In the months leading up to the xbox 360 launch I found myself feeling apathetic regarding this new system. I think it was largely due to the fact that my psp purchase was a bit of a let down. In any event when we were still months away from a release and while I still had plenty of time to preorder it I had little to no interest. For some damn reason however as the launch grew closer and closer I started to get the “want-me’s”. Before I knew it I was going to have to score one of these hot little boxes that were beginning to look like they would be the hottest ticket this holiday season. All the reports regarding supply shortages just made we want the damn system more. I’m gullible that way I suppose.
So as launch day grew near I started to formulate my game plan which was as follows. At roughly 8 or 9 o’clock pm on Monday the 21st I’d head to my closest 24 hour super wallmart and get in line for their midnight sale. If this didn’t pay off I’d come home catch a few Z’s and hit a Target by 6am for their opening. If this didn’t work I’d head to a nearby non 24 hour wallmart which would be opening at 7am. Last but not least my last hope would then be Best Buy (Whom I affectionately call Worst Buy). Best Buy was opening at 8am and I was actually able to Score an original xbox system on launch day in a similar fashion and will little fuss or effort. Well as fate would have it my carefully calculate battle plan went straight to shit when it came time to execute it.
As planned Monday night I braved the cold, nasty rainy weather and drove to Hagerstown to the 24 hour super center wallmart. I arrived at the store at just a bit before 9pm. Upon making my way to the electronics section I was surprised to not find any lines or any real signs of the impending chaos that would be launch time. When I happened on one of the employees and inquired about the xbox I was told they were already sold out. Worse than learning that they had not stuck to their plan of starting a line at 9pm was having to deal with a smug mother and son duo who apparently took great pleasure in telling me they were all sold out and that I would not be getting one. Well that bitch and her snot nosed kid ended up being the straw the broke the camels back and pretty much meant I was now going to get a system come hell of high water. Not wanting to waste time getting pissy with the blue smock wearing underlings I hi tailed it outta Wallyworld and began heading south.
Having seen phase one of my master plan fall apart I began to worry that the next phases would do the same. I decided on the spur of the moment to drive to my old stomping grounds of Germantown to check out the scene there. Why Germantown you may ask? Well it was the one place I knew that had a Target, Best Buy and Normal Wall mart all within walking distance of one another. I figured this would make for a good location for my last stand.
Upon arriving at the shopping center some 40 minutes later I realized I was going to be in for a long cold and wet night. Over at Best Buy there was already a little tent city of sorts that had been erected. So at 10pm some 10+ hours until the store opened there was already a line. So after hitting wallmart to use the ATM and rest room I made my way over to my make shift camp site outside the big blue building. Thanks to someone leaking an internal Best Buy document showing store totals I knew this best buy would have about 50 units for sale. Early word was that wallmart only had 14 units and target had only a few more. There were already folks lined up at both the other stores as well. I guessed I was about the 20th person in line at Best Buy so I knew if I waited I’d get a system. So as much as I dislike the company I was left with little choice. After getting in line and getting my name on a list 9more on this in a bit) of folks waiting I called Karrie. I brought K up to speed on my situation and let her know I wouldn’t be coming home that night. She basically called me a freak, inquired to make sure I had a warm coat and wished me well before she went off to bed. As luck would have it I was indeed dressed warmly in a sweatshirt, jeans, thick wool socks. my trust Santa Cruz ball cap and my warm as all get out Columbia Jacket.
Now back to the list… At the front of the line there was a guy with a notebook keeping an official looking unofficial list of folks waiting in line. He made clear that he wasn’t an employee of Best Buy but he was in fact the first guy in line and had started a honor system list to make sure that folks waiting overnight would get their systems. I can’t remember the dudes name but he certainly grabbed the bull by the horns, took charge and kept the line organized. He apparently had spoken to the store manager about keeping a list and they did in fact use the list in the morn. This dude was so serious about the list that from time to time he walked the line to make sure folks were still there and hadn’t just gone home after adding their name.
Shortly after getting in line I came to the realization that I was going to spend the next 10 hours in the cold rain. Luckily my Columbia jacket is both warm and reasonable water proof. Even luckier was that fact that the awesome dude in front of me in line showed up shortly there after with an outdoor gazebo/tarp thing. With a bunch of us lending a hand we had that thing up in no time and then a long cold wet night became a little less wet at least.
The first couple of hours waiting were the worst. I hadn’t really gotten to know the folks around me in line yet and I was still getting used to the cold. I spent most of the evening with a group of 5 other guys all huddled under the shelter. 4 of the 5 guys were super cool and hanging out with them made the night go much faster. Most were about my age or slightly older and were die hard gamers. The 5th guy was a real trip and the source of entertainment for most of the night. He was definitely a laugh at kinda guy rather than the laugh with. This kid was the definition of ADD brought to life. He was so jittery and scatter brained it was painful to watch. He kept saying he was going to go sleep in his van nearby but never quit made it that far. When the time came for our first coffee run I volunteered to make the trek. I took orders collect cash and hit the Mobile I used to frequent when living in the area. I was gone all of about 20 minutes or so. I could have been back faster but the heater in the car felt so damn good…. Anyhow after I got back I learned the ADD kid thought I was scamming folks for cash and wasn’t coming back. This sent the rest of the group into a frenzy of laughing and made him the but of every ones jokes for the rest of the evening. He apparently said something to the effect of “man he’s not coming back. he got me good”. It’s important to note he gave me a buck for his Dr. Pepper. It’s also worth noting that lots of the guys offered too much cash and I took less rather than take too much.. ADD boy was good entertainment at the very least. Sad to think there’s a whole bunch of kids just like him out there but funny none the less. I think it was actually a small miracle that no one beat his scrawny little ass during the night. He certainly had a few folks close I do believe.
So the evening was basically spent with the occasional coffee run, trip to the car to warm up but mostly just sitting around under the tent discussing video games and general tech stuff. Once the initial few hours went by the rest was cake and before I knew it I was yawning as the sun came up.
Throughout the night new folks would show up and those that had been there longest in the line would begin to Heckle them. If anyone that wasn’t in the line since really early on walked to the front the poor person really got a verbal whooping. The closer it got to 8am the worse it got. I can’t believe some folks would even try and sneak their way up to the front of a long line like this one. A few even got a bit indignant about being run off but they were thankfully smart enough to not test the patience of a cold, wet and cranky would-be mob. Before the store opened I’d estimate the actual line had grown well beyond the 50 systems we knew them to have and closer to 70 or more folks.
Shortly before 8am a BB employee came out and started handing out numbered line tickets. A large # of folks were turned away empty handed as the last of the tickets were given out. Those that got the “Core” system tickets were disappointed but counted themselves lucky to be getting a system at all. There were many sad folks heading to their cars at about 7:30 and I’d say as a result there will be more than a few disappointed kids come Christmas morning. So kids just remember if you didn’t get an Xbox for Christmas it’s because your parents didn’t love you enough to stand in line for 10 hours in the pouring rain in sub 40 degree weather 
Some folks were so desperate to get a system that they formed a second kinda backup line in case someone couldn’t buy their system for whatever reason.. That was actually kinda sad to behold. Getting in line for the change to get in line?
As the Best Buy guy was handing out tickets he informed us that we would be forced to buy a Bundle if we wanted to purchase a system. Rumors had been circulating all night regarding a forced bundle purchase but most of us thought it was just a rumor. As it turns out those fears were well founded. The bundle we had forced on us consisted of a system. two games and a wireless controller. Granted it’s not the worst bundle I’d heard of but it was still a dick maneuver. Being this was Best Buy we were dealing with I suppose it should have come to no surprise. When some folks heard this the crap hit the fan and they started arguing and complaining very loudly to anyone who would listen. Chief among those complaining loudest was the fore mentioned ADD boy. I did actually kinda feel bad for him as I don’t think he had enough cash to buy the bundle system. I think the forced bundle actually pushed the price up outta reach for a few folks and as a result they didn’t get their systems. It’s worth noting that best buy had been running a printed add that had the price at 299/399 for the two systems and made no mention of a bundle. Despite many protests and sad stories the manager on duty refused to budge and enforced the bundle rule. Now I was rather irritated but after having spent 10 hours in fowl weather I wasn’t going to argue the point and cost myself a system. I got a few laughs in the line when I commented that this bundle was going to mean I had to eat some PB&J’s for lunch until pay day but at least I’d still get a system.
I finally got my system in my hands at about 9:30 or so. The Best Buy folks were actually escorting folks up to get their systems individually. They claimed it was to let us take our time and to make sure we got everything. It seemed to me a chance to try and pressure folks into buying extra crap and their shitty service plans. I stuck to the minimum allowed bundle. I chose Perfect Dark Zero and Call Of Duty 2 as my two games. Strangely enough BB hadn’t gotten in Project Gotham 3 which I really had wanted. (I later got this much cheaper at Target anyhow).
So my total cost came in at like 570 or so thanks to the forced bundle. So nearly 6oo bones and 10 cold wet hours later I had my system in my hands. Once again I do something to prove just how damn hard headed I can be when I set my mind to something. For me the quest in getting one when they were in such high demand and short supply was most of the fun. This was actually a pretty unique experience and I’m happy to have done it. I will say that I think I’m going to preorder my PS3 when it comes out but who knows. Maybe I’ll be back there in line hanging out. Maybe it’ll be like the 24 hour races, the more you do the better prepared you are and the easier it gets. If there’s a next time I’m taking an easy up and grill for sure!
