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An interview with a European VP reveals XBOX 360 is not changing its price tag anytime soon

Microsoft is the only company that has a next-generation console available for consumers.  Even though the Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation 3 game consoles will not be available for at least another six months, but that doesn't stop the constant flow of new information and news that is being circulated from all three companies.  This time around it is Microsoft announcing that the company has no plans to reduce the price of the XBOX 360 because of the much higher cost of the Sony console. 

"We have no plans to make any price adjustment. The last couple of days have reinforced the fact that we have a great value proposition, giving consumers choice, thanks to the core system. We’re not forcing the consumer down a route with HD playback. We certainly don’t think it’s necessary to make any changes to the current price point." said Chris Lewis, vice president of the Home and Entertainment Division for Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa. 

Oddly, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) president Ken Kutaragi recently claimed that the $499 and $599 price tags on the Sony console aren't expensive enough.  Analysts expect Microsoft and Nintendo will both profit due to having cheaper consoles on the market.

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Why Should they :?
By tuteja1986 on 5/23/2006 5:10:05 AM , Rating: 3
I don't see the reason my Microsoft would drop the price when the PS3 is expensive and doesn't have the killer title on launch. More than that is XBOX 360 will have much better games on self when PS3 launches like Lost planet & Gears of Wars. Other games like Halo 3 , Crack down , Resident Evil 5 , GTA 4 , Lost Odyssey , Blue dragon , Bio shock and my personal fav Mass effect will follow.




RE: Why Should they :?
By fungry on 5/23/2006 5:45:14 AM , Rating: 2
Haha certainly. well in my opinion, then the SONY CEO made the statement awhile back, i'm sure quite a number of people were insulted. Like seriously, his language sounds really harsh, in a tonal way...


RE: Why Should they :?
By schwinn8 on 5/23/2006 8:33:19 AM , Rating: 2
So, what were the 360's killer titles? I don't see one yet. PS3 has Gran Turismo and Final Fantasy, just to name two VERY popular ones. I am sure one or both will be ready come release time.

Halo, quite honestly, is the crappiest FPS game I have seen so far. Granted, I am talking about the original. Halo2 was supposed to be good, but it's certainly no "killer title". Halo 3 might be, but it's no launch-title either... so the point is moot.

Lastly, I am not familiar with all the games you list, but I know GTA won't be 360-only, and I can't imagine RE would be either... so those will be out on PS3 as well... another non-issue.


RE: Why Should they :?
By rushfan2006 on 5/23/2006 9:02:50 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Lastly, I am not familiar with all the games you list, but I know GTA won't be 360-only, and I can't imagine RE would be either... so those will be out on PS3 as well... another non-issue.


Bingo! You just hit the nail on the head. This is the prime reason I ultimately think its futile for people to bicker over console systems like they do (and the prime reason I'm more than happy to be a near exclusive PC gamer instead) - what is the PRIME reason most folks buy game consoles? Is it not for the games? Well anymore there are so few QUALITY (re: games that are actually worth mentioning, let alone playing) that are EXCLUSIVE to a console. (Now I'll have the fanboys of both camps list a dozen third rate titles they view as "jems" that are exclusive to "their" platform of choice....1...2..3...4..5....and fanboys GO!). I'm not much into driving games, fighting games hold my interest for only about 30 min segments once or twice a week MAX (more closely to once or twice a month lately). Sports titles are about the only severe draw for me to consoles, and the major franchises I always see available for sony and xbox.

I really just don't see either the huge deal to blindly defend one console over the other in these regards. Price is the most logical, er should I say "practical" reason to argue one over the other. Finally, I'm sorry but I just think its insane to buy a system because one...heck even half a dozen games that are "awesome". At least with the PC pretty much any title that goes good on the console will eventually land there (so in a way, thanks to all you console diehards for voting with your dollars on what games are decent so I don't need to waste my money on a crap game that hits the PC).

Anyway...that's my .001 1/2 cents



RE: Why Should they :?
By AmbroseAthan on 5/23/2006 11:42:04 AM , Rating: 2
I'll start off by saying I like consoles generally more then PC games (besides for my old Everquest days). I prefer a controller to a keyboard/mouse combo for my FPS and other games.

The prime reason I think to buy consoles is not the games, but the ability to play with friends. Halo is, personly, one of my favorite games of all time (besides for the original Bond on N64 with 2 controllers!). Halo had a good story, but more importantly, allowed for great cursing at your friends sitting 2 feet away (or in my old apartment, the 4 guys in the upstairs bedroom vs the 4 in the living room). This is what the consoles have the great advantage in; good multiplayer ability without being online.

And being I am, I admit it, a fanboy of the XBox & 360; I bought the 360 purely for Halo3 and a couple of random other games (Oblivion, Dead or Alive, and Amped3 take up most of my time now), and for the illogical reason I hate Playstation. The first one annoyed me being it really wasn't that great of a system (in my mind); Dreamcast and N64 I enjoyed more and have since disliked Sony in general.


RE: Why Should they :?
By abhaxus on 5/23/2006 1:49:33 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
I prefer a controller to a keyboard/mouse combo for my FPS and other games.


I really hate to flame but I couldn't let this statement just pass by unnoticed... what the crap???


RE: Why Should they :?
By tenguman on 5/23/2006 11:08:33 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Halo, quite honestly, is the crappiest FPS game I have seen so far.


You obviously haven't played too many FPS games. Halo rocks and if $125 million worth of sales in a SINGLE DAY doesn't warrant Halo 2 as a killer title, I don't know what does. Oh wait, maybe whorish japanese anime characters with huge breasts and funky hair who have to save the world using their pokemon's and panty flashing.


RE: Why Should they :?
By ViperROhb34 on 5/23/2006 12:34:35 PM , Rating: 2
The TWO companies that made exclusive games with Sony in the past have also decided to make games for MS now.. so Sony edge will be less with exclusive games.

YOU mentioned Final Fantasy on PS3..
Final Fantasy MMORPG is on Xbox 360 as of 6 weeks ago


RE: Why Should they :?
By OvErHeAtInG on 5/23/2006 8:46:34 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Final Fantasy MMORPG is on Xbox 360 as of 6 weeks ago


Dude FFXI does not count... have you read the reviews of (or better, tried out) the 360 version? It's not a real FF game IMO. Unless maybe you mean to indicate that FF XIII or whatever won't be Sony-exclusive?


RE: Why Should they :?
By bpurkapi on 5/24/2006 3:33:01 AM , Rating: 2
They should so that more people will buy the killer 360 games and so microsoft can get people addicted to the 360. As of now, the 360 blows, there are no quality games. Every game thus far released has been a disappointment, save Ghost Recon.
Microsoft could drop the price 25 dollars and it would be more lucrative. With all do respect the launch titles of the ps3 will not be any better than the 360's but in order for either console to achieve dominance it needs superior games, and being a major fan of the site IGN I do know that what looks to be a killer gamne 3 months from now can easily flop. Previews rarely have bearing on the final product so it is really a wild goose chase when it comes to games and their quality.


microsoft should get outa my games
By Ckilla on 5/23/2006 8:09:06 AM , Rating: 2
my friend who is going to be a game designer put it that simply. I agree i think microsoft has their hands in to much and i would gladly pay the 600 premium for the ps3. Personally i think the ppl that are complaining about the price are just cheap, im going to have to save for it why can't you?




RE: microsoft should get outa my games
By maverick502 on 5/23/2006 8:19:13 AM , Rating: 2
Why? Because they create better games than Sony. Consoles are about gaming and MS has really come to the plate with the xbox console. Xbox has most of the good 3rd party games and has a first party lineup that makes you forget we have not seen a real Mario game since the 90s. Stupid comments like yours explain how a company like Sony can create overpriced junk and sell it to the masses.


RE: microsoft should get outa my games
By schwinn8 on 5/23/2006 8:36:50 AM , Rating: 2
I agree with the general statement of Sony selling overpriced crap. But, MS making better games than Sony? You gotta be kidding me... NEITHER makes good games. Much less, MS just rebrands them after buying out some other developer (Bungie, for example). Even still, Halo (1) was never that great to begin with...

The only thing MS ever "created" was DOS. Since then, it's all been about buying out and copying others. Don't get me wrong, Gates is a great businessman... but innovator? I think not.

Nintendo is the only innovator of these three, as far as games are concerned. It's hard to be an innovator, as you can see.


RE: microsoft should get outa my games
By Seer on 5/23/2006 8:52:45 AM , Rating: 2
Actually, they bought that too, for $75,000 :D. It was called QDOS, for Quick and Dirty Operating System. They then ported it to the Intel 8088.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QDOS


RE: microsoft should get outa my games
By Nakamichi on 5/23/2006 8:58:09 AM , Rating: 2
Microsoft didn't create DOS from scratch. It was based off QDOS which Microsoft bought the rights to for $50,000. Buy out ideas/companies that can sell, that's Microsoft's business moto from the start.

XBOX360 and PS3 is not expensive for what you get. Compared to a gaming PC it's a deal. During a 5 year span (a typical console life), I spent well over $399,$499,$599 just upgrading the computer.


By wallijonn on 5/23/2006 1:26:28 PM , Rating: 2
I can remember spending over $2000 in games when I had the PS1. Now it seems crazy to spend $50 or $60 for a game. As a PC gamer I'll wait until many titles are under $20.

The PC has their crazies, too. They'll buy a $400 - $600 video card to play about 4 games a year (Far Cry, Doom3, Half Life 2, FEAR). Would I pay $50 for the PC version of "Prince of Persia, The Two Thrones"? Not on your life.

Consoles have one major advantage over PC games: rentals. One can go to Hollywood Video or Blockbusters and for $5 a week can try out a game before buying. On the PC I had bought "Tomb Raider: Dark Angel" and I traded it in a day later. There would be no way that I would buy any "Turok" game (after the original on N64) before renting it, due to their poor quality. The same could also be said of some of Lucas' games. It's ALL about the games. Price is a major consideration when you get 10 hours worth of play (in which case it's better to rent it) or when the game is crap (poor gameplay, bad movement, sloppy camera, too small 'landing pads," cheating, getting stuck in mid-air (Unreal II for the PC), too long between game save points, a level which ruins the replay value, steep learning curve, the only difference between 'Easy,' 'Normal,' and 'Hard' is the number of hits enemies take, etc.)

The only reason why I bought a PS2 was because my PS1 died. I should have bought an XBox1 but I still have some old PS1 games which I cherish. My next purchas will be the Nintendo Wii since I'm still angry that Halo II and Halo III are not coming out for the PC. Imagine if I were an Xbox1 owner and then I found out that I would have to buy an XBox2 just to play Halo III and most of my old games couldn't play on the new box. At least Sony has backwards compatibility. It's just too bad that the XBox has better visuals.


You post has No Credibility
By ViperROhb34 on 5/23/2006 3:00:07 PM , Rating: 2
By Ckilla on 5/23/2006 8:09:06 AM , Rating: 2

my friend who is going to be a game designer put it that simply. I agree i think microsoft has their hands in to much and i would gladly pay the 600 premium for the ps3.

1st off all Sony has their hands in a hell of alot too. Most people in the USA don't know understand that Japan didnt want Xbox simply because its an American product and they'd never want to admit over their that America has an electronic product that can compete with their best - Sony.

Secondly, you're so called friend who is going to be a programmer. Wooptie F-ing Dooo.. That could be anyone.. If you're so called friend if he exist knew anything he'd know that game developers aren't all gung-ho about the programming involved with Ps3 because it'll simply be harder to make next gen games and the learning curve will take longer.. The co-founder of ID, John Carmack, said on G4 Tv that it's harder and he in fact KNOW what he's talking about. Other programmers have not held back as Carmack did and went so far to say Next Gen games will appear on 360 before PS3 because Devs will learn in the next year how to 'do it' in the coming year versus 3 yrs for PS3 .. Thats one reason why Sony had a poor showing of games at E3.. At E3 you bring out your best.. not a handful of games - of which one was 1/2 fnished and the others 1/3 to 1/4 done.. One of the best games Sony had at E3 was announced a few days ago that it won't be ready for the release.



RE: You post has No Credibility
By Ckilla on 5/23/2006 7:21:10 PM , Rating: 2
First of all I never said he was a programmer genius...lol secondly and more importantly I said that because I agreed with him. Thirdly I add the point about him being a game designer not to add credibility to my post but show that I agree with someone that is more of a gamer or (expert) and that I was not on my own........ Jesus where are all the apple fan boys when you need them, simply put in my post further down it has nothing to do with Sony being better! I just don't think one company should be that large and I would like Microsoft out of my gaming.....not to say that i would not like an alternative to ps3, which I believe is the pc and I do consider myself a pc gamer.


Does XB0X 360 have Force Feedback ala PS2 ?
By jmke on 5/23/2006 5:04:58 AM , Rating: 2
rumble is useless for racing games like Forza and upcoming Forza 2




By IGx89 on 5/23/2006 10:48:14 AM , Rating: 2
Yes, the new Wireless Racing Wheel uses both rumble and force feedback: http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/09/microsofts-wirel...


never said i was a sony fanboy
By Ckilla on 5/23/2006 11:38:49 AM , Rating: 2
Quite frankly I think pc gaming owns all counsels...my point is that I would rather buy a ps3 or a Wii so that I can get Microsoft out my games..... I like windows but I don't think one company should be that big, it stifles competition.




By glennpratt on 5/23/2006 11:55:09 AM , Rating: 2
Replace Microsoft with Sony and the point still applies. I trust MS much more then Sony given there recent record. Microsoft may very well be the only company capable or willing stand up to Sony in the game market.

Could you imagine if Sony was focusing all thier efforts on beating Nintendo? Would that be good for the market? Sony and MS are competeting for a similar market while Nintendo skews to a slightly different demographic which works out pretty well IMO.


Shoot...
By Trisped on 5/23/2006 1:36:03 PM , Rating: 2
I was hoping Microsoft would release a system for $500 with a HD-DVD drive bundled in. That would have taken the thunder out of the PS3 “HiDef” launch.

Still, I have a 360 and PDZ, which I love multi player on. I have a PC that will run what ever I want (though the video card might stutter). If the game I want doesn’t come out for one of the two, then it will be on Wii, which I will get sooner orlatter just so I can play PD and all my old GC games again.




RE: Shoot...
By Josh7289 on 5/23/2006 6:02:55 PM , Rating: 2
Sorry, buy you're not going to be able to download Rare's IPs that are now owned by MS on the Virtual Console. However, since you already have a 360, sooner or later, I can see the original PD arriving on XBL Arcade.

Anyway, why can't you play your GCN games now? Did you sell your GCN and keep your games?


A Price Drop?
By Inkjammer on 5/23/2006 6:24:04 AM , Rating: 2
It'd be too soon for a price drop. If Microsoft wanted to do a price drop, they'd do it around Christmas and try to undermine the PS3 launch by giving people a more attractive price.

I can't imagine a price drop in May for new technology. Lure people in with the Holiday rush, add profit.




I've got it figured out
By ThisSpaceForRent on 5/23/2006 8:00:40 AM , Rating: 2
I believe the old Everquest motto of "You're in our world now" was just a thinly disguised inside joke about Sony's appraoch to pricing of new products and their hell bent fascination with having everything proprietary.

If Sony had released the PS3 this month like they'd talked about I think they'd be fine, but being a whole year behind the X360? It's definetly not a bad gaming platform, and with the mass of cross platform titles these days, when the PS3 does come out, how do yo justify buying it? Assuming for the moment that there will be no must own, platform exclusive game at launch, how many people, in their right minds, will just walk out the door to plop down, what is it $600?

I think MS is full of it saying that they won't drop the price on the X360. I'm willing to bet it's almost certain to happen around the launch of the PS3. They can move easily afford to cut the price of their cheaper product. Plus I would like to think of, after a year plus in production, the X360 should be cheaper to produce than at start up.

I sum up with Nintendo come from behind victory!!

...end of rant




Enough already you Sony FanBoys
By PitbulI on 5/23/2006 11:18:44 AM , Rating: 2
This is getting rediculous. Sony fan boys are bashing Microsoft because why? They came out first? They got Rumble in their controllers? I guess now that the Rumble is no longer in PS3 controller it means Rumble sucks right?

Both consoles will sell. Sony is banking their success on a Next Gen DVD format and the fact that FanBoys will buy their expensive consoles.

I think it's great when two companies are trying to get our money. If the 360 had never come out, Sony would probably be selling the PS3 for at least a grand.




One time cost
By JAH on 5/23/2006 1:26:28 PM , Rating: 2
I have an Xbox 360 now, and will be getting the PS3 and Wii when they're available. For me personally, the console cost doesn't matter much since it's a one-time cost and I know the makers are already selling them at a lost. But what gets me is the $60 for the games, and that could really add up if you're a heavy gamer. Both 360 and PS3 games are $60, so neither of them have the advantage, and I hope Wii's games will stay at $50 or less since their development cost is supposedly cheaper.

What I’d been doing with my 360 games is wait a couple weeks after the game I want is released then find a good deal for it on eBay for $40-$50.




By OddTSi on 5/23/2006 3:18:06 PM , Rating: 2
Why would you announce that you're going to drop the price of your console by $50 or $100 or whatever it may be? Then the people that are "on the fence" about buying one now will just wait until it drops in price. The smart thing to do is deny a price drop until a few days before and then spring it on everyone.




What Sony really thinks...
By dali71 on 5/23/2006 3:22:04 PM , Rating: 2
I think that a recent interview with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe CEO David Reeves shows what they truly think of their fans. From the interview: " We have built up a certain brand equity over time since the launch of PlayStation in 1995 and PS2 in 2000 that the first five million are going to buy it, whatever it is, even it didn't have games ."




Best Next generation combonation
By hstewarth on 5/28/2006 3:02:45 PM , Rating: 2
I decided that the best next generation combination is the 360 and in Novemember the PS3. News about XNA Toolkit and Mech Commander source convince me to get a 360. But techically the PS3 will be better.

Well I seriously don't think we will see price breaks in these things - they just lost some more today - even with my purchase.

One thing I don't understand is the service contract thing - I not sure if I like contracts. Is this a year charge or what?




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