No party like an Xbox party

Young video game fans were keen to play Xbox

As the Xbox goes on sale across Europe BBC News Online reports on the official launch party in Oxford Street, London.

The Xbox proved much in demand as it went on sale at midnight on Wednesday.

Video game fans who had queued for hours were handing over their money to buy the Microsoft machine.

Gary Marshall, from Wiltshire, said he had to have the machine on day one.

"It's clearly the best games console out. I was not sure whether to wait for a Gamecube but in the end I decided I had to have an Xbox."

Daniel Mancina shows Jonathan Ross how to play

Earlier the crowds had been entertained by TV presenter Jonathan Ross, who challenged fans to a game of hand-to-hand video combat on the game Dead or Alive 3.

Queuing

His undefeated status lasted until 11-year-old Jordanna Mancina beat him in a humiliatingly one-sided battle.

She had earlier told BBC News Online: "I don't get a chance to play the games console at home because my brother won't let me."

Nintendo's GameCube will be the next to be launched

Thirteen-year-old Daniel Mancina had been queuing with his mother and sister for three hours.

"It's the most powerful console out, with the best graphics and I can't wait to play it," he said.

His sister was rewarded for her game exploits with a free Xbox and the entire family went home happy.

Ross told the crowd of invited guests: "It gives me great pleasure and a great big cheque to be here to launch Xbox."

Laser X

His cynicism aside there was genuine excitement about the launch of the machine and an early Christmas theme.

A giant laser "X" crossed the skies in Oxford Street and elves handed out mince pies to those waiting in the cold.

There were plenty of Xboxes on hand on which to try out the new games and early buyers of the machine were handed an early Christmas present - a free game for their new machines.

All along Oxford Street stores had opened at midnight to sell the machine and as the hours ticked by large numbers of console fans were seen clutching their new purchases and climbing on late buses home.