Xbox 360: London Launch - Full Report

SPOnG attended the Xbox 360 launch party last night in the swanky Soho area of fashionable London village and is happy to report that, despite something of damp squib of a party, the future of High Definition videogaming is most definitely here.

Cirque (formerly the Hippodrome) on Leicester Square was the venue for the momentous if ominous emergence of Microsoft’s new console, where the great and good of the UK games industry had been invited to come together, drink some funny American lager laced with caffeine and play some of the most stunning videogames yet invented by mankind – including SPOnG’s favourites PGR3 and Condemned - on screens with higher resolutions than our eyes could actually register. Click here to read our reviews.

As you can see from our pics of the event, it was...well, very green! DJ Yoda played to an empty dancefloor for much of the night, until the alcohol (and caffeine) seemed to kick in simultaneously just before midnight and everyone hit the floor at around the same time, just before the Xbox 360 countdown clock hit zero. Some fireworks went off, everyone cheered, champagne was poured and then we all got back down to drunkenly shuffling about a bit awkwardly on the dancefloor.

Whilst the party ended rather abruptly at a very early 1am (come on guys!) it was certainly a successful launch for the 360. Microsoft should be commended for inviting actual gamers and games developers and loads of excited games industry execs, instead of trying to throw a trendy London party, which is so often the case with this kind of thing. This party was defiantly unfashionable. Plus, it also had incredible (and free!) masseurs, which we recommend to anyone throwing any kind of games launch party in the future.

SPOnG spoke to Xbox Europe boss Neil Thomson about the well-publicised stock shortages, and what the situation is with supply right now. “The demand for Xbox 360 has been incredible and we are well aware that many gamers are disappointed having not obtained their Xbox 360 on day one,” he said, echoing statements from across the pond over the last week. “We are working around the clock to manufacture as many Xbox 360s as we can and are replenishing our retail channel week after week.” There is of course much chatter amongst forum conspiracy theorists that the whole shortages thing was cooked up as to generate more PR coverage. When asked about these rumours, Neil answered, “We remain committed to delivering 2.75 to 3 million consoles to consumers worldwide in our first 90 days alone. We don’t want to get into short term projections at the moment because any number we provide will become grossly outdated very soon. Retail replenishment varies market to market and consumers should check back with their retailers frequently.”

The lengthy queue outside one store on Oxford Street last night also told a different story to what you might be reading in your sensationalist tabloids today. There were hundreds of eager gamers who could not wait to get their mitts on a 360. We collared Janine Gibson, 25, from Enfield - one of the few ladies in the queue - to ask her about what the hell she was doing standing in the freezing cold on Oxford Street at midnight. “I’ve been looking forward to this day for ages! Me and my boyfriend are going to go back home and play 360 games all night and we’ve both taken tomorrow off work,” she enthused.

The first Xbox 360 was ceremoniously handed out to the first in line, 33 year-old Kevin Sage who claimed to be a DJ, but probably works in a mobile phone shop or something and just tells girls he’s a DJ. We’ve been doing it for years. Mr Sage seemed rather pleased with his luck, commenting to SPOnG, “I didn’t expect to be the first in the UK to get one!” And how did he feel? “Brilliant!”