Last 360 shipment for the bonus remote

by Dan Choi { Dec 1st 2005 at 9:00PM }

According to the internal document linked earlier today, the next shipment of Xbox 360s to Best Buy (presumably after the upcoming shipment on Dec. 16) will lack the bonus media remote (and emergency controller) next-gen owners of the premium system have come to know and love.

We knew the main (non-Core) Xbox 360 retail unit would only be coming with a bonus mini-remote for a limited time, and this tidbit confirms that the promo will be disappearing at the end of the current calendar year.

Just remember when you rush stores for a 360 to look for that sticker on the front of the box, clearly marking it as one that contains that coveted remote.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Pete @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

That's bs!

Sense @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

That's BS. The bonus remote was supposed to be part of the premium package. They are effectively devaluing the package.

I was already pissed that I might not even get my PRE-ORDERED Xbox 360 before the new year. Now I'm not even getting everything I paid for?

This is really making me angry.

Jody @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

cant wait till people start pointlessly buying these on ebay for $500

Zachary @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

I think if I got really got into the MCE stuff, I would want the bigger remote anyway, the dvd playback remote for the first Xbox was(in my opinion) too small, and the bonus remote looks about the same size.

ckirkman @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

So, let me get this straight. Not only is Microsoft shafting 95% of the gaming populace with a shortage, but now they're going to reduce the amount of peripherals you get for your money when and if you finally get a 360? This whole thing is ridiculous. I hope Nintendo's share goes up enough with the Revolution to make Microsoft abandon ship.

Not Impressed (Dmitri) @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

ckirkman:

I would think Gates would abandon ship before the whole company does. He is getting old and is getting sick of Windows.

Raffi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

Wow this really sucks. I ordered mine months ago, and I better damn well get this bonus remote or Microsoft will be hearing from me. I want my money's worth. Is it my fault they have a shortage of 360s? No. So why am I losing an accessory because of it?

mo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

This blows... DVD Box Office have removed 1x Controller as well as the Play and Charge kit from the pre-ordered 360 bundle I am yet to receive and have kept the price the same. Now, through no fault of my own - I'm going to lose out on the bonus remote? You've got to be kidding me MS.

Anonymous rep @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

No, #4, you are NOT getting shafted. It has ALWAYS been stated the bonus remote was only available in the pre-holiday bundles - limited to something on the order of the first 500,000 or so total consoles, if I remember that meeting correctly.

This was a BONUS remote only - it's the shorty with no number keys, anyway.

I think it would be interesting for you (or just about ANY of the gaming community that posts certain comments here - not all of you, there are a few intelligent answers out there) to actually get into the real world and run a business. How long would it be before you were bankrupt? Why do I say this? It's simply - you have NO concept of economic theory or of supply and demand. All you really sound like is a spoiled brat that is the product of parents who gave in to your squalling loudly. (MINE, MINE, MINE - I WANT IT NOW!)

I've worked in manufacturing, I've owned businesses myself, had to pay employee's salaries, figure out what I hoped my customers would want - and then pray that they'd buy it. If you think that you can wave a magic wand and suddenly 3 million consoles will appear, then you're worse than a moron.

Design a product. Design the specifications for this product. Secure suppliers for the components for this product. Insure that there IS good QA/QC from your suppliers. Get your assembly plants ready - which means designing the factories, laying out the assembly lines, hiring and training workers to assemble your products. Start your production slow so that your workers can learn how to do their jobs in a certain amount of time. Gradually speed production up to meet the expected supply. Build up an inventory of product to have - and then have a launch OF your product. Continue with production, and just keep working until you finally meet demand.

Here's something for you to think about. If the factories making the 360's were making 10,000 (That's TEN THOUSAND) units per day - then you'd be looking at 300,000 units per month presuming you don't give your workers any time off. And since there are 15,000 (that's FIFTEEN THOUSAND) retailers in the United States alone - and you're marketing a product to the ENTIRE world - you're going to need a LOT of product.

Oh, and just to throw something into the mix, you really do need to actually MAKE money at some point in the whole process. Profit is NOT a dirty word unless you're a liberal democrat.

So quit your bitching and learn how to be patient. Also known as, I'm an adult and I'm telling you to grow the hell up. (And if you don't think Sony is going to go through similar issues, if not worse ones than these, you're SADLY mistaken.)

Anonymous rep @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

Oh, and one other detail.

Pre-orders were NOT AUTHORIZED by Microsoft. Period - end of story. I've seen the documents and listened to the conference calls. Pre-orders were something that the gaming stores like to do to generate money in their pockets that they get to hold onto and generate interest for THEM while you're sitting and waiting.

We told the gaming stores from day one - and I'm talking about back in MAY of 2005 - that we would not have enough consoles on launch date to meet immediate demand. (For one thing, we had to start making them - check your production date. I haven't seen a console yet that was made prior to October 1, 2005. There may be some out there, but those would be ramp-up ones.)

You are NOT being shafted by Microsoft, #5. You're being shafted by GameStop/EB/insert retailer here.

Buck Q. Fitch @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

Too much to read, fool.

jason w @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

Thats why I ordered mine before e3 and have it right now. AHH early bird. Now if I could just get my wife to shut up about selling it on ebay i would be perfect.

Logic Bus @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

If I get one with the bonus remote, fine. If not, fine. I almost don't want it because then my decision will be made and I'll get the normal, larger remote -- which has more functionality -- and I won't feel guilty about wasting money.

Frank @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

#7 STFU! people have a right to mad about having preordered there system months ago and because of the shortage we are getting the shaft. If MS had any sense they would have at least taken care of the preorders and fulfilled that obligation, now there are just alot of pissed off people. We are not impressed that you had your own business, why do you no longer have it? Tanked? Bad business practices, like MS is doing now?

JCM @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

I bought the Logitech Harmony remote for the 360 and it works like a charm. I just push two buttons to turn all my gear to play my 360 and one button to turn it all off. The best part is that it always knows which input to choose for my tv and my receiver. I suppose one day I could sell it on eBay.

JCM @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

By sell "it", I mean the free bonus remote that came with my premium system.

Timothy Tripp @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

Ok everyone's making way too big of a deal out of this. I got mine on launch day (I got lucky!) and the included remote is really nothing special. The next time I was at Best Buy I picked up the universal (longer) version and it's a GREAT remote. It's not just longer, the keys are better, the range is better and the keys light up when you touch them, which is a huge plus for me. You also have volume/channel control with the universal so I've just shelved the bundled one (look for it on Ebay later ;)

Think of it this way: The bundled remote is about the same quality as the original XBox remote that came with the DVD playback kit. Functional but not great. The universal remote is like a high-quality remote you'd buy from a 3rd party. Not like the programmable $150 remotes from Logitech of course but very nice.

Adam Barrus @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

It's not Microsoft's fault that there were not enough units to meet pre-orders. Retail stores made up their own pre-order lists regardless of the unit allocation they knew they would receive from Microsoft. If you're angry about not getting a unit you pre-ordered, be angry at GameStop, EB Games or whoever you pre-ordered from for not respecting their customers enough to wait until they actually have unit allocation numbers before taking pre-orders. The fact that you can pre-order the Nintendo Revolution or Sony PlayStation 3 right now when no one knows the release date, pricing or just about ANYTHING regarding the launch of these consoles makes me sad for the state of the games retail stores.

montee @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

#8, your statement is ludacris, if you say that only the first 500,00 or so units are going to include the remote then BOTH (core and premium) should have them include since there were only 400,000 systems available for our launch. It would be interesting to see what the actual percentage is comparing core to premium systems
available. If the meaning behind that statement about only the first 500,000 units means the premium bundles then as a company microsoft should honor those who preordered the system in time to obtain the remote. you, as a previous biz owner, should know that keeping your word to your customers to build trust and loyalty is extremely important. but then again you said that you've "owned" businesses, being that word is referring to the past you obviously were unable to maintain a long lasting residual income for yourself and your family. next time you want to insult someones intelligence, look in the mirror....one always attacks another because of there own shortcomings!

AK @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

"as a company microsoft should honor those who preordered the system in time to obtain the remote"

Man, people don't read. Pre-orders were done by reatailers NOT Microsoft. Why should they honor somethng that another company promised? If a friend of yours took money from someone else and promised them that you would buy them a car, would you honor that promise? No, because you had nothing to do with the transaction, you did not receive anything. The pre-order deposits all go to the reatailer, they keep it, the bank it (and make interest on it and include it into their earnings report). They only pay MS for the consoles that they receive and not the ones they don't. And on the subject of the remote, the sticker on the box says "BONUS MEDIA REMOTE (Limited time only, while supplies last)."
If you are going to be upset at someone for getting the shaft (i feel for you), make sure you direct your anger at the right target.

pennywise969 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

I got my 360 on launch day. I have barely used the media remote. Its an okay remote, but nothing special. Ive used the game controller as a remote more than ive used the remote. Dont sweat it, kids.

Montee @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

#20, my statement was accurate. i was saying that the people who pre-ordered it that would be part of the first 500,000 or so units should be getting the remote as well. that is why i said "in time." so they should be getting the remote because MS stated that only the first 500,000 units will have them. and now they are changing that by saying that is now not the case. i do understand your analogy, however it is not relevant because you mis-understood my statement.

jevvim @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

#9: It's a FACT that Microsoft informed retailers several months in advance that they'd be able to deliver TONS of consoles on Launch Day. Based on this, most retailers checked their existing lists and then continued accepting pre-orders based on Microsoft's stated availability.

TWO WEEKS before launch, Microsoft informed retailers that FEWER UNITS WOULD BE AVAILALBE than Microsoft had promised. TWO WEEKS! The best I've heard is some retailers receiving HALF of what Microsoft told them they could sell; others have received as little as TWENTY PERCENT of what they expected. As much as some retailers MIGHT have been oversold of their own free will, there are some retailers who were FORCED into an oversell by Microsoft's last minute supply change.

MICROSOFT is at fault here if they change the package BEFORE ALL PRE-ORDERS HAVE BEEN FULFILLED. Microsoft can feel free to change the package later, or even start shipping remoteless units to stores that didn't take pre-orders, but units for PRE-ORDERED people should have a REMOTE because MICROSOFT LIED TO RETAILERS ABOUT INITIAL AVAILABILITY.

As someone who RUNS A BUSINESS, you must know what a BAD MOVE it is to LIE to your CUSTOMERS. If MICROSOFT scratches the remote from shipments prior to fulfillment of all pre-orders, then MICROSOFT WILL HAVE LIED TO US. If they fulfill all the pre-orders with the remote, then we've been blowing hot air for NOTHING.

We can't say much NOW, but in a FEW MONTHS, we'll know if Microsoft VALUES us as customers, or sees us as CASH COWS for them to extract cash from.

Art Guy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

Montee - While I don't have any hard info about the numbers, I think the first million units all had the remote included. However, only 400,000 of those units went to the US. We know at least 300,000 units went to Europe, did those not come with the remote?

Wesley Hester @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

The local Gamestop in my area is selling the Premium bonus remotes individually for $19.99. They were packaged in special "Gamestop Accessories" bags. Maybe from the display unit? Maybe they purchased them used from the few customers they had to get a premium, I don't know. Since I was forced to get a core system or do without, I purchased one myself. The $29.99 version with TV controls was available at the local Wal-Mart but I like the "stubby" version better.

AK @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM

Montee, I understand you perfectly and I agree with you that it is not fair. One of my best friends is an assistant manager at an EBgames store and he has to wait for the 2-3 shipment because he was number 30 something on the list(he was decent enough not to steal one from a customer who pre-ordered earlier). I was angry for him (and because I would not see him on Live for a while) and pissed that he wouldn't get his even though he ordered it months ago and has since paid it in full (I didn't pre-order and waited just 2.5 hours outside Costco to get mine). And to add insult to injury, now they say that the promotion for the controller is over. That really sucks. But my point is that people's anger should be directed at the companies (the corporate office who makes all the decisions, not the employees on the front lines) that took their money and promised them a 360 with all the extras.
The controller was included for a limited run, and yes, if life was fair, all the people who pre-ordered should have been the first ones to get it. But retail stores took more pre-orders than they should have and MS couldn't produce more in the short time they have had it in production (the October thing is true). Should MS continue to offer the remote? Sure, they could do that, but by the same token, it should be the retailers responsibility to appease the customers that they shafted.