According to a leaked retailer document, it seems that Microsoft has pinned the release date for its next-gen home console, the Xbox One. Having opted to withhold the information during its industry presentation at Gamescom, the company has kept the launch specifics under wraps hitherto. Although, should this unverified article prove to be true, it seems the Xbox One will launch on November 8th.
Here’s a snapshot of the purported image courtesy of Kotaku:
The document itself lists all of the planned midnight launches for upcoming software such as Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4, with November 8th slotted for the Xbox One’s debut. This alleged confirmation comes from a marketing company responsible for the advertising division within US retail giant Walmart. Mind you, while this remains a rumour, the supposed early November release seems entirely viable.
Considering that we’ve known for some time that Microsoft plan to launch the system sometime in November, this is the first indication of a definite launch day. Crucially, this would allow the company’s hardware to enter the market a full week ahead of the PlayStation 4 – in North America, at least. Moreover, with Call of Duty: Ghosts launching worldwide on November 5th – a mere three days earlier – this would position the Xbox One in a prime position to take advantage of a significant portion of the CoD community what with its exclusive content and hardware bundle.
We know for sure that the Xbox One will launch in thirteen markets sometime this November with a price point of $499/£429. As expected, Microsoft has responded to this allegation by declaring that it “does not comment on rumour or speculation.”
Nevertheless, that won’t stop us from contemplating the potential release date of the forthcoming console. What do you think, does November 8th seem like a feasible launch date? Give us your thoughts below.
[Update] Kotaku is now reporting that a “source close to Microsoft” has stated that the Xbox One will not launch on November 8th, but will release sometime later in the month of November. Current speculation puts the release date on or around November 22nd.