million-Kinect-Sales-Over-the-Holidays] units over the holiday period and saying that it would blow the iPad out of the water [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103570-Tsunoda-iPads-Wild-Success-Wont-Compare-to-Kinect]. Game's announcement certainly would seem to vindicate at least some of that confidence, as it appears that consumers are genuinely interested in the device and are looking forward to playing games on it.

Kinect will launch on November 4th in North America and November 10th in Europe.

Source: CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=269332]







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[The Cheezy One]

Still not going to get until I see reviews saying it's good. And apparently, not even then, because there aren't enough

 

[Secret world leader (shhh)]

AWWWWW...:c

By the title i assumed that a The reserve of kinects had been run down by a lorry owned by a UK retailer. if that were true it would make my day.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

Wasn't it being released in limited Stock? That's how Gameplay advertises it. If so, not that impressive. If not then fair enough, but due to my Xbox 360 existing in another dimension (I don't have one) then I guess I can't buy it unless I feel like being silly.

Calumon: I wonder if I was in front of it? What would happen?

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I'm fine with this, if Kinect succeeds; good, we are one step closer to being plugged in 'matrix style' to a virtual reality machine.

If it fails we have to get ready for a long haul of same-y generic shooters that are released en-masse to try and recoup lost money.

 

[mad825]

Sorry but I don't live in the UK in fact I was never born UK.

I was born in and still living in______....can somebody remind me which country has the least Kinect sales?

 

[Sebenko]

Meh, I'm sure it will go the same way as the Wii, if not a faliure (Lots of sales at the start, then rapidly dropping when everyone's mum has bought one but no games).

 

[Ubermetalhed]

AWWWWW...:c

By the title i assumed that a The reserve of kinects had been run down by a lorry owned by a UK retailer. if that were true it would make my day.

That made me laugh.

I'm not interested in this, seems like an over expensive I-toy imo.

 

[Secret world leader (shhh)]

[seems like an over expensive Eye-toy imo

fixed for you, my thoughts exactly!

 

[VulakAerr]

One of those Game Kinects has my name on it. Yay!

This doesn't surprise me. I've seen signs outside many Game stores warning that they're running out. If this is truly a sign of good sales I'm impressed.

 

[BloodSquirrel]

Wasn't it being released in limited Stock? That's how Gameplay advertises it. If so, not that impressive. If not then fair enough, but due to my Xbox 360 existing in another dimension (I don't have one) then I guess I can't buy it unless I feel like being silly.

Calumon: I wonder if I was in front of it? What would happen?

If MS is planning on selling 3 million of them, they can't have their stock all that limited.

 

[Dogstile]

Sorry but I don't live in the UK in fact I was never born UK.

I was born in and still living in______....can somebody remind me which country has the least Kinect sales?

Sorry, I keep rereading this post and I can't understand what the hell you mean by that.

 

[Mehall]

Some stores have been advertising that their allocation had nearly been reached as an effort to push for more and more deposits (so that individual shop gets more initial stock) but I guess they were not far off the mark!

Tried Kinect. The hardware itself is more than capable but there is only one game currently on it's way that I'd buy if I had Kinect, that's Dance Central, and it's not a game that would make me buy Kinect.


It's strong, and it'll hit the right market, but not for me. Yet.

 

[mad825]

Sorry but I don't live in the UK in fact I was never born UK.

I was born in and still living in______....can somebody remind me which country has the least Kinect sales?

Sorry, I keep rereading this post and I can't understand what the hell you mean by that.

^.^

I'm effectively in denial about my nationality because of the high sales.

 

[aseelt]

How many did they get delivered in their first batch?

If they only got say 5,000 and they've been taking up with preorders the statement would be valid

Show me the numbers!

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Ah, one of the prime rules in marketing. Release less than demand and use it bump perceived value.

Now all they need to do is report a few fights over Kinect and the orders will start flooding in.

 

[Jumplion]

Nintendo did the whole "limited supply" thing for a whole year or so, I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft was doing this to generate hype.

If Kinect succeeds, good for them, but I still retain the fact that Microsoft have no idea what they're doing with the damn machine. I've already stated my thoughts on Kinect, so short version; it looks like an interesting piece of technology, but Microsoft don't know who they're advertising to or what would make those people want to buy it.

 

[Actual]

As a U.K. gamer who surrounds himself with other gamers I know no-one who has ordered one of these.

I can only assume this is being bought by the parents of kids who want the latest toy.

 

[Andronicus]

I'll admit that I certainly wouldn't be the first person to submit a vote of confidence in support of motion controls, but I'd hate to be considered close-minded as a result. All I'm interested in is the games. All I have to gauge the quality and relevance of motion controls in the market so far is the Wii software, which, I think quite understandably, offers very little that inspires confidence.

I'll continue to refrain from purchasing a Move or Kinect, but I'll certainly keep a close eye on the games on offer. Minigame collections and glorified workout videos certainly aren't going to convince me to rush out and start throwing money at these things.