Microsoft eyes November 8 launch date for Xbox One -- report
If the console launches that day, it would be available one week before its chief competitor, the PlayStation 4.
Microsoft may soon announce that the Xbox One will beat the PlayStation 4 out the door.
The company has yet to announce when the Xbox One will be available, but Microsoft may decide to launch the high-powered console on November 8, gaming site Kotaku reported on Monday, citing a person who has knowledge of Microsoft's plans.
The move would allow the Xbox One to sit on store shelves for one week before Sony launches its PlayStation 4 on November 15.
Sony announced earlier this month that its console would be available in November. Although Microsoft earlier this month announced several games would be available for the Xbox One, it balked at providing a launch date, leaving some to wonder if the move was to let Sony show its hand first, and then decide when it would launch its own device.
The focus of Kotaku's report comes from a conference call that was supposedly held with Walmart employees. A screenshot reportedly given to Walmart employees and published by Kotaku shows the Xbox One launching on November 8. However, unlike all the other gaming products, including the PlayStation 4, listed in that handout, the Xbox One's launch date doesn't say "confirmed." In other words, its launch date may still be up in the air.
Interesting fact: Microsoft initially planned to launch the original Xbox on November 8, 2001. The device, however, was delayed to November 15.