MSFT earns about $36.63 billion in profit last year. It has $25.48 billion CASH on hand at anytime after paying out $33 billion in dividends. Microsoft's debt = $0.
(Let's compared those key stats to SNE's = Sony's. Sony earns $15.86 billion in profit last year. It has only $4.30 billion in cash. On other other hand, Sony has $8.96 billions of DEBTS.)
Microsoft can afford to take the $1 billion financial hit for Xbox 360... AND a price cut at the same time.
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Nowadays I prefer real-time combat in RPGs. I've been playing RPGs since the early 1980s, but nowadays I would prefer NOT to play turn-based combat in RPGs. I still play turn-based games (like Civ and HOMM)... but I just don't want turn-based in RPGs.
Turn-based combat is so time-consuming that it distract gamers from what are really important in a RPG: story, exploration and development.
that's why Microsoft announced it'd extend warranty to 3 years and reimburse all repair and shipping fees. so current customers won't get too pissed when Microsoft announce the price cut at E3.
BTW, $1 billion is not going to hurt Microsoft... it's just pocket change for Microsoft.
i didn't realize game companies like EA, Ubisoft, LucasArts, Bioware, and Bethesda would stop making games for 360 (or PC) because of those Japanese.
Microsoft does not have to capture Japanese market to thrive, but it'd be nice to take that market as well. (i.e., like adding icing to the cake.) The Japanese market is smaller than American. So, if Nintendo and Sony could survive without the American market, then Microsoft could also survive without the Japanese market.
the prices of ps3 and 360 in japan are about the same.
Seriously, we should be concerned with the North American and/or European markets.
Nowadays, the US, NOT Japan, is the biggest gaming market in the world.
and most of us live in North America or Europe anyway.
Stop littering multiple sections with PS3 news. Geez.
Reported.
It really depends on what kind of exclusives you like.
For example, I prefer WESTERN rpgs more than anything else, and that is where PS3 falls short.
Can you name a single high-profile Western RPG that is or will be available on PS3 but not 360? (Just a reminder: Both Oblivion and Fallout 3 are also on 360.)
For 360, there will be Mass Effect (a trilogy) and Too Human (another trilogy.) Neither trilogy will be on PS3 nor Windows. Even Bioshock i...
1. You're too young to have played games on DOS. Which do you think has a longer history? DOS or Playstation? LOL.
The gaming industry had existed looooong before Playstation started. Everyone who's older than 30 know remember the gaming boom back in the late 1980s when Origin System was the king of the Hill and Sierra and LucasArts were making adventure games like Monkey Island and the Quest series.
2. Microsoft had been making Flight Simulator and other game...
It's amusing that all the Sony fanboys are such total a-holes, just like Sony.
Microsoft issued an official apology for the hardware issue today.
I still have not gotten an apology from Sony over the rootkit.
Oh, neither have customers gotten an apology from Sony over their fake reviews with "David Manning".
Nor for their exploding batteries, which Sony grudgingly exchanged AFTER they issued some statements to insult their customers. (i.e., "sure, our batteries might have exploded, but unless people get hurt fr...
Go back to the front page and scroll down for the news on Xbox 360 failure:
Microsoft has extended all 360 warranties to three years. In addition, and this is the most important part: Microsoft will reimburse everything 360 owners have spent on shipping and repairing.
Yup.
You know, I'm sure some of you have this experience...
Do you know why I hold a grudge against Sony and hope they will fail miserably?
Three years ...
but it's really not enough. It really needs a $200 price cut, which Sony can't afford.
PS3 won't really start selling in large number until its price hits $300, regardless of PS3 is worth that kind of money or not. It's because most families and financially responsible people simply refuse to spend more than $300 for a video game console.
Most people simply would not look beyond the $500-600 price tag, which they think is just ridiculous for an "entertainm...
when Microsoft decided to sell it at the same price point as PS3.
I hit you, and then I let you hit me.
Then you let me hit you back, then I wait for you to hit me while I do nothing.
Then I hit you again, and you let me hit you again...
Um, no thanks.
At one point Dreamcast had a lot of potential as well.
They will buy it when the potential becomes a reality.
Not just games. Price as well.
If you want to play around with photography, you get Nikon or Cannon, NOT whatever Apple is making.
If you want to play around with editing, you use Avid -- that's what professionals use, NOT Final Cut Pro. How many studio movies in theater this year do you think actually used Final Cut Pro??
If you want to play around sound production, you use Cakewalk, NOT Logic Pro.
I'm sure those Apple toys work fine and look impressive for amateurs, but only...
because that's what Apple is doing with that pricing and margin.
Microsoft to cut price of core to $250 or below to match Wii's. Here's why:
1. If you have been following the news, Microsoft has just refocused its Xbox 360 strategy to compete with Wii. MS originally intended to compete with Sony (PS3) and did not expect Wii to succeed over PS3. Now, the market situation has changed. MS no longer sees Sony as the biggest threat. Nintendo is the target for MS.
Microsoft will cut its 360's price to match Wii's
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