[bigboy41]

First of all I would like to say hello and I dig this site. I come to this site daily and I'm one never to post, but after the last couple of days of "shock and awe", I decided its about time I voice my opinion on this matter..........

After reading the blog I could not agree more!! I have read other sites and it seems there are two camps MS is aiming for....Camp #1 The so called "Hard-core gamers" and Camp #2 The so called "Casual gamers". And it seems thats exactly what MS wants and I cant for the life of me wonder why?

First of all I really dont know how you can call one group "Hard-core" and the other not. I for one have played video games since the Atari and played or purchased everything since then, I've waited in line for launch systems and played games until my thumbs bled. Now I don't know what camp I fall in, but from MS point of view I must be in camp #2, because I'm not "Hard-core" enough to get a HDD without either buying the premium package or shell out another $40-$100 just to save my games or to make the load time faster, or want to have the Xbox Live set and on top of that, even want the Hi-Def cables to make the games play to there real potential.

I'm really try to understand MS motive on this besides trying to make a quick dollar, because there really isn't a need for the "core" system for $299, I mean what is the point? With the original Xbox you knew that once you got the system and a game you where good to go, unless you wanted the extra stuff i.e. Hi Def cables, Xbox Live, DVD playback etc.... Now if you want to even save a game on the 360 they make you buy something that was STANDARD on the previous system, and to me that is the major problem that people are having. I could care less if the controller is wired or not, I don't have any use for the Xbox live stuff, and if I want to use the DVD playback I will buy the remote just like I done with the first Xbox, that my friends is what I call accessories! I just dont understand not having any kind of HDD or storage medium built-in when that one feature plus Live gave the Xbox a HUGE advantage over the PS2 and Gamecube and now that advantage is now gone.

You have people on this site and others telling ppl "quit crying and buy the HDD or memory card!" or "just buy the premium package, its a great deal!" and I can't argue that point, but.....What about people that just want to buy the system and enjoy it without knowing that you have the "mini 360"? Because I knew from day one when I purchased the first Xbox I knew there wasn't some other "premium" Xbox out there and if i had access to broadband I would have Live, but that isn't an option. But I guess my point is this....The "core" system is basically worthless and if you dont have access to broadband or dont play on Live the "premium" package gives you things you have know use for.

Now my question is why? With all the momentum MS got from the Xbox why would you want to split the consumers into two camps? There is no way you can take on Sony with such a move and hope to come out on top, unless Sony prices the PS3 out of this world because I can bet you they want come out with a "core" and "premium" system.