360 Madness

The Xbox 360, Microsoft's next generation games console, has virtually sold out in the UK on its first day of release.

According to the BBC website, one of the first to lay his hands on the 360 was a 33 year old Londoner, who queued up outside the Game store in London for nearly 9 hours in the rain. He was quoted as saying "I can't wait to get home and play this game."

Listening to Radio One this morning on the way to work, there was a guy who was lamenting how he had pre-ordered his X-box in September and had just been told that he probably won't get it until February as Microsoft just can't deal with the demand for these machines. He was quoted as saying "My 5 year old will be so disappointed he won't be getting this for Christmas."

Hype and Christmas must just drive people mad - or is it just me who thinks it's daft to spend around £300 on the most powerful games console in the world so far (plus £45 on each game), on a 5 year old? A 5 year old shouldn't even be playing the games, many of which have a Certificate of 18, or am I being a Victorian prude in thinking children shouldn't be subjected to sex and violence at this young an age?

Me? I'd love to get an X-Box 360, or a PS2 but there's only so many things I can get obsessed with and there aren't enough hours in the day for me to find another passion.