Very Interesting Xbox 360 Survey

[Hardknock]

Certain Xbox Live subscribers got an e-mail today asking for their participation in this super long survey earlier today. Normally surveys like these are boring, there’s a reason certain companies pay you to fill them in, but this one was rather interesting. It asked participants how interested they were in certain first party accessories and Live features. Among the subjects was a web browser, a joystick specifically designed for Xbox Live Arcade games, a mini-keyboard you can plug into your controller for text messaging and a black ‘premium’ controller. Hit the jump for the most interesting excerpts.

• How interested would you be in buying an Xbox 360 branded mini-keyboard plug-in device for your controller to make text messaging and chat easier, assuming it would cost between $19-$29?

• Paying per song (~$0.99/song) to download music to your Xbox 360 hard drive from a music service. You would be able to use this service while playing a game.

• Paying a subscription per month (~$14.99/mo) to stream any and all music to your Xbox360 from a library of over 2 Million songs. You would be able to use this service while playing a game.

• Paying per video (~$19.99/movie, $1.99/TV show) to download standard definition full movies and TV shows to your Xbox360 hard drive

• Renting movies (~$3.99/movie) that are downloaded in standard definition to your Xbox 360 until you watch them and then are deleted

• Paying a subscription per month (~$5.99/mo) to access 10-20 internet radio stations streamed to your Xbox 360. You would be able to use this service while playing a game.

• How interested would you be in using an integrated Xbox 360 Web browser that would allow you to access and browse the Internet over your Xbox Live connection?

• How interested would you be in participating in beta tests for upcoming games if they cost an additional incremental fee?

While these are all very interesting questions they still don’t guarantee that this stuff might actually happen. That said, Microsoft isn’t asking you about web browsers and ‘premium’ controllers because they’re bored and it’s safe to say that we’ll see at least one of these products if the demand is there.

The link in this post could possibly be unique to the person who gave it to us, I wouldn’t advise filling in the survey via that link so check your mailbox to see if you got your own unique link. If you received an e-mail containing the exact same link then let us know because that means that the link isn’t unique.

I like the subscription fee for 2 million songs, especially if you could share them with The Zune.

 

[Dural]

What's with the joystick like from the atari 2600? It's Live Arcade, why not release a nice arcade stick that can be used with SFII and UMK3 and also work good with the rest of the arcade titles?


edit: just finished reading the rest, beta tests that cost money? WTF, it saves the company money haveing us beta test their games for them, they should be grateful for it not charge us for it.

 

[Shark Sandwich]

- How interested would you be in bending over and letting Microsoft have their way with you?

These are all cool ideas, but it seems like Microsoft are willing to take us to the cleaners in order to turn a profit this time around. $59-$69 for a slightly improved controller with backlight? $20 to download a standard definition movie? $6/month for internet radio? This is insane.

We're already paying $50/year. How about let 360 owners set up their own, free, internet radio stations a-la Shoutcast? Or, at least let 360 owners listen to the many free internet radio stations out there already.

 

[quest55720]

What's with the joystick like from the atari 2600? It's Live Arcade, why not release a nice arcade stick that can be used with SFII and UMK3 and also work good with the rest of the arcade titles?


edit: just finished reading the rest, beta tests that cost money? WTF, it saves the company money haveing us beta test their games for them, they should be grateful for it not charge us for it.

Sign me up for the joystick if it is under 30 dollars. I would rather it have 6 face buttons and be more expensive though. Games like star wars glaxies set the president for charging for beta testing. If someone wants to pay to beta test I have no problem with it. I wish the HD-movies were a dollar or 2 cheaper.

 

[nintenho]

I'd LOVE that controller but why the hell is it $60?

 

[Tap In]

nice to see they are constantly trying to improve the experience.

nice choice of features there... bring them on I say.

 

[RobertR1]

I'm glad that they're giving us option, then we can pick and choose. It's not like Live Gold prices are going upto $99 and this stuff is forced upon you. Kudos to them for breaking paradigm and trying new things out and more importantly, asking their existing customers what appeals to them.

 

[Shark Sandwich]

I'd LOVE that controller but why the hell is it $60?

My favorite part is the "slightly improved" d-pad performance. They expect us to pay more for a d-pad that's actually functional.

I love my 360 and Xbox live, but I don't like the way MS is trying to go with this. They want to charge us, on top of the normal Live subscription fee, for things most of us get cheaper or free (legally or otherwise). I'd love to see Live reach its full potential, rather than see it strangled and crippled by unreasonable fees.

 

[JacksBleedingEyes]

Is there a source or anyone else validating this?

Because from the images posted it looks fake. There are too many artifacts around the text which makes it look like a crappy cut and paste job.

 

[DeathKnight]

Is there a source or anyone else validating this?

Because from the images posted it looks fake. There are too many artifacts around the text which makes it look like a crappy cut and paste job.

Ever heard of Print Screen and crop? They're cropped images from the poll page.

 

[Hardknock]

Here you go: http://www.xboxic.com/news/1949

 

[scooby_dooby]

I'm glad that they're giving us option, then we can pick and choose. It's not like Live Gold prices are going upto $99 and this stuff is forced upon you. Kudos to them for breaking paradigm and trying new things out and more importantly, asking their existing customers what appeals to them.

Sure, but for the love of god, knock down the prices.

$69 USD for a controller? That's ridiculous.

 

[AzBat]

What's with the joystick like from the atari 2600? It's Live Arcade, why not release a nice arcade stick that can be used with SFII and UMK3 and also work good with the rest of the arcade titles?

For the most part most of the retro titles on XBLA are from the era of the Atari 2600(keep in my mind I said ERA, not platform). I suspect most casual gamers in the US will remember and prefer the Atari-type controller. That's why I believe why Microsoft went with the Atari-type design to capitialize on the majority of casual gamers sensibilities.

edit: just finished reading the rest, beta tests that cost money? WTF, it saves the company money haveing us beta test their games for them, they should be grateful for it not charge us for it.

Considering that it's very, very rare for consoles to offer beta programs on retail consoles(outside of MMORPGs), I don't see why you would complain. You're being offered something you weren't before. And why would you assume everything new should be free? If you don't want to pay, then don't. Those who do, will. I'm hopeful that the "additional incremental fee" means that the fee is not in addition to the cost of the retail game, but instead goes toward the cost of the retail game(kinda like a pre-order).

Tommy McClain

 

[AzBat]

I'd LOVE that controller but why the hell is it $60?

For the extra $10 you get backlit buttons, rubberized grips, premium color(possibly finish) and an improved D-pad. Personally I think an extra $10 is spot on. Will I buy one? Probably not initially, but eventually. If you don't want to spend an extra $10 for it, then don't.

BTW, when I first seen the original 360 wireless controller I thought the silver finish was actually a rubber finish. I was bummed when I realized that was not the case. I'm glad Microsoft is offering another 1st party controller with it though.

Tommy McClain

 

[RobertR1]

Sure, but for the love of god, knock down the prices.

$69 USD for a controller? That's ridiculous.

The fastest way prices come down is by the consumers holding out.

 

[Rangers]

What's with the joystick like from the atari 2600? It's Live Arcade, why not release a nice arcade stick that can be used with SFII and UMK3 and also work good with the rest of the arcade titles?


edit: just finished reading the rest, beta tests that cost money? WTF, it saves the company money haveing us beta test their games for them, they should be grateful for it not charge us for it.

Try telling that to all the PC gamers that would kill to get into a beta test of their favorite game.

Trust me, if people aren't willing to pay for betas, it wont work. If they are, it will. No need for all this hand wringing. The same goes for microstransactions and the other stuff. microsoft is exactly right in that this is a testing phase, and things will sort themselves out.

The one thing that kinda bugs me is the controller, where it says "improved D pad performance" (even though I dont really have a problem with it personally). They need to redesign the original and fix that for free. That's a lot of baloney.

Most of the other stuff I have no problem with..even other than the D-pad, that controller is a "me want" item.

 

[Acert93]

Sure, but for the love of god, knock down the prices.

$69 USD for a controller? That's ridiculous.

Yep, just one of my hurdles. $40 for a wired controller and $50 for a wireless one are equally stupid IMO. The above controller should be $40. The corrections are necessary evolutions. When MS makes a serious move for mainstream consumers they will definately need to change their accessory strategy.

For the extra $10 you get backlit buttons, rubberized grips, premium color(possibly finish) and an improved D-pad. Personally I think an extra $10 is spot on. Will I buy one? Probably not initially, but eventually. If you don't want to spend an extra $10 for it, then don't.

The problem is it is already too expensive. $10 more on, say, a $30 standard wireless controller sounds like a fair enough deal. But $10 more on a $50--overpriced--controller is meh.

The fastest way prices come down is by the consumers holding out.

I think I am the lone geek holding out on MS and Sony. They so have you guys whipped!

$20 to download a standard definition movie?

That sounds pretty standard for new releases for DVDs. Just a choice of delivery, go to the store and get a hard copy or have a digital copy through MS's Live network. If MS had firm plans to bring Live onto the PC and it was cohesive where your media purchases on the 360 were portable to your PC Live account, that would be nice. Getting stuck with a MS console to have access to such media... meh.

 

[assen]

Getting stuck with a MS console to have access to such media... meh.

As "meh" as it is to get stuck with an Apple portable music player to have access to your own music... and we all know what a sales disaster this was, innit ;-)

Oh. Wait. I forgot. MS is teh evil, while Apple are ever the innovator?

 

[PARANOiA]

If they acknowledge the DPad on the current Xbox controller sucks, why don't they fix it instead of charging more for a premium controller? Absolutely shitty. Disgusting.

And yes, I know there's "more" here than just a better DPad, but basically you buy backlights and other rubbish for a working DPad, or you buy a controller with a bad DPad.

That arcade stick needs six buttons in a row. Every arcade stick needs six buttons in a row. Every gamer knows this. Do they employ muppets at MS now?

 

[Platon]

As "meh" as it is to get stuck with an Apple portable music player to have access to your own music... and we all know what a sales disaster this was, innit ;-)

Oh. Wait. I forgot. MS is teh evil, while Apple are ever the innovator?

But then again 360 isn't portable, or atleast as portable.

As for the movie prices they are way to high, that is what a new dvd almost costs, and you are stuck with the movie on your xbox and can't elnd it to your frends and youmight have to buy a new and bigger HDD to fit the all, so in the end i am not sure you really save any money at all. Lower the prices...