Microsoft faces challenges with global launch of Xbox 360

Microsoft faces challenges with global launch of Xbox 360

Microsoft is planning to do with Xbox 360 what no other company has tried doing before. It is one of the most ambitious of product launches for the software giant as the next generation gaming console is due to be launched in the coming weeks. They are going to launch Xbox 360 simultaneously in all the large markets for the gaming console which would be facing competition from Sony Playstation 3 due to arrive next year.

Launching the Xbox 360 simultaneously in the three big markets of America, Japan, and Europe has its own share of logistical problems. No one has ever tried doing it before for a mass consumption product. Sony, in spite of being such a big company had problems with their Sony Playstation Portable, which led to the massive delay in the launch of this portable gaming machine in the European market. It still faces supply problems in the newer markets as the demand far exceeds the manufacturing capacities.

Xbox marketing boss Peter Moore said in a statement: “There’s a reason no-one has done this before and we are figuring that out. If we knew what we were getting into, we might not have done it.” The company has around 2500 people working on the task of making sure that the launch goes on smoothly and the consoles are distributed in the retail markets properly and in time.

The games and the online support are only expected to be available on 22 November launch in the US, and in Europe for 2 December and Japan for 10 December. However, the company knows it pretty clearly that the demand would still exceed what they can deliver during the launch and some of the consumers might be left disappointed…