Microsoft touts 'epic' Xbox One launch on November 22
At 12:01 a.m. local time, more than 10,000 stores around the world will begin selling the new game console.
Microsoft has announced plans for the Xbox One launch, just two days before its chief competitor, the PlayStation 4, hits store shelves.
According to the software company, its launch celebration will span more than 10,000 retail locations in 13 countries. Those retail stores will open their doors at 12:01 a.m. local time to kick off Xbox One sales. The festivities will start in Auckland, New Zealand, and sweep across the globe.
The US will be home to what Microsoft is calling "the ultimate midnight celebration." In New York's Times Square, Microsoft will usher in zombies, Roman soldiers, and supercars at the Best Buy Theater to create a bit of a spectacle around the launch.
Microsoft is no stranger to big launches. When the Xbox 360 debuted, Microsoft hosted a major event on MTV. Whether it was enough to get people to buy more Xbox 360s, however, is unknown.
The timing of Microsoft's announcement is by no means coincidental. Sony will launch its PlayStation 4 on Friday in the US, which has more than likely prompted Microsoft to try to generate excitement for its launch on November 22.
The console war is officially on.