Only by 10 quid off the Core pack's RRP in the UK though 
Still, got ya' all looking!
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=19303
Still, got ya' all looking!
XB360 Price drop announced!
- Thread starter Shifty Geezer
- Start date
Yeah, it looks like just a realignment to rest-of-the-world prices. And when you consider we tend to pay lower VAT than mainland Europe, the UK's still getting stuffed!
First off, they don't use $ in the UK...
Second, coupons and such aren't very big in europe in general - unless you're buying groceries perhaps.
RancidLunchmeat
Veteran
Coupons aren't used very much in the states, either.
And MS dropping the price of the peripherals would have zero impact, other than reducing their income. Chef, are you really under the impression that people haven't yet purchased a 360 because they don't like the pricing of the recharge kit?
And MS dropping the price of the peripherals would have zero impact, other than reducing their income. Chef, are you really under the impression that people haven't yet purchased a 360 because they don't like the pricing of the recharge kit?
What kinda statement is that? 20gb HDD for $100? Wireless for $100? Are you happy with these prices?
Those prices are the reason the premium bundle sells as well as it does and why people shun the core system.
Are you really under the imprssion people just love the premium bundle for the sake of convenience?
RancidLunchmeat
Veteran
I'm under the impression that there isn't a single consumer who hasn't purchased a 360 because of the cost of peripherals.
If the cost of the peripherals aren't preventing people from purchasing the system, then lowering the price of the peripherals won't increase sales.
total cost of ownership:
If you're a gamer interested in 360 but see you'd have to spend $400 to get the unit with the harddrive for game saves and dl content even if wireless controlers and hdtv mean nothing to you but the wireless connection to the net does then you'd have to spend $500. At that point you start to consider the ps3 as its the same cost.
peripheral cost:
If they adjust the cost of the hdd to $50 and the wireless to $50 this gamer would be out $400 out the door. Include a game in the mix and he's ready to roll and it makes the decision that much easier.
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scooby_dooby
Legend
That's an absolutely ridiculous statement.
There are surely plenty of people who would be comfortable buying at a $299 pricepoint, but not $399, but can not justify buying the core as the peripherals are so damned expensive.
Because of the peripheral pricing the premium is the only really desirable package, this shouldn't be the case, and strategic pricing of the peripherals could make the core equally attractive, which could have a similar effect as a pricedrop.
And you base this assumption on ... ? Cost of the perephrials is a MAJOR deterant for me.
Not necessarily true.
Something may not be a deterant, but that doesn't mean you cannot make it a positive. e.g. If Sony comes out with $20 controllers and $50 games consumers can easily see, "I pay more for the PS3, but get some nice extras the Xbox doesn't have, and in the long run I save a lot of money on games and peripherals."
That would an example where lower costing peripherals can generates interest and sales. Same goes for games, as we will see from Nintendo. A $50 game may not deter sales, $60 may slightly, but $40 across the board could spawn significant new sales. So just because $50 is not a deterant doesn't mean that lowering prices could not generates more sales.
As for the peripheral costs... $40 for a wired controller? $50 for a wireless controller? $150 for a FF wheel? What was it, $40 for a 64MB memory card? And an extra $10 on most games that most stink to high heaven, even when compared to their Xbox counterparts (looking at you Madden!)
When I got my GCN I paid $50 for Madden and $20 (each) for 3 additional controllers and a memory card for $10. That is $120.
If I were to do the same for the Xbox 360 that is $60 for Madden, $120 for controllers, and $40 for a memory card. Total: $220.
That is nearly a 100% markup on goods in addition to the more expensive console. Last time around you could get a top flight Xbox for $300 and now they want $400 for the same package (Console with HDD).
MS has increased the price entry and the price of maintenance.
I can take a higher entry point cost if the product is high quality, but nailing me for $40 for a controller than costs MS less than $10 to get to store shelves is a joke. Especially when the majority of their early software is ports and rushed. It reminds me of the first year of the PS2 (which didn't impress me much at all). Toss in the software issues (of the 360's better games a large handful needed more dev time: CoD2, Oblivion, PGR3, Prey, Quake 4, etc) and the fact MS has strolled out a lame 90 day warranty on a $300+ product with extremely overpriced peripherals...
Lots of deterants from interested customers. Lets see if 65nm cleans up their hardware and if Sony can light a fire under their butt.
RancidLunchmeat
Veteran
I don't see it, the main impact would be the price of the games. Those are continual purchases, so the lowered price would be a benefit. Peripherals are one time purchases that aren't necessary.
How so? The Core unit being offered right now is the same price and has the same features as the PS2. I don't see that as increasing the price of entry.
I see that you've listed alot of things that you disagree with their price point, the least of which seems to be the price of peripherals. The system price, cost of games, service, warranty, etc.. all seem to be vastly more important to you than the cost of the peripherals.
Like I said before, I don't think there's a single consumer that hasn't purchased a 360 because they believe $50 for a second controller is too much money.
You and Scoob are honestly going to take the position that if MS lowered the price of the wireless controllers to $20, that somehow there'd be a huge spike in sales?
I think that idea is ridiculous. If they decided to bundle a second controller (ie: free), I don't think that would even have a noticable impact on sales.
scooby_dooby
Legend
Are you honestly going to pretend you think that's our position?
Simply put, it's the price of the peripherals that make the core package undesireable, making the true price of the console $400. i.e. Anyone who doesn't buy the $400 gets completely ripped off.
At the very least they have to spend $40 on a miniscule 64mb memory card, while they KNOW that for $60 more they could get a 20GB hdd, a wireless controller, component cables, a headset etc. Long story short, core is a huge ripoff, and the ONLY reason that is the case is the peripheral pricing.
It is not the wireless controllers that are the biggest problem, it's the size/price of the memory cards and the HDD. If the HDD was dropped to $60, and a large 256mb memory card was available for $30, than I would expect a ton of people would shift over and start buying core packages with either the HDD or Memory card, as that would be a purchase that could be justified. i.e. You would not be getting ripped off.
I think sales would increase, as there would be a legitimate $299 option that could be justified, which is not currently the case.
The wired controller in the core package is just the final straw up the ass for people who buy the core package, not only do you get completely ripped off when you look at what was available in the premium, but you also get saddled with a POS wired controller.
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I agree the 299 version is a rip off no matter how you look at it. MS is really shooting itself on foot with that stupid pricing model. Or do they think people are THAT stupid? I think not even the biggest fboy can dissagree with that.
Can't care less since I am not buying the thing anyway. With 400 I get a x1950xt since I prefer PC gamming. But point taken.
Can't care less since I am not buying the thing anyway. With 400 I get a x1950xt since I prefer PC gamming. But point taken.
RancidLunchmeat said:
Please don't lecture Scoob and I on our integrity when you get taken to task and conveniently change your position. Your impression is wrong. Further, neither Scoob or I have suggested a "huge spike" in sales if they reduced peripheral costs.RancidLunchmeat said:
Typical straw man nonsense.
RancidLunchmeat said:
Thanks for cutting my quote off in context. What was stated directly before this was:RancidLunchmeat said:
Your interjection about Sony really has no relevance to my point: MS has raised the entry point for their Xbox console for the same relative package. Xbox 360 consumers are getting less harware for $299 than they did last go around. Last time they got a HDD, this time they get no HDD nor memory card -- they have to go out and shell out an additional $100 for a HDD.Acert93 said:
And where again did I say that?RancidLunchmeat said:
I didn't. Mentioning other deterants does not negate the significance of overpricing the peripherals. Actually the point was relative: The overpriced peripherals are a symptom of the overall problem. MS has lowered quality, reduced choice, and raised prices.
I know this is hard for you early adopters, but this is just a fact:
Pricing is a major consideration to product purchasing.
There is a reason that consoles sell a lot faster when they get under $199 and bargin bin games are available. The difference this go around is that MS jacked up perephrial pricing around 100%. If you don't believe the "out the door" expense of a couple extra controllers, HDD, etc are not stalling consumer purchases then I don't know what to tell you.
Two points:rancid said:
A - Peripheral sales are continual, especially how MS has designed the Xbox 360. e.g.
Year 1 - I pick up 1 extra controller and the Memory Card.
Year 2 - A year down the line a party game comes out so I pick up 2 more for my friends and the HDD because I am sick and tired of the lame 64MB storage limit which neuters Live and long load times.
Year 3 - The next year I pick up the FF wheel for a racing game and sign up for Xbox Live.
Year 4 - The next year I get a wireless headset and wireless controller and a 250GB HDD to store all my Live content.
Year 5 - The next year I get tired of recharging so I get the play and charge pack; I also pick up the Camera so I can use the Cross Com like system with my friends.
B - "Aren't Necessary"? Additional games are not "necessary" either! I don't need Madden 2007 when I have Madden 2006. Why do people buy it? Because of the improved experience. MS would not offer peripherals if they did not add to the experience... or they were not designing their games around it and then selling them at a premium to milk consumers. "You can play Halo 3... but if you want the best experience buy Live" and so forth.
Live is a perfect example of how the industry is moving toward a system where a large bulk of a games "value" is tied up to a PAID service. MS has caught on to what Nintendo and Sony knew well before it: Peripherals are the gravy of the industry. The problem is that they are milking consumers.
And that is the bottom line: They are milking consumers for the peripherals. Ironically they have not helped MS's bottom line at all--so the joke is really on MS.
The $299 SKU is not a bad deal or bad idea. The lack of HDD is unfortunate, but the reality is a HDD prevents effective cost reduction long term. It also makes the entry point higher. Developers didn't take advantage of a HDD last gen and on the PC we see that, while nice, very little is gained (outside of speed) through the use of a HDD by typical mainstream gamers (i.e. people not involved with mods and whatnot).
From a business perspective not including the HDD was a good move. For consumers wanting next gen games at a significantly lower price point it is a good thing. For those of us who desire to see continued competition in the console space this is a good thing (as it means MS may one day in the future may make some money). The problem imo is they have overpriced the HDD addon and the memory card.
inefficient
Veteran
£199 GBP is still $375 USD
That is still A LOT for the core pack. You can buy the Premium pack in Japan for only $299 right now. Poor brits are getting the pole.
That is still A LOT for the core pack. You can buy the Premium pack in Japan for only $299 right now. Poor brits are getting the pole.
Pretty much all of Europe is getting the short stick usually with console prices. Lets take a look of PS3 price for example. 599$ (I won't count taxes on this one) thats 469€, but instead we have to pay 599€ (Probably 650€ with taxes, which is 829.725$) in Finland for the "Heavy" package.
This is the reason I find it funny that Americans are "crying" over the price, I mean they should come take a look at the price here and then check out the price there.
But Europe is used to this BS and I ain't crying over it. PS2 was like 500€ when it launched here so I wasn't too shocked to hear the price of PS3..
EDIT: Just to clarify, I do believe the PS3 price is quite high and this is the reason I might wait to get my Ps3 but heavenly sword makes me REALLY buy one earlier than I was supposed to. (When MGS4 or FFXIII are released)