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[DarienA]

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/642/642645p1.html

IGN: Why did you decide to offer two SKUs, isn't that confusing for the consumer?

Peter Moore: If there is a lesson I think we have learned in the previous generation is that gamers want choice. Some gamers want simply to play a game and have none of the, in their estimation, some of the frills of the gaming experience, and price becomes paramount for them. At the same time, we believe it's important to offer them the ability to set up and upgrade. But if price becomes the key factor, we wanted to have that as well for as a choice for the consumer. $299 is a spectacular price point. And certainly in Europe in particular, I think we learned our lesson, that 479 euros and a March launch was not the optimal mix of what was going on.

 

[Wario64]

Well played Moore. Well played

I also like choice too. Which is why I'm choosing not to jump on the next gen bandwagon

 

[Kuroyume]

Well played Moore. Well played

I also like choice too. Which is why I'm choosing not to jump on the next gen bandwagon

:lol

 

[PhatSaqs]

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/642/642645p1.html

IGN: Why did you decide to offer two SKUs, isn't that confusing for the consumer?

Peter Moore: If there is a lesson I think we have learned in the previous generation is that gamers want choice. Some gamers want simply to play a game and have none of the, in their estimation, some of the frills of the gaming experience, and price becomes paramount for them. At the same time, we believe it's important to offer them the ability to set up and upgrade. But if price becomes the key factor, we wanted to have that as well for as a choice for the consumer. $299 is a spectacular price point. And certainly in Europe in particular, I think we learned our lesson, that 479 euros and a March launch was not the optimal mix of what was going on.

I see why they did it but it goes against everything they were seemingly aiming towards with the last Xbox and their PR (up to now).

 

[Dr_Cogent]

MS, IMO, is fucked this next gen. They will continue to be the underdog.

 

[pilonv1]

Well played Moore. Well played

I also like choice too. Which is why I'm choosing not to jump on the next gen bandwagon

Excellent, more followers for the ONE GENERATION FUTURE!

 

[DopeyFish]

MS, IMO, is fucked this next gen. They will continue to be the underdog.

oh no, microsoft is the one doing the fucking.... remember?

 

[Mrbob]

MS, IMO, is fucked this next gen. They will continue to be the underdog.

I agree.

Regarding the core package, at least throw Component cables with them. HD ERA indeed with no HD display ability out of the box with the core system.

 

[urk]

They will continue to be the underdog.

What are your thoughts about the sky remaining blue, Doctor?

 

[The Faceless Master]

jesus, they almost make Nintendo look brilliant for making a console that won't cost an arm and a leg!

 

[DarienA]

:lol

:lol

 

[Geek]

IGN: Will the hard drive come pre-loaded with Halo and Halo 2 on it?

Peter: We want, out of the box, a high definition experience for consumers, and the hard-drive will have content loaded on it at launch. It will contain video, not necessarily related to videogames. I can't get into the details, we're just weeks away from making those announcements, but they will be pre-loaded, no charge for it. We'll be working with partners to ensure its entertaining to the demographic, and that's very important.

You get ads shipped standard with your Xbox 360. I can't wait to see Pimp My Ride commercials in HD!

 

[WordofGod]

Excellent, more followers for the ONE GENERATION FUTURE!

Agreed!

 

[Doom_Bringer]

Agreed!

dude quit that. You know PS3 is gonna be expensive as hell

 

[Nerevar]

I also like choice too. Which is why I'm choosing not to jump on the next gen bandwagon

qft

 

[OmniGamer]

Two SKUs...one for each of Microsoft's Two faces[/oh snap!]

Anyway, this definitely makes me feel better about my super late ass XBOX purchase...I will enjoy the 4 year old big bastard and it's cheap bargin bin games until the $399 XBOX 360 arrives at a price i'm willing to pay.

 

[dark10x]

dude quit that. You know PS3 is gonna be expensive as hell

It could go either way...

They could take MS's move and use that as an excuse to release the system at a high price OR they could attempt to undercut them and release one SKU for $299. I'm sure they are discussing the hell out of this right now...

 

[krypt0nian]

oh no, microsoft is the one doing the fucking.... remember?

Only to those stupid enough to bend over willingly.

 

[Dr_Cogent]

What are your thoughts about the sky remaining blue, Doctor?

The sky isn't always blue

 

[chinch]

MS, IMO, is fucked this next gen. They will continue to be the underdog.

do you think they'll go out of business anytime soon though???

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[Doom_Bringer]

It could go either way...

They could take MS's move and use that as an excuse to release the system at a high price OR they could attempt to undercut them and release one SKU for $299. I'm sure they are discussing the hell out of this right now...

ya that's right! now they have at least 5 months to make a decision on the price. I hope they go with one SKU.

 

[OptimusPrime]

Well we see if Sony has the balls and announce their price 2day...

 

[jman2050]

IGN: Why did you decide to offer two SKUs, isn't that confusing for the consumer?

Peter Moore: If there is a lesson I think we have learned in the previous generation is that gamers want choice. Some gamers want simply to play a game and have none of the, in their estimation, some of the frills of the gaming experience, and price becomes paramount for them. At the same time, we believe it's important to offer them the ability to set up and upgrade. But if price becomes the key factor, we wanted to have that as well for as a choice for the consumer. $299 is a spectacular price point. And certainly in Europe in particular, I think we learned our lesson, that 479 euros and a March launch was not the optimal mix of what was going on.

BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

 

[WordofGod]

dude quit that. You know PS3 is gonna be expensive as hell

Price doesn't matter with the PS3. Blue Ray HD Movie player justifies any price Sony wants for their new system.

 

[human5892]

It will contain video, not necessarily related to videogames.

Hopefully it's shitty ads for XTREME products, or possibly nu-metal music videos!

We'll be working with partners to ensure its entertaining to the demographic

It is! Huzzah!

 

[dark10x]

ya that's right! now they have at least 5 months to make a decision on the price. I hope they go with one SKU.

In the US at least, I really don't think they'll go any other way. As I predicted two SKUs for 360, I predict 1 SKU for PS3. Obviously, there is a massive variance in what the price could be...but I don't think you'll see two price points here.

 

[Netrunner2k2]

I think they are going a little too far with this "gamers want choice" crap. Yes, I want choices in GAMES, not the choice of if I want to spend 300 or 400 dollars on a system.

Has any previous game system launched with 2 or more SKUs?

 

[dark10x]

Has any previous game system launched with 2 or more SKUs?

Recently, oddly enough, the PSP launched with 2 SKUs in Japan. SCEA and SCEE did not go this route, however, and I wouldn't expect them to with PS3 either.

Difference here is that most were expecting one 360 SKU at $300. PSP was expected to cost much more than what it finally did. Offering a core unit at under $200 seemed like quite a steal. The 360 announcements make it seem as if everything is just much higher than expected.

 

[Link316]

Well we see if Sony has the balls and announce their price 2day...

there's no reason for them to do something that foolish

 

[pilonv1]

Well we see if Sony has the balls and announce their price 2day...

They will have to wait weeks for the laughing to stop.

 

[Sho Nuff]

FUCK YOU AND YOUR TWO SKU'S MOORE, YOU LIMEY DOUCHER!

 

[Azrael]

Including Blu-Ray is going to cost Sony too much to launch at $299. Most likely there will be a single $399 SKU for PS3, with no HDD included.

 

[dark10x]

Including Blu-Ray is going to cost Sony too much to launch at $299. Most likely there will be a single $399 SKU for PS3, with no HDD included.

What makes an optical drive like Blu-Ray so expensive? Unlike an HDD, those prices should come down pretty quickly.

 

[gofreak]

dude quit that. You know PS3 is gonna be expensive as hell

$500 would seem agreeable looking at how much you could spend on certain X360 peripherals to (try) match out-of-the-box functionality on PS3 ($99 for wifi?!). I doubt it'll be that much though.

 

[human5892]

I'd be completely shocked about a $500 PS3. I just can't see Sony going that high.

I'm not a betting person, but one $400 SKU seems logical to me.

 

[krypt0nian]

http://www.majornelson.com is a dead thing right now.

 

[sgt]

I won't mind paying $400 for PS3 since it's going to support BluRay.

 

[WordofGod]

I won't mind paying $400 for PS3 since it's going to support BluRay.

Plus backwards compatability make's the PS3 a no brainer @ any price!

 

[pilonv1]

Plus backwards compatability make's the PS3 a no brainer @ any price!

Not with your memory cards! Next gen is doomed!

 

[trmas]

I would have bought the cheap system if it had component cables and a $10 more expensive wireless controller. The HDD didn't matter to me...

MS hosed up big with their "value" pack.

 

[Guy LeDouche]

I won't mind paying $400 for PS3 since it's going to support BluRay.

+ wifi out of the box, and a bluetooth controller (hopefully the boomerang is comfortable or they change the design)


PS3 will be expensive, but you are getting alot built-in. I only plan on getting 1, maybe 2 games at launch and I know I'll spend $500+ on PS3 launch day. Easily. Its just a fact that launch day gaming is expensive.

 

[FiRez]

At major nelson blog

Microsoft Announces Xbox 360 Price for Europe and North America: Starts at $299.99 U.S./€299.99/£209.99
Feature-packed system brings high-definition gaming to the masses this holiday season.

WHAT?????

 

[Beer Monkey]

Price doesn't matter with the PS3. Blue Ray HD Movie player justifies any price Sony wants for their new system.

You obviously haven't seen the scads of toothless hillbillies in midwestern Walmarts gobbling up PS2 games. These guys are about as interested in Bloo Ray as you and I are in squealing like pigs.

 

[kaching]

So many threads about this, guess I'll throw my opinion in the shortest one.

I don't have a problem with the two SKUs, nor their pricing. I couldn't find or assemble a similarly capable gaming hardware package for any less in the same timeframe as the X360 will arrive. The pricing on some of the standalone accessories is a little naff but getting the 399 SKU deals with that issue and there's presumably the possibility of cheaper 3rd party versions of these peripherals.

The kind of subsidies that hardware manufacturers have been willing to front us on the platforms they build to our higher and higher expectations were bound to start disappearing sometime.

In terms of business strategy, it certainly bruises MS's image among current xbox owners since it doesn't at least keep whole everything that Xbox owners have come to expect so far. And while Sony will likely also be raising the entry fee on console gaming with the PS3, MS will be the first to do so and in this regard will suffer from being first mover because they will the first to break the bad news to the marketplace.

In terms of HDD utilization for games, I'm not concerned. Network connectivity wasn't supported out of the box on any console this gen (needed XBL to legitimately activate it on the XB and you needed an NA on the PS2) yet plenty of games have been online enabled. As long as the HDD promises significant benefits for in-game use and can be shown to be owned by at least a modest portion of the marketplace, it will be supported decently.

 

[PhatSaqs]

So many threads about this, guess I'll throw my opinion in the shortest one.

I don't have a problem with the two SKUs, nor their pricing. I couldn't find or assemble a similarly capable gaming hardware package for any less in the same timeframe as the X360 will arrive. The pricing on some of the standalone accessories is a little naff but getting the 399 SKU deals with that issue and there's presumably the possibility of cheaper 3rd party versions of these peripherals.

The kind of subsidies that hardware manufacturers have been willing to front us on the platforms they build to our higher and higher expectations were bound to start disappearing sometime.

In terms of business strategy, it certainly bruises MS's image among current xbox owners since it doesn't at least keep whole everything that Xbox owners have come to expect so far. And while Sony will likely also be raising the entry fee on console gaming with the PS3, MS will be the first to do so and in this regard will suffer from being first mover because they will the first to break the bad news to the marketplace.

In terms of HDD utilization for games, I'm not concerned. Network connectivity wasn't supported out of the box on any console this gen (needed XBL to legitimately activate it on the XB and you needed an NA on the PS2) yet plenty of games have been online enabled. As long as the HDD promises significant benefits for in-game use and can be shown to be owned by at least a modest portion of the marketplace, it will be supported decently.

kaching ends the thread. Great summary.

 

[DCX]

You guys really believe that PS3 is going to be cheaper than the 360 value pack? Blu-Ray alone is going to keep the price high. I really see it being somewhere in the 399-499 range. This is Sony. They set standards and push barriers. They will sell just as many PS3 at any price point. I mean look at the Jordan sneaker line. It's been one of the most expensive shoes on the market, and their demographic has been inner city youths...which are broke as hell. Yet i have witness a kid who's mom is on welfare, bummy clothes but yet, the one new thing he wanted was a pair of Jordans...and guess what..he got them.

The 360 is still going to be in the same position they were prior to this announcement. The only thing that makes me mad is spitting the market with the HD. It didn't work well for PS2 with their HD drive. It never worked with Sega and the 32X, Sega CD etc. A game like Blinx, now wouldn't be considered because the potential that many gamers can't play it due to the lack of a HD. Lame. I think this is where Microsoft dropped the ball. I had a feeling we would have two skus, but i am shocked that they didn't include the one thing that really set XBOX apart from PS2...

DCX

 

[AB 101]

dude quit that. You know PS3 is gonna be expensive as hell

Like the $500-$800.00 the PS2 was rumored to cost before it came out, right?

 

[Trustus Jones]

I can`t see what everyone is moaning at tbh. One pack is well suited to the live and High def users where the other is well suited to people who just want to play games by themselves or with friends. I think some of you people are forgetting to soon how much other consoles were at launch along with required accessories aswell. These are great launch prices imo and very much doubt sony could do a PS3 at those prices.

 

[Kobun Heat]

Mr. Moore: You once worked for a company called "Sega," which at the height of its idiocy produced not one but TWO market-segmenting add-ons for its hardware system, thus splitting their userbase up into a whopping FOUR groups:

1) Genesis owners
2) Genesis owners with Sega CD
3) Genesis owners with 32X
4) Genesis owners with Sega CD and 32X

This turned out to be what the French call 'batshit fucking insane'. How is it that Microsoft just did the same thing? Would you say it is stupidity? Ignorance? Greed? Focus groups? Or just sort of a general mishmash of the four?

 

[DarienA]

In terms of HDD utilization for games, I'm not concerned. Network connectivity wasn't supported out of the box on any console this gen (needed XBL to legitimately activate it on the XB and you needed an NA on the PS2) yet plenty of games have been online enabled. As long as the HDD promises significant benefits for in-game use and can be shown to be owned by at least a modest portion of the marketplace, it will be supported decently.

Kaching I like your summary but I think you are really glossing over the HDD usage. We've seen what a splintered HDD userbase does... in terms of generating support for the HD from developers. Why should we assume it'll be any different next gen? Especially when MS has been telling it's developer base to code as if the HDD is NOT there(This forum is not the first place I've heard that from BTW). And the benefits for the HD as I've been told countless times in this very forum go above just online usage... caching, saving, etc...

I think some of you people are forgetting to soon how much other consoles were at launch along with required accessories aswell. These are great launch prices imo and very much doubt sony could do a PS3 at those prices.

I think you should probably refresh the memories of those of us in the US then.


BTW I've noticed a subtle shift in the forum today... first it was... well the HD doesn't matter anyway, now I'm seeing more of... well the PS3 isn't gonna be any cheaper... shouldn't we stick to what we know... now?

Who am I kidding this is GAF, we live and breathe on psycho future predictions.....