Microsoft launched their Xbox One console last Friday, and the company has said one million consoles were sold worldwide in the device’s first 24 hours on sale. However, some Irish gamers were left frustrated when they went to pick up their new consoles at their local Xtra-visions.

According to messages on social networks and message boards such as boards.ie, Xtra-vision, who emerged from receivership in August under new owners Hilco Capital, was refusing to sell consoles unless the customer bought an extra game with their purchase. This affected customers who had already pre-ordered the €499 Xbox One. The topic has attracted almost 500 posts on one boards.ie thread alone, with many gamers vowing to boycott the company.

Today, the company announced on their Facebook page that they would be reversing the policy, saying, “We’re happy to announce that from today onwards, anyone who collects their pre-ordered Xbox One console at any of our Xtra-vision stores will not have to purchase an additional game in order to receive their console.” They explain that anyone who purchased an extra game will be able to return them to their store for a full refund (as long as the game is unopened), and state they “regret any upset or inconvenience that may have been caused”.

User response to the reversal has been largely negative, with some saying the decision is “too little too late” and criticising the stipulation that the games must be unopened. The National Consumer Agency, however, has called it a "successful outcome". 

On Xtra-vision's website, individual games for the Xbox One retail for upwards of €69.99 (higher for special edition versions), although many retailers offer discounted bundle offers when software and accessories are bought with consoles.

Microsoft had already offered free copies of games such as FIFA 14 and Forza 5 to customers who had reserved their launch day consoles. Some downloadable games such as Killer Instinct are ‘free-to-play’, with players purchasing extra levels and characters as add-ons to the free basic game. 

Xtra-vision customers looking to pick up Sony’s Playstation 4, which is released on Friday, will also be able to purchase a console without having to buy an extra game.