Xbox 360 $299 and $399!!!

[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']The wireless controller, headset, component cables and remote I was going to buy anyways. I just expected the play and charge to be included with the wireless controller if it were included with the launch package. I think the $399 bundle is a great value but I don't understand, for the life of me, why you'd release the stripped down version at all.

There isn't one educated person buying the 360 this fall that's going to buy the base package. What's going to happen is you're going to see a shortage of the big bundle and mom and dads with spoiled kids will snarf up the base model, $100 HDD, $30 remote, $50 wireless controller, $20 headset, $40 for the component cables etc. to get to the full bundle.

Think abou that folks. That extra $100 on the bundle would cost you $240 to buy seperately ala carte.[/QUOTE]

So that M$ can sucker people into paying the extra $140??

And $50 for a wireless controller?? My Logitech (the best peripheral company in the universe), cost me $30, and you can't get better quality than Logitech.
 
[quote name='themather']And?

Simple marketing and inflation dictate that prices are higher when new/advanced things come out. No company ever releases an advanced form of their product, and then charges less than the original.[/QUOTE]

omg you are so right.

What was I thinking when Western Digital produces a 200gb hard drive that is *gasp* cheaper and faster than the same form of their product a few months ago?

Oh wait, lets talk the slim PS2. Built in network adapter, smaller size...and what's that? Cheaper than the original system.

Hmm, an MP3 player that has a higher storage capacity and is CHEAPER than a model before? OMG that's unheard of.

You are an idiot.
 
looks like I'll be cashing out my 360 preorder soon.

100 fucking dollars for a TWENTY gig hard drive? GO fuck YOURSELVES MS!!! HAVE A MERRY fucking XMAS. :lol:
 
About the only games I can think of that stream to the HDD are from MS and Ubisoft.

Halo, Halo 2, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Ghost Recon 2 (I would also assume the expansion but I don't have it yet.) all use it. Beyond those two developers though I don't think any other company has uitilized it except for game saves. The only one I could imagine would be Tecmo but there's nothing I've noticed in their games that leads me to believe they're streaming off the HDD.
 
Is that $60 game price for reals?

If that's not a rumor it's insane! How can they do that?

That's $60 for one game! If the average game takes about 6-10 hours to beat you are looking at $6 to $10 an hour for an initial play through!

WTF?
 
[quote name='MaxBiaggi2']It makes a big difference for developers in the programming of the software. If developers can't count on having that extra functionality being there in every console (like the Expansion Pak for N64), then the developers likely won't program their games to take advantage of the HDD much of the time.

Consumers that buy the premium system will likely have to suffer through many a $59.99 game that doesn't fully exploit their system's capabilities as a result. Lame, lame, lame. . . :cry:[/QUOTE]

Agreed, but as we saw with the first Xbox, the vast majority of games wouldn't take advantage of the HD anyway. It's too bad Sony didn't announce a built-in HD for the PS3. If they had, Microsoft would include one with every 360, and we would probably see most games on both the PS3 and 360 taking advantage of the HD. Even Nintendo games might have seen some benefit since I think they're including some flash memory.
 
[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']About the only games I can think of that stream to the HDD are from MS and Ubisoft.

Halo, Halo 2, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Ghost Recon 2 (I would also assume the expansion but I don't have it yet.) all use it. Beyond those two developers though I don't think any other company has uitilized it except for game saves. The only one I could imagine would be Tecmo but there's nothing I've noticed in their games that leads me to believe they're streaming off the HDD.[/QUOTE]

Ninja gaiden caches a bunch of stuff to the HD when you load it...
 
I'm with you Quack, with this pricing if they release games at $60 the early adopter crowd really is going to be pretty small. I don't anticipate getting one game for the 360 from launch day until Huxley or Gears of War come out. I'm not plopping down that kind of money per game after spending $500 on hardware.

$60 games and $400 hardware means they're not going to be close to the attach rates of the first Xbox.
 
[quote name='themather']So let me get this straight ... Microsoft is offering the XBox 360, certainly a far superior gaming system than the original XBox, for the exact same launch price as the original XBox five years ago? And somehow that makes them evil?

[/QUOTE]

Honestly, I'm not so sure I believe that a XBOX 360 without a hard drive is superior at all to a XBOX with a hard drive. Count me in on the plan to buy an original XBOX once the 360 hits, 'cause I bet I'll get a whole lot more (and cheaper) enjoyment out of that.
 
I am just tired of hearing all this B$ that Micro$oft is hungry and wants to be the number 1 console this time around. I remember when the Xbox came out they spent millions on advertising. I read that they could have taken that money and given away the first 100,000 xbox systems away free. If they are so "hungry" to be #1 and have so much money then they should have released the value pack only at $299. They have the money and could have done it that way. Hell I don't even need the component cable or the head set. They could have put in a 10 GB hard drive instead. At least then developers would take advantage of the hard drive every time. Don't even get me started on how systems used to cost less and came with TWO controllers AND a game.
 
I don't really agree with the decision to sell two versions, but I think I see Microsoft's reasoning on this.

Remember when the Xbox launched and stayed the same price as the PS2 for a long time? A lot of casual buyers just went for the PS2 since it was supposedly the same price, but they forgot that the Xbox came with a hard drive, equivalent to about 1000 of the PS2's memory cards. This time, Microsoft can have a cheap ass version to compare to the PS3's price, and have a "full" version that most gamers would buy.
 
Correct me if I am wrong here, but isn't the 360 HD a 2.5" drive? Not that this totally makes up the price, but it does account for why you aren't getting 200gb for 99 dollars.

UPDATE: At newegg, a place with great prices, a 20gb 2.5 inch drive runs 68 dollars. So, this markup is not that bad.
 
[quote name='gregthomas77']Correct me if I am wrong here, but isn't the 360 HD a 2.5" drive? Not that this totally makes up the price, but it does account for why you aren't getting 200gb for 99 dollars.[/QUOTE]
Yes it is. People tend to forget this fact.
 
first Zelda, now this, what next? Shadow of the Colossus will feature cameos by Crash Bandicoot and Bubsy? Okami will be delayed to include dual wielding and online deathmatches?
 
[quote name='gregthomas77']Correct me if I am wrong here, but isn't the 360 HD a 2.5" drive? Not that this totally makes up the price, but it does account for why you aren't getting 200gb for 99 dollars.

UPDATE: At newegg, a place with great prices, a 20gb 2.5 inch drive runs 68 dollars. So, this markup is not that bad.[/QUOTE]

It is a 2.5" HD and not horribly overpriced for $100, including the enclosure. It's not the price of the HD that has me shucking my pre-order. At least it's removable and not the fatal end to the 360's function if it dies, unlike the Xbox.

It's the tease of HD-DVD on the horizon, mostly. The "plug into the USB port to charge the wireless controller" appears to be gone, replaced with the charge-and-go crap. Backwards compatibility is bound to the HD, which means they didn't think it through and it's a kludge, with them being coy about it all the while. They're going to figure it out as they go along, and I'm sure they'll get hate mail for all the people who try to play games on the 360 that need the HD there and the game fucks up because it doesn't see it there. Some large titles, like Halo, Halo 2, Ninja Gaiden, KOTOR, KOTOR 2, Jade Empire, just to name a few, all happily hit my Xbox HD during gameplay.

[quote name='extremep']Agreed, but as we saw with the first Xbox, the vast majority of games wouldn't take advantage of the HD anyway. It's too bad Sony didn't announce a built-in HD for the PS3. If they had, Microsoft would include one with every 360, and we would probably see most games on both the PS3 and 360 taking advantage of the HD. Even Nintendo games might have seen some benefit since I think they're including some flash memory.[/QUOTE]

I know NFL 2K5 and NBA 2K5 (plus NHL 2K5, I think) run much faster on the PS2 with the HDD in there, plus I think Resident Evil Outbreak, and some other titles. They're not many, though there a few out there. Games that are written with the PS2 in mind and ported to the Xbox (upgraded visually, hopefully) tend not to use the HD. When it's the reverse, then it's a different matter entirely.
 
I'm splitting the cost with my parents, they'll pay the majority of it off for Christmas.. looks like i'll be getting the $400 one.. an extra $100 for all those extras isn't bad at all.
 
This is insane, the 360 was rumored to be $349 and everyone is saying how crazy it is. I mean didnt the super nintendo also launch for $299? Basically if you want one you will get it, if you don't then your not going too. This is like 5 pages of the same points said over and over if anyone else hasn't noticed, then a couple random price justifications here and there. $50 isn't bad for a wireless, just look at the logitech wireless, probably the best wireless controllers made. Don't forget there will be 3rd party accesories also.


Also $60 games have been said for months and that will be the same w/ the ps3 so that shouldnt be an issue really either.
 
Damn, I have been building my credit at Hastings towards the 360 for a couple of months. I'm currently up to $250, and thought I was making some progress. I guess it was wishful thinking that the stacked 360 would come in closer to $299 than $399. When you factor in the $60 price tag for games, it basically puts it pretty far out of the range I was hoping to spend. I have to join my fellow CAGs who are now going to wait for the PS3 or a 360 price drop. I guess I can put that credit towards Virtua Tennis, Burnout Legends, Liberty City stories, and a few of the other PSP titles I'm looking forward to in the coming months.
 
Boo hoo.

The $400 360 package comes with a hard drive, wireless controller, headset, and remote.

The PS3 is $400 with no hard drive, no wireless controller, no headset, and no remote.

New games cost $60 on both consoles.

PS3 is somehow the better value here? I don't get it.


The hard drive being optional is very easy to explain. The hard drive is something that never gets cheaper throughout the life of the console. It was a major pain in the ass for Xbox, costwise. They even considered not going with hard drives at all this gen, and using flash media.

Hard drives get cheaper on the consumer market, but in reality, that 10GB drive costs the same to make as a 100GB drive. They're getting a good price on them today, considering the quantity they're buying, but it will never cost less than it does now. Its worth noting that these are 2.5 inch, low heat, low power drives, which were necessary due to the 360's reduced size, and heat issues. They cost a little more than laptop hard drives.

[quote name='shrike4242']The "plug into the USB port to charge the wireless controller" appears to be gone, replaced with the charge-and-go crap.[/QUOTE]
They still have that... I dunno if its standard with the wireless controller or if its extra, though.
 
Got to also remember guys... Tons of games have less loading times on the Xbox vs. PS2 for one reason....HDD...All EA Sports games...etc..
 
I don't get how the same people that spent $250 for a PSP can bash MS's decision to go to $400. The PS1 was $300, was it not? The PS2 was $300, the Dreamcast was $200.. consoles are high when they come out.

What bothers me is that newbies to Live will want a headset anyways. You'll eventually want a wireless controller. You'll eventually want a remote.. I dunno, the package deal isn't the best price in the world, but it could be a lot worse. Just don't sit there and bash the $400 tag when you yourself paid $250 for a PSP, $100 for an extra gig stick and $20 for some lame UMD movie when you realized that it had no decent games.
 
[quote name='dafoomie']Boo hoo.

The $400 360 package comes with a hard drive, wireless controller, headset, and remote.

The PS3 is $400 with no hard drive, no wireless controller, no headset, and no remote.

New games cost $60 on both consoles.

PS3 is somehow the better value here? I don't get it.


The hard drive being optional is very easy to explain. The hard drive is something that never gets cheaper throughout the life of the console. It was a major pain in the ass for Xbox, costwise. They even considered not going with hard drives at all this gen, and using flash media.

Hard drives get cheaper on the consumer market, but in reality, that 10GB drive costs the same to make as a 100GB drive. They're getting a good price on them today, considering the quantity they're buying, but it will never cost less than it does now. Its worth noting that these are 2.5 inch, low heat, low power drives, which were necessary due to the 360's reduced size, and heat issues. They cost a little more than laptop hard drives.


They still have that... I dunno if its standard with the wireless controller or if its extra, though.[/QUOTE]


PS3 maybe even more...no one has released that price...
 
[quote name='Scorch']I don't get how the same people that spent $250 for a PSP can bash MS's decision to go to $400. The PS1 was $300, was it not? The PS2 was $300, the Dreamcast was $200.. consoles are high when they come out.

What bothers me is that newbies to Live will want a headset anyways. You'll eventually want a wireless controller. You'll eventually want a remote.. I dunno, the package deal isn't the best price in the world, but it could be a lot worse. Just don't sit there and bash the $400 tag when you yourself paid $250 for a PSP, $100 for an extra gig stick and $20 for some lame UMD movie when you realized that it had no decent games.[/QUOTE]


PS2 was bundled with games and such... This looks to be just a console price...
 
[quote name='Scorch']I don't get how the same people that spent $250 for a PSP can bash MS's decision to go to $400. The PS1 was $300, was it not? The PS2 was $300, the Dreamcast was $200.. consoles are high when they come out.

What bothers me is that newbies to Live will want a headset anyways. You'll eventually want a wireless controller. You'll eventually want a remote.. I dunno, the package deal isn't the best price in the world, but it could be a lot worse. Just don't sit there and bash the $400 tag when you yourself paid $250 for a PSP, $100 for an extra gig stick and $20 for some lame UMD movie when you realized that it had no decent games.[/QUOTE]


And those same people are going to go through the same thing with the 360... though the 360 looks like it will get some good games whereas the PSP has no good games and no good games planned. Damn, what's with these half-assed systems this year?
 
[quote name='DJSteel']PS2 was bundled with games and such... This looks to be just a console price...[/QUOTE]

As I recall, the PS2 was definitely not bundled with games.
 
[quote name='DJSteel']PS2 was bundled with games and such... This looks to be just a console price...[/QUOTE]

Um, a launch PS2 did not include a game...
 
[quote name='DJSteel']PS2 was bundled with games and such... This looks to be just a console price...[/QUOTE]

The PS2 was bundled with crappy ATV games years down the road. We're talking launch prices.
 
It's been 10 years since the Saturn launch, the last major console launch at $399.

Sony then came out and said $299. The SAME day as Sega announced they started shipping consoles.

We, as consumers and as cheapassgamers, are spoiled by the fact that if we wait, we can all get games for
 
What game did the launch PS2 come with? I remember buy Tekken Tag so I would have something to play. (Then I sold the system and game 3 days later for 600, but thats a different story)
 
I dont see why people buy non nintendo products at launch anyway.
They produce the most durable and the cheapest consoles.

As you saw with the PS2. you paid $300 bucks on a system that was ment to fail(DRE galor) so that you have to rebuy a "new and improved" ps2.

As you saw with the Xbox, you bought thompson drives until they released stable ones.

What did nintendo do? They took out the digital output, so if anything, it was a better idea to pick it up early!

Besides that, all those companies give false promises so that you get your hands on the latest console just to have the main games backed up. PS2 launch sucked, by the time the games worth picking up were out, the system was $200 and much more efficient.

About the two packages though.....bad move IMO. Look what happend with sony when they made the HD optional for 99.99....barely any support compared to xbox(where every owner had a HD so it was worth putting time into it).Not to mention xbox owners are used to not having to own a memory card(this ment alot to many customers when i worked at best buy).

I think they should just pull a PSP and make you buy the value pack with games or no dice! :p
 
[quote name='Tromack']As I recall, the PS2 was definitely not bundled with games.[/QUOTE]
It was on EBGames website.. i think the console alone was 249.99...the console, extra controller and 2 games came out to be around 400 bucks...

PSP was also bundled as well
 
Oh well this has no effect on me whatsoever, but I feel MS just dropped the ball. Looks like Sony will be King for another cycle because MS just handed them the crown :)
 
[quote name='Chacrana']And those same people are going to go through the same thing with the 360... though the 360 looks like it will get some good games whereas the PSP has no good games and no good games planned. Damn, what's with these half-assed systems this year?[/QUOTE]

All launches seem to be half-assed and dissappointing w/ the exception of like 2 games for each system.
 
[quote name='DJSteel']Got to also remember guys... Tons of games have less loading times on the Xbox vs. PS2 for one reason....HDD...All EA Sports games...etc..[/QUOTE]

But now the 360 will have 8 times as much RAM as the first Xbox. The 360 may even have an advantage over the PS3 when it comes to loading times, because half of the PS3's RAM is dedicated to the graphics card, and I guarantee that it won't be using all of its RAM all the time. The 360 can use more of its RAM for caching game data.
 
[quote name='DJSteel']It was on EBGames website.. i think the console alone was 249.99...the console, extra controller and 2 games came out to be around 400 bucks...

PSP was also bundled as well[/QUOTE]

We're talking launch prices so that doesn't count.

the PSP was bundled, but it came with a fucking Spider Man 2 UMD and some shitty accesories... which is hardly a deal at all.
 
This is just like when you go to the theater and the 12 oz soda is 3.99 and the 20 oz is 4.99. you think you get a better deal if you buy the 20 oz. but you aren't. you get screwed both ways
 
[quote name='Chacrana']We're talking launch prices so that doesn't count.

the PSP was bundled, but it came with a fucking Spider Man 2 UMD and some shitty accesories... which is hardly a deal at all.[/QUOTE]

I was talking launch as well...Ps2 was in the 249.99 - 299.99 range... but all I could find was bundled... so I got the PS2 with SSX and Madden 2001...

and the PSP was bundled with two games

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/categories/systems/psp
 
I'm suprised that many of you are suprised. The early pricing rumors were pretty much dead on.

Just remember, Microsoft, will likely not be making much/if any profit on these units, so it really comes down to how little they are willing to lose.
 
[quote name='extremep']But now the 360 will have 8 times as much RAM as the first Xbox. The 360 may even have an advantage over the PS3 when it comes to loading times, because half of the PS3's RAM is dedicated to the graphics card, and I guarantee that it won't be using all of its RAM all the time. The 360 can use more of its RAM for caching game data.[/QUOTE]

very good point there, the new consoles either one do have a ton of ram compared to now, and 3 processors im sure doesnt hurt load times either.
 
[quote name='Chacrana']And those same people are going to go through the same thing with the 360... though the 360 looks like it will get some good games whereas the PSP has no good games and no good games planned. Damn, what's with these half-assed systems this year?[/QUOTE]

The good thing though is that the PSP can use 1 gig memory sticks, so you can customize it to provide much more. Hell my friend uses his PSP in his car to play his music(he hooked it up to his speakers or something its like a friggin cd player.

He also uses it to play games, watch videos and more, its really handy for the fact that its not just a game system(as a game system it totally sucks IMO)

With Xbox 360, you will get good games but only in due time, and the extra stuff doesnt really matter that much, im tired of these companies trying to make home gaming systems more then they are supposed to be, focus on games damn it!
 
[quote name='sparklecopy']This is just like when you go to the theater and the 12 oz soda is 3.99 and the 20 oz is 4.99. you think you get a better deal if you buy the 20 oz. but you aren't. you get screwed both ways[/QUOTE]

Next time I see a soda that will play xbox games, I will buy the 20 oz.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']omg you are so right.

What was I thinking when Western Digital produces a 200gb hard drive that is *gasp* cheaper and faster than the same form of their product a few months ago?

Oh wait, lets talk the slim PS2. Built in network adapter, smaller size...and what's that? Cheaper than the original system.

Hmm, an MP3 player that has a higher storage capacity and is CHEAPER than a model before? OMG that's unheard of.

You are an idiot.[/QUOTE]


Don't be stupid. Those are all modifications of an existing product. Of course those will decline in price ... just like CD players, DVD players, HDTV, etc etc.

What we are talking about here is a new product that is more advanced. Something tells me the 360 costs Microsoft more to produce that the regular XBox, hence the price increase.

You don't have to be a baby and resort to name calling just because I don't agree with you. You're entitled to your opinion, and I'm entitled to mine.

Am I paying $399 for a 360? Hell no. But I'm not surprised or angered by the price either.
 
[quote name='DJSteel']PS2 was bundled with games and such... This looks to be just a console price...


It was on EBGames website.. i think the console alone was 249.99...the console, extra controller and 2 games came out to be around 400 bucks...

PSP was also bundled as well[/QUOTE]

The PS2 was NOT bundled with games at $300. At the time, I remember very, very few games even being actually available, those being Madden 2001, SSX, Tekken Tag, Ridge Racer and Fantavision.

PS2 launched at $299.99. Did EB have a bundle for $399.99? It's possible. But we're talking base launch prices.
 
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