Knowing that European stocks were low, but buoyed up by reports of
available consoles nearby, it
seemed like a good idea to go and queue at local shops with a pleading expression and a credit card, in
vain hope of getting a 360 on launch. After reading
accounts of various exciting launch events in America, it
was surprising to find out that only a few shops were planning to do anything for the 360 launch over in the
UK.
By a carefully-planned strategy of phoning round, I found that only two local shops were opening at midnight—one, a
Tesco Extra superstore, happened to have the
largest allocation of
360s in the UK, which looked promising. The other, a Gamestation, was only opening for preorder customers,
presumably to give people the consoles they simply couldn't wait until morning to have. No 360s for sale there, so I
formed my plan of attack (plan A: go to Tesco) and waited to set it in motion.
4pm (T-8 hours)
I read on the Internet that people had already started
queueing up, so in a panic I phone Tesco. Just as I start getting really friendly with Tesco?s ?line engaged?
signal, a nice chap answers and on hearing the first syllable of ?Xbox 360? parrots off a clearly well-rehearsed
spiel?turn up at 11pm and queue. Perhaps the demand isn?t so great after all?
6pm (T-6 hours)
I venture out and scan local game and music shops for any forming queues.
Nothing to see, move along?no signs in the shop windows, no sniff of anything 360-shaped in town. Encouraged by the
complete lack of 360 enthusiasm, I return home and play Animal Crossing on my Gamecube, trying to forget about
all things Xbox.
8pm (T-4 hours)
Coincidentally putting the radio on, my heart sinks. The local radio DJ?not a
profession one associates with being deeply entrenched in the gaming world?is doing a ?shout out? to everyone queueing
for their 360. ?Text in your requests now!? Bemused, I wonder quite who is texting in, and where the queues are.
11pm (T-1 hour)
I arrive at Tesco, hopes high and bank account braced. Before I?ve even passed
through the entrance, a security guard tells me there are no 360s left. Confused, I venture upstairs to the electrical
department, where I find possibly the least enthusiastic launch queue ever. About twenty people are fenced in behind a
barrier?these are the lucky few who will get their systems tonight. Ten more people are milling around, disappointed
but hoping that somehow there will be spare systems left.
The people at the front of the queue (pictured) have been there since before 6pm; those who missed being included in
the lucky few turned up just before 11. And yet there are no 360s in sight; no boxes, no store display, no pods, no
games or accessories. The queue is silently enthusiastic, but clearly just waiting for midnight to come and the whole
thing to be over. Unable to face the sight of other people getting the console I should have had?note to self, don?t
trust store assistants?I move on.
11.30pm (T-30 minutes)
There?s an invite-only shindig going on at the local
Gamestation, which I unashamedly gatecrash. While the hope that one of the
preorder customers might suddenly see sense and donate their console to me still burns faintly, it?s soon replaced by a
general despondency. There are about forty people here, half of whom have blue slips and receipts proudly declaring
that one of the shiny boxes behind the counter will soon be theirs. They?re enthusiastic, and not so quiet about it as
the Tesco crowd.
Gamestation have laid on quite the event, too?free food, GUN-themed cowboys and German soldiers with real
airsoft guns, poker, skateboarders and (most importantly) a guy with green hair. One of the staff members calls it the
most important console launch event yet. He might be right. The atmosphere is buzzing and the shouts of ?Ten minutes!?
are greeted with mumbled cheers.
Midnight (Launch!)
A countdown, a klaxon, a cheering crowd?and I watch twenty people walk past
me with Xbox 360s. The pleading look didn?t work so well, but I still have hope. Tomorrow two more stores are opening
early and will have consoles available, or so they say?it?s a 6AM start to get in the queue, though. Here?s hoping they
aren?t camping out already.
