Microsoft Rolling Out Two Xbox Versions

By ELIZABETH M. GILLESPIE, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 48 minutes ago

SEATTLE - When Microsoft Corp.'s new
Xbox video game console comes out this fall, consumers will be able to choose between a fully loaded system and a more basic version without a hard drive, wireless controller and other features.

The premium Xbox 360 console will sell for $399.99 in the United States, Canada and Mexico — nearly triple the price of the current system — and 399.99 euros in continental Europe, Microsoft announced Wednesday. Meanwhile, the scaled-back version, dubbed "Xbox 360 Core System," will go for $299.99, and 299.99 euros in Europe.

Various accessories, like a 20-gigabyte detachable hard drive and wireless controller that will come standard with the premium version, will be sold separately and can be added to the less expensive "core" console.

Other features that can be added to that console include a wireless controller and TV remote, a headset for the Xbox Live online service, and an Ethernet cable for high-speed Internet connections.

Microsoft said it remains on target to ship the new Xbox to stores in North America, Europe and Japan this holiday season, ahead of Sony's PlayStation 3, which is slated to replace the market-leading
PlayStation 2 sometime next spring.

Robbie Bach, senior vice president for Microsoft's home and entertainment division, said the company is breaking new ground by offering consumers a choice.

"Historically, there's been one price point and one configuration. You got it whether you wanted it or not," Bach said.

Microsoft isn't worried consumers will wince at the price hike. Bach noted that both versions will support high-definition visuals and play music and movies, among other features that weren't built into original Xbox, which cost $299 four years ago. The price has since dropped to $150.

Matt Rosoff, an industry analyst with Directions on Microsoft, said he doubts enthusiasts will balk at the price increase.

"Hard-core gamers will be on board. I think the sticker shock might be in the larger audience Microsoft is trying to reach" — casual game players and neophytes, Rosoff said.

Microsoft sells its current console at a loss, because its original goal with the
XBox was mainly to break into the lucrative gaming market, and it profits from selling games. So Rosoff said he thinks the price increase is a smart move.

"Microsoft has to cover its costs this generation in order to turn the Xbox into a profitable business," he said.

The company has not yet said how much it will charge for the new Xbox in Japan, where the original console has struggled to compete with PlayStation 2.


Holy shit this thing is gonna be expensive.  Games START at $59.99

399.99



I better put $25-50 dollars a week away for when it gets here.

Crap!  I was expecting maybe $349 ($299 at least).  Guess I better start saving . . .

ETA: The raise in game prices is ridiculous.  I mean, they may have reasons for doing it, but a reason is not always an excuse. I read that they tested us out with the special edition versions of certain popular games (e.g. Halo 2, Splinter Cell CT).  They wanted to see if people whould shell out the extra $10 for such desired games. Looks like we did (I know I did).

Holy Shiite!  $299.99 for the "basic" system?  WTF?

I'll wait to buy one at a used game store thank you very much

got me a real nice PC...dont need no xbux

My son bought a refurb'd Xbox, it worked more reliably than his Sony PS2. The PS2 broke down twice, and Sony repaired it for free.

XBox was $299.99 when it came out. This isn't that big an increase for a far superior system.

One thing for sure, the old saying, "the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys," the cost has just gone up a bit.

The real price is the negitive effect those things have on so many kids.

Quoted: The question is will they come out in time for the X-mas rush? I'll wait for the time being, my Sony PSP is plenty fun.

Microsoft is trying to have 3 million units ready by launch.  I bet even then it will be in short supply.

At least the console is a one time deal.  The price of the games is a shock to my system.  At $40 each, most games are a big disappointment.

$400!?  Screw that!  I could fill my car up two or three times for that kind of money!

Quoted: $400!?  Screw that!  I could fill my car up two or three times for that kind of money!

BAD BAD BAD BAD, did i say BAD FRIGGIN IDEA?  2 versions of the system?  The reason many xbox games stomped ps2 in terms of graphics was all the extra textures etc they could load up on the hard drive instead of having to read directly off the disc.  Lets face it, all ps2 users could buy the ps2 harddrive but what the hell good would it do considering no developers made games to use it?  So now will game developers make games for the top tier users or merely make them up to xbox "core" spec?  Feels like if I dont buy the HD model i might miss out on something, or I might drop a hundred on some wiz bang features nothing will ever take advantage of.

Quoted: BAD BAD BAD BAD, did i say BAD FRIGGIN IDEA?  2 versions of the system?  The reason many xbox games stomped ps2 in terms of graphics was all the extra textures etc they could load up on the hard drive instead of having to read directly off the disc.  Lets face it, all ps2 users could buy the ps2 harddrive but what the hell good would it do considering no developers made games to use it?  So now will game developers make games for the top tier users or merely make them up to xbox "core" spec?  Feels like if I dont buy the HD model i might miss out on something, or I might drop a hundred on some wiz bang features nothing will ever take advantage of.

Programming the game to take advantage of the storage if it is available but leaving basic textures available is something that the PC has been doing for years.  The systems specs are all different and users need various ways to get the program to run well on their own system.  Having 2 specs is a FAR simpler problem.

Detail:  High  Low (default)

or Detail:  High Low (default)

Quoted: Quoted: F that. It looks sweet but I'm not paying 400 bucks for it. I think microsoft will findout that they were wrong about people being willing to pay that much for a console. It's unprecedented. But...there's a ZOMBIE game simulation for it!

This the game you talking about?

Stubss The Zombie

Get to play as a zombie.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: F that. It looks sweet but I'm not paying 400 bucks for it. I think microsoft will findout that they were wrong about people being willing to pay that much for a console. It's unprecedented. But...there's a ZOMBIE game simulation for it! This the game you talking about? Stubss The Zombie Get to play as a zombie. No, THIS one!  www.winsupersite.com/showcase/xbox360_games_04.asp

Kick ass!  Might actually make the 360 double worth it

Relax, folks...the core 360 will still do great things w/o the hard drive.  I'm not worried.  

And you can expect 2 versions of the PS3 as well...a $299ish one, and a REALLY friggin' expensive one IF they make it so it can do everything they claim, like cure cancer and clone sheep.  

Quoted: The question is will they come out in time for the X-mas rush? I'll wait for the time being, my Sony PSP is plenty fun.

Count on it!  

Quoted: F that. It looks sweet but I'm not paying 400 bucks for it. I think microsoft will findout that they were wrong about people being willing to pay that much for a console. It's unprecedented.

guess you never heard of the 3D0, eh?  

Try $699 back in 1993!  

Quoted: And you can expect 2 versions of the PS3 as well...a $299ish one, and a REALLY friggin' expensive one IF they make it so it can do everything they claim, like cure cancer and clone sheep.

Wasn't that promised back with the PS2?


I'll wait 6 months to a year. The PS3 will drive the XBOX 360 prices down and a mod chip will be available by then.

This system has more juice than 95% of the computers in use right now... I'm shocked they kept the price that low.  I was expecting $500 at least.



I still dont want one tho...


- BG

all systems come down in price,

you just have to pay a premium to get it first, i guarentee a price drop the same time that ps3 comes out,  MS will make the profits in softwere, hence the increase of 10 per game, they are going to make it somwhere

Quoted: got me a real nice PC...dont need no xbux

same here. and a lot of the games get ported over anyway

Quoted: Quoted: F that. It looks sweet but I'm not paying 400 bucks for it. I think microsoft will findout that they were wrong about people being willing to pay that much for a console. It's unprecedented. guess you never heard of the 3D0, eh?   Try $699 back in 1993!

and you know why not many people have heard of it?
because it cost so much and quickly died out

but it did have that cool racing game Crash and Burn

Boy, Europe is getting screwed.

Quoted: Boy, Europe is getting screwed.

it's not just europe. In Japan it is more expensive than it is here as well. I think the US just gets it the cheapest, which works for me

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: F that. It looks sweet but I'm not paying 400 bucks for it. I think microsoft will findout that they were wrong about people being willing to pay that much for a console. It's unprecedented. guess you never heard of the 3D0, eh?   Try $699 back in 1993!   and you know why not many people have heard of it? because it cost so much and quickly died out but it did have that cool racing game Crash and Burn

hehe...I'm not arguing it wasn't an overpriced turkey...the fact remains that it IS a precedent.  

But that was back in the day when you could walk into babbages with every game you bought for the last 2 years and get full store credit for it.  I traded in a LOT of shit that day.  

Well, it looks as if my up-to-date video console gaming days are soon to come to a conclusion. I'll stick to with my original XBOX as long as the games keep coming. I'm not paying that kind of money when I can go and get a decent pistol for the same money. Screw you MicroShaft.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: F that. It looks sweet but I'm not paying 400 bucks for it. I think microsoft will findout that they were wrong about people being willing to pay that much for a console. It's unprecedented. guess you never heard of the 3D0, eh?   Try $699 back in 1993!   and you know why not many people have heard of it? because it cost so much and quickly died out but it did have that cool racing game Crash and Burn graphics were good for the time too. And it was one of the first to use cds didn't realize it was that expensive though. my friend had one. hehe...I'm not arguing it wasn't an overpriced turkey...the fact remains that it IS a precedent.   But that was back in the day when you could walk into babbages with every game you bought for the last 2 years and get full store credit for it.  I traded in a LOT of shit that day.

Quoted: This system has more juice than 95% of the computers in use right now... I'm shocked they kept the price that low.  I was expecting $500 at least.

Sony and their PS3 would have murdered them if they'd priced it at $500.  The console price is not the end game.  The point is the games.  

Both Sony and MS will take a huge hit the first year on the consoles.  It is ALWAYS about the games.

Quoted: Quoted: This system has more juice than 95% of the computers in use right now... I'm shocked they kept the price that low.  I was expecting $500 at least. Sony and their PS3 would have murdered them if they'd priced it at $500.  The console price is not the end game.  The point is the games.   Both Sony and MS will take a huge hit the first year on the consoles.  It is ALWAYS about the games.

I remember reading an article by an economist that unless Sony sells the PS3 for much more than $400 (I think $600 was the minimum), Sony was going to lose too much money (ie, cripple itself financially). We shall see how much PS3 is going to cost, but I can guarantee that MS has the financial capability to price down to any point just to kick Sony's ass; especially if they release well ahead of Sony.

LOL, the last game system I paid for was an N64, which I got for $20 with 7 games.  That was four years ago.  The last game system I got was a PS1 for essentially free about three years ago- I just let a friend's boyfriend store his carpentry tools in my basement for a couple of months while he was moving around a lot.  I even got a free practice bass amp out of the deal to boot.

I didn't even remeber I had either of them until I had a date over on night and she said "hey, you play N60, that's so retro!"

I think sony sucks. They always sell the games in japan first(a year or two in advance) before we get them. The US market bought 2 times as many ps2's and japs. I'll stick with my x-box. I will never again buy all three systems. the game cube just collects dust. The ps2 is in the shop all the time getting fixed. I 'll just trade everything in for the 360.

Quoted: Quoted: got me a real nice PC...dont need no xbux console game system same here. and a lot of the games get ported over anyway

+ 2

$400? That's not bad given the circumstances, X-Mas right around the corner, cutting game technology, and software for that technology. But let's face it, we are ARFCOM, we could all agree that $400 is better spent on Guns and Ammo.

On the bright side, I've still got my Pre-Ban GTA San Andreas