X-Box being discontinued...

[Vin]

I have PS2, but I thought X-Box fans would want to read this:

http://xbox.ign.com%7Cstoryid@68%2e1%2e17%2e8/%7Ei%61in%70/445214.htm

Sorry if this has already been posted.

[Vin]

Okay, my friend sent me that direct link, but I can't find that article via IGN.com...hmmm

[killercroc]

Weren't these the same guys that did the Metal Gear Solid prank a few months ago? Smells fishy to me.

[I.R Joey]

Just checked IGN's front page, nothing of the sort. Something tells me that if it where real there would be alot more comotion. Do you remember the Dreamcast almost 1 year ago today?

[Killtacular]

It IS fake. It uses the @ trick.

[Mad Monkey 7]

I just went to IGN and videogamespot and there is no mention of XBOX being discontunied. This would be big news and no one saying anything. XBOX sold pretty well against both PS2 and GameCube. Even those PS2 still made a higher profit, XBOX did well too.

[killercroc]

Originally posted by Matt Wilson
It IS fake. It uses the @ trick.

Is that common?

Now it's giving the 404 message.

[The Dark Knight]

Fake site talking about the demise of the X-Box and another fake site talking about the death of Linkin Park. Can't be a coincidence that Linkin Park and X-Box also now have a partnership deal.

[Bird Boy]

it could be a IGN Insider "prank"...could be the reason we can't see it..

-BB

[Auggie Doggie]

Couldn't find anything like that, but if it really was true rather than some prank, here's what friends would say:

GOOD RIDDANCE!!!!!

[Vin]

Sorry guys. My friend forwarded me the URL and then I went to the site, not thinking much if it were fake or not. However, after checking out the rest of IGN.com, I couldn't find a single link to it. How can somebody make a fake link like that? Do they work on IGN.com or was it something done by a reader?

[KingKoopa]

Well. I wish it was real, but I guess not. All it is is some fan site using the IGN adress and the @ trick, where it looks like it's going to IGN when it's really going to some moron who thinks he's funny.

[Sandro]

Yeah, Gates wouldn't back out like that, knowing him.

[I.R Joey]

And Mad Hatter would have come rushing in with the exclusive coverage, and the gloating. J/K ;)

[Adam Tyner]

Guys, this isn't real.

The URL is faked to make it seem as if it's coming from IGN. If you strip out the @ and everything preceding it, then urldecode the rest, you're left with:

http://68.1.17.8/~iainp/445214.htm

That IP address corresponds to members.cox.net, so you've basically been duped into viewing http://members.cox.net/~iainp/445214.htm

[The Mad Hatter]

Oooookay. I know I fell for the Metal Gear Solid prank. But I clicked the link... apparently it IS for insiders. Here's the text:

>>After what seemed to be a succesful launch, Microsoft has now revealed that the Xbox will have to be discontinued, and all impending games are to be cancelled. This seems to fly in the face of previous market research where the Xbox was said to have sold in excess of one million units through the holiday season. However, it was revealed in a press release this afternoon, that those numbers were infact highly inaccurate, and that Microsoft had withheld sales data when their numbers did not live up to expectations.
In truth, the Xbox sold approximately 400,000 units from launch until the new year. This and the fact that Microsoft was making a loss of around $300 per console made it unfeasable to continue. Software sales were also somewhat low, with Halo being the only significant title.

Microsoft has also cancelled releasing the Xbox in Japan, as one could see the true desperation in the move to release a "Special Edition" in a last ditch attempt to recoup losses. Apparently, Japan was the straw that broke the camel's back, as the cost of breaking into a new market with low projected sales was not deemed practical even by the money-laden Microsoft.

We here at IGN Xbox will continue to support the Xbox, despite the few games available much in the same way that we have supported the Dreamcast. >>

Hm. So I checked www.gamespot.com , as it's the other major source of video game news on the net. No mention of it at all, and if it were true and they knew about it, they'd be all over it. Nothing.

So what's the deal? I know the MGS hoax toed the line, but printing this seriously risks pissing off Microsoft. You don't want to do this, as they'd risk the big M suddenly refusing to give them games ahead of time, which would cause them to be seriously scooped.

But then I checked IGN Xbox's news section, and their Insider section... no mention of this article! Hm. Maybe this was a hack, or a prank by the staffers, who enjoy ribbing each other.

I have no idea why this exists, but I'd imagine there's not a grain of truth to it.

[Psycho Fox]

As most of you have already said it is a hoax.

One if it was for real it would be big news

Two if MS did have plans to drop the X-Box it wouldn't happen like the Dreamcast. I don't think there would not be a press release where they said the party will be over soon. It is not MS's style, they didn't make a statement when they droped support for the Amiga, nor the MSX, nor Apple, nor OS/2. They just quietly left and I don't see why the X-Box would be different if MS ever decided to pull support for it.

[Adam Tyner]

But then I checked IGN Xbox's news section, and their Insider section... no mention of this article! Hm. Maybe this was a hack, or a prank by the staffers, who enjoy ribbing each other.It's neither. Read the post right above yours. :D The article is not on IGN's server.

[The Mad Hatter]

Well there ya go.