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The $299 price tag is here to stay... at least for a while

Microsoft is once again sticking by its guns to not drop the price of its XBOX 360 console amid the impending release of the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Echoing the sentiments of Microsoft EMEA VP Chris Lewis, John Porcaro has restated that Microsoft will not lower the price of its XBOX 360 despite ongoing rumors contrary to the fact.

Porcaro, a group manager of public relations/communications for Microsoft's United States office stated that we won't be seeing any price drops this year for its console. "If you’ve been holding off picking one up because you think they’ll be cheaper in the future, or they’ve been hard to find, or because you’re too busy catching up on past episodes of Lost, wait no longer," said Porcaro. When you think of it, the XBOX 360 is priced comfortably under even the entry-level PS3 so any price drops at this point would possibly come off as desperation on Microsoft's part.

Porcaro also used his blog as a platform to take a pop shot at the PS3's higher price of entry. From Gamerscore Blog:

Just think… this holiday as some people go broke because they’re forced to buy movie technology with their game console, you’ll be choosing from a 160 games, including Gears of War, Madden 07, Splinter Cell, Forza 2, and lots more.  Oh and later on?  How about Mass Effect, Halo 3, and Grand Theft Auto for starters.

Sony executives recently stated that consumers are getting a relative bargain at the current PS3 price points and that they will have “future-proof” technology at their disposal.

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I'm buying one
By rykerabel on 6/26/2006 4:16:53 PM , Rating: 1
I'm buying a PS3 when it comes out.

$3,000 + monitor versus $599 gaming/BR player.

It may not be insignificant for a console, but for a blue ray player with full 1080p HDMI 1.3 support, its a steal.




RE: I'm buying one
By MDme on 6/26/2006 4:34:38 PM , Rating: 2
you forgot to mention....

blu ray player that craps out on you after 6 months. remember how crappy the ps2 dvd drive was????

anyway, it may not matter 'coz by that time blu ray may not be around if it loses the format war.

btw, maybe ms is doing this to put sony in false security then drop the price on PS3 launch. Better, what if ms releases a BD player for the 360 ~$150 (just like the HD-DVD add-on) - price is just a guesstimate. that could really throw a wrench into sony's plans.

imagine that...for 600, you can get a BD and HD-DVD player!!! (X360 @ 299 + 150 each for the 2 drives!!!)


RE: I'm buying one
By vision33r on 6/26/06, Rating: 0
RE: I'm buying one
By killerroach on 6/26/2006 5:28:40 PM , Rating: 2
MS will never support Blu-Ray, even if they say they're considering it. First off, the content system for BR relies on Java, anathema to Microsoft, secondly, they seem to be throwing a lot of muscle behind Toshiba's HD-DVD specifically because "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". MS won't embrace Blu-Ray simply because Sony is behind it. End of story.


RE: I'm buying one
By TomZ on 6/26/2006 6:03:49 PM , Rating: 2
Microsoft already said they will support Blu-ray if the market demands it. Sure they don't like Java, and I'm sure there will be some internal resistance to running a Java VM on XBOX, but at the end of the day, Microsoft is pretty business smart and will do what is right.


RE: I'm buying one
By wien on 6/27/2006 7:44:28 AM , Rating: 2
Indeed. Microsoft aren't that badly against Java anyway. Heck, the Vista Beta downloads were even run through a Java-based download agent.


RE: I'm buying one
By TomZ on 6/27/2006 9:15:25 AM , Rating: 2
Java or Javascript? I doubt it was Java, because then you would need to have installed a JavaVM on your machine in order to download Vista, which is an unreasonable dependency.


RE: I'm buying one
By wien on 6/27/2006 1:59:56 PM , Rating: 2
Java.. Some download manager from these guys: http://www.akamai.com/ But you could also choose an "unmanaged download", bypassing the entire download manager, so Java wasn't really required to download it.


RE: I'm buying one
By NMDante on 6/26/2006 5:30:36 PM , Rating: 3
Sorry, but I am anti-Sony mostly because of what they tried to pull in the music CDs, with the "hidden" copy protection scheme, and their denying of it, until litigation was brought forth.

Also, I'm not a poor immature geek. When it comes to technology, I will be the first to admit that I won't plunk down thousands just to be the first to have something. I'd rather wait and see how stable the unit and the community base becomes. It's funny to read how people would just buy stuff for the sake of saying they have it. But I do have the means to purchase a product that costs alot, if I believe it to do what I expect it to do, and do it well. The PS3 is looked at as a gaming console, then a media center, to myself and most of my friends.

Congrats to you and your friends for buying all the latest and greatest, cause you people are usually the unoffical Beta testers for these products, and I'm glad you do it, since by the time I purchase the item, most of the bugs are fixed.



RE: I'm buying one
By masher2 (blog) on 6/26/2006 6:00:13 PM , Rating: 3
> "I will be the first to admit that I won't plunk down thousands just to be the first to have something..."

Good...one less person in front of me at the Best Buy line.

> "by the time I purchase the item, most of the bugs are fixed..."

True. And as payment for that, you give up months or even years of enjoyment of the best technology to be found.

Life's too short. If you want to take the slow, cautious route, more power to you.


RE: I'm buying one
By Lord 666 on 6/26/2006 11:24:18 PM , Rating: 2
>Good...one less person in front of me at the Best Buy line.

Surely a smart, successful, and educated professional like yourself is not going to stand in line at Best Buy for PS3's let alone camped outside waiting for one.

You'll be one of people who spend $5,000 for one on Ebay the day it comes out.

People like you make me rich. Thanks in advance!


RE: I'm buying one
By jtesoro on 6/27/2006 6:27:08 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
True. And as payment for that, you give up months or even years of enjoyment of the best technology to be found.

Life's too short. If you want to take the slow, cautious route, more power to you.

I saw a model which THG drew up some time ago regarding hardware purchases. I'm not sure if they still use it, but it puts a dollar figure to the amount you save waiting for the price to drop and another figure to quantify the benefit of enjoying the product here and now. I understood the concept but couldn't make the actual numbers make sense to me.

I'm thinking of the timing on when I should buy a large LCD TV and an upscaling DVD player. Your "life's too short" thing is somehow affecting my decision! :)


RE: I'm buying one
By TomZ on 6/26/2006 4:47:42 PM , Rating: 2
Better yet, if MS releases a dual-format (HD-DVD+Blu-ray) drive at $200.


RE: I'm buying one
By tigz1218 on 6/26/2006 6:13:37 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
blu ray player that craps out on you after 6 months. remember how crappy the ps2 dvd drive was????


Ive had a ps2 since its launch day and never had a problem with it. Oh and stop trying to predict the future, since you claim the blu-ray players will stop workin in 6 months, wait till it comes out otherwise your just making yourself look dumb. Thanks.


RE: I'm buying one
By killerroach on 6/26/2006 6:35:25 PM , Rating: 2
$150 for the addon? Last I heard, the HD-DVD addon was being talked about at close to $200-$300. And come on... who buys the $299 Xbox 360 Core System?


Not sure why...
By MonkeyPaw on 6/26/2006 4:10:19 PM , Rating: 2
Why whould MS lower the price of the 360? It will already be $100-200 cheaper than PS3 at launch. I'd imagine MS will drop the price of the 360 when Sony actually has a decent number of gaming titles available. Even then, these will need to be impressive titles.




RE: Not sure why...
By sxr7171 on 6/26/2006 4:20:02 PM , Rating: 2
They already just keep losing money on their console business so why not just lower prices by $100 or even $50 and gaurantee domination of PS3?


gaurantee domination of PS3 is not qairantee
By hstewarth on 6/26/2006 4:30:54 PM , Rating: 2
gaurantee domination of PS3 is not qairantee for at least 2 reasons.

1. Blu-Ray player
2. Alot of existing PS2 fan base will upgrade to PS3

Also a lot of owners of 360 ( like myself ) will also have a PS3.


By MDme on 6/26/2006 4:35:48 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Textby hstewarth on June 26, 2006 at 4:30 PM


uh...what?


RE: gaurantee domination of PS3 is not qairantee
By MDme on 6/26/2006 4:36:55 PM , Rating: 2
"gaurantee domination of PS3 is not qairantee for at least 2 reasons.

1. Blu-Ray player
2. Alot of existing PS2 fan base will upgrade to PS3

Also a lot of owners of 360 ( like myself ) will also have a PS3."

uh...what?
(sorry for post above...clicked too early)


RE: gaurantee domination of PS3 is not qairantee
By sxr7171 on 6/26/2006 5:04:25 PM , Rating: 2
Do you seriously think the PS3 will be manufactured in any volume before stand alone Blu-Ray players are $300? Haven't you learned anything from the PS2 hype launch?

I'd rather have a real Blu-Ray player than a George Foreman look alike.

BTW, "Alot" is not a word.


By masher2 (blog) on 6/26/2006 5:26:25 PM , Rating: 2
> "Do you seriously think the PS3 will be manufactured in any volume before stand alone Blu-Ray players are $300?"

It's going to take quite a while before BR players are running $300. We're talking another litho process node, and at least a two-chip BR ASIC solution being available for the design. I'd say 2.5 years or so.


RE: gaurantee domination of PS3 is not qairantee
By PrinceGaz on 6/27/2006 1:18:05 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
I'd say 2.5 years or so.


lol. Yeah right. Especially as HD-DVD players are already only $500 and will steadily fall in price. This time next year, BD and HD-DVD players will both be under $300. You're reading too much into new technology; I've seen loads of new tech come and go, and believe me the price in stuff like consumer disc players drops very quickly.


By OrSin on 6/27/2006 8:15:02 AM , Rating: 2
Not a hugh fan of PS3 right now but HD-DVD are priced at lost. They will not be dropping price for long time to come. Buyuing the PS3 for thethe BLue-Ray is actually a damn good idea. Really the best one as far as I can see.
Aand don;t let MS off. They are pushed thier the 360 as media extender at also.

Early 2007 they will still be the say price. By this time next year thye might be about $500 if we lucky, but I doubt it. My best guess HD-DVD will go up in price int he next year. Saying they got better technology in the newer more expensize players.


RE: Not sure why...
By OddTSi on 6/26/2006 5:05:38 PM , Rating: 3
Exactly. For one, it'll be cheaper than the PS3 even at the current price. Two, even IF they're planning on lowering the price around the PS3 launch to stick it to Sony even more they would be stupid to announce it right now. Then you'd have 6 months of stagnant sales while everyone waits for the confirmed price drop.

Even basic economics sense would tell you that the best thing MS can do is keep any price drop (whether it's 6 months from now or 6 years from now) secret until a few weeks before it takes effect.


RE: Not sure why...
By jkresh on 6/26/2006 5:10:35 PM , Rating: 2
Unless I am mistaken in order to release a blueray drive Microsoft would have to license the tech from Sony (as Sony owns the format) so Sony would know if Microsoft was about to do something like that. That being said, I am happy with my 360 and if the hd-dvd add on is solid I will buy it, and I may even buy a ps3 (though probably not at launch), especially if it’s a quality blueray player (if I would need a separate blueray player then I would wait for a price drop on the ps3).


RE: Not sure why...
By masher2 (blog) on 6/26/2006 5:29:05 PM , Rating: 3
> "Unless I am mistaken in order to release a blueray drive Microsoft would have to license the tech from Sony (as Sony owns the format)"

Incorrect. The BRDA owns the format. Sony, Pioneer, Sharp, Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Philips...all have their hand in the pie.


Putting your own biases into your article?
By masher2 (blog) on 6/26/06, Rating: 0
By KristopherKubicki (blog) on 6/26/2006 3:56:38 PM , Rating: 2
I removed that. Thanks.


RE: Putting your own biases into your article?
By Trisped on 6/26/2006 3:58:24 PM , Rating: 3
With the exception of those on one article, every post that mentions PS3, Wii, or the 360 have degraded into attacks on the PS3. There is an over all discontent with main stream readers. That could be a side effect of DailyTech being read by more PC enthusiasts. Even so, only strong Play Station fans and Home Theater enthusiast are interested in buying the PS3.

Since this is a console, many gamers feel that Sony handy caped the console solely to aid their format war.


By Trisped on 6/26/2006 4:00:27 PM , Rating: 2
Doh, took to long, so Kris took it down before I could agree with him.


RE: Putting your own biases into your article?
By PrinceGaz on 6/27/2006 1:13:50 AM , Rating: 2
Any Home Theater enthusiast who buys a PS3 for that reason is most definitely not an enthusiast, but a fool.


By mlau on 6/27/2006 2:34:11 AM , Rating: 2
If the rumors about Linux on the PS3 are true,
I'm definitly going to buy one.
That's also why I like the original Xbox, with the XBMC
it is fine HTPC.


xbox 360 cheaper?
By lwright84 on 6/26/2006 8:09:44 PM , Rating: 2
most of you seem to forget that you will actually spend more on your xbox 360 to get the same features and functionality included with the $600 PS3.

$400 console + $100 wireless adapter + $150+ HD-DVD add-on + monthly fee for xbox live = more money than the PS3 and it still has 40GB less hard drive space, less industry support, weaker hardware, smaller library of titles (especially exclusives), and various other negatives against it.

that being said.. Gears of War looks amazing. i hope it comes out on the PC so i dont have to buy a x360 to play it. does blockbuster still rent consoles?




RE: xbox 360 cheaper?
By MDme on 6/26/2006 11:47:16 PM , Rating: 1
I don't think so:

X360.... ($299 - $399)
Wireless Router..... ($15) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82...

HD-DVD add on..... (~$150)

Total system cost....$465-565

Kicking sony in the butt....priceless


RE: xbox 360 cheaper?
By lwright84 on 6/27/06, Rating: 0
RE: xbox 360 cheaper?
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 6/27/2006 8:01:10 AM , Rating: 2
Don't speak badly of xBox live. Hell it kicks ass in the here and now, and it has excellent support from Microsoft. Not to mention Windows Vista will interface with xBox live so that PC and Console gamers can play together...... so about that ps3 online? yea.... whats that all about? I've heard almost nothing, infact it looks like its still just an idea, and not something Sony is ready to launch and support on the level Microsoft supports Live.


RE: xbox 360 cheaper?
By OrSin on 6/27/2006 8:25:31 AM , Rating: 2
Price seems to come out about the same to me. But I do really hate thay you have to pay for xbow live to play games on the internet. But I can't really see Sony system but better hardward wise. Not saying Xbow is better, but my guess both systems will be equal for years to come. Maybe when developers get better at programming for the systems then they might start to show some distanst bewteen them. To me its really all about what you want. MC extender or Blueray. HD-DV or BlueRay (1080P). Sports or RPG.


RE: xbox 360 cheaper?
By JuneBugKiller on 6/27/2006 5:04:10 PM , Rating: 3
Why do people talk bad about the PS3 maybe because it is. Read this article http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=32171
Look at the devstation pic if you don't believe how much slower the system is to the 360. Price wise you can get a $20 adapter for the 360 so you can hook up any sata hard drive up to 750GB. If you think the prices on the 360 at launch were bad or hard to find wait untill the PS3 comes out. Nov 17, 2006 supposed to have 6 million total for a world wide launch and there CPU has horrible yields. It wouldn't surprise me if they lower the clock from 3.2 to 2.8 . I'm not a fanboy for the 360, I don't even have one.


"Game reviewers fought each other to write the most glowing coverage possible for the powerhouse Sony, MS systems. Reviewers flipped coins to see who would review the Nintendo Wii. The losers got stuck with the job." -- Andy Marken

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