Australian Xbox 360 launch events

360 Feature | 3... 2... 1...

Because we're committed types, we decided to go take a look at launch events held in both Melbourne and Sydney, to celebrate the launch of the Xbox 360 in Australia.

One of our spies headed down to an opening in Melbourne held at an EB Games store at Elizabeth St, Melbourne.

11:55pm…can you see the terror in their eyes?

It was a rather low key affair with some 50 people turning up to get their hands on an Xbox 360. Patrons were invited inside at 11pm to pay for their console and receive a ticket which they could exchange for their console, come midnight. One of the store employees told us that one person had pre-ordered the console and 37 games, which must be the entire confirmed release schedule.

Pounding on the doors.

Thanks to theory for this report.

Meanwhile, a couple of our staff members headed down to Centrepoint in Sydney, where the official launch was being held.

Spot the PALGN staff member. Hint: eating free pizza.

The setup for the event exceeded our expectations. On the left side of the mall there was a row of 360 demo units and a tent where Nova 96.9 was broadcasting live. On the right side were more demo units, along with a stall serving free pizza and coke (or water). Also on the right side was a small stage-like area (complete with concert style barricades) where a few performances were held and game trailers were projected on to a large white sheet.

’Artistically’ blurry

As with Melbourne, those who pre-ordered were allowed inside to complete their payment in exchange for a ticket, with the colour based on how early you got there. When it grew close to midnight, they called all those with the earliest tickets close to the stage. Then a few minutes before 12, they brought on two dance acts - firstly a hip-hop ‘dance off’, then a group of cheerleaders wearing skimpy Xbox 360 outfits. These ran until 12:10, although no one seemed to mind.

Makes me want to buy a 360.

Finally they displayed a countdown on the screen. Between the numbers being displayed on the screen a light was shone from behind a curtain illuminating a lady making poses reminiscent of a James Bond opening sequence. As the countdown reach 0, the curtan was pulled away to reveal an actor dressed as (a very faithful) Joanna Dark.

All in all the event was quite successful. Despite the rain everyone seemed to have a good time.

We took a few videos which you can check out below...

PGR3 on a demo machine (DivX - 11MB)
The crowd (DivX - 4MB)
Krumping and Clowning (DivX - 7MB)
Dancing girls (DivX - 37MB)
Final coundown (DivX - 12MB)

...and the Media Panel contains more pictures from both events.

Media

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17 Comments

Spanca

7 years ago

James, did you go and not buy a 360?

Bitchacho

7 years ago

^lol I think he did. how very strange.

ZNMS

7 years ago

No pictures of Joanna Dark? Oh well, at least there a few of the cheerleaders.

838 La

7 years ago

Blah, I was gonna go to just pick up Oblivion, but no I have to be sick.

Blah, theory didn't get one either, so what?? (Unless he has & his just hiding it all inside)

Love the Videos. Shame that no one brought a 360 & smash it in front of the whole crowd.
That could have even been on the news!!! (as the news people were there)

Jeremy

7 years ago

ZNMS wrote

No pictures of Joanna Dark? Oh well, at least there a few of the cheerleaders.

She ran off before we could get her snap

Bitchacho

7 years ago

no one bought a gamecube? aw i wish i had.

Infested Jibbs

7 years ago

Hmm.....12:00 midnight.

Cosey warm bed OR queing in a smelly line, surrounded by geeks, in the rain, preparing to be politely robbed of close to a grand.....

Decisions.

Bitchacho

7 years ago

theory is a night crawler and is always up pretty late. he wouldnt be in bed at that time anyway. thats right, i know all about you. close your blinds and lock your doors next time

Jellyfish

7 years ago

Only 50* people at Melbourne?!

There were over 100 pre-orders at Knox City EB and almost everyone showed up along with serveral people in tow. I got there just before 8:30 and managed to get 18th spot in the queue. At 9 they opened the doors and let people in and got people moving through paying off their pre-orders, it was still going after 11 I think. During the wait, the EB staff gave out free swag, and around 10 one of the managers? came out and gave everyone around some lollies.

After everyone had finished paying off their console, they held some competitions to get the rest of the stuff they hadn't handed out. At the end of that, they had a raffle to win a GTA BMX bike which you got entered in if you bought Oblivion that night (I'd say over half did by it). At 12:01 they opened the doors and let people in two at a time to pick up their consoles, all the lights had been turned green and there were a pair of fog machines making for a very trippy experience.

Unluckily I couldn't find my camera so there are no photos, sorry.

*Edit: wrong number, 50 is still kinda small.

theory

7 years ago

nikack wrote

Only 37 people at Melbourne?!

No, read the article again. One person who preordered from that particular store ordered the console and 37 games for himself. There were more stores open around Melbourne, but none would have had as many as at Centrepoint in Sydney because that is the city/store Microsoft chose for the "official" launch. Stores were open in Melbourne, but no freebies, no dancers, no nothing... just waiting and eventually spending!

ZNMS

7 years ago

838 La wrote

Shame that no one brought a Xbox 360 and smashed it in front of the whole crowd.

Now, that would have been the highlight of the night.

Jeremy

7 years ago

The people leaving after they got their systems were rather subdued. Some of them really did look like they weren't exactly stoked about their latest purchase but maybe that was the rain ...

Capoeira

7 years ago

Jeremy wrote

The people leaving after they got their systems were rather subdued. Some of them really did look like they weren't exactly stoked about their latest purchase but maybe that was the rain ...

Or maybe they thought it was the PS3 launch?

Slapper

7 years ago

Jibbs wrote

Hmm.....12:00 midnight.

Cosey warm bed OR queing in a smelly line, surrounded by geeks, in the rain, preparing to be politely robbed of close to a grand.....

Decisions.

Actually some poor bastard was walking home from Tea Tree Plaza in Adelaide and two thugs armed with a knife robbed him of his xbox just after 12:30 a.m.

James

7 years ago

Spanca wrote

James, did you go and not buy a 360?

J o u r n a l i s m

Jeremy also came with me (even though he pre-order through gamestate so couldn't get his console there).

Speaking which - Jeremy I'm never volunteering to pick you up at night again

I got lost both going to and coming from your place! On the way there I managed to end up at Bondi Junction (he lives in kingsgrove). On the way back I must have taken a wrong turn and (despite Jeremy giving me explicit instructions) after 20 mins I somehow ended back up on the road I started on!

NismoR34

7 years ago

No one I know who lives in Canberra purchased a 360 so I have no idea how our midnight launch/es went. They were probably just quiet affairs like the PSP launch.

Well anyway nice pictures and coverage PALGN. I will be grabbing the videos soon, would now but I'm downloading something from Civ.

Sucks about that dude who was robbed too, imagine how you would feel. (the excitment of a new console and then the horror of having it snatched away from you again)

Jeremy

7 years ago

James wrote

Woops