FS: Launch Team XBOX! RARE!

[Smithy]

I have a launch team Xbox, signed by Bill Gates for Sale. It is translucent green, and includes two Green Duke controllers, as pictured below. These are the only green duke's released to retail. This xbox was sold only to Microsoft employees who worked on the Xbox launch, and was limited to 60 units. Needless to say, this is an extremely rare console.

First off, my Ebay Feedback is http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=silverice88 . As stated above, with this auction you will receive:
- One Launch Team Xbox
- Two Green Duke Controllers
- A Video cable and power cord

Of course, as the pictures show below, everything is in great condition, and the xbox has not been opened. It is worth noting that I needed to clean my xbox disc before it would load (it loaded perfectly), other than that it works great. If you have any questions about the condition of these items, please PM me or email me at bsorbo {AT} gmail.com

I am selling this console for $450 shipped anywhere UPS delivers. I am open to offers for it however, so don't be shy about making an offer. I accept Paypal and personal checks, although personal checks will delay me shipping it for about 5 days. I'll ship it the day after payment arrives.

Without further ado, here are the pictures...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i107/smithystuff/LaunchTeamXbox/DSCF1482.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i107/smithystuff/LaunchTeamXbox/DSCF1486.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i107/smithystuff/LaunchTeamXbox/DSCF1488.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i107/smithystuff/LaunchTeamXbox/DSCF1487.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i107/smithystuff/LaunchTeamXbox/DSCF1491.jpg

Again, if you have any questions at all, I'd be happy to answer them, please PM me or email me at bsorbo {AT} gmail.com

Thanks

[DreamTR]

Just a FYI, there were closer to 1,000 of these produced, not 60.

[Auxilla]

*Drools* I wish I wasnt broke.

[Smithy]

Just a FYI, there were closer to 1,000 of these produced, not 60.

I mean this in the nicest way possible (seriously), but I am pretty sure you are wrong. Actually, current estimates are that there are less than 10 in the wild, I know of 5 others than this one myself.

[raregamergirl]

There are definitely closer to 1000, I know a couple people who own these and they show up on ebay somewhat often (every few months).

[TisLord]

In fact one that needed repair recently sold on ebay for $200 plus shipping...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Xbox-Special-Launch-Edition-COLLECTORS-ITEM_W0QQitemZ130013133668QQihZ003QQcategoryZ62054 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[DreamTR]

Not counting the one I just won on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=011&item=320007346791&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

Mind you that had 47 games with it...

There was one at Edelman Public Relations when I used to visit there for previews of new games, plus this following excerpt from one of the developers where I obtained another:

"There were about 1000 made, and the original cost was around 600 and you got the box w/5 games and 2 controllers. I have sold 2 of these before (I bought them from other people at the studio) and the first sold on ebay for 1,250 (about 2 years ago) and the second sold for 790 (about 1 year ago). Neither of them were offered with any games. I honestly expected this one to go for more with the games included... but I was wrong."

Hundreds of people worked on the thing, and this is one of the Microsoft owned studios from one of their launch titles.

[Smithy]

Well, it does appear that there is a consensus around here that around 1000 were produced. I wasn't trying to "inflate" the rarity of this console, as I do believe that way less than 1000 were produced. Here are some threads which lead me to believe this.

http://www.gamerhistory.com/hardware/LaunchXbox.html
http://www.gamerhistory.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9&start=97
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5703
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7789
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8384

That being said, I am flexible in my price, feel free to make offers ;)

EDIT: I PM'd oldengineer, and he said this


Hi Smithy

It's closer to 60, they produced a pallet of 56 plus 4 consoles that were kept internally, although far less than this actually exist now, as most were destroyed when they didn't 'sell'.

Hope this helps.

Regards

oldengineer

[dukenkm44]

does it have the box/manual?

[Smithy]

No, it only includes the console and the two green duke's.

[Darren870]

Deffinitly not 60, i know about 10 people alone that have these and have never been to this site.

Like others have said, they go on ebay every few months.

Good luck with the sale though!

[DreamTR]

smithy: Oldengineer is misinformed, the people I got this info from are from Microsoft internal. There is way closer to 1,000 units produced. Where they get this 60 number from and less than 10 making it out is pretty asinine. Like I said, anyone that worked on this had an opportunity to get one. I personally can think of 10 off the top of my head!

[Smithy]

As it seems that I have misjudged the rarity of this console, I am slashing the price of it by $175, bringing it to $450 shipped. I think that this is a very good deal for a console that is still quite rare. I will not go below this price, I'd rather keep it as it looks cool 8-)

My apologies to DreamTR and others, I suppose I believed what I wanted to :)

[DreamTR]

That's a good price now =)

[ProgrammingAce]

According to the part number for the console, MS only made 2 batches of 60 of these "Bill Gates Launch Xbox". I suppose i should have cleared this issue up earlier. The grand total for these units is 120.

This xbox was only availible to Microsoft employees in the xbox division. They had to pay for the console ($300), 5 games (5 x $50 = $250), and the DVD kit ($30) for a grand total of $580. Considering the astronomicly high cost for this unit, very few people bought it. Thus, MS ran two print runs of 60.

At least, that's the information according to microsoft's wharehouse database...

The ~1000 units comes from the other launch xbox, the "Thanks for partnering with us" xbox. Although, i still doubt the number is as high as a thousand. These were given to parts suppliers, media outlets, CEO/CFO/COO of various publishers.

[ianoid]

Did it originally come with a box? I'd be more tempted if it did and this unit had one. I'd buy it complete in box for that price.

Or moreover, what does the box look like? Is it different from the original release box?

[Smithy]

Did it originally come with a box? I'd be more tempted if it did and this unit had one. I'd buy it complete in box for that price.

Or moreover, what does the box look like? Is it different from the original release box?

I'd assume it came with a box, but frankly, I've never seen one ... of course when the employee purchased the xbox, I doubt they just handed him it over the counter =)

Does anyone have a picture of the box?

[ProgrammingAce]

The box is identical to the first retail box... i'd take a pic of one, but mine got mixed in with a bunch of others and now even i can't tell which one it is... LOL

[Buyatari]

I dunno if I buy the 120 made. I think Jason is closer to the mark. I have at least 2 of these maybe 3.


I mean this in the nicest way possible (seriously), but I am pretty sure you are wrong. Actually, current estimates are that there are less than 10 in the wild, I know of 5 others than this one myself.

[Buyatari]

Good price though !!

[Smithy]

It's off to Ebay!

The link is in the thread...

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1047344