Re: Bad Pricing Move
- From: Doug Jacobs <djacobs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 00:06:07 -0000
Scott <scottm9000@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >The pricing schemes are stupid because once you buy a 360 core, memory
> >card, and one other non-controller accessory, you've already spent about
> >$400, so you might as well buy the higher-end kit upfront.
> >
> But that's exactly what they want to happen. They're trying to make money
> off the hardware right away. I'm thinking there will probably be a shortage
> of the premium systems just to get more people to buy the core version and
> all the extra hardware.
While I'm sure Microsoft would love for people to go and spend $5-600 on
Xbox360 hardware release day, most people are going to realize pretty
quickly that the $300 package isn't a good idea. And if Microsoft does
try to pull the "shortage" thing, they're just going to hurt themselves
more. Their goal should be to get a console to as many people as possible
this holiday season because starting next year, they're going to be going
head to head against Sony and Nintendo again.
Besides which, since they've started advertising the bigger package, most
early adopters have already decided to buy it. If they can't get one, I'm
sure most of them will simply wait. An artifical shortage will just annoy
people.
> >Well, they could do what Sony did with its short-lived HDD - have online
> >content that would REQUIRE the HDD. This wouldn't be much different than
> >how Xbox's extra online content required you to have an XBox Live
> >account...
> >
> But Xbox developers expected a hard drive and that was one of Microsoft's
> favorite bits of ammo against the PS2 HDD, the fact that it was optional
> and not guaranteed to be there while the Xbox would always have one to make
> it easier to stream data and store extra downloadable content. The core
> system includes Live for free but doesn't give you a place to put the
> things you download. Those memory cards can fill up click.
Yep. Which is why I don't understand why the 360 is going *backwards* in
this aspect. And I'm sure that Microsoft won't mind if the mathematically
challenged continue buying Sony-style memory cards for $40 when they
probably only cost $5 to manufacture... In fact, buy 2 memory cards, and
you're only $20 away from the HDD, which means...well, you know the drill
by now.
> >> Also now people will need to very carefully check package label for system
> >> requirements. This is very common for PCs, but is something consoles owners
> >> don't need to do. Packages could have HDD required (or probably in most
> >> cases it will just list as recommended).
> >
> Makes coding the games a pain and the whole point of a console game is to
> just buy it and have it work. If I wanted to worry about system
> requirements I'd stick to PC games.
Again, Microsoft has said that developers must not assume there is a HDD
present. They can decide to have optional features IF the HDD is present,
but my understanding is that the games must all work without a HDD.
Of course, were you a developer, would you want to worry about whether the
console had a HDD or not? Most probably will just code with the
assumption that there is no HDD, meaning the nice features the XBox had -
like the optional soundtracks, and downloadable content - won't exist for
as many 360 games.
On one hand, this would indicate that the HDD is mostly useless until you
realize that if you're going to buy 3 memory cards, it's actually cheaper
to buy the HDD and get something like 80,000x the space!
> >Of course, Microsoft has also made some vague mumblings about HD-DVD and
> >the "future" of the 360. If Microsoft intends on releasing an upgraded
> >360 with a HD-DVD drive, they better make sure that developers will ONLY
> >release games on DVD - otherwise, things will get really ugly, really fast.
> >
> An up gradable console. Indreama ring a bell?
Well, consider the alternative. Your early adopters buy the 360 (in
whatever configuration) this Christmas, only to find out some time later
that the "360HD" is going to be released, sporting high definition DVD
playback, and possibly, games that are *incompatible* with the original
360's.
That would essentially be the begining of the end of Microsoft's console
days. You can look at Sega for an idea of what happens when you screw
your customers with short-lived, non-upgradeable hardware generations.
The sad thing is, Microsoft has already injured 360's launch with vague talk
about being interested in HD-DVD. Does this mean the 360 will get HD-DVD
drives later on? At all? If they introduce a new drive in
mid-generation, what about the owners of the older hardware? Can they
upgrade? (replace the drive) or are they just going to have to buy a new
360 and throw their old one into the trash? I just wish Microsoft would
give a straight answer about their plans here, otherwise, people are just
going to take a "wait and see" position. After all, there's absolutely no
downside to waiting, other than not being able to play the new games ;)
.
- References:
- Bad Pricing Move
- From: SamuelF566
- Re: Bad Pricing Move
- From: James Duncan
- Re: Bad Pricing Move
- From: Doug Jacobs
- Re: Bad Pricing Move
- From: Scott
- Bad Pricing Move
- Prev by Date: Re: HDD Support - A Sign Of Things To Come?
- Next by Date: Re: Bad Pricing Move
- Previous by thread: Re: Bad Pricing Move
- Next by thread: Re: Bad Pricing Move
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
