Desks may well be deserted today after yesterday's midnight launch of Microsoft's Xbox games console.

Amazon.co.uk reckons that thousands of punters will ring in sick this morning after a marathon gaming session last night.

Electronics stores around the country opened at midnight to offer gamers the chance to get their mitts on the console at the earliest opportunity. But it's thought that many will have forgotten to go to bed once their new toy has been set up.

The online retailer reckons those calling in with 'console thumb' will be unable to drag themselves away from the Xbox all through today [Thursday], and speculates that as many as three quarters of its pre-order customers will take the day off work.

According to Amazon, a further 20 per cent are still pondering the risk of throwing a sickie. The online retailer has suggested customers wait until the weekend to get hooked on the Xbox.

Big Bill himself is also finding it difficult to get away from his console. According to an interview with Microsoft Xbox executive Jay Allard in Metro today, Bill Gates is "hooked on Fusion Frenzy".

According to Allard, Xbox project manager, Gates and his wife went to Hawaii for a week before the US launch, "but ended up staying in the hotel most of the time playing Fusion Frenzy".