WIRED Staff
Culture

Do the Words "Sold Out" Make You Want Something Even More?

That’s what Microsoft thinks. Gizmodo reported yesterday that not only are retailers in Norway only getting twenty consoles each (fourteen actual Xbox 360s and six ‘tard packs), but reportedly Microsoft Norway is demanding that they immediately “sell out” of those consoles, apparently by any means necessary, on the December 2 release date. Said the site’s […]

That's what Microsoft thinks. Gizmodo reported yesterday that not only are retailers in Norway only getting twenty consoles each (fourteen actual Xbox 360s and six 'tard packs), but reportedly Microsoft Norway is demanding that they immediately "sell out" of those consoles, apparently by any means necessary, on the December 2 release date. Said the site's new Norwegian correspondent:

"Microsoft Norway even said themselves that they're gonna use the 'Sold Out' as a marketing strategy to hype the console."

The game industry's certainly no stranger to artificial supply cuts to boost demand (remember trying to get Zelda 2 in 1989?), but I love the fact that they're not even trying to hide it. (Sorry Norway!)