Xbox One Release Date Comes Early For Two Target Gamers, Microsoft Is Not Amused
[Update 11/9] Major Nelson has stated that the Xbox One console bans on early shipments are only temporary.
The Xbox One release date came early for two gamers when Target allegedly shipped the console head of schedule. As a result, an eBay posting for charity was taken down and the other console was banned by Microsoft.
Way to go, Microsoft. It just shows how far the company will go to shut down leaks about their upcoming next gen console. Target played nice, possibly by accident, and Microsoft allegedly punished the gamers they shipped the console to.
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has kept a tight lid on details surrounding the Xbone, either. For months, gamers simply wanted to know what the Xbox One could do, and Microsoft refused to tell us publicly or even acknowledge details released behind closed doors.
The first victim of an early Xbox One release date had put the console up on eBay, stating the proceeds would go to “my corporation to create products for Special Ed students.” The listing seemed innocent enough, but it was allegedly taken down for unspecified reasons, even after the bidding had reached $10,000.
It has been rumored that Microsoft ordered the listing removed.
For those that don’t believe me. Here it is #xboxone pic.twitter.com/W4QNolkcfi
— Connor John Cosgrove (@connorJcosgrove) November 8, 2013
Some of us would repost the eBay ad after the Xbox One is launched and then if it does well, use part of the proceeds to buy a PlayStation 4.
The other gamer who received their console early from Target had posted an unboxing video on YouTube, only to have it taken down for copyright infringement. He had even shown it off on Twitter (above). To add to the insult, when the gamer went to actually use the console ahead of time, it was shortly banned from Xbox Live.
The second gamer’s early Xbox One release date turned out even worse because they had bought the console legitimately and simply had the rotten luck of using it too fast.
In the meantime, YouTube user Moonlightswami revealed a few things Microsoft again refuses to confirm. The Day One update allegedly clocked in at 500MB, while Call of Duty: Ghosts and other titles were available for download already at upwards of 43GB. Some download-only titles clocked in at 13GB, and Moonlightswami confirmed that the Kinect works very well.
Just found out the day one patch is up already… I’ll be keeping my “paperweight”
— Connor John Cosgrove (@connorJcosgrove) November 9, 2013
Don’t look for him on Xbox Live, though, because Microsoft banned his console for being hooked up before the official Xbox One release date. Considering most of the big titles require the console to be online to function beyond one-player mode, he was allegedly a serious victim of bad timing.
Microsoft has not commented on either of these early shipments from Target, but it could be enough to make Sony fans that much more grateful they bought a PS4 when the Xbox One release date hits.
