“We’re making them as fast as we can!”
December 5, 2005 by Mike Wendland
So says Microsoft’s Robert Scoble to those who wonder: Is Microsoft Holding Xbox Supplies Back?
Meanwhile, Microsoft marketing guru John Porcaro offers more insight into the shortages from other Microsoft officials.
I really need one of these, guys. There’s gotta be a way.
There is a way… eBay.
Problem is that most people are just trying to buy the bare console, which means that prices are still inflated quite a bit.
In my estimation, the Core unit is going for around $525-550 (it retails for $300). The Premium unit is going for around $650-700 (retail is $400). This is way too much to pay, even for a hardcore gamer like me.
So, what I did was search for bundle auctions, which was the console with several games and accessories. A lot of people just think that the auction is overpriced and ignore it, not realizing that they can often pay a much lower premium.
I ended up getting the Premium console bundle with two games, an an extra headset, and an extra wireless controller paying a premium of less than $250.
Sure, it’s steep, but it has been pretty well worth it.