Similar to the eBay user priceless228 (who ended up putting the console on eBay for way more money than anyone should pay for anything other than a house or a car), Moonlight Swami got his Target pre-order of the Xbox One three weeks early. Unlike priceless228 though, Swami has decided to share the wealth; he’s tweeting out images and popping some YouTube videos up to show the public what the Xbox One can really do (Microsoft has since taken down his unboxing video though).
@mikeysmith pic.twitter.com/9KdcdADzWI
— #1 Source 4 XBOX ONE (@Moonlightswami) November 9, 2013
Swami has unboxed, explored and unleashed more information in the past evening than the entirety of the journalism universe has had since the announcement of the Xbox One. He was able to prematurely download the day one patch of the system and begin looking at several games’ installation sizes, and even clock the time from turning the system on to getting to the home menu.
Also some more specific port type deals:
— #1 Source 4 XBOX ONE (@Moonlightswami) November 9, 2013
Were you wondering what the Achievements page looked like?
And some challenge type deals:
Unfortunately after the cascade of information that Swami has released Microsoft has banned his Xbox (but not his gamertag). I’d imagine Microsoft getting a pile of shit thrown at their face for the “transgression,” but I’m sure Swami’s system will work again come launch day.
For more on Swami’s adventures with the Xbox One pre-launch you can check out his Twitter right here.
The Xbox One will launch on November 22nd unless Target decides to throw caution to the wind and just send it to everyone. I’ll be following the story and updating as new information unfolds.
What would you do if you got your next-gen preorder early? Would you tell the world or try to avoid bans and keep it to yourself? Sound off in the comments down below and maybe we can get Microsoft to stop banning peo–
UPDATE: Microsoft’s Larry Hryb has ensured the world that Midnight Swami’s Xbox One will not remain banned forever.
UPDATE #2: Target has admitted to Kotaku that they accidentally shipped a few Xbox One consoles prior to launch. Click here for the full rub.
— Larry Hryb (@majornelson) November 9, 2013
UPDATE #3: According to another story on Kotaku (an interview with André Weingarten a.k.a. Moonlight Swami) Microsoft has invited him to the Xbox One launch event as a guest of the company. In the interview Weingarten said that Microsoft knows that it was Target’s error, and he had nothing to do with it. Weingarten says that his Xbox One is going to be put back into working order closer to launch and there will be no penalties. His Xbox One is still playable, just not online.
Weingarten told Kotaku that he had a conversation with Larry Hryb (Major Nelson) and while he was unable to divulge detils of the entire conversation, he was able to say that his videos and tweets would be put back into the public.
It’s really nice to see a company like Microsoft - which many say has lost touch with the public - literally getting in touch with the public to discuss a leak and figure out how to make everyone happy.
