xbox 360 confirmed pricing

[chachi]

In general, you really can't fault MS for release the $399 configuration it's a nice configuration for the price...though, the $299 core system should not existed...well not so early in the game. Wait until PS3 launch or wait until they have a large user base with dogs.

I can't read through 11 pages of replies so sorry if this has been said before, but I think they'd probably always planned to launch at $399 but wanted to be able to say they had a $299 system (the "sweet spot" for a console launch) and this mess is what resulted.

You can see roots of this strategy back to the wireless adaptor, it would have cost them maybe $5 to have it on the motherboard like Sony did and it would have been a cleaner solution but this way they can have people tote up the price of all the add-ins and figuring in the price of a memory card you'd otherwise need and you'd have to be just off the turnip truck not to get the "value" pack. Or so they hope.

I think they'd always have sold out their initial allotmen but it's going to be hard to keep any momentum because after the initial frenzy the price is high enough (what people expected the PS3 to cost, more or less) that people are going to wait to see what Sony is doing.

 

[one]

Alright first thing first is that 85% of the Xbox360's Made will be the Premium Package that includes the HDD. The other 15% will be the core systems without the HDD.

Game developers are aware of this, with a 85% HDD attach rate from the start combined with MS's tools, makes it easy to enable disc caching and take advantage of it and also make tags to cache to RAM when the HDD is not present.

The HDD in the 360 is a 20Gb SATA 2.5" Laptop drive that weighs considerably less and is roughly 3x-5x faster than the HDD found in the original Xbox. This HDD is not a 20gb drive you can find for $15 at a flee market. It costs considerably more.

Developers are still writing games to cache to a HDD just like they always have on the Xbox. Those Xbox360's that do not have a HDD will experience 2x-3x more loading time. Also the absence of the ability to save music and save game data will be the only con of not having a HDD.

Why do they limit the audience to 85% people when you get 100% just by forgetting HDD, unless HDD is an absolute need for their games (i.e. MMOG)?

 

[pc999]

but for some people, it's a lot harder to justify dumping 400 dollars on a new game console than 300, and I would imagine this will result in a whole lot fewer games being sold on launch day.

Exact. And for those how buy the 400 version it get a lot less of value once that few dev will really use it.

I really would like to know how many had caceled their preorders, we already saw a lot of them canceling...

 

[Titanio]

It's not surprising to see such a high concentration of premium bundles at launch - it's a good way to make money, and they know they can sell them then - but as you move away from launch, the ratio of machines with HDD versus those that don't will decrease. MS knows the cheaper option is what will drive adoption beyond the early adopters, and it will become a lot more common.

 

[pc999]

Why do they limit the audience to 85% people when you get 100% just by forgetting HDD, unless HDD is an absolute need for their games (i.e. MMOG)?

Agree with you, and those 15% would be really pissed of, unless they did waht they did in EU at the time the put the price at half here they gave games, controllers ... which should cost a lot.

 

[Tap In]

....

.... But alot of other people probably thought otherwise...that a Wireless Controller AND a HDD (20GB) Should have been put in the $299 (come on naw, lets call it $300!!11) version.

yes I was one of those, but I also had it in my mind that it COULD be $349 or $369 or MAYBE but probably not $399.

 

[junkheap]

Well im a bit dissapointed in this. I would have gotten one at launch but now i wont jsut because of the HD not being standard.

I didnt get xbox live with my orignal xbox, so i missed out on all the updates that were sent down for various games, PG etc that you needed a hd for. And was hoping that this would be standard with the 360 due to the fact that they want to get everyone on live, creating a definite reason for updates, new levels etc if you have the HD. I want custon soundtracks etc that will probably still can be used if you have the HD, but i see more potential freedom/utility for developers to use a system with a definite HD as opposed to a non standard one.

Maybe they will anyway, with a disclaimer saying, HD needed for additional content/updates. Or some features not available without a HD. I hope they do it, but i wonder if any devs would care especially if cross platform.

 

[scooby_dooby]

they shoulda just gone with one SKU @ $360 w/ compnent cables, wireless controller, and HDD.

Simple, cost effective, and they hold their word.

Dumb move, but whatever, the $399 bundle is pretty sweet, stupid, but sweet.

 

[Carl B]

they shoulda just gone with one SKU @ $360 w/ compnent cables, wireless controller, and HDD.

This I agree with; the $360 price almost seems justifiable - just that extra $10 'bonus' to MS giving them the cool price point. One SKU, all inclusive. As it stands now though, it's like WTF? I agree with the prior statement made as well, that the premium will probably be the launch console of choice (if only out of manufacturing decisions), but into 2006 we will probably be seeing a LOT of the cheaper one.

 

[Gubbi]

Another thing is pricing in Europe: $399 = €399 ?

So we get to pay a 20% premium compared to the U.S. AND a 25% VAT on top of that.

Cheers
Gubbi

 

[HP Wesser]

Oblivion does not REQUIRE a hard drive to work on Xbox 360

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=145879

 

[wco81]

Wonder how publishers and developers, which are always pushing console companies to cut their prices to increase the installed base, think of these prices.

MS may succeed in getting most people to get the premium package but that means they get the extra $100 instead of that money being spent on games.

 

[Acert93]

Another thing is pricing in Europe: $399 = €399 ?

So we get to pay a 20% premium compared to the U.S. AND a 25% VAT on top of that.

Cheers
Gubbi

Considering extra shipping, taxes/tarrifs, and localization costs (both hardware related and marketing/business management), 20% seems really reasonable to me.

 

[Tap In]

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=145879

thanks!

 

[pc999]

they shoulda just gone with one SKU @ $360 w/ compnent cables, wireless controller, and HDD.

Simple, cost effective, and they hold their word.

Dumb move, but whatever, the $399 bundle is pretty sweet, stupid, but sweet.

I would trade the Wireless or compnent cables to the headset, this way we still have the ful Live experince.

I hope tat UE3 (powered?) games do not drop the voice comands/features/... becauses of not being standart.

 

[mckmas8808]

http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=145879

So why isn't it coming to the PS3 again?

 

[PARANOiA]

My take on the whole thing:

• I am disappointed with the decision, since it cuts Live and HDD from the lower version. Considering this is what MS has as their advantage, not pushing them on EVERY console will limit their success. A HDD as giant memory card is nice but superfluous.
• It makes excellent business sense. MS can say "we launched at $299!". Parents will pick this up at Xmas for their kids since it's the hot toy, and yes, kids will be able to play with it! It will have everything required to play games out of the box (except of course a game). Then when the "in the know" customers (ie, kids, etc) want to play online/pick up the rest, they have the option to do so.
• People on forums won't touch the $299 version, but we're very very far from the "target market".
• Having to pay extra for High Def on this machine is stupid, and makes me extremely angry. I sincerely hope the premium version has component/XGA out of the box. Otherwise it will be the cost of a game to play it. HD era my god damned ass.
• I will be very very surprised if the PS3 lauches for less than US$449, but more likely $499. Given the amount of 'buffering' done by Sony, and the extra hardware (not to mention R+D costs), I don't think it was meant to compete on a price-level
• I can't believe online play isn't included in the "Xbox360 Live" version. It says Live on the box but you can't play online!!!
• Thank god Europe is getting a good deal for once. Shame on the US folks saying the EU is screwing them over. Try paying more for a game your friends Stateside enjoyed a year ago
• The price will drop significantly when the PS3 launches, no doubt. While this was always going to be the case, the "added costs" making the machine realistically $500US (High Def, Live, battery pack for wireless controller game) I'm holding off for then. I would have bitten if I didn't pay more for stuff that should have been included.

Finally:
Does anyone know an Australian release date and price? I haven't heard it mentioned yet.

 

[pso]

So why isn't it coming to the PS3 again?

Probably because MS bought exclusive rights(besides PC) to Oblivion.

 

[croc hunter2]

PARANOiA,

I'm guessing the AUD pricing will be in line with the Euro pricing. So that would make the useful(premium) bundle around $650 AUD. 399 Euro = 644 AUD according to xe.com at the moment.

So my guesses $120 games, $150HDD, $80 wireless controllers etc yipeee

 

[overclocked]

The one thing X360 had over PS3 in my mind was a HD built in for all games,