You're 100% correct, but it is still highly possible that this is just talk from GAME to get people to come into their stores and preorder. They are losing business after all and have been praising Kinect for a while now.

I say this and GAME's praising of Kinect is one of two things.

1.) Creating the illusion of low stock at launch to increase walk in preorders.

2.) Marketing funded by Microsoft.

You will probably say that I am wrong, but it is odd that every time we get something like this or some claim about how people will change their perception of Kinect once they try it while them being completely mum about the other products they sell tells us something. The store that is closing many stores is selling out like crazy and a place like HMV is having no stock issues what so ever and expect plenty of stock by launch?

If I am wrong I will fully admit it, but this is what I am sensing right now.

@Kowenicki

I do realize there is no black friday in the UK.  I should have said a couple of weeks after release to not create any confusion.  It's the same concept though, create extra demand by limiting the supply before the holiday shopping season.

@Euphoria14

I believe Kinect is going to sell extremely well this holiday and obviously so does Microsoft.  I'm baffled if GAME truly believes they will not have stock on the shelves until after Christmas.  To move as many units as Microsoft hopes this holiday I can't believe they would let store shelves go empty for that long...even if there are tons of pre-orders.  It has to be GAME just trying to increase their numbers.  As stated early core gamers are the people who pre-order, casuals do not.  If Microsoft is trying to sell Kinect and 360's to the mainstream crowd this holiday, they have to be on store shelves.

Well i bet people will be able to pick it up at different stores easily enough....Game specific stores always run out first.

Naturally MS wants to sell as many Kinect units as possible over the holiday season. There's not going to be any "intentional undershipping" as you conspiracy theorists out there are implying.

MS is spending a ridiculous amount to have to biggest launch possible and the biggest potential failure of such a marketing approach would be failing to meet the basic demand of the product they're promoting. There is absolutely NO logic in that.

Comparisons to the Wii are pointless considerng that it legitimately outsold projections by a huge margin (far exceeding even Nintendo's estimates) based upon the constant production increases that were implemented to keep up with demand for the better part of three years.

Any individual retailers making thinly veiled threats that "you can't have one unless your pre-order!" is obviously doing what any (unscrupulous) business that wants your business would do; creating the illusion of demand or limited supply in the interest of pushing panic purchases as though MS is going to run out of Kinect units.

Worst case scenario; you buy one Q1 2011. Depending on how the adoption rate goes after the initial marketing blitz, if you wait longer (when there are actually some decent games worth buying) you may even be able to pick one up at a discount if MS doesn't drop the price themselves.

Here on Long Island we really only have Gamestop, we have a few GameCrazys and Play and Trades, but GS is really the only one people really use.

Is GAME like that or are there more well known Game stores in the UK?

There are no Best Buys, walmarts, or targets there?

Of course there is, but they aren't gaming only stores.

I am wondering if it's the same way in the UK as it is here, with GAME being that store.

Gamestation, also owned by Game company, and some independant retailers, not many though.

OT: I don't care, I don't plan to get this day one, £130 is just too expensive. I'm waiting on inevitable xmas deals Kinect plus Adventures plus Dance Central for £150 and I'll jump in!

Thanks.