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Xbox 360 - looks like BIG NEWS forthcoming

Xbox 360 should be priced at $199 - that would be like Dreamcast at $99


almost giving them away. not quite, but.....
 
Last time I was there which was probably last week I think Vista was up there because of the official name announcement.

This console is gonna be really successful and I'm really excited about it, I think $299 will be the price which is fair. The only thing that is sticking in my craw is the fact that they want $60 for the games. I really want a next gen Ridge Racer with online play and custom soundtrack support, but I really don't want to pay $60 for it.
 
Xbox 360 - looks like BIG NEWS forthcoming

Is it going to be delayed to a date that makes sense?
It will come at least with a propietary disc reader that is bigger than 8.4Gb?
MS will realize that one of the important features of the first xbox was the raw power?


:(
 
After very careful discussion last night, I bet any of you that the default $299 system does not include a hard drive. If all of the systems include a hard drive, it'll be one SKU and it'll be at least $350 if not $399.

1) Microsoft wouldn't tell us this at the get-go because they were trying to generate hardcore gamer hype. They failed pretty badly, but the truth still needs to come out.
2) The reason that they're still losing money on the Xbox is because the overhead in manufacturing hard drives doesn't decrease nearly as quickly as chip miniaturization.
3) There is literally no absolute NEED to have the hard drive in the system by default to play games.
4) It's designed to be detatchable/upgradeable and developers are not allowed to require it for their games (yet).
5) You don't need one to play with Live (just mem card)
6) By offering a more expensive bundle that includes the hard drive, they can pull ahead and almost sell the console at cost. Later they can do whatever they want and make money off the drive and bigger drives as peripherals.
7) There is absolutely no reason for a board to greenlight such an expensive component when it could be easily turned around as the only way to reach profitability. If this Xbox isn't profitable, it'll be the last.
8) Allard never promised it would be included, he only said "it's got a hard drive." He never said anywhere that I read that every xbox would include one. And even if he did, WinFS anyone?

If MS sells two SKUs (one HDD, one no), they're going to be in for a harsh awakening when everyone at launch wants the HDD one (Because only the hardcore gamers are even considering a launch purchase). The system without the HDD would sit on the shelves through Christmas and the media would perceive the whole thing as a complete failure. For that reason, I believe that $399 will be the only price point, and that it'll include the hard drive.
 
Err, I think you are forgetting the hdd is needed for backwards compatibility. I believe it is MS decision to make 360 BC which basically forced their hand to add the hdd in as standard.
 
Juice you bring up some good and valid points, but there is no way the X360 is launching at a $399 price point only.
 
um, talk to the guy from Bethesda, Im pretty sure their game requires the HD. I thought their decision on Oblivion coming to PS3 depended on the HD being included or not.

If there are two SKU's one could be HD-DVD and the other one not.
 
StoOgE said:
um, talk to the guy from Bethesda, Im pretty sure their game requires the HD.

If there are two SKU's one could be HD-DVD and the other one not.

Yeah some Bethesda guys post here so they could clear up any confusion. :D

Does MS still say to make games without the hdd in mind? Because from what I remember all that talk was before E3.
 
Mrbob said:
Err, I think you are forgetting the hdd is needed for backwards compatibility. I believe it is MS decision to make 360 BC which basically forced their hand to add the hdd in as standard.
So the people who want BC have to pay for it.

I'm pretty sure that games can't require a hard drive currently. Games can use the HDD.
 
Also, if the hdd isn't included, why is it listed on the official spec page?

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox360/factsheet.htm

Storage

* Detachable and upgradeable 20GB hard drive
* 12x dual-layer DVD-ROM
* Memory Unit support starting at 64 MB


Of course you could say the memory unit is listed too, but there is a difference between the listings. The hdd says detachable and upgradeable, which means it is included in the box. The memory unit says it starts support at 64MB. Doesn't say anything about being included.
 
Tetsuya Mizuguchi has quote space on the 'games' page.

“Now, I hope to create games that will give gamers the most emotional and thrilling gaming experience possible—a chemistry of joy, thrills, and sympathy. The power and advanced technologies of the next generation Xbox® platform will enable winning games with powerful emotions, high-quality graphics, and sound.”

-Testuya Mizuguchi
Q Entertainment
 
littlewig said:
How do you upgrade a 20GB harddrive? That makes no sense. You go out and buy a bigger one, unless I'm mistaken here.

Bingo. That is why its included. You can buy a bigger one if you want.
 
Brandon F said:
Tetsuya Mizuguchi has quote space on the 'games' page.

“Now, I hope to create games that will give gamers the most emotional and thrilling gaming experience possible—a chemistry of joy, thrills, and sympathy. The power and advanced technologies of the next generation Xbox® platform will enable winning games with powerful emotions, high-quality graphics, and sound.”

-Testuya Mizuguchi
Q Entertainment
what does that have to do with anything?
 
:lol :lol

I was wondering the same thing.

Although I'd like to change that Mizuguchi comment to something like this after seeing 99 Nights in motion:


“Now, I hope to create games that will give gamers the most emotional and thrilling gaming experience possible—a chemistry of joy, thrills, and sympathy. The power and advanced technologies of the next generation Xbox® platform will enable winning games with powerful emotions, high-quality graphics, sound, and worse AI than Playstation 2 games.”
 
Mrbob said:
Bingo. That is why its included. You can buy a bigger one if you want.

Bingo.

So much misinformation in this thread....

Microsoft has confirmed repeatedly that the HD is standard, and that there will be ONE retail SKU.

Microsoft and Seagate have said that the HD would be upgradable to larger sizes, and Seagate even specified sizes in their press release.

LD25 Series makes it possible for game consoles like the Xbox 360 to expand their capabilities far beyond traditional gaming - to enable them to expand and keep new soundtracks for games, to rip and store entire libraries of music and video, and to play back multimedia centralizing other entertainment functions with the gaming function.

With the increasing popularity of PC systems based on clever design and Mini-ITX mainboards, small footprint PCs and PC media centers are becoming a very visible - or perhaps a less visible - part of the home entertainment and information network. The LD25 Series' unique combination of small size and media-focused design will further promote and enable these new, creative designs.Based on Seagate's industry-leading technology platforms, the LD25 Series offers 20GB, 30GB and 40GB capacities and both PATA and SATA interfaces, is designed specifically for use in installed home entertainment applications, and features Seagate's patented SoftSonic fluid dynamic bearing motors for super-quiet operation and high reliability. LD25 Series is shipping now to the Microsoft Xbox 360 and to other consumer electronics customers and manufacturers of small-footprint PCs.

"The hard drive extends the gaming experience on Xbox 360," said Todd Holmdahl, corporate vice president, Xbox hardware. "From downloading trailers, new game levels, maps, weapons, vehicles, and more to supporting custom playlists in every game and storing video messages from friends, Seagate's LD25 Series 2.5-inch hard drive brings gaming and digital media together for the ultimate entertainment experience."
 
Exciting times peoepl.. check out this article on GI

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=10605

Highly placed sources in the UK industry have told GamesIndustry.biz that the Xbox 360 is set to launch in Europe on November 25th, with the US launch preceding a few days earlier - and the price tag may be as high as UKP 299.

According to our sources, speaking under conditions of strict anonymity, the official announcement of the European date will be made by Microsoft to its trade partners on the 15th of this month, two days before a public announcement at Game Convention in Leipzig.

Coincidence? I think not.
 
Not that MS needs the money, but I think they realize there is a great deal of money to be made in the video game market, and they want to get their foot planted firmly in this market. I also think they have ideas of knocking Nintendo off first before tackling Sony, so a proper MS-wide push this time might be the ticket. Let's face it. The company put Xbox out there as a bit of an experiment. Now that the experiment is showing some potential, I think it's got the full weight of MS behind it now. At least, I hope it does. This will force Sony to be smart, which is good. We don't need any of that 80's Nintendo bs slipping back into the market. PEACE.
 
9 days? You'd think they would have it on the homepage in a week, not now. I hope somethings announced before then :/
element said:
They did? Where?
Are you confirming it won't be with all these posts?

/conspiracytheory
 
Microsoft has clearly stated that the HDD is required to play on Xbox Live. So if the HDD is not standard Microsoft is severly screwing over Xbox Live's potential and any gamers who want to play online games. If you're going to be required to run out and buy a HDD to play any game on Xbox Live then there's gonna be a hell of a lot of pissed off gamers.
 
Microsoft has clearly stated that the HDD is required to play on Xbox Live.
are you sure that they clearly stated hard drive or storage?

no conspiracy. I just like fucking with you guys :lol :lol
 
Actually you're right I read it again...

Do Xbox 360 games require the detachable HDD to be plugged in for them to work?

Todd Holmdahl: Xbox 360 games do not require the HDD or a Memory Unit, but Xbox Live requires one or the other to save the gamers’ account information.
Well I guess the system isn't coming with a HDD afterall. Wow I'm really angry at/disappointed in MS now. Lots of luck selling all that marketplace crap on Xbox Live now. I know I'm not buying some expensive peripheral that only 5% of the userbase will bother to buy and few developers will support in the long run. One of the main features that distinguished the Xbox from Playstation is now gone and the 360 now has an asstastic looking bump sticking out it's top that very few people will ever make use of.

MS definitely has been putting out the perception that the Xbox 360 came with a 20GB HDD standard. All of the major gaming magazines (EGM, Gamepro, Game Informer) have spec'd the system with the HDD included. And technically I guess MS did not lie since there will probably be an expensive SKU at launch with the HDD included which will quickly fade off into obscurity as the mainstream opts for the cheaper SKU option.
 
I know I'm not buying some expensive peripheral that only 5% of the userbase will bother to buy and few developers will support in the long run.
what peripheral are you talking about? the HDD isn't a peripheral. people use old ideas and broken logic on this whole thing.
 
Oxy I don't know how much you've been involved with tree sitty so far, but what are the chances of us seeing downloadable demos for most of the launch titles at, uh, launch?
 
Mrbob said:
Oxy I don't know how much you've been involved with tree sitty so far, but what are the chances of us seeing downloadable demos for most of the launch titles at, uh, launch?
At launch? I doubt it. After? I'd expect as much.
 
element said:
what peripheral are you talking about? the HDD isn't a peripheral. people use old ideas and broken logic on this whole thing.
If you're talking about a second more expensive SKU option then I really don't think it's going to have much success in the longterm. How well did the Halo 2 LE SKUs sell 2+ months after release. And you're only talking about a $5 difference there. If the second SKU option for 360 is $100 more there will be some hardcore suckers at launch who pick it up, but it won't sell well in the longterm.

If you're talking about being able to attach a USB HDD like your mp3 player or a super sized memory card for storage then that probably has more potential of keeping downloadable content and other Live marketplace features alive. Otherwise I don't really see why developers would bother supporting the feature in the longterm and I don't think the extra content is going to be so compelling that most people will be willing to pay more for storage.

Probably at least 70% of people who purchase a PSP will never replace the 32MB card that came with the system. People will have the same attitude towards Xbox 360.
 
Matlock said:
http://www.microsoft.com/

Look what replaced vista on the Microsoft homepage...it's gotta mean something, because that's sacred real estate.


looks like they are just trying to sell the machine.

ive been waiting for the 'big news' that people on this board have been hinting out for a few months now. a bit disappointed i must say.
 
---- said:
Actually you're right I read it again...


Well I guess the system isn't coming with a HDD afterall. Wow I'm really angry at/disappointed in MS now. Lots of luck selling all that marketplace crap on Xbox Live now. I know I'm not buying some expensive peripheral that only 5% of the userbase will bother to buy and few developers will support in the long run. One of the main features that distinguished the Xbox from Playstation is now gone and the 360 now has an asstastic looking bump sticking out it's top that very few people will ever make use of.

MS definitely has been putting out the perception that the Xbox 360 came with a 20GB HDD standard. All of the major gaming magazines (EGM, Gamepro, Game Informer) have spec'd the system with the HDD included. And technically I guess MS did not lie since there will probably be an expensive SKU at launch with the HDD included which will quickly fade off into obscurity as the mainstream opts for the cheaper SKU option.

Shut the fuck up please. The HD is standard, there is one package. Quite spewing misinformation like it's fact.

There will be only one package available to consumers at launch, not the two versions previously rumored (one with a hard drive, one without). The Xbox 360 is white in color, with a brushed metal DVD tray, and other metal and chrome accents on the sides of the console. The unit is approximately 11 ¼” tall (and 3” wide) when standing upright, although it can be placed flat like the original Xbox, and it is “stacking friendly”. The included 20GB hard drive is removable and upgradeable. This means if you have a ton of content downloads or Xbox Live Arcade games on your HD, it is simple to pop it out and take to a friend’s house for use in their Xbox 360. The console will also still work without the HD inserted.

This was annouced at E3 and was a pretty big deal at the time. How did everyone forget all of a sudden?

When Holmdahl confirmed that last sentence it became the defacto "no HD standard" quote. Not sure how, but it did.
 
Ghaleon, Element is the one who is hinting that the HDD is not standard. And if you read MS's words there is nothing that says it is standard in all versions of the Xbox 360 that will be sold.

Most game sites and magazines have written the same thing that TeamXbox has that the 20GB drive is included with Xbox 360. And that is true, but they don't say that it is included with all versions of Xbox 360. Saying the 20GB drive is upgradeable doesn't mean that it's included in all versions either, the SKU version that comes with the HDD would be upgradeable.

http://interviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/1190/Xbox-360-Interview-Todd-Holmdahl/p2/


Between Elements nudges, Forbes and Piper Jaffray reporting that there will be 2 SKUs $299 and $399 w/HDD, and the fact that MS has made it clear that the HDD is not required for any games, for Xbox Live play, or even for custom soundtracks, then what reason is there left to assume that all versions of Xbox 360 will come with a standard HDD? Why did MS go through the trouble of eliminating the need of the HDD if they don't have any plans to sell the console without a HDD?

Do Xbox 360 games require the detachable HDD to be plugged in for them to work?

Todd Holmdahl: Xbox 360 games do not require the HDD or a Memory Unit, but Xbox Live requires one or the other to save the gamers’ account information.

What reason other than downloadable content and backwards compatibility is there to have a HDD anymore? And when did MS ever say that DC and BC would be standard features out of the box? Saying that the Xbox 360 is BC could be the same as saying that the original Xbox plays DVDs. Technically it's true, but not with what you get in the box.
 
GhaleonEB,
Did you seriously just link TeamXbox?

EDIT:

Besides the fact the article is from early may...
 
Suikoguy said:
GhaleonEB,
Did you seriously just link TeamXbox?

EDIT:

Besides the fact the article is from early may...

From the first day of E3, when the imbargo was lifted and they had four seperate features on different aspects of the system with specs straight from Microsoft. The same stuff was up at Gamespot, IGN, etc. but their search functions weren't as good so I didn't find them.

So yeah, TeamXBox. Must mean it's fake. :p

Some other sources.
 
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