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[PhatSaqs]

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050510/sftu041.html?.v=8

Groundbreaking Alliance Brings Xbox Live Kiosks to EB Games Stores Nationwide


REDMOND, Wash., May 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - News) and EB Games today unveiled a new alliance that brings the Xbox Live(TM) experience to gamers across the U.S. in an exciting and innovative new way. The first program of its kind for Xbox Live, "EB Games goes Xbox Live" by Microsoft and EB Games delivers custom-made Xbox Live game kiosks in 25 EB Games locations across the U.S., enabling gamers to experience and test-drive Xbox Live for the first time in designated retail outlets.

Through the power of broadband, the Xbox Live kiosks showcase the broad-appeal entertainment experiences offered exclusively from the world's only unified online console games service. Gamers can now walk into any of the participating EB Games stores, pick up the controller, and instantly connect and compete with a rapidly growing global community of subscribers around the world.

"This is a groundbreaking alliance to help provide top-notch, hands-on online gaming experiences in EB stores nationwide, and we are thrilled to offer the opportunity for anyone to experience the power of Xbox Live," said Debbie Mola, vice president of merchandising for EB Games. "Xbox Live has revolutionized the online video game entertainment experience, and we're confident the kiosks will be a very popular attraction in our retail stores."

Each retail kiosk has been installed with an active Xbox Live account and gamertag so all 25 stores will appear on each kiosk's friends list. Gamers using any of the participating EB Games location kiosks will be able to compete against gamers playing at any of the other EB Games locations across the nation using each store's unique gamertag. The first featured title will be Microsoft Game Studios' much-anticipated title "Forza Motorsport(TM)," which is rated E for Everyone.

"With the current success and continued momentum of Xbox Live, this groundbreaking alliance with EB Games is key in offering hands-on trials for new gamers," said Ami Blaire, global marketing director for Xbox Live at Microsoft. "This program also offers a great opportunity for players to engage in unique Xbox Live features for new game releases, and will no doubt continue to fuel the excitement behind this incredible service."

 

[boredJonathan]

EB and XBOX Live for the win! Take that GameStop!

Oh... wait.

In any event, its a very cool idea, and its nice that it will only be EB kiosks playing against other EB kiosks... otherwise XBL would just get a whole lot dumber. Also, I didn't see a mention of there being a way to do voice chat, which in my mind is a large part of XBL.

 

[DarienA]

Cool idea.. I see it's very limited to start up though... and it's funny.. considering most EB's and Gamestops still use SLOW modems to make their nightly calls to transmit their daily transaction data and update their POS.

I wonder if the 25 stores where chosen because they were easy to pipe a broadband(DSL or otherwise) line to.

 

[GamerzXtreme]

DSL is going into Gamestops as we speak...

 

[DarienA]

DSL is going into Gamestops as we speak...

Bout time... what are they now... 5 years late?

 

[GamerzXtreme]

About there. These were supposed to be part of the olds "CRS" reg upgrade...

Now you can take the Dell UPS Teleship hook up the DSL to it - bang. Net access in the stores now.

 

[Suikoguy]

Cool idea.. I see it's very limited to start up though... and it's funny.. considering most EB's and Gamestops still use SLOW modems to make their nightly calls to transmit their daily transaction data and update their POS.

I wonder if the 25 stores where chosen because they were easy to pipe a broadband(DSL or otherwise) line to.

Actually, pretty much all Gamestops are now on DSL
Took them awhile but it works now (although, i've never seen such a fucked up configuaration of 2 modems, 3 56kmodems, and 2 routers before for 2 computers)
Shame I leave in less then 2 weeks, if only there were more postive aspects other then DSL :lol

 

[GamerzXtreme]

There are no more positive aspects working for Gamestop.
"LAG" (Life After Gamestop) has been so much better.

I did learn the most important thing ... How un-humanisitc the company can be.
There going to tell me that I should come home sooner from my honeymoon because a high profile game is launching. I don't think so. That's why we have Asst Managers and Sr. Game Advisors.

And Bill Chin.. Don't get me started there.

This whole merger with EB is going to be one *GIANT* cluster fuck for a while.

 

[zackattack]

Cool idea.. I see it's very limited to start up though... and it's funny.. considering most EB's and Gamestops still use SLOW modems to make their nightly calls to transmit their daily transaction data and update their POS.

I wonder if the 25 stores where chosen because they were easy to pipe a broadband(DSL or otherwise) line to.

I think most EBs have dsl now as well

 

[DarienA]

Interesting my friend just left a Gamestop recently and didn't mention a DSL upgrade.. I'll have to check with him and another friend who works at a local Gamestop to see if their stores finally came in to the high speed fam.

 

[daegan]

Actually, pretty much all Gamestops are now on DSL

HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

oh my god you almost had me. seriously.

i don't think there's a single store in my district on DSL, and I've heard nothing about switching over yet.

 

[Suikoguy]

HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

oh my god you almost had me. seriously.

i don't think there's a single store in my district on DSL, and I've heard nothing about switching over yet.

Really?
Wow, I figured since my store out in BFE had it, most did

Thats hillarious :lol

 

[Musashi Wins!]

None of the Michigan stores have DSL. It's insane. Running on DOS or something.

 

[sonycowboy]

Interesting my friend just left a Gamestop recently and didn't mention a DSL upgrade.. I'll have to check with him and another friend who works at a local Gamestop to see if their stores finally came in to the high speed fam.

They'll also be able to finally get rid of the dial-up authorization systems. All transactions will go through the home office server and you'll get that really cool 1 second credit card authorization like Target & Wal-Mart.

And within a year, they should have corporate-wide to-the-minute online inventory. Buyers and inventory managers will be in heaven.

BTW, I made this same topic already.

 

[GamerzXtreme]

Um, a "real time inventory" is a ways off - at least on the Gamestop side. Real time inventory has been promised for yeas. There "BRIAN" inventory system is complete GARBAGE!

I would say more than a year away - and that’s being generous. I think Gamestop will pick up EB's POS system (Windows Based), then I think they will head into the right direction.

The DSL upgrades are not happening all at once. I believe it's going by market. There was a email from corp a couple of days ago.