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How can Microsoft still justify $499?
- Thread starter iceDragon7
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dont call it a comeback
Banned
Bingo. First post nails it.
Xbox was really cool. The early 360 was really cool. The XBO feels like a bunch of out-of-touch suits trying to market cool to us. And creating a far weaker console for more money just to push an advertising agenda wrapped in a voice recognition remote control just feeds that "executive meddling" narrative all the more.
Yeah this one bit of news will not sway casual gamers, but that price and constant negative buzz that is surely permeating further than this forum definitely will. This is yet another bad news bit on the long list of bad news bits.
They can't justify it. That's why they added a free game in Europe (no NFL, no TV). But a company like MS needs months to make the necessary decisions after such a failure in design. With a powerless CEO. They will sell X1 as it is (remember it's profitable) and start work on a successor right away and it's gonna do the Hardware stuff right and be out by 2016. Probably powered by Nvidia.
Succinct Verbosity
Member
The resolution thing isn't an issue, but I think most people are aware that the ps4 offers more for less. Ignoring the price of the system itself, playstation plus offers free games and consumer goodwill goes a long way. MS have/are coming of as greedy, but it's not just because of the price of their console.
SwiftDeath
Member
There was a valid thread to be made about this topic, this OP is not that thread
andromeduck
Member
I don't think they'll do it because it'll be a lose lose situation for them if they do.
if they cut by $100 or more it'll still be weaker and then people will complain about it dragging down the specs, if they cut it by less than that then people will complain it's not enough.
if they cut by $100 or more it'll still be weaker and then people will complain about it dragging down the specs, if they cut it by less than that then people will complain it's not enough.
Feels. All of this is bullshit until you're playing the console. Negative rumours, weak hardware specs, bad pr, etc. Won't matter if you pop in a game and it's good.
JimmyRustler
Member
Wait.... Could they ever justify it?
ElectricBanquet
Member
The answer basically is they think it will sell just fine at that price. Maybe they're wrong, but it's not like it's now or never on a price drop. If the market (not GAF) decides that $499 is too expensive then MS can always drop the price later.
JPeeples83
Member
They'll still charge it because people are willing to pay it - it would be stupid for MS to drop the price when people are clearly willing to buy it at $500.
unholyrevenger72
Banned
Time traveling into the future to test your product is expensive that's why.
did you say ''Brute Force''?
Goddamn, what a terrible game. My friends still hate me for making them play this with me.
RocketSurgeryTV
Member
I want this to be a thing.
I think this sums up everything quite nicely.
Honestly, lots of people have been asking how they could justify $499 since they announced it, and for many of us they haven't been able to do it and that's before any of this entered into it.
For some people it's a good deal, and more power to them. Go with what you want, not what everyone else tells you to want.
For some people it's a good deal, and more power to them. Go with what you want, not what everyone else tells you to want.
Monty Mole
Member
Apple has proven historically that people are willing to pay more money for things that are less powerful, if they're well designed and offer the features, benefits and interface that appeals. You could always get a much more powerful PC for a cheaper price than a Mac. Likewise you can get a more powerful smartphone at a cheaper price than an iPhone.
Of course, this comparison is silly because Microsoft isn't Apple. And Sony isn't Microsoft or Samsung. Which leaves me to not understand where I'm going with this at all
What I will say, is that Microsoft will have some exclusives nailed down that won't be on PS4 - and vice versa. It's why I absolutely must have both consoles, even if I consider delaying getting the XB1 until next year now.
Of course, this comparison is silly because Microsoft isn't Apple. And Sony isn't Microsoft or Samsung. Which leaves me to not understand where I'm going with this at all
What I will say, is that Microsoft will have some exclusives nailed down that won't be on PS4 - and vice versa. It's why I absolutely must have both consoles, even if I consider delaying getting the XB1 until next year now.
PotionBleue
Member
Wii versions of Just Dance games have always sold much, much, much better than all other versions. And it doesn't look like it's going to change, as the first Just Dance 2014 splits available (that come from the UK) show 87% Wii - 8% Xbox 360 - 4% Wii U - 2% PS3. Not sure if the “Just Dance” market will make a more significant impact than the “core” market on Xbox One sales. Also, this is the first year there is no new Dance Central game for Xbox, making Xbox One's Kinect even less interesting for those interested in dancing games.
Where does this come from? NeoGAF? Because most of NeoGAF indeed doesn't give a shit about Just Dance games yet JD1, JD2, JD3 and JD4 all sold millions of copies each.
something fishy
Member
illmatic19
Member
Because they are tired of taking losses on the Xbox division.
yodathesoda
Member
Because people are willing to pay the extra $100 for games they enjoy to play more than what the competition offers and is the platform their friends play on?
Crazy thought.
Crazy thought.
yodathesoda
Member
People are also really underestimating Xbox fitness with Insanity and P90x. Casuals will eat this up.
Nemesis121
Member
The power of the system doesn't validate the price, if it was more powerful that PS4 then I could see paying the extra $100, to make X1 more appealing it needs to be $400 or even $350, but at that price system is a turnoff.
GoofsterStud
Member
Well if you look at the history of consoles...people have reason to worry.
PS3 Wipeout (1080p)
Sega Saturn Virtua Fighter Remix/2 (Resolutions went down the following years)
The list goes on. Later in a consoles life most developers start sacrificing resolution for other visuals.
intheinbetween
Member
well you should have in mind we've had several sub-hd titles this current gen, for both 360 and PS3.
I'm inclined to think that if CoD is 720p this might be due the drivers problem reported some weeks ago.
GoofsterStud
Member
I'm saying resolutions go down in general over the consoles life...
As far as drivers... Esram is a problem; however the weaker GPU is a bigger problem. The Esram is to low to do 1080p through drivers. It's just not possible at with the limit if you plan on taking advantage of the systems power. Anything above 720p will need to the wire programming.
NotMyRealName
Banned
My sister and her friends love Kinect games. Whether or not they're willing to pay 500 dollars for them remains to be seen.
Coffee Dog
Banned
Lets get real here: even the $399 Sony's charging is too much given how lower end the components are. Both are egregiously overpriced because that's what people will pay.
Black Mantis
Member
The games still look great and an improvement over the 360/PS3. Now couple that with the games being fun to play, I couldn't give a damn that some titles are 720p (my tv is that res anyway). As long as it provides the experiences I want, it's worth the money to me.
BS. xbox 360 was ahead in US because majority of people kinda figured the Xbox 360 has better looking multiplatform games they like such as COD etc. and it was 100 to 200$ cheaper than PS3.
this is the EXACT same thing but the other way around.
Officerrob
Banned
The price for what is actually in the box is fine. Lets be honest, the machine is probably a $300-$350 console, but they decided to pack in a $150 camera to try and force in down people's throats. Put it all together, and I understand the price. What I don't understand, is the decision to force the camera on people when it makes your box $100 more than the competition when you know you have worse specs. Specs, resolution, and fps matter, but more than anything price is king (if things are relatively equal). They have got to get to price parity at the very least soon, because once the initial launch sales dry up, I think sales for the Xbox One are going to be pretty brutal.
Shpeshal_Ed
Banned
I'd be considered a hardcore gamer by most, and I couldn't care less.
I've been playing sub 720 games for the last 7 years that still look and play fantastic.
They will justify it by saying "games, tv, kinect". Some people will buy that and other people won't.
$499 is not a crazy launch price for a new console. PS4 being $100 cheaper is bad for the Bone, but it's not the end of the world. Gamers love their achievements and their friendslists; you need to stick with MS if you want those to carry over. Titanfall is an MS exclusive, Halo is an MS exclusive, when they get around to making another Gears that will probably be exclusive as well.
Outside of gaming, I personally do not think the TV features and Kinect are going to sell a lot of boxes to non-gamers. But who knows. I thought nobody would buy a waggle machine either and look how that turned out.
$499 is not a crazy launch price for a new console. PS4 being $100 cheaper is bad for the Bone, but it's not the end of the world. Gamers love their achievements and their friendslists; you need to stick with MS if you want those to carry over. Titanfall is an MS exclusive, Halo is an MS exclusive, when they get around to making another Gears that will probably be exclusive as well.
Outside of gaming, I personally do not think the TV features and Kinect are going to sell a lot of boxes to non-gamers. But who knows. I thought nobody would buy a waggle machine either and look how that turned out.
It's not an absurd price and the services / tech is more than what we traditionally get with a console.
I remember same hostility being faced with 360 and it being underpowered (Xbox 1.5). Xbox One will be a success, they have a solid plan based on their users behaviour. Services is the right way forward
I remember same hostility being faced with 360 and it being underpowered (Xbox 1.5). Xbox One will be a success, they have a solid plan based on their users behaviour. Services is the right way forward
To add to what you said Nintendo is doing their casual push this year. The JD4 commercials I saw are all for the Wii/Wii U in the same way the AC4 commercials are all for the Playstation consoles. Plus they are pushing supplement games that appeal to that audience like Wii Party, Wii Fit, and Wii Sports sequels , which means Nintendo is going to get more of the attention from that audience. The Wii already gets the majority of Just Dance sales so any extra attention Nintendo can get from that crowd is just going to keep those sales where they are or move them to Wii U.
Microsoft will have to do a major push to get those sales and that doesn't appear to be where they are going to focus their marketing at all. They would rather fight Sony for the CoD crowd instead.
How they can justify selling an inferior machine at a higher cost is beyond me and has been since the reveal.
Kinect obviously inflates the price.
Also those stating that the only difference will be resolution are in for an unpleasant surprise, as we progress there will be the need for greater sacrifice in visuals to try and keep Xbox One versions even running comparably as well as PS4.
They already are.
Kinect obviously inflates the price.
Also those stating that the only difference will be resolution are in for an unpleasant surprise, as we progress there will be the need for greater sacrifice in visuals to try and keep Xbox One versions even running comparably as well as PS4.
They already are.
Acheteedo
Member
Eh, I'm getting an Xbone day 1 but I think it's a valid point. The answer is that they aimed for profit on their hardware like a normal product is meant to. They didn't count on Sony taking a loss, therefore being able to undercut them significantly, but by the time Microsoft found out it was too late, they'd already announced their price. So at this point I think they're going to see how thing fare with the current price then cut as needed.
It's up in the air if the difference between 720p and 1080p will matter much, but to me it does. Whether it matters a lot or a little, they're still offering a weaker product for more money, which is a tough sell.
It's up in the air if the difference between 720p and 1080p will matter much, but to me it does. Whether it matters a lot or a little, they're still offering a weaker product for more money, which is a tough sell.
brain_stew
Member
The price in the US is nothing compared to the £430 that they're charging in the UK. Completely ridiculous.
I paid £280 for my 360 at launch and it was competitive with high end PC hardware. The Xbox One will be outclassed by integrated graphics within a 2-3 years.
I paid £280 for my 360 at launch and it was competitive with high end PC hardware. The Xbox One will be outclassed by integrated graphics within a 2-3 years.
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