Not sure I believe this list GamerReports.com has posted which they say has the total number of Xbox 360 systems, premium and core, being shipped to all Best Buy stores, so accept this as a rumour only:

The grand total of systems shipped to BestBuy, cores and premiums together is around 42,200. My math was all done manually so if anyone wants to check it, please do. According to a distributor I talked to, the first shipment will be about 250k Premiums and 95k Cores in the US. I did not believe him but now that I see this, it just might be true.

if this is accurate, I looked up the two local stores: Puyallup (Store 366) and Tacoma (Store 830). Puyallup is receiving 36 premium systems and 12 core for a total of 48 systems. Tacoma is getting 40 premium and 14 pro for a 54 total systems. Both stores combined will have102 total systems.

If these numbers are accurate, there could be the shortage that didn’t exist when PSP was launched. I don’ think 102 systems will be enough to go around. Fortunately there are a half dozen competitors at least which will be getting at least some Xbox 360 systems like: Fred Meyer (downtown Puyallup and 176th), the megastore (CompUSA + Good Guys), Wal-Mart and Target. I’ll be hitting them all in a strategic order looking for the premium pak system. I’ll only buy the core system as a last resort. The core system is better than buying no system. I’m guessing plenty of accessories will be on hand, so having to accessorize a core system could cost an extra $100 or so.

For those who haven’t yet caught why I didn’t preorder, the simple answer is: thrill of the hunt. It is like a big game safari on system launch days; I enjoy going from store to store in search of the system. If I strike out at all of them, well, that’s the risk taken.

I’m still undecided if I’ll be going at midnight or not, but this information even though I doubt its accuracy has me taking that plan more seriously.

250,00 consoles nationwide might be accurate initial launch numbers if Microsoft truly intends to sell three million the first three months, although if they don’t have at least 2.5 million of those in stores by Christmas Eve they can forget about it. Also let’s not forget Black Friday on the 25th, one of the busiest retail shopping days of the year, which promises to have a sizeable second wave shipment, I’m sure.

I wasn’t able to get a PS 2 on launch day, so it’s certainly possible that I’ll be shut down and forced to report on others who successfully received an Xbox 360 on launch day. Man, I wish it was arriving this Tuesday and not still a week away!

Stay tuned …

Did this post make you go hmm?

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