Deserting the Xbox

The hype - and, presumably, the stress levels of senior MS execs - are intensifying for the 360 launch, with confirmation of a two-day party in the Mojave desert. The event will see thousands of gamers playing the launch titles - assuming they get finished, of course - while listening to live music from Louis XIV. Peter Moore, Worldwide Marketing VP of Zen bizarrely describes the event as, "the ultimate Xbox 360 oasis". If you are European, very keen, and can fund your own travel, then there are 3000 tickets up for grabs. When it comes to launch events, MS have clearly upped the ante. Whether they have done the same with gaming remains to be seen.