Xbox 360 pricing announced

[dawgfan]

So Microsoft is going to sell the Xbox 360 in 2 forms - fully loaded with the hard drive and wireless controller for $399, and a version without the hard drive (and thus the ability to play Xbox games) and with a wired controller for $299.

Interesting strategy, risky in my opinion. Will people fork over $400 for the fully loaded version? Will they pay $300 (the traditional price point) for a lesser version?

One thing going in their favor is the headstart on the PS3 - by the time Sony debuts their console, Microsoft can drop their price points to match what Sony does, or undercut them if the PS3 also debuts at $399. Microsoft is playing high-stakes poker here with the pricing...

[Raiders Army]

I'd go for $400. Wireless controller is nice, but the hard drive is essential.

[Kodos]

I wouldn't pay $400 for either. I think I'm going to end up waiting until a price drop before getting into the next gen.

[ISiddiqui]

Yeah, I saw that... it's a shame that MS decided to make the 'core' system so downgraded (ie, no hard drive). It'll make most look at the $400 system, but at that price point, some may wait to see what the PS3 comes up with.

[Anthony]

still no release date, huh?

[Cuckoo]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I wouldn't pay $400 for either. I think I'm going to end up waiting until a price drop before getting into the next gen.

Yep, me too. But I'll only buy the one with the hard drive as I agree completely with Raiders Army.

[dawgfan]

No official confirmation on the launch date, only a confirmation it's on target for "holiday launches". I'd be surprised if it's not out by some point in November to allow some time for Christmas purchases.

Further details on the "premium" package:

Xbox 360 with:
20GB Hard Drive (detachable)
wireless controller
faceplate
headset
component HD AV cable
ethernet cable
remote control

The "basic" package will include:

Xbox 360 with:
wired controller
faceplate
standard AV cable

[dubb93]

My question is....if they are selling a version without the hard drive will games actually use it like current gen games do, or will it just be for saving? The hard drive for the games was one of the big things Microsoft has over Sony in this and next gen, I hate for them to sell a dummied down version that discourages game makers using it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Am I reading the first post right?
It's $400 to get backward compatability with current X-Box games or $300 but you lose the ability to play anything except games made specifically for the 360?

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

One thing going in their favor is the headstart on the PS3 - by the time Sony debuts their console, Microsoft can drop their price points to match what Sony does, or undercut them if the PS3 also debuts at $399. Microsoft is playing high-stakes poker here with the pricing...

Worked for the Dreamcast!

[pennywisesb]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Am I reading the first post right?
It's $400 to get backward compatability with current X-Box games or $300 but you lose the ability to play anything except games made specifically for the 360?

This is what I was thinking too. If this is the case that sucks.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Chubby

Worked for the Dreamcast!

I still play mine.

[hukarez]

Same here, I still play my Dreamcast as well.

On a side note -- does anyone know what's up with Xbox Live for the 360? It seems for Xbox 360, there's going to be 2 kinds of memberships (Silver and Gold?), and I'm curious if current Live subscribers translate easily into one of those? Otherwise, if it's a completely new subscription altogether, I may just not bother...

[Daimyo]

Looking at the other stuff you get the $100 buys more than just backwards compatibility. I imagine most people who know what they're doing will want the component HD cables which will probably go for $30 on their own. The remote will also be nice if the DVD player is any good and wireless controllers are sweet.

Having said that I don't play console games near enough to justify spending more than $200 on a new console.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Am I reading the first post right?
It's $400 to get backward compatability with current X-Box games or $300 but you lose the ability to play anything except games made specifically for the 360?

You are reading it correct, except that backwards compatibility is on a game-by-game basis - the hardware as-is isn't compatible (since they switched architectures on both the CPU and GPU) so game specific code is being written to allow the most popular games to run on the new hardware, but that requires that the hard drive be present.

People like to bitch and moan about backwards compatibility in consoles, but surveys have shown that playing old games is actually not very common with new consoles. If you have a library of old games, you probably have the old console, so if you really want to you can still play those games. Or, you can play new games that take advantage of the new technology. Aside from a few favorites like Halo and Halo2, and maybe the Tom Clancy games, I doubt I'll have much incentive to play old Xbox games on an Xbox 360, especially once next-gen versions of those games are available written specifically for the new console.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by pennywisesb

This is what I was thinking too. If this is the case that sucks.

Backwards compatibility for the Xbox 360 will require the hard drive, which you can purchase seperately. Keep in mind that games will be backwards compatible on a case-by-case basis, with the most popular games getting priority for having compatible code written for them.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Chubby

Worked for the Dreamcast!

Time will tell whether this is an apples-to-apples comparison or not. The difference in hardware looks like it's much less between the Xbox 360 and the PS3 than it was between the Dreamcast and PS2; similarly, the 3rd party support for the Xbox 360 looks to be much better than for the Dreamcast.

I'm not saying the early release and pricing strategies of Microsoft will work as they hope, but there are good reasons to think the Dreamcast analogy isn't a good one.

[ISiddiqui]

n/m, already said.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Considering that the console gaming in my house is about 99.9% done by a 7 y/o, this pricetag seems pretty damned steep for my taste (obviously, I ain't the target, just saying ...)

[ISiddiqui]

I've also heard that the Hard Drive, by itself, will cost $99. So the 'premium' package will be somewhat of a deal. Then again, I think it'll still be the only console with the hard drive. I don't think PS3 has one.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm a little embarassed to say that I will still probably buy the Xbox 360 on launch day. I'll go for the 400 dollar package.

[jbmagic]

do you have to get the dvd remote seperate on the fully loaded package or it comes with everything?

[lighthousekeeper]

bah! for that price you could get 15 pounds of trout:

http://store.yahoo.com/gdcom/apfiofsmtr11.html

[Mustang]

Is there absolutely no storage (hard drive) with the $299 version?

I'm not really worried about backwards compatibility.. storage though is essential..

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

do you have to get the dvd remote seperate on the fully loaded package or it comes with everything?

I believe they are including the DVD remote on a limited basis (ie, if you buy it that first month or something). But the premium package will include it.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

So Microsoft is going to sell the Xbox 360 in 2 forms - fully loaded with the hard drive and wireless controller for $399, and a version without the hard drive (and thus the ability to play Xbox games) and with a wired controller for $299.

Interesting strategy, risky in my opinion. Will people fork over $400 for the fully loaded version? Will they pay $300 (the traditional price point) for a lesser version?

Horrible, horrible move by Microsoft.

Not only are they going to fracture their market by releasing these two models with regular DVD drives and then release a model with HD-DVD drives down the road here, but they're going to further fracture the market by putting out a model with no HD? If the 'core' model ends up being the lead SKU - and people are just cheap enough that it probably will - that's going to totally marginalize the HD on the premium 360.

Why would developers spend extra time adding capabilities for a feature that less than the full market is capable of accessing?

They're totally playing into Sony's hands here, and this is speaking as somebody who was leaning heavily towards waiting for a PS3 price drop and buying an Xbox 360 at or near launch.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Mustang

Is there absolutely no storage (hard drive) with the $299 version?

I'm not really worried about backwards compatibility.. storage though is essential..

Well the $299 version requires you to use memory cards you can use to save your games. Whether those memory cards are included in the package is something I don't know.

[jbmagic]

hey guys you think Target will give me a hard time if i reurn the xbox in the original box back.

i only had it a month and back of the receipt says i have 90 days to return it.

i going to say thee nothing wrong with it, just not happy with it.

[Radii]

This is definitely a purhcase that I'll wait for a signifigant price drop on. I've only played 2 console games seriously within the last year, and I don't expect that to change any time soon, so even if I had the money to drop on it, I don't know if I could justify the purchase.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

You are reading it correct, except that backwards compatibility is on a game-by-game basis - the hardware as-is isn't compatible (since they switched architectures on both the CPU and GPU) so game specific code is being written to allow the most popular games to run on the new hardware, but that requires that the hard drive be present.

People like to bitch and moan about backwards compatibility in consoles, but surveys have shown that playing old games is actually not very common with new consoles. If you have a library of old games, you probably have the old console, so if you really want to you can still play those games. Or, you can play new games that take advantage of the new technology. Aside from a few favorites like Halo and Halo2, and maybe the Tom Clancy games, I doubt I'll have much incentive to play old Xbox games on an Xbox 360, especially once next-gen versions of those games are available written specifically for the new console.

ditto, i agree. i have yet to play a backward compatible game on a next-gen console.

[sachmo71]

line up, sheeps.

[hukarez]

I did a bit more research in regards to my previous inquiry, but now I'm hoping for just a bit more clarification:
Xbox Live on Xbox 360 Fact Sheet


May 2005

Now in its third generation of transforming and uniting Xbox® gaming communities, with more than 300 games planned by the end of holiday 2005 and with presence in 24 countries worldwide, Xbox Live™ has set the bar for online games entertainment. As the first global, unified online console games service, Xbox Live continues to take online gameplay and entertainment to unprecedented heights. With a rapidly growing global community, Xbox Live offers best-in-class games, intelligent matchmaking, tournaments, unique programming, and integration with Xbox.com—there is simply nothing else like it. The service continues to provide more and more ways for members to meet, interact, and stay engaged with each other.

Multiple Levels of Service
On Xbox 360, you'll have a choice of service level. The Xbox Live Silver service means you can connect your Xbox 360 console to a broadband Internet connection and get functionality right out of the box. The premium Xbox Live Gold service delivers the complete online connection package. The breakdown is as follows:

Xbox Live Silver level

• Create an online Gamer Profile
• Access the Xbox Live Marketplace
• Engage in voice and text messaging
• Talk to a single friend at a time using voice chat
• Receive video messages from Gold level members
• Access massively multiplayer online games (additional fees may apply)

Xbox Live Gold level

• Paid level of service
• All the features of Silver level, and additionally:
  o Play multiplayer games online
  o Video chat
  o Multiplayer online tournaments
  o Participate in Xbox Live online programming, such as Game with Fame, Play and Win, and Prime Time activities

...I'm assuming that current Xbox Live subscribers would fall into the 'Gold' level of service, whereas this 'silver' level is for non-subscribers? I'm hoping there's no 'price hike' with the annual membership thing. My thing renews sometime in January...not sure if that's enough time to gauge whether or not I should pursue, or discontinue by then..

[stevew]

Does the 20 gig Hard Drive have MP3 type functions, ala an IPOD? If so, its not that bad of a deal(if it works good).

[Coder]

Without having scoured the available websites for info, is there any possibility to connect to your computer's hard drive through a LAN and "view" AVI-movies on the TV?

I have a modded XBOX that I exclusively use to view downloaded TV-shows through my LAN. Every now and then I play one of my games but the pricetag on XBOX games makes me buy VERY few games (perhaps one game a year). Should I consider buying the 360 or should I just build a computer as an "entertainment" center and place by the TV?

[bob]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

hey guys you think Target will give me a hard time if i reurn the xbox in the original box back.

i only had it a month and back of the receipt says i have 90 days to return it.

i going to say thee nothing wrong with it, just not happy with it.

Typically electronics can only be returned for credit if they have not been opened. Otherwise, they can only be exchanged for the same item.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

People like to bitch and moan about backwards compatibility in consoles, but surveys have shown that playing old games is actually not very common with new consoles.

I still play my PS games on my PS2. Backward compatibility is important for me I don't have unlimited space to stack consoles on top of each other. And it would be a hassle to constantly change consoles depending on what game I wanted to play. I still play PS games on my PS2. If the decision came down to PS3 or X-Box 360 and one was backward compatibile and the other was not, that would make my choice for me.

Just because something is "not very common" does not mean it isn't important for a good chunk of the target audience.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by sabotai

I still play my PS games on my PS2. Backward compatibility is important for me I don't have unlimited space to stack consoles on top of each other. And it would be a hassle to constantly change consoles depending on what game I wanted to play. I still play PS games on my PS2. If the decision came down to PS3 or X-Box 360 and one was backward compatibile and the other was not, that would make my choice for me.

Just because something is "not very common" does not mean it isn't important for a good chunk of the target audience.

I agree. I still play my favorite PS games on my PS2. Not only is it a space issue, but it can be a plus in your favor if you can convince your significant other that when you buy a new system, her brother or sister is getting the old system as a gift. If I wasn't giving my Xbox to my brother-in-law when I get the Xbox 360, I'm sure I'd have to wait until Christmas to get it as a gift then (actually it probably will still count as an early gift.)

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by bob

Typically electronics can only be returned for credit if they have not been opened. Otherwise, they can only be exchanged for the same item.

according to the target receipt it says only for cd and dvds that been open you can only exchange for the same item.


so i hope to get the full refund back on my credit card for my xbox it been less than 90 days i had it.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by sabotai

Just because something is "not very common" does not mean it isn't important for a good chunk of the target audience.

Sure, I understand. I'm just saying that you are more the exception than the rule. The path Microsoft chose to go in using entirely different chipsets this time around was a risky one. I don't know enough about the coding to understand the details, but I am surprised that they were unable (or unwilling) to write a blanket layer of code for the Xbox 360 OS that would allow for general purpose emulation (and unlimited backwards compatibility) of the original Xbox rather than the case-by-case path they are using instead.

Microsoft obviously looked at the market surveys and determined that as much as people like to bitch about backwards compatibility, it just isn't utilized that much, and the payoff of going with the new chipsets outweighed the drawback of not having blanket backwards compatibility. Time will tell if that was the right choice.

[Anthony]

my wife is fine with getting me the latest and greatest. i don't believe in carrying a huge library of games (i keep a very small rotation, usually no more than 2 games at a time - one for PC, one for console), so she knows i do what i can to cut costs by continually trading my old games in for new ones.

[albionmoonlight]

K.I.S.S.

The more complicated you make things, the less people will feel comfortable doing them. No one will want to feel like a fool and shell out $100 extra for something that they don't need. But no one will want to feel like a fool and miss out on great features. The more choices you give people, the more likely they are to 1.) wait and see what others do, and 2.) just keep it simple and buy a PS3. Neither of those really plays into Microsoft's hands.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by stevew

Does the 20 gig Hard Drive have MP3 type functions, ala an IPOD? If so, its not that bad of a deal(if it works good).

I believe it can store mp3's. In fact, in games like GTA, you can play the mp3's from your hard drive instead of the music that comes with the game.

[dervack]

While I don't agree with Microsoft releasing two different SKU's, I don't think they are screwing up as much as some people are saying they are. For Example. Sony has said the PS3 will be expensive without the HD. $399 seems logical for the Sony system. They will be releasing a year after the 360 at least, possibly even further. The extra $100 for the HD package is well worth what you're getting in the bundle. A wireless controller instead of a wired one, HD AV cables instead of standard AV, Hard Drive, and the DVD remote. Plus the Xbox live headset. Microsoft isn't marketing this towards the casual gamers, they are marketing this towards the hardcore gamers who want to play HD games. If you look at the supposed release list, the games they have expected for launch aren't exactly Mario type games, and they are still holding onto Halo 3 to compete against the PS3 when it comes out. I'm looking forward to the 360, even if it's more than I expected. I haven't been this excited for a console release in a long time, and I bought a PS2 the first day.

[dervack]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Well the $299 version requires you to use memory cards you can use to save your games. Whether those memory cards are included in the package is something I don't know.

They aren't.

[dervack]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Horrible, horrible move by Microsoft.

Not only are they going to fracture their market by releasing these two models with regular DVD drives and then release a model with HD-DVD drives down the road here, but they're going to further fracture the market by putting out a model with no HD? If the 'core' model ends up being the lead SKU - and people are just cheap enough that it probably will - that's going to totally marginalize the HD on the premium 360.

Why would developers spend extra time adding capabilities for a feature that less than the full market is capable of accessing?

They're totally playing into Sony's hands here, and this is speaking as somebody who was leaning heavily towards waiting for a PS3 price drop and buying an Xbox 360 at or near launch.

Microsoft told developers to not rely on the HD being there when they make their games. The HD will have a few functions, like the Xbox Arcade, which will have classic games DL straight to the HD, music you can DL and play in game, and of course, being able to DL extra maps for MP games so they don't get stale.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Considering that the console gaming in my house is about 99.9% done by a 7 y/o, this pricetag seems pretty damned steep for my taste (obviously, I ain't the target, just saying ...)

Just curious, which console do you currently have? I would suspect the game library that best matches that age range would be the Nintendo...

Let's also keep in mind that the prices we're seeing for the new consoles are at or below the cost of the latest and greatest 3D gaming cards for your PC, so it's all a matter of perspective.

[bob]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

according to the target receipt it says only for cd and dvds that been open you can only exchange for the same item.


so i hope to get the full refund back on my credit card for my xbox it been less than 90 days i had it.

I hope you can - I recommend trying to pack so it looks like it was never opened.

[dervack]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Just curious, which console do you currently have? I would suspect the game library that best matches that age range would be the Nintendo...

Let's also keep in mind that the prices we're seeing for the new consoles are at or below the cost of the latest and greatest 3D gaming cards for your PC, so it's all a matter of perspective.

Actually, the new Nintendo, whenever that comes out, would probably be his best bet no matter what. The ability to play every Nintendo game ever made on that system, plus an attractive price point probably makes it a no-brainer for him. Downside? Might not be out till 2007.

[dervack]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

according to the target receipt it says only for cd and dvds that been open you can only exchange for the same item.


so i hope to get the full refund back on my credit card for my xbox it been less than 90 days i had it.

If it's opened, they will probably give you store credit at most, I highly doubt they would give you the money back on the Credit Card. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Why would developers spend extra time adding capabilities for a feature that less than the full market is capable of accessing?

Walks away silently humming an innocent tune ...

PS> I think the uptake on the HD version is going to be over 50% personally ..