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[DarienA]

You can't really pin it right now because of the technology. PS3 as well. They are both extremely powerful machines for their launch period. Above and beyond what they were at during the last console launches.

I disagree, the PS2 was initially being touted by many analysts as being so expensive that there was simply no way it would launch at $299.

Same shit, different generation. The hardware company's know that anything about $299 starts to push in to the red zone of purchasing.

 

[Azih]

$299 is the norm for a new console. MS would be able to pull of $299 for standard and $349 for 'premium' xbox. But a 249, 299 thing would be much more aggressive and MS has been nothing but aggressive so far.

 

[Kleegamefan]

$299 is an expected price, but it will seem like a steal when Xbox 360 debuts because it will be head and shoulders graphically above anything else at that time (including PCs, IMO)

Can't wait

 

[Project Midway]

Dear MS, please dont try to fuck with the EU launch price. It didnt work last time. Thanks.

299 euros, or else!!!

 

[PhatSaqs]

This E3 should be real interesting. Be really interesting to see how Sony approaches revealing info about PS3. MS focus will probably be pretty much all about X360 w/some token references to Xbox on how they're not ditching it yet (yeah right). The talk of the show will no doubt be about the next-gen stuff at the end of the day.

But Sony on the other hand has to juggle keeping the PSP excitment up, games releases etc., keeping the PS2 excitement up for this year and half of next, and hyping PS3 while trying not to deflect interest/excitement pertaining to PSP and PS2. Ultimately, they have to sell people that the next-gen doesnt start until they say it does.

Bottom line, GAF will asplode... :lol

 

[MightyHedgehog]

Bottom line, GAF will asplode... :lol

Nay, the internet will.

 

[Rabid Wolverine]

I like the world worldwide.

If MS can pull this off, hats off to em.

Then we can get Sony and Nintendo to follow suit.

 

[sprsk]

i dont think any console will go for above 299, i think most companies know this is a bad idea.

 

[Shig]

It would make more sense to launch at $299.99 and be ready for a price drop to $199.99 when PS3 comes out.

I completely disagree. It would be a slap in the face to early adopters to cut prices so soon, would look very reactionary, and give the impression that 360 isn't on the same level as PS3.

Once more, who is going to be spending $300+ on a system? Enthusiasts, mostly. And you think enthusiasts are going to want a system without the HD? Not likely. HD is for the gaming enthusiasts, while non-HD is for the more casual fans. $250 is a good price to get them more interested, but isn't so low as to give the impression that it's markedly inferior to the competition (like the GC being 33%+ less than the other systems has).

 

[sonycowboy]

I completely disagree. It would be a slap in the face to early adopters to cut prices so soon, would look very reactionary, and give the impression that 360 isn't on the same level as PS3.

:lol

Xbox dropped $100 in 6 months this generation and you think it dropping $100 in 12 months would look reactionary??? And it dropped even faster in Europe.

 

[Mooreberg]

Yeah dropping it $100 after 12 months to undercut a new product isn't a slap in the face. You know when you buy something at launch it will be priced better later on for the people who are willing to wait. And as mentioned, they dropped to $199.99 for E3 2002. Dropping after 12 months is a lot more reasonable than that.

Once more, who is going to be spending $300+ on a system? Enthusiasts, mostly

People probably have varying opinions on what an "enthusiast" is but there are more than enough of them to keep a console selling for $299.99, unless maybe people simply hold out for whenever Halo 3 comes out. If you look at the sales of the $299.99 Xbox vs. $199 Gamecube, people in the US were willing to shell out the extra money since they felt the extra features were worth it. If they're going to include 512MB of RAM and don't plan on incurring heavy losses again, they'll launch at $299.99 and drop the price when PS3 comes out, at which point the production would be ramped up anyway.

 

[Striek]

No more than $450 AUD then, thanks microsoft

I think at that price ($60 AUD above current exchange rate) it will sell like hotcakes here. PS2 sold for $750 at launch, sold decent, exploded in sales when it hit $500.

This is good news about worldwide launch too, roll on launch titles.

 

[The_Sorrow]

Depending on how Xbox 2 impresses me at E3 and if it is backwards compatable for a decent price, I may pick it up this fall.

 

[Pedigree Chum]

Depending on how Xbox 2 impresses me at E3 and if it is backwards compatable for a decent price, I may pick it up this fall.

Same, I want BC though.

 

[Sysgen]

:lol

Xbox dropped $100 in 6 months this generation and you think it dropping $100 in 12 months would look reactionary??? And it dropped even faster in Europe.

I thought Shigs post was accurate. The Xbox dropped in price with the competition and dropped in Europe becuase they priced it too high. Dropping it in price with the debut of the PS3 would be seen differently than a competitive price drop.

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

Same, I want BC though.

I swear that this is a pointless feature. My Xbox 1 will just be relocated to my bedroom. Much ado about nothing.

 

[jadehorizon1]

I'm still amazed that people so easily assume PS3 will be in the $299 range. Arent you guys forgetting that Blue-ray drive it's supposidly housing??? Last I heard the first HD-DVD players are coming out at the end of 2005 around $800-$1000. Theres no way Sony can possibly work out a Blue-ray PS3 in 2006 for $299 without bleeding themselves to death. Its just not possible.



doesnt anyone else see this as a problem???

 

[DopeyFish]

I'm still amazed that people so easily assume PS3 will be in the $299 range. Arent you guys forgetting that Blue-ray drive it's supposidly housing??? Last I heard the first HD-DVD players are coming out at the end of 2005 around $800-$1000. Theres no way Sony can possibly work out a Blue-ray PS3 in 2006 for $299 without bleeding themselves to death. Its just not possible.



doesnt anyone else see this as a problem???

I think both PS3 and Xbox 2 will launch at $399. Maybe I'm thinking too ahead of myself but I just think the internal costs of each will be too steep to launch at $299.

 

[sonycowboy]

I'm still amazed that people so easily assume PS3 will be in the $299 range. Arent you guys forgetting that Blue-ray drive it's supposidly housing??? Last I heard the first HD-DVD players are coming out at the end of 2005 around $800-$1000. Theres no way Sony can possibly work out a Blue-ray PS3 in 2006 for $299 without bleeding themselves to death. Its just not possible.



doesnt anyone else see this as a problem???

I don't think you understand why Consumer electronics are obscenely high at introduction. It's mostly not component prices, it's the fact that the market is so incredibly small and thus, so are the sales, that that price allows them to actually sell it, despite all the overhead associated with launching a new product.

That won't be a problem with the PS3 and a Blu-Ray drive will NOT be the single largest cost component for the PS3. That will be the CELL, then the GPU, IMO

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

I think both PS3 and Xbox 2 will launch at $399. Maybe I'm thinking too ahead of myself but I just think the internal costs of each will be too steep to launch at $299.

I'm still alloting 399 for the PS3, and I honestly think MS will come at 299, Forbes is rarely wrong about pricing of things