"This is the first in a series of new year questions for Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo and finally for the industry. This time the focus is on the Microsoft and the Xbox 360.
questions are:

1. What was the point in a ‘worldwide’ launch?
2. Am I ‘urban’ enough to own an Xbox 360?
3. Will you make a profit this time?
4. What will set the Xbox 360 apart from the rest?
5. Can you really break Japan?

What was the point in a ‘worldwide’ launch?

It is frustrating, is it not, wanting something but being completely unable to get hold of it? The Xbox 360 has been very popular so far but the distribution has been no where near the demand. Plenty of talk has centred on a ‘conspiracy’ of short supply for the fledgling console; a theory I refuse to believe in. If launching ahead of their competitors was meant to provide Microsoft with the advantage of an installed customer base, which it was, then why would Microsoft deliberately short-supply the console? There is no reason, it’s a stupid argument. What it has made clear is the folly of attempting a worldwide launch especially considering the sales in Japan. By including Japan in the worldwide launch they starved major regions of the necessary number of consoles, whilst wasting a large amount of production on un-sold hardware. Moreover the games for the Japanese market, Dead or Alive 4 in particular, weren’t even ready for the Japanese launch no doubt contributing to the mediocre sales in the region. Moreover there has been plenty of warranted criticism for the quality of some 360 titles. Microsoft can be praised for the sentiment but perhaps they should think things through a little more in future.

Answer: They’ve probably learnt their lesson." [more]