XBox 2001 Launch Team serial numbers....

Here are some serial numbers I've gathered so far, and all it does is make things more confusing. I'm guessing the Launch Consoles were applied serial numbers along with the regular models that were being manufactured. What else would explain a unit made on the 7th being number 4157 and one made on the 8th being numbered 2072?

209 1054 14402 7th Product ID: 422 209 1054 14402 (Syclopse)
209 1441 14402 7th Product ID: 422
209 2474 14402 7th
209 3185 14402 7th
209 4157 14402 7th
209 2072 14402 8th
209 5606 14402 8th
209 8286 14402 8th Product ID: 422 209 8286 14402 (Syclopse)
210 2513 14402 8th Product ID: 523 210 2513 14402 (Syclopse)


So I googled and came across this site: http://www.pagetable.com/?p=465
And assume the following:
14402 = (1)2001 (44) 44th Week (02) Mexico Factory

And I figured the 209 in the serial number was a code for the Launch Consoles, until
I received my 3rd one today and it's started with 210!

Next is the Product ID, the first 3 numbers, what do they mean, most launch consoles I've come across have it as 422, yet I have this one console that has 523?

So any input on this would be helpful, also if you own a 2001 Launch Team Console please PM
me the Serial number.

While "Googling", I came across this site in french that I had to translate.
http://www.gamekult.com/blog/lim-handek/120668/xbox-launch-team-2001.html


this console has been charged to employees, but was distributed exactly 187 employees (invoices are numbered). more pads are really collector, as are exceptionally product with the console, namely 2 large pads first model of the xbox green tranlu as the console and there by the box against nothing special

"cette console a bien été facturée aux employés, mais a été distribuée a exactement 187 employés (les factures étant numérotées). de plus les pads sont vraiment collector, puisqu'il sont produit exceptionnellement avec la console, a savoir 2 gros pads premier modéle de la xbox en vert tranlu comme la console et pour la boite là par contre rien de spéciale" from French

 

Just checked both of mine. One is 209 with 422 and the other is 210 with 523. It could just be different lines within the factory.

EDIT: Both of mine were made on the 8th.

 

Mine is: 14402

 

Since we are compiling a list, this might be good to finally figure out how many of these darn consoles were made. Here's mine:

 

2001-11-07
2092942 14402
423 2092942 14402

 

I do not have my launch kit anymore. But I know for sure that it was on the 8th also. I am looking for the info I wrote down off the sticker. I meant to take a picture but I got side tracked and sent it in the mail before I got a chance to. I contacted the guy this morning and I am gonna see if I can get the info.

Are we doing this for the partner xboxs also? I think while we are at this do them both. The new number I hear on the launch kits are like 187. I have a friend that has like 7-8 of these launch kits. Also Partner xboxs but the number I am not sure. I am trying to get a hold of him to input on this. He also has been keeping track of the launch kit sales on ebay. This guy is well organized! Moontar can confirm this person also. I know it sounds like bull that he has that many launch kits. He also has 2 of the orange live controllers

BTW he also has the original internal order sheet from MS for ordering a launch kit. So anyone that worked for MS at the time could have ordered one. It was not a lotto or for special chosen people which I have heard those rumors also.

 

Interesting....

 

I still have the web page saved for that auction where he got most of that stuff. =) I keep track of the Launch Team Xbox consoles by saving the entire web pages after they sell. lol

EDIT: I am not sure how many people could contribute to the Partner console research but I think it is safe to assume there are less of them than the Launch Team Xbox.

 

Here is the part of the email I got from him on the 7th of last month. I have been emailing him for a week and he has not responded. He is opening a new business and is really busy with that. He will respond to me, just give it a little more. I had sent him a email asking him how many he thought was out there and that last year before christmas it was like 5 or 6 of these launch kits were sold on ebay alone.



I don't believe that only 60 launch units were made. Based on my experience from 11/09 until now I have seen 42 units come up for sale. It's hard to say for sure how many were made, but I believe its closer to 1,000 than it is to 60. I hope to find out one day because several people would have know exactly how many were sold. I have the paperwork from the internal Microsoft ordering system. One interesting myth was they were only available to MS employees when fact, MS subcontractors were also able to buy them using the MS ordering system. I'm hopeful this mystery will be solved on day.


I think it will be more difficult to get the facts on the Partner units becuase they were gifts to MS partners. I do believe that less than 100 Parter Units were made.

 

I ran some numbers with Moontar way back, based on a extrapolation with Mountain Dew Consoles being the standard. (Since we know 5,000 were made) I was able to gather that via ebay, we could estimate that there were about 100-200 Launch consoles made. Which is why Lim-Handek's 187 produced number intrigues me. 1,000 seems a bit high, if it were that high we would see 1 launch listing for every 5 mountain dew consoles, but as of right now they are listed about 1 out of every 25 to 75 mountain dew consoles.

 

The thing to remember about Partners is they werent sold to normal people. There could be 500 of them and it is possible that most are either collecting dust, lost, destroyed, or still with the company/executive that it was given too. Like others stated, launch systems were sold to regular people at Microsoft (and the controversy that I recall hearing was not a lottery system like others implied, but rather that they had to buy them at all!)

 

A recent Ebay seller that sold a Partner system said he worked in product development at Intel and had won it in a company lottery. So I don't think they were sold at all, just given away it sounds like.

 

*sigh*

Seemingly endless XDK but this I don't have. I have the 2005 version, but have always wanted a 2001 version, partner version or the "thanks" version.

 

That's what I figured as well. My best guess is that the companies who were gifted this console put them in their trophy cases. I think the ones that trickled to the public were given to HR departments to use for promotional events (such as a lottery in that ebay listing).

 

All of the partners boxes were gifts, given to companies that provided components, software, or services. Mine also came from Intel.


I believe there to be about half as many 'partners' boxes as the employee boxes. The only restriction on purchasing the employees launch console was that you had to be part of the 'entertainment' division of microsoft. They cost $500, but your received 5 games (which you chose from a list) and the 2 controllers. It was a pretty shitty deal, to be honest, and I don't think many people jumped on it. They probably produced the consoles in skid quantities, which were 12 to a skid? I don't remember now.

I don't think the partners consoles came with the free games, but I'm not sure. I want to say they only had 1 green duke as well, but again... that was more than a decade ago.


This is only a guess, but I think there were about 300 employee and 150 partners consoles.

 

From what another employee has said the bundle cost $400 at the time and came with 6 games although only 5 came with the actual console. One of the games (Amped) had to be picked up at the MS store later. It also came with the controllers but that is pretty much a given.

The Partner consoles just came with a green s-controller as far as I know not a green Duke.

 

2001-11-08
2099967 14402
523 2099967 14402

 

I may be able to find some answers. Microsoft is a client of a family member of mine's company, and he's personal friends with several rather high up execs. I've asked him before about the possibilty of prying for information, and he says it's quite possible.

-Chief

 

A lot of the manufacturing numbers were lost back when the Xbox was still being made, just keep that in mind.

 

I will.