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160°

Microsoft’s Price Point

The price of Xbox One has been a raging debate since E3. Is it that much of an issue?

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holygrenade.com
iamnsuperman4672d ago (Edited 4672d ago )

"If the market exists, Microsoft is barrelling toward obscene profitability should it provide great games to play. That didn’t materialize on Xbox 360, the Kinect 1.0 now a dusty collector’s item. Hopefully Microsoft learned its lesson from that disaster."

That is the problem it was a quick fad which faded quickly. I feel Microsoft should have focused the tech away from gaming and more on the business/retail market. Or looking at ways to cut the cost down. Sell it to laptop companies as the camera and get retail shops on board. You know have an awesome online shopping tool. It didn't need to be extensive just mapping the clothing on the body type

I feel the price is a big issue for the mass market. A consumer will see similar looking system (as in they both play FIFA/COD...) but one is $100 more expensive. It doesn't take a genius to realise which one they will go for

ala_7674670d ago

Whatever the reason it may be... But current situation shows that high chances are M$ won't dominate the next gen.... Only time can tell us....

thetruthx14670d ago

It will come down to the games. I would love to play a new Uncharted on the ps4 and outlast looks like a game I would like. I'm a huge Gears of War fan and even though it gets criticism I'm very interested in Ryse. Both systems will have amazing games

UltimateMaster4669d ago

I don't think the price is a huge argument.
It's Just that nobody wants it...

Gazondaily4670d ago

But the mass market will look at things like bundled camera, voice control, Skype features etc and that will surely sway them towards the X1 will it not?

It all depends on how well MS market the thing too. Plus the cablebox capabilities are things the mass market should swallow up.

nukeitall4670d ago (Edited 4670d ago )

Kinect itself judged on the merit of the predecessor is somewhat of unfair.

Once Kinect One gets in consumers hand they see the wonders, I strongly believe they will buy into the idea.

It is kind of like Wii, how do you explain the fun you have with it?

The original Kinect sold by the boatload, and the next one is just so much more.

The possibilities of that advanced, yet simplistic input method could revolutionize gaming.

Touch screen is making mice irrelevant and who knows, one day Kinect might be so good it replaces the controller.

It is certainly starting to replace the remote already!

GodGinrai4670d ago

This.

people seem to forget that the TV/skype/twitch and the possibility of windows apps could be a big deal for the average consumer. Ms should make a wireless keyboard and mouse to compliment the apps, or allow us to use KB+Ms of our choosing.

The reality is, that $100 difference will only be more attractive for people who want JUST a games console. MS have a device that is a bit more than a games console to be fair. Others will be attracted to the idea of a box that can be a bit more than a games console in the living room.

Thehyph4670d ago

It's 25% more expensive than ps4, but that seems to matter 110% to those who aren't buying one anyway.
I'm buying a ps4, but I wouldn't necessarily call it cheaper. If you factor in that I already have the companion device plus I will probably buy the camera, then I will have spent more than an Xbox One costs. Obviously those are things I didn't/don't have to buy, but to get all the features that the system provides, you do have to pay more than an Xbox One.

no_more_heroes4672d ago

That's one of the two main sticking points that remain for me. They still have time before release (and at least two more games conferences) to convince me to get an X1 sooner rather than later.

I was always gonna get one (no pun inte...ah who am I kidding?), it was just a matter of either years, or maybe month before I did so. Recent changes mean "within a year" is now much more likely.

Still not before the ps4 though. Been wanting to play PS2 for ages but my laptop is far too weak and I can't afford a decent enough gaming pc right now.

andibandit4670d ago

Im figuring ms will slash the price once ps4 pulls too far ahead

koolaid2514670d ago

I know that Microsoft can undercut Sony by $50 they have the money to do so. I also think that this gen last 5 years just my opinion.

Thepharaoh4670d ago

A price cut would really boost console sales to help Microsoft back on their feet.Making the whole kinect optional would also be a great way to get some product of the shelve. The have the games the extra features and the established reputation now all they need is a fair price

JBSleek4670d ago

Back on their feet? The system hasn't even come out yet....

Hicken4670d ago

And yet they've already done quite a commendable job of painting themselves into a corner, don't you think? Alienating the group you need to get your console's install base started isn't exactly a smart plan, but Microsoft's done it, nonetheless.

Sure, it'll still sell at launch, but I think most of that will be on its name, alone. And those soles won't be anywhere near what they could have been.

nosferatuzodd4670d ago

go ms go no you'll make it go

GodGinrai4670d ago

They should knock $80 off, keep kinect and take the short term hit in profit loss.

I dont think they should back down from bundling kinect though. Now that it comes with every machine devs can really experiment with it. but for the sake of being compeative on a price point, they should lower the RRP before launch.

valknight4670d ago

Actually not a terrible idea. They always lose money on console sales.. might be worth it to get the console in the hands of those people who want to cry about the cost

GodGinrai4670d ago

Indeed. I have already pre ordered mine. But for MS own sakes I think they should just bite the bullet and possibly reap the rewards of a rapid uptake in their console. plus they will make it back on XBL and game sales anyways.

Sitdown4670d ago

$50 price break is suffice..... makes it cheaper than ps4 camera bundle.

andibandit4670d ago

Lets be honest, the ps4 camera bundle wont sell anywhere near the pure ps4. Microsoft has to compete with the latter at 399 $, and the fact that the kinect makes their bundle more expensive is their own gamble....which could pay off in the long run.

Sitdown4670d ago

That is the marketing strategy...... for only $50 more you hey a camera bundled that allows you to do all these extra things. More bang for your buck. $450 is more win win than I believe $399 is..... speaking from Microsoft's perspective of course.

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60°

Final Fantasy X 25th Anniversary Website Launches With New Nomura Artwork and Merchandise

Square Enix launches Final Fantasy X 25th anniversary site, revealing new Nomura art, books, music releases, and merchandise.

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twistedvoxel.com
-Foxtrot3d ago

Look I know VIII has its issues and all that but how on earth can the do big anniversary events with new artwork and merchandise for VII, IX and X yet VIII got sweet f*** all.

They could have given it something during its 25th anniversary yet all it got was a single Happy Anniversary post on their social media.

solideagle3d ago

they should know that we are OG fans of VIII as it sold truckload as well. not as much as VII or X. I personally didn't like IX but X and VI are my personal fav.

Shadow Hearts 2 covenant is another game I love. I hope one day someone can make remake, I would be delighted

Relientk773d ago

Final Fantasy VIII is great and you are always the first to defend it in the comments

40°

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Let Jango Fett Loose

LucasArts gave Jango Fett his own game in 2002, and it pulled Star Wars into a much dirtier, rougher, and more interesting corner of the galaxy.

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swtorstrategies.com
Relientk778d ago

I remember playing this back in the day on PS2. What a sick game!

270°

We Are Xbox

Dear team,

Xbox has always been different.

We started with a simple idea. Games should bring people together through shared experiences. That led to the first Xbox in 2001, Xbox Live in 2002, and new ways to connect, from friends lists and achievements to parties and play across devices. Today, Xbox reaches over 500 million players around the world, with some of the most important franchises in entertainment.

Read Full Story >>
news.xbox.com
9d ago Replies(15)
Outside_ofthe_Box9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

If they go back to exclusive games it at least shows that they are finally getting it. They would be turning down immediate money for something that will potentially workout in the long term.

Only issue is they've already opened Pandora's box. A lot of their base has moved to PC or jumped to PS. So will be a long road to get back on track.

We have been saying this from day one exclusives are a must if you are going to be selling hardware look at Nintendo and Sony before Jim Ryan. That's the proven formula. You had some that were deluded and blinded by loyalty accepting that multiplat was the future and that MS was merely getting ahead of where the industry was headed, but at least they can finally see the light and agree with what everyone has been saying for a decade+

pwnmaster30009d ago

True, blame it on the rabid fanboys. MS can do no wrong and spinner this multiplatform move. While the actual fans moved on.

I feel like with the new Xbox coming they are hoping to bring back those old fans and then if it goes well. Bring back exclusives.

If the new console is performing like series x and one. Naw they staying multiplatform.

darthv728d ago

Actual fans dont move on... they can add to their hobby while waiting for the next new release. If you believe what you typed then I guess PS fans moved on too.... you know, since its been a Sahara for 1st party games this gen.

S2Killinit8d ago

The fans didn’t tell them to go multilat. MS was forced to after the 82 billion they spent to destroy gaming. Then, while xbox fans cheered, MS realized they can’t justify the price tag by selling through xbox only, so they went multiplat and in the process began to downplay console gaming.

8d ago Replies(4)
CrashMania8d ago

I think it's too late, xbox sales were diving even before ABK, they got even worse since then even long before the full multiplatform push. I'd be surprised if they even went back to timed exclusivity at this point, Helix is basically a PC and is going to be expensive, they already struggle to sell cheaper xbox consoles, it will be low volume and they'll have a very small 'console' base to sell to, which has already been conditioned to just play via gamepass anyway.

S2Killinit8d ago

They will do what they always do, they will promise the world at the beginning of next GEN and then failed to deliver all generation long. But there will always be some gamers who will buy into their promises.

ocelot078d ago

Absolutely agree, Do people genuinely believe Microsoft are now going to go. Hang on how's about we go back to 2020. Then GP was stagnating, Games sold where awful because of GP. Outsold by Playstation by a landslide.

They have sold 5m of Forza I believe on PS5. Spite it being a old game. I think Starfield is going to sell well in the end. Halo is deffinetly going to sell well as is Fable and Forza Horizon 6.

I think at best (for Xbox fans). Single player titles like Clockwork will have a timed exclusivity. Multiplayer centric games like Forza, E Day will release day and date on all platforms.

Or all games will release on all platforms day and date. But maybe Xbox and Windows Store copies will have exclusive bonuses. Or may even get timed exclusive dlc like Fallout and Elder Scrolls and COD use to do.

I think they will treat Xbox players like the premium customers or at least act the way. But will serve just the Playstation and Switch 2 customers as well.

Neonridr8d ago

I don't see them removing PC from the equation. Considering MS has a heavy enough investment in the PC market, it would be foolish to abandon them. I could see them taking away games from PlayStation or ensuring they are timed exclusives at the very least. Say what you will but if Call of Duty ends up becoming a timed exclusive to Xbox machines, that would hurt PlayStation, don't pretend like those games don't sell millions.

Outside_ofthe_Box8d ago

They would lose out on a lot of CoD sales tho. Doesn't PS make up most of the sales?

Neonridr8d ago

@Outside - possibly, but it might push people to want Xbox hardware so they can play with their buddies day one.

Who knows.

S2Killinit8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

it would but remember doing that can splinter the COD fan base and in the process damage the call of duty brand which is probably the only franchise in that $82 billion purchase that in anyway gets even close to delivering what Microsoft thought they bought. If Microsoft fudges around too much with the COD franchise, you might even see a competitor franchise show up on the scene and that would be a catastrophe after the huge debt that Microsoft put itself into with the ABK purchase.

But Its almost guaranteed that Microsoft will want to do something drastic at the beginning of the next generation as they always do. We will see.

Pyrofire958d ago

Their lifeline of solely the Xbox consoles is dry. Good-Great games on a 1st party scale can't be made at a loss so willingly - sent to the Xbox to only sell limited copies.
They invested billions scooping up studios and need to start making returns.
Sucks that nearly every company is publicly traded and have to be so shareholder biased but that's how it is.
Their words are strong but it'll take time to see what their actions accomplish. Lowering the cost of Game Pass and taking CoD off of it was a good clear start.

darthv728d ago

More like, allot of their base just played game pass. So now they need to encourage them to start buying again.

S2Killinit8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

A lot of their base left for greener (bluer?) pastures.

--Onilink--8d ago

What exactly is the long term goal with exclusives though?

Because for the most part, the hardware side of things has never been the most profitable, even sometimes being subsidized for a period before breaking even. And that’s before the hardware component nightmare we currently live in.

The whole point of exclusives was to get more people to buy your console in order to have a bigger install base, which meant even bigger software sales.

But if their ports to PS5 are selling (for the most part it seems) quite well, then other than negating the cut Sony takes there, unless you are REALLY increasing your software sales on your own console, it probably doesn’t make that much of a difference?

Honestly I don’t even understand Sony’s decision to scale back on it for PC unless they weren’t even recouping the port expenses. They released ports when the hardware sales never really dropped, and now that all consoles will undoubtedly take a noticeable drop in sales due to the ridiculous prices, that’s when they decide they don’t want to sell to a larger install base to more easily recoup dev costs… it’s just weird

Outside_ofthe_Box8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

I agree. I mean once they went multiplat, in theory there should be no going back especially when you have games that have sold really well on other platforms.

Microsoft are the ones that announced that they are reevaluating. So I'm just guessing on what their end goal is. Right now Xbox as a hardware is not a must buy for anyone but fans of the brand because their games can be played elsewhere. Going exclusive would solve this, but you lose out on a ton of money instantly which has always been what the company does not want to do so not really sure what their "reevaluating exclusives" means unless they are pulling a Phil Spencer and are just saying what people want to hear and will continue to do what they are currently doing.

darthv728d ago

Their ports to PS5 are selling because Sony's output has been so dry... the fans are thirsty, and MS is the oasis.

SIdepocket8d ago

Unfortunately, the studios they buy wither under their leadership.

mcstorm8d ago

Microsoft still has a name with Xbox the issue is the casual games are not looking at the console because its not the same console their friends have. Look at that poll on how many users upgraded from xbox 365 to one and then the X. Part of Microsoft's downfall was thinking that the Wii was the market they had to be in when really it was the core market. If you get the core gamers you then get the market to. As I posted a few minuets ago on another post Microsoft putting exclusives on PS this gen could bold well if they hit next gen with all our games are staying exclusive from this new gen. They will then get gamers wanting Halo, Forza Gears but this is also where Microsoft fell over with the xbox one and X in terms of they did not have may quality 1st party games affter they fell into the Gears, Forza and Halo cycle. If they can get some old IPs back to bring back the old core gamers as well as fresh ips to bring in new gamers things could improve next gen. But as I said in my last post its all if buts and maybes at the moment. No one knows if the next home consoles will be to expensive that people move to pc as we are now seeing or look at the stem deck as a cheepier alternitive.

DarXyde8d ago

"Only issue is they've already opened Pandora's box."

That's very optimistic. It's not the only issue, far from it. There is a serious rupture between Microsoft generally and the public caused by their weird Game Pass price fluctuations, taking down physical game space in stores, and being the first to go nuts on hardware price hikes that they themselves played a big part in.

They're also charging beyond a premium for Helix which is just vile at a time when the economy is in shambles.

The company itself is really not doing itself any favors with the approach they're taking Windows. Even France is looking to ditch Windows in favor of Linux.

But the most offensive thing is this AI push. They're doubling, tripling, and quadrupling down on the very technology they're using to replace a considerable proportion of their workforce... And the slap in the face is how they bake copilot into everything when nobody likes it—they couldn't even make Bing stick, so why on earth are they trying so hard? You know it's bad when people would rather use ChatGPT than Copilot which is killing their OS. But aside from their snatching up of farmland to build data centers (and reduce the agriculture capacity of whichever country allows them to build them), they made an AI-generated gamer gurl that loves AI the head of Xbox.

Even if we grant them the full benefit of the doubt, it hardly matters what Xbox wants to do if Nadella says no, and that includes exclusive games. Microsoft's relationship with Xbox is the opposite of Sony's relationship with PlayStation—Microsoft pulls the reins of Xbox, but Sony damn near went under for the PS3.

Tanktopmaster928d ago (Edited 8d ago )

“If they go back to exclusive games it at least shows that they are finally getting it.”

Great strategy, especially after Forza selling 5 million on PlayStation and sea of thieves selling at least another million (2 million) for example. In March 2026, Xbox consoles sales ratio vs PS was 10:1.

In addition to that, with Gamepass, which unequivocally cuts out chunks of sales (Cannibalizing revenue from 1st month sales especially).

I’m sure going exclusive again after releasing everything on Ps5 is going to work out great for business.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 8d ago
maximusprime_8d ago

Despite all of that, it's clear that Microsoft's Xbox division is broken beyond repair.

8d ago
BeHunted8d ago

PlayStation is currently draining money on flop after flop. It's Sony that needs to re-evaluate their strategy

8d ago
CrashMania8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

Wonder how much money was lost on perfect dark, hellbalde 2, 300 million lost revenue
by putting cod on gamepass. The recent Jason schrier news that Xbox has cancelled dozens of projects, spent 70 billion just to see Xbox sales further collapse and gamepass see little growth.

The fact is this has been PlayStation's most profitable generation and they are making loads of money and selling plenty of consoles and games. While MS won't give you any sales figures or profit numbers for Xbox, says it all really.

S2Killinit8d ago

Sony PlayStation has deservedly dominated xbox. Facts

Tanktopmaster928d ago (Edited 8d ago )

Ok tween.

Xbox series SX got outsold 10:1 last month. lol.

7d ago
+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 7d ago
shadowT8d ago

"Our presence on PC isn’t strong enough."

Fishy Fingers8d ago

It isnt. But I dont think they mean in 'games', rather, footprint.

They own the OS but as far as gaming is concerned, Steam dominate. I imagine the VAST majority of people who use the Xbox app/launcher are PC gamepass subs. No ones buying their 3rd party PC games through Xbox PC.

badz1498d ago

and many gamers prefer SteamOS for gaming over Windows too. If only Valve would be more uncompromising to the anti-cheat makers that locked out non-windows players, more pc gamers would have moved onto SteamOS by now and not looking back to Windows. overall, Win11 is a terrible, bloated, unoptimized OS which is not what many people want

ocelot078d ago

Agreed and I think that's where they are going to focus on more. I think cheaper games on Windows/Xbox store (MS IP) compared to Steam and Epic and maybe even compared to PSN store as well.

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