UK Xbox 360 Stock Set at 50,000

Following recent reports that the US will have 1,000,000 Xbox 360 hardware sets available for day one launch, retailers in the UK have stated that they collectively expect around 50,000 units for Blighty, a well-balanced figure that walks the line between shortage and availability perfectly.

As you will be aware, Microsoft has been the subject of some speculation regarding its 360 launch plans with all manner of to-ing and fro-ing hinting at possible shortages for launch period, all of which we can only assume is aimed at hyping up the console for launch. After all, a good fight in a launch night queue makes for great morning reading. Add this to the fact that everyone wants what they might not be able to have, and you have a well-engineered launch phase unfolding before your very eyes.

In related news, some retailers in the US have placed several Xbox 360 games on sales lists flagged as ‘ready to ship’, though no reports of any customers actually receiving ordered software have emerged at time of going to press. Microsoft is expected to offer several first-party games - including Project Gotham Racing 3 and Kameo - on sale around a week before hardware becomes available, again aimed at upping the ‘want’ level of US consumers.

Expect full coverage of the ins and outs of the Xbox 360 launch as it happens, right here on SPOnG.com.