Xbox to cut price to $99 by Labor Day....from CNN.com

[optimusprime]

http://money.cnn.com/2004/01/28/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/index.htm?cnn=yes

Check out this article. Could be good news for all of those who don't yet own an xbox.

[SteveMcQ]

That'd be something.

$99 is just the right price point for me to get another Xbox for LAN purposes.

[Alpha2]

or atleast those that actually want one.

I have to agree with everything this article says. I'm expecting a full focus from Sony on the PSP while M$ ponders the drop from 129 to 99. The PSP will be sony's way of taking away purchasing dollars from the $99 xbx by offering it at a similar price point or less as a base unit(with upgrades like phone and mp3 being an additional fee).

Then xbx2 will launch and that same day Sony will launch a huge PS3 campaign and trying to gut the interest in the xbx the same way PS2 did to the DC.

The key will be to have better specs/features than xbx2 and far more impressive demos, since sony already has more 3rd party support it'd be hard for people to resist waiting or at the very least buying both systems for those with the cash.

[optimusprime]

The worst thing that could happen for Microsoft is if Sony waits until the xbox2 launch to start heavily promoting their PS3. People have proven in the past that if a Sony product is in the works, they will be patient and wait for it (that's what happened to Dreamcast, despite its high quality software and relatively low price point). Between that and the PSP, I agree, Microsoft could end up on the short end of things.

[SS4Brolly]

Woah, thats cheap. Announce Shenmue 3 and I'll be first in line.

[vherub]

um, if it is currently 179, and a drop to 129 is predicted for e3 in may (3 montsh away), this drop to 99 at labor not only is far the hell away in the future (7 months), but would only be a $30 drop vs a $50 drop

they might as well say a year from now, the price could drop to $79!!!!!!

[Wshakspear]

im still waiting for my $99 PS2... i will NOT buy one until that point. Ive held off this long, i can keep waiting.

i wanna play my kingdom hearts!!! (sob...)

[master_evil]

That would indeed be a great price for the Xbox. I could buy another one for lan parties and play on different TVs.

[msdmoney]

The worst thing that could happen for Microsoft is if Sony waits until the xbox2 launch to start heavily promoting their PS3. People have proven in the past that if a Sony product is in the works, they will be patient and wait for it (that's what happened to Dreamcast, despite its high quality software and relatively low price point). Between that and the PSP, I agree, Microsoft could end up on the short end of things.

Hmmm I am not so sure there is that much brand loyalty to Sony. People realize Microsoft is a major player, and I don't think they will "wait" if Microsoft puts out a good next gen console. People waited for the PS2 over the dreamcast because at that time the perception was bad of Sega, despite it having quality titles. Sega didn't have the ability to push and market the dreamcast hard enough and people expected it to fail in the face of Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo. Microsoft has a strong image going into next generation, many many times bettter than Sega coming off the Saturn. If anything people haven't waited for Sony, Sony has gotten where they are by releasing earlier (PS1 vs. N64 and PS2 vs. XBOX/GCN). These last two generations Microsoft and Nintendo were the ones people "waited" on, and IMO suffered because of it. I think Nintendo used to have the perception that players would be loyal and wait but that didnt necessarily happen. Of course this all depends on many, many factors; launch titles, proposed features, future game announcements/exclusives, technological specs, etc.

I will pick up an XBOX at 99, maybe even 129 and a PS2 as well if it hits that price point. Especially since my financial situation will be much better by then. With all the cheap games around it pays to be able to get in on all the good game deals for all the systems. Now the question is do I start buying games now for the XBOX before I purchase it (like I did for the GCN) or do I wait.

[juicedup1]

Xbox 2 launch in 2005? Wow! That is to early in my eyes, I will not be one, to pick one up in 2005.

[jousley]

I'm not patient enough to wait for any new MAJOR system (wouldn't walk across the street for a free N-Gage) So I'll be right where I am when any new system is released....standing in line, rain sleet or snow. with cash in hand. I screwed myself a bit with the Xbox...wasn't going to get one at first, but a friend called from the game store to say "Hey man...we have one system unaccounted for..want it?" so I got it that day...then about a month later after launch, I won one of the one's that Taco Bell gave away that wasn't claimed. Oh well...I gave it to my best friend on the condition that he would go out and buy Halo so we could link up and play...haven't regretted it since!

[Mr. Anderson]

I really don't want the next generation consoles to hit in 2005. That's waaay to early to take focus off the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube. Once those consoles hit, quality software for the big 3 is goooone. And, thats only a year after FFXI launches! Nobody is gonna play, because their gonna be playing with their PS3's and XB2's! Bastards!

[TheRock88]

If it does drop, I'll definately be picking it up.

[pimp tyranny]

i'll finally get it then. i've been waiting for the exclusives and the superior multiplatform games.

Halo, KotOR, Mech Assault, Splinter Cell, Prince of Persia, etc.

[CaptainObviousXl]

it wont drop that much this guy sounds like an idiot

[CaseyRyback]

im still waiting for my $99 PS2... i will NOT buy one until that point. Ive held off this long, i can keep waiting.

i wanna play my kingdom hearts!!! (sob...)

same for me also. I want to get a PS2 but with all the SNK games in limbo I am keeping my Xbox and waiting for PS2 to drop to 99 so I can finally play some Virtua Fighter

[beerguy961]

I'll pick up a PS2 when it goes to 129, but I hold out for an XBox price of $99. that is if I get a job sometime between now and when I leave for school in August...

[jetblac]

The worst thing that could happen for Microsoft is if Sony waits until the xbox2 launch to start heavily promoting their PS3. People have proven in the past that if a Sony product is in the works, they will be patient and wait for it (that's what happened to Dreamcast, despite its high quality software and relatively low price point). Between that and the PSP, I agree, Microsoft could end up on the short end of things.
Dreamcast lost because everyone else put out a system that played dvd's.

[mcwilliams132]

From WinInfo (feb 20)

Xbox Price Cut Reportedly on the Way

According to various reports, Microsoft will lower the price of its Xbox video game console from $180 to $150 in April, and rival Sony will likely drop the cost of its PlayStation 2 at that time as well. The low $150 price point is expected to open up the Xbox to a much wider range of gamers, and broaden its appeal with cost-conscious buyers. On the other hand, Nintendo's $99 GameCube is still significantly less expensive than the competition and has seen its sales rise as a result. Maybe Microsoft should worry more about Nintendo and less about Sony.

full link here:
http://www.winnetmag.com/windowspaulthurrott/Article/ArticleID/41813/windowspaulthurrott_41813.html

[DRJ555]

M$ is still losing money at the current price as far as I know. An $80 price cut would cost them some serious money and they are already losing Billions (not millions). I doubt it will drop that much. Maybe to $149.

[MaxBiaggi3]

Now the question is do I start buying games now for the XBOX before I purchase it (like I did for the GCN) or do I wait.

I almost always software (when I find it cheap enough) before I actually get the systems. That way I know I'll have something I'm excited about playing whenever I finally do get the system. For example, I picked up Resident Evil: Code Veronica for DC ($15 new) before I got my first DC, and I picked up REmake for GCN ($10 used) before I got my GCN. It wasn't that I knew I would have the system soon. It was the fact that I found a game I really wanted at a decent price, and I knew that eventually I would own the system to play it.

[TiKi2]

I,ve read that the XBOX/PS2 will drop $129 after E3 and to $99 during the holidays

[wookieballz]

I've read that the price will drop to about $149.99, which seems more realistic.