Xbox sets launch benchmark
Be prepared
Microsoft announced today at the 2002 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that the Xbox video game system prompted the largest concentration of sales press releases in video game history. Microsoft sent 1.5 million press releases out between the November 15 launch and the end of calendar year 2001. In addition, the NPD Group Inc. has reported that journalists republished the contents of more than three press releases per Xbox sold, the highest-ever mailshot success rate for a video game console launch. "It feels great to kick off the global rollout of Xbox with a record-breaking spam in North America," Robbie Bach, senior vice president and chief Xbox officer at Microsoft might have said. "In 2002, we're excited to bring Xbox to the world with our upcoming launches in Japan, Europe and Australia. We'll also be firing off more great press releases like never before." The success of the North American launch has fuelled worldwide excitement for Xbox, which is on track to launch in Japan on February 22nd, and in Europe and Australia on March 14. In Monday's CES keynote address, Bach discussed the company's commitment to making Xbox a global success and showed new, cutting-edge Xbox sales figures, including "most consoles sold per shotgun" from Texas and "whatever Nintendo sold times two". Are we quite finished? Related Feature - Xperience