Xbox One Release Date: Narrowing It Down

The Xbox One release date remains up in the air as another rumored date for a midnight Xbox One release at Walmart is shot down by a source within Microsoft.

With the help of rumors and retail knowledge we narrow the Xbox One release date down to two likely dates in late November.

Earlier today we shared reports of a November 8th Xbox One release date, which came from a internal document at Walmart outlining midnight releases, with an unconfirmed midnight event for the Xbox One on November 8th. This would put the Xbox One ahead of the PS4 in the run up to the busy holiday season, but new information pulls the latest Xbox One release date off the table.

Kotaku which reported the original rumor, is back with word from a source within Microsoft who claims the Xbox One release date will come after November 8th.

Assuming this new information is on target, the realistic Xbox One release date window is narrowing as we move closer to the start of the holiday shopping season.

Making Sense of the Xbox One Release Date Rumors

We already know the Xbox One release date will take place in November. Microsoft confirmed as much in previous announcements and communications.

Various Xbox One release date rumors point to dates within the November, and now that a Microsoft source is claiming the Xbox one won’t arrive in stores and homes until after November 8th, we have a smaller Xbox One release date window.

Even if Microsoft won’t confirm it, there is a tail end of the Xbox One release date window as well. The Xbox One release must come before Black Friday to mesh with Black Friday plans and ads that retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Radio Shack, Target and others have worked on for months.

Effectively, these two dates mean the Xbox One release window is between November 12th and November 27th. Microsoft launched the original Xbox on a Thursday and the Xbox 360 on a Tuesday, so it is unlikely that the Xbox One will arrive on a weekend or on Veterans Day.

The entire week of November 10th through 16th is a longshot as Sony previously announced the PS4 release date for November 15th. Microsoft is already facing an uphill battle with Xbox One features and the higher price, so it would be odd to go head-to-head with Sony on November 15th.

With seven more possible Xbox One release dates marked off, we arrive back at a window between November 18th and November 27th.

Once again, November 18th seems too close to the PS4 and November 27th is basically Thanksgiving for many people, closing the window further. Even though the average age of gamers is growing, Microsoft needs to keep in mind college students who may have ordered an Xbox One at school, and who will be heading home for the holidays as early as Tuesday November 26th.

At the end of the day, Sony’s first strike, the Black Friday holiday and the need to delay the Xbox One release in some countries come together to force Microsoft’s hand.

Based on our best guess, a realistic Xbox One release date is between Tuesday November 19th and Tuesday November 26th. The best bet would be late in the week on November 21st or 22nd, to stay clear of any shipping issues and retail closings related to Thanksgiving.

Read: A Guide to Trading in Your Xbox 360 for the Xbox One

As Microsoft looks to confirm the Xbox One release, GameStop and Amazon are offering up deals to let Xbox 360 gamers buy the latest hits and then upgrade to the Xbox One version for $10 after the console is available.