As we were sifting through the chart info from Chart Track we came across the news that Microsoft’s Xbox 360 relaunch has been the most successful redesign in sales terms.
A quote from Chart Track’s website states that:
Microsoft’s new and improved, slimmer XBox 360 console, the XBox 360 250GB (or XBox 360 S) achieves the biggest launch in the UK for a “revised” home console, surpassing the launches of both PS2 Slim and PS3 Slim and recording over two days around the same as the original Xbox 360’s launch sales total back in week 48 2005.
Which might account for the strong showing of some of the console’s exclusives in this week’s charts.
From a personal perspective, I really like the redesign. It’s the first console redesign which I think has actually improved upon the original. Can I justify buying one while my slightly curved beige box is still functioning? No, as much as I like the design it’s a bit daft to buy a console just for a new shape and a bit more power in the USB slot, isn’t it?
Congratulations to Microsoft though, who seem to have tapped a market with much deeper pockets than me.
CaptainMurdo
I didn’t think it had done that well. I barely even knew it was in the shops apart from a couple of posters in GAME.
carson321
so, you write for TSA, but you don’t read any of the other articles on here?! lol
BIGAL-1992
I think I’ll wait until I start my Computer games course in september to see if I’ll need to buy it, or if my college will loan us the 360.
Danny3194
How can Sony compete with this?
bunimomike
They don’t really have to. The original Xbox design had such major flaws (and a general lack of quality) that no wonder Microsoft have done well with a relaunch. Let’s be honest for a moment, both the old and new PS3s are still wonderful. This is not fanboyism or bitterness. They would’ve done well regardless but you have to see what preceded it.
Danny3194
The new Xbox looks nice ‘n all but I still think not having Blu-Ray is a major fallback. I wont touch any other Xbox after personal experiences but it’s a good looker from the pics n videos
Raen
Same as you Peter, I’d quite like one but I certainly can’t afford one
Pete_UK
I work for a classifieds advertising company, and I’ve seen quite a hike in the number of people flogging old 360’s with a couple of games (if any) to ‘upgrade’ to the new one, so this news doesn’t surprise me. I’d imagine this is the reason that it’s beaten the PSx Slims in terms of sales, as the drive to upgrade to decent quality, reliable hardware wasn’t there for Sony’s consoles.
bajere
makes sense to me, its wireless, has a decent size HDD and HDMI…its what the 360 should of be launched with. im not surprised current users are dumping the old for new.
colossalblue
I think all 360s have had HDMI for the last few years now, mine certainly does and it wasn’t the Elite.
Internal wireless is new but is that really an upgrade reason for the people who already own the USB wireless adapter? I would always do everything I can to avoid using wireless anyway, I prefer my 1s and 0s coming down a cable.
I suspect the perception that it’ll be much more reliable is the main driving point for sales but for me (my Xbox is working fine and comfortably within the 3 year warranty for RRoD) I just want it because it’s pretty :)
djhsecondnature
Whilst the design of the console looks lovely, I think the gloss finish just ruins it and doesn’t sit with the PC-like design.
cam the man
I have to reboot my ‘fat’ 360 sometimes two or three times to get it to work. If I used it as much as my PS3 I would be tempted to upgrade.
bajere
i had to do that last night with my Launch PS3 :( im thinking about selling it, dont want a duff console
tyrant161
I have to say that i really struggled to get one of these new 360’s, all my local shops were sold out…gamestation, blockbusters,cex hmv….i finally managed to get one from game (they had 3 spare). It’s amaizing how quiet this new console is. Even when playing games from a disc, its quieter than ps3. and it seems to run much cooler as well. My only gripe is the glossy finish… while it looks good, its a fingerprint magnate and it seems to attract dust as well…very quiet though and i like the little bell sound when the disc tray opens lol.
Porcupine_I
Somehow Microsoft is always “on top” “biggest” and “best selling” until the actual facts sometimes tell a different story.
i don’t know, but all this carefully spun superlatives of the past make some actual achievements much less exciting.
Zephyre
I finally succumbed to buying one of these over the week-end as Argos were doing a decent deal, mainly because MS have fixed a few of my pet peeves with the 360, namely limited storage and no internal wi-fi adaptor.
Must say I’m impressed with the overall experience, but the noise! The DVD drive sounds horrible when it’s spinning, but reading Tyrants post above, I’m beginning to think maybe there’s something wrong with mine? I know I had to reseat the HDD when I first powered it up.
bunimomike
That’s not good. Sounds like your machine has taken a fair old knock.
Juelz345
Yeah, I think u got a faulty unit. Like tyrant said, it’s really really quite. Even when playing from a disk.
Zephyre
I’ll keep an eye on it for a day or so and see if it settles down any. Be just my luck to get the one duff unit sold as well!