360 pricing revealed/will have varying configs

ShiverinEskimo

Apparently developers have been told not to develop on the assumption of a hdd..

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=25415

Surely they know this will adversely effect sales no?

qz

Doesn't sound good. Why wouldn't they want HDDs in the consoles?

ShiverinEskimo

qz wrote:

Doesn't sound good. Why wouldn't they want HDDs in the consoles?

Who knows - reduce costs, excuse to charge even more for the ones with a hdd..

Peteee

Because the PS3 probably wont have a hard drive as standard. Anything to reduce the cost.

Both stupid decisions, consoles work on the basis of hardware standardisation.

Dont be at yourself

I don't see it as a big deal. It'll mean that the harddrive will be used solely for the multimedia aspects of the system, devlopers aren't to use it as a scratch disk.

ShiverinEskimo

One of the main selling points of the 360 performance was very little load time because the games would do a mini 'install' upon booting in order to reduce dvd-read requirements..there's also the issue now of memory card expense and also is likely to effect live - downloaded content and all that - if i buy premium content and have to store it on a mem card that means i can share it - MS surely don't want that do they?

Dont be at yourself

The GameCube managed to have almost non existant, even without a harddrive. Perhaps the harddrive will speed up loading times, and that'd be a nice incentive to buy one, but it seems microsoft wants that to be the extent of it when it comes to games. I'd imagine downloadable content will be able to be stored on memory cards (which are 512mb, aren't they?), I'd also imagine it'd be pretty easy to secure live! content to a single xbox/memory card.

shabbyroad

console has hard drive and additional cost to customer = microsoft bad
console has no hard drive so no additional cost to customer = microsoft bad

:rolleyes:

jesus_thats_gre

Microsoft always suggested that a HDD would not be bundled as standard in order to reduce costs. So not much of a suprise.. The vast majority of Xbox owners did not utilise the functionality that the HDD offered but had no choice in paying for one.

The games will likely be developed to run without requiring a HDD as a basic starting point... This makes sense considering not everyone will have one. However, this does not mean that the games cannot take advantage of a HDD if you do happen to have one.. It it conceivable that the game will boot from DVD by default but you may get the option to run it partially of the HDD..

Also, I would assume that downloadable content will not really be available to anyone without a hard drive..

Ri_Nollaig

that is a fairly stupid move...

JackKelly

maybe it is in a bid to stop pirating. If there is no way of having a hard drive, people won't be able to chip it and replace the hardrive. Therefore, no copied games on the box.

ShiverinEskimo

TimAy wrote:

maybe it is in a bid to stop pirating. If there is no way of having a hard drive, people won't be able to chip it and replace the hardrive. Therefore, no copied games on the box.

PS2 didn't have one but had just as much piracy (if not more) when chipped - just meant it could read dvd-r..

I was under the impression Microsoft were aiming for media centre style with the 360 - similar to a chipped xbox these days..plus there's the whole issue of playing your own mp3s in game etc.

The worst of all this is that despite my bitching i'll still fork out more for the 360 with a hdd - i mean if i'm paying 399 for one without i'll justify the extra 100 or whatever for one with a hdd - They've already won. :eek:

jesus_thats_gre

The majority of people who purchase the 360 won't intend using as part of a Media Centre, thus the peripherals and hardware required to utilise this functionality won't be bundled as standard. The effect of this will to minimise base costs..

evad_lhorg

It was announced in LA times

xbox 360 will launch and $399 with a 20gb hard drive and headset and remote

$299 with just the standard package and no HD or any of the rest.


edit: the cheaper version will be with a wired controller and the dearer version will have a wireless controller. apparently the tv remote will be wireless too(although i have never seen a wired tv remote). and there wil be an ethernet cable included.

jesus_thats_gre

Thats reasonable...

flogen

well if the basic model is 300 and the higher end is 100 extra (for which you get a wireless controller, remote, headset and HDD) I'll probably pay the extra.
Think about it in the current generation, to buy an official controller, headset and remote you're paying €90, and I'd imagine the official wireless controller will cost more than the current official controller. And how much will a HDD cost? I'd say at least €50 for a 20gb one.

stevenmu

I wonder how long it'll be before someone figures out a way to add your own HDD to the cheaper one, meaning for the $100 or so you save you could buy a much bigger disk ?

iregk

I think its a very good plan. Pic and mix. You want to pay cheaper price get a machine without a hd, however if your like me and plan to host all your mp3's etc... but it with a harddrive.

Its not as some people said stupid or bad plannign by MS. Its simply widening consumer choice. If i coudl go in a get a mobile phone, pay €50 less to remove all the ringtones, games and other crap that i dont use id do it.

quarryman

exactly.

people whinging about it being a stupid move - you have a choice. get the basic model or pay extra. you'll still be able to play games, dvds and music on both.

well if the basic model is 300 and the higher end is 100 extra

the difference in dollars will be 100 not in Euro. since the console will be more expensive here, the difference will be more. there's no point equating them like that.

flogen

iregk wrote:

If i coudl go in a get a mobile phone, pay €50 less to remove all the ringtones, games and other crap that i dont use id do it.

A perfect comparison, I'd be the exact same, generally I delete all that crap off any phone I get so I can have more space for msgs and pictures.

And quarryman, while everything is guesswork at the moment, I don't think it's unreasonable to assume a $100 difference transfer as €100. After all, $100 is something like €60-€70 and so the price difference will still exist, if you see what I mean.
It seems to be the fact that the newer consoles are all launching in a direct Dollar-Euro transfer, the PSP and DS being prime examples.

evad_lhorg

it will be the same numbers over here just replce the $ with a € sign.

quarryman

if you see what I mean.

i do.

either way we get ripped off unfortunately.

Retr0gamer

evad_lhorg wrote:

it will be the same numbers over here just replce the $ with a € sign.

Don't count on it.

flogen

quarryman wrote:

i do.

either way we get ripped off unfortunately.

yeah, it's a sad fact of living in Europe.

flogen

The official price has been announced in Germany:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4160076.stm

The two versions rumour has been confirmed and the basic will sell at £209, which translates to just over €300. The higher end model will go for £70 extra which translates to €410. So will MS round down or up? Judging by past experiences the machine will be €350 and €450 respectively!!!

No exact date still, but I'm pretty sure it's coming very soon, I think their press conference is still going on.

Stormfox1020

Eurogamer have stated that the basic package will go for €300 and the Upgraded package will go for €400. Not to bad I suppose.

evad_lhorg

Retr0gamer wrote:

Don't count on it.

zing! I counted on it!
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=60545

Retr0gamer

Bah, saw that as well. Looks like MS love us.

TerrorFirmer

Retr0gamer wrote:

Bah, saw that as well. Looks like MS love us.

Yeehaw!

Unfortunately, although I have prebooked my 360, I am in dire lack of cash for the forseeable future....might have let is slip by for awhile in any case

flogen

I'll certainly pay an extra €100 for all those extras, provided I have the cash and the software support is there.

But that Core System sure sounds appealing.... mmm, Core.

Major Nelson has a podcast of the conference on his site , worth a listen, but I assume it's nothing the news stories haven't already covered. One thing I don't like is that the high end version comes with a HD-AV cable but not a standard AV cable like the "Core System", so now I gotta buy a new cable or else a new TV!

Next up, release date.

evad_lhorg

TGS is the next time we wil get anything worthwhile out of anyone.

LookingFor

What a rip.

So €400 for what I thought would be €300? At least I thought the HDD would be there at €300 (that's what's even worse about this - no standard HDD, the one thing it had over PS3).

€99 for wifi? €99 for a HDD?

I guess they'll be selling X360-branded Vaseline, €20 a pop, but you'll be needing a few on launch day..

The worst thing about this is it virtually gives Sony a blank check now with regard to PS3 pricing. The core X360 package + wifi will set you back €400. PS3 is coming with wifi as standard, Bluray, digital out, a switch, a lot more removeable media support, bluetooth etc. etc. Heck, €500 looks positively agreeable from a value perspective, looking at the X350 numbers Unfortunately for MS, I don't think Sony will be going for €500.

Retr0gamer

The price will probably drop after christmas and almost definitely in time for the PS3 launch. I'll be getting mine in america when I'm over there when the launch is on but may put it off if there isn't a killer app.

flogen

LookingFor wrote:

What a rip.

So €400 for what I thought would be €300? At least I thought the HDD would be there at €300 (that's what's even worse about this - no standard HDD, the one thing it had over PS3).

€99 for wifi? €99 for a HDD?

Going by the pic on the Major Nelson blog, is the wifi adaptor a USB connection or ethernet or something else? I wonder if it will be suitable to connect to a PC if it is a standard connection, and in the same vein would a standard wifi antenna for PC be able to connect to the 360?

Blub2k4

I think they will base the new xbox on .NET framework, centralised distro of games with no more games locally unless they are bought/rented from the central server.
Software piracy is begging MS to implement it, they might wait but xblive is perfect for it.
I think that's what we'll see.

CiDeRmAn

Thinks its a great idea releasing 2 diffe3rent configs.
Presumably the cheaper price point without hd will attract those gamers that have no interest in or have not got broadband, nice entry price, €299, for a next-gen system, including inflation its probably the cheapest next gen system ever.
The more rounded package (oh err missus) will be a winner with the Xbox Live savvy chaps among you, which must be most of the users out there, €399 is not so bad, it includes, system, hd, wireless controller, snap on alternate fascia, demo stuff and xbox live subscription, not bad value for money overall.
Plus just because you go for the cheaper of the two packages will not prohibit you from playing any of the offline games which, presumably, most will mainly be.

Check out www.gamesindustry.biz for the details of the press release

LookingFor

flogen wrote:

Going by the pic on the Major Nelson blog, is the wifi adaptor a USB connection or ethernet or something else? I wonder if it will be suitable to connect to a PC if it is a standard connection, and in the same vein would a standard wifi antenna for PC be able to connect to the 360?

Doubtful, MS has gone to a lot of trouble to make sure no unauthorised third party peripherals are used with X360, so I very much doubt a standard wifi adaptor will work with it. Do you think they'd be trying to bleed €99 out of you if a standard one would work?

I still can't get over €40 for a 64MB mem card. The same price or less will get you a 256MB Sony Mem Stick.

I guess no HDD as standard is the biggest disappointment though. That was the one appreciable hardware advantage MS seemed to have.

monument

pricing for the add-ons (but not the HD) at the end of this...

http://gamestoaster.typepad.com/games_toaster/2005/08/xbox_360_euro_u.html

While the euro and UK price slightly vary. When converted at today’s rate, at the time of writing, the US price is approximately 70.90 euro cheaper then the European price, and about £52.00 cheaper then the UK price.

LookingFor

monument wrote:

pricing for the add-ons (but not the HD) at the end of this...

http://gamestoaster.typepad.com/games_toaster/2005/08/xbox_360_euro_u.html

The HDD is $99/€99. For comparison's sake, you can get a normal 80GB 2.5" drive for ~$120.

Scruff

they do seem to be milking it alright, especially on the peripherals. was always going to happen when sony started saying the ps3 will be "expensive"

Zapp Brannigan

Xbox 360 pricing revealed: $299 and $399 models due at launch
The 360 gets two spins: the $299 "Core System" and the $399 fully loaded package with 20GB hard drive, wireless controller, headset, HD cables, and remote control.

By Tim Surette -- GameSpot
POSTED: 08/17/05 06:30 AM PST

[MOD EDITED: most text removed post a link if you want, I'm starting to think [URL=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1714702,00.html]O'Reilly is right][/URL]

monument

LookingFor wrote:

The HDD is $99/€99. For comparison's sake, you can get a normal 80GB 2.5" drive for ~$120.

That's right, I some how missed it when looking at the press release early - or more likely edited it out. It's fixed now.

Necronomicon

I think I'll be paying the extra 100 if I can afford it when it comes out.
Any news on the playability of X-box games on the 360? Last I heard it was so far limited...

LookingFor

Necromomicon wrote:

I think I'll be paying the extra 100 if I can afford it when it comes out.
Any news on the playability of X-box games on the 360? Last I heard it was so far limited...

They haven't announced specifically what games will be covered, but it will be limited. It'll be the best sellers..probably starting with Halo/Halo2. You'll need the hard-disk to play any Xbox games.

On a side note, a more thorough look around reveals 80GB 2.5" drives for the roughly the same price MS is charging for 20GB.

Prior Of Taize

meh. 300 quid for a glorified gameboy/dvd player combo.

i will just download it when it gets on the torrent scene

jesus_thats_gre

LookingFor wrote:

The HDD is $99/€99. For comparison's sake, you can get a normal 80GB 2.5" drive for ~$120.

yeah but you get a 40GB for 90 and a 20GB for 50..

quarryman

Retr0gamer wrote:

The price will probably drop after christmas and almost definitely in time for the PS3 launch. I'll be getting mine in america when I'm over there when the launch is on but may put it off if there isn't a killer app.

will the US version not be regionalised to the games that are sold over there?

steviec

quarryman wrote:

will the US version not be regionalised to the games that are sold over there?

It will indeed, but of course its as cheap to import the games too and a lot quicker than waiting for Euro release dates. Though in fairness I don't think MS are as bad as Sony or Nintendo when it comes to Europe.

I've never been sure about compatibility with our TVs at home though. If everything's gonna be hi-def then I think it'll be standardised though.

quarryman

bah. still seems little point in getting it from the US then, not being able to play rented, loaned games. also sometimes you just don't want to wait for a game to be delivered and rather pay whatever Game charge....

iregk

I just couldn't be bothered with teh hasstle of ordering everything. Sometimes i buy games on impulse in the store. I like that, I like walking through a shop and saying ah im going to treat myself, im going to buy that. So much easier than planning what games and that you want etc...

LookingFor

"360 Price: The Industry Reacts"

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=796&Itemid=2&limit=1&limitstart=0

Also, musn't be nice to be SquareEnix now. They were saying at E3 how when they heard X360 would have a standard hard disk, they just had to put FFXI on it. I wonder what they're thinking now.