Europe gets Xbox 360 price cut Comments by Ellie Gibson

Problem is for Microsoft is that it's preaching to the converted and arn't really appealing beyond it's traditional young male market.
No amount of price cuts are going to make much diffrence if they don't get some software that intrestes the mass market. At the mo it's a console strictly for geeks.

You've got Sky continually ramming the fact that HD is light years ahead of normal TV, please subscribe to our service please. So one thing at the forefront of HD TV owners is that they should be feeding it some decent meat. With their old Sky+ apparently out of date, the next box they look at is the DVD player.

"At the mo it's a console strictly for geeks."
I really hope they stay that way, to go "mass market" they already have Windows, they surely can continue to indulge us with the games we love.

@ Mr_Majestik

Don't worry they have other tricks up their sleeve, with the dashboard refresh being one of them.

Well at least this is a fun debate! Official "worst day of the week" Tuesday is skipping by nicely.
I love you guys.

And Sporting Lisbon is playng Barcelona later on! (better be happy now, 'cos later I really doubt... ;) )

With Sky HD really failing to set the world alight it shows further that there is no great interest yet.

@ marshaal5

Simply put microsoft have a stranglehold on the pc market and look what that has cost us over the years.

Go on then - what has it cost us? Is an international standard for operating systems not generally a good thing? Is Windows really that bad - I use it at work and at home and I never have a great issue with it - it gets the job done.

They pay millions fpor exclusive dc that should be on the disc anyway and then no one else can have it unless you buy there console.(which i repeat i have one of)

I think you're referring to the GTAIV exclusive DLC - how would you put this on the disc when it hadn't even been developed? Would you have happily waited another year for the extra content to be included on the disc?

We are in a recession and amidst a global economic crisis. Come christmas a lot of people will be out of jobs.

So a £150 console over a £300 console. Not really a choice is it?

As far as I've heard, Microsoft is aiming to standardise the PC gaming market further, its the millions of permutations of hardware specs etc that cause the big grief. How they are setting out doing this, I have no idea, but as far as I'm concerned, that is a good aim.

Hey, why are people ranting about my post.

Anyway, I just forgot that the Arcade model already came with a memory card, although my point about it being a pretty pointless purchase compared to the 60GB model remains.

As for my comments about the omission of a hi-def disc system, MGS4 makes extensive use of the extra capacity, as do the forthcoming LBP and Resistance 2. Ok, yes it is perhaps possible to still have games that require extra storage capacity on the 360 by supplying on separate discs but I personally like the idea of everything being on one.

And to the person who said that the Arcade is now close to the price of a PS2, yes, you're right but the PS2 still remains a more impulsive purchase and typically people who are buying PS2's (perhaps for their son's room) aren't using a HD screen with it so the benefits are not clear.

If you are out of a job, you're not going to even spend £150!

What utter tripe in this thread.

A hardware manufacturer has just announced a price cut for their hardware, and this is cause for some sort of love-in/hate-in for an inanimate object.

Also, the complete lack of marketing understanding displayed by some folks is astounding.

HD = Niché. Get over it - be glad that you can afford a HD TV and all the doohickeys that go with it, but most of us out here don't have HD TV's and don't care. I just want to play a new console with new games, and I don't want to spend lots of money on it. Stop trying to convince yourself and everyone else that your purchase was justified. I don't care. Most of us "casuals" don't care.

Simple fact is, I can now justify purchasing a next-gen console that isn't a Wii, to play on my standard def TV, because the price range has dropped into my budget. I wasn't planning on buying a console this year, but I am now. MS got there first.

My earlier post that has attracted quite a lot of "flaming" for some reason was just trying to point out to the fanboys who think microsoft are so good and sony are so bad that without competition there would be no price drops.

Well done genius. You passed Extremely Basic Economics 101... This system has been in place for goodness knows how long. I fail to see what it has to do with fanboys and MS and Sony though? Everyone knows that there would be no price drops without competition. It's known as a monopoly. What are you telling us for?

Come on Sony now drop the price of the PS3, a £199 package for Xmas and I'm in.

Fantastic - worth getting a spare Arcade for downstairs for those rare hours when missy hands over bigger TV and lounge comforts.

Nintendo should be ashamed/laughing their socks away that their piece of plastic is now more expensive than a full-fat X360 and hey ho peeps still buy it.

Sony still a good price though esp with BD player and Wipeout around the corner at long last giving it another AAA game after MGS4 to differentiate it from 360.

Great news.

@ranger:

Dammit man, the nonsensical fan crap was slowly growing into a perfect storm of obsession . . . and you waltz in here and start using rationality and making points and generally pissing all over my voyeuristic jollies.

ass.

I wonder if an Xbox 360 is included in the (UK) governments "inflation shopping basket"?
This price cut would bring the RPI down a bit for next month = recession avoided.
Thanks M$oft for solving our economic crisis.

Think I'll spend money on PS3 games that won't break.

I like the way Madafunkola thinks.

Madafunkola for prime minister!

@WooHoo!!!

"Microsoft also needs to release a statement saying the new Jasper is shipping. That means everyone will get over the RROD and feel safe buying one. "

As far as my personal situation goes, it really is that simple. I will buy one when they become available.

It's still too expensive... it's a faulty piece of junk.

BTW: Mine RRoD'd last night :-(

just bought an elite bundle from GAME about 3 weeks ago and I mighty fucked off. If i had held on a little bit longer I would have saved myself some money. still having played the games, it seems decent value for money although the noise was killing me in the beginning but somehow my sense have got used to it. All SONY have to do now is seriously drop the price of their machine and I mean seriously drop the price to about £250 quid max and they will have my vote. But anyways i just can't believe ms have done this and at the end of the day, it shows they they are desperate to get the machine into as many households as possible but i just can't wait for when joe public thinks that they have bought a jumbo jet when they switch it on!

I remember when Nintendo got desperate with the Gamecube

@ranger

Simple fact is, I can now justify purchasing a next-gen console that isn't a Wii, to play on my standard def TV, because the price range has dropped into my budget. I wasn't planning on buying a console this year, but I am now. MS got there first.

This is quite tricky. I used my 360 on an SD tv as well, only to find out that text in games is very difficult to read (viva pinata was almost unplayable due to the small fonts in combination with the weird colours).

Normally you should be fine but you´ll wish you had a HDTV very soon.

I think this is MS pre-empting a PS3 price cut, Sony have always chosen Oct as a key month for price drops, so if they had decided to do one, it'll look like a reaction to the MS one now, so MS can get that PR wheel in motion stating Sony are running scared.
Personally, I'm not waiting for the 360 to hit a super low price point before I buy, I just want there to a reasonably priced model that runs quietly.

@Ranger
Thank you for your support - I shall be petitioning Gordy to step down this afternoon and look forward to your vote at the coming elections.

Get me a 65nm complete Jasper, with quieter fans/DVD drive and I jumping in (again).

"imagine a gears of war 2 ad with "now from £129.99", les can dismiss it all he wants but the 360 will sell gang busters this Christmas"

People that care about games like gears 2 already own a 360. The lower price might attract casuals (but it won't because there's a better alternative in the Wii) or kids (but it won't as there's a better alternative in the Wii). Leaves us with people that already have a 360. Some might be willing to buy an insurance console, you never know what happens... 360's last drop did nothing, Wii is as strong as ever. It'll be a Wii holiday season again.

Nobody wants a Xbox 360 (apart from the Xbots who want a backup one). Every one desires a PS3.

I don't want one. I'd rather spend the £300 on games for my 360 and Wii because I've no interest in MGS4 and LBP.

On a different note why are people saying Viva Pinata 2 got no advertising? You can't click more than two pages on here or CVG without seeing a big banner advert for it.

"As far as I've heard, Microsoft is aiming to standardise the PC gaming market further"

Who would have thought they'd ever try to emulate Apple?! ;)

les

you really are an idiot

"everyone who wants a 360 already has one"

Rubbish, most PS2 sales didn't occur until this sort of pricing, there's still tonnes of people who have not gone next gen yet

"360's last drop did nothing"

Once again wrong, Sony themselves stated that the cut boosted sales of 360 over PS3 in the whole of Europe including the south european countries where MS have always struggled

You really need to get back into reality world

"On a different note why are people saying Viva Pinata 2 got no advertising? You can't click more than two pages on here or CVG without seeing a big banner advert for it."

Because they must think of some reason for it failing in the market place other than it being ill targeted to a demographic that wants shooters and driving games... ;)

I love the way that I get told to b*gger off as soon as I question how good value for money the Arcade model really is. It seems daft that you can't say that something isn't as good value as it seems without being accused of being immensely biased.

In my house, and I suspect in the house of anyone who cares much about their games, wi-fi and a hard disc are essential. You're adding £80 to the price of the Arcade, making it not such good value as it first seems.

As I said in my first comment (before everyone seemed to decide that I was a Sony fanboy), this price drop is just a PR move. You still have to pay £200 to get the console working in any particularly useful way. It'll probably shift a lot more units as a result the drop, but there will be a fair few people afterwards who are annoyed that they have to fork out more money to get the system into a useful state.

[... And yes, I do still think that the PS3 offers good value for money. The 360 has better games overall, but the PS3 has many very good games too as well as lots of other features. Whether it's better value for money that £180-200 for a reasonable Xbox 360 setup is debatable. For the media capabilities of the PS3 (ease of streaming music and video to my living room, a user interface my girlfriend can work, and the bluray player) I'd say it's definitely worth it. I use both systems quite frequently, but I just find the PS3 more useful on a daily basis.]

"Rubbish, most PS2 sales didn't occur until this sort of pricing, there's still tonnes of people who have not gone next gen yet"

Xbox and GC also fell to that price level and it didn't help much because the PS2 was a wanted commodity while the other two weren't. Just like this time 360 isn't desireable, Wii is.

"Once again wrong, Sony themselves stated that the cut boosted sales of 360 over PS3 in the whole of Europe including the south european countries where MS have always struggled"

For about a week...

heh, posting his pure comedy gold again I see. One might actually think that he feels insecure or something.

@ Confounder

On a thread about Xbox 360 price cuts, most people are talking about wanting to see a PS3 price cut. This just goes to show that the PS3 is a desirable system where as Xbox 360 is cheap as chips and fast getting out dated.

Or that most gamers on this gaming forum already own the superior gaming console and would like a blu ray player to go with it? ;-)

Microsoft = win

"heh, posting his pure comedy gold again I see. One might actually think that he feels insecure or something."

Look who's been reading "Cheap debating skills Volume 1"... :(

You still have to pay £200 to get the console working in any particularly useful way.

This is, of course, incorrect. You need to work harder on your argument.

@ Ranger101: "HD = Niché. Get over it - be glad that you can afford a HD TV and all the doohickeys that go with it, but most of us out here don't have HD TV's and don't care."

Cheap HD TV sets are similar prices to normal sets these days and are now outselling SD TVs very quickly (according to several staff in Dixons and Currys that I've asked about this).

Most games are designed on HDTVs. I know one very major developer who, when one of their staff asked if they should test it to what it looked like on SD, said 'We don't care about SD.' The staff member thought that was bloody stupid at the time, and they have patched it after release increase the quality of the SD visuals, but it shows the attitude of the games industry to SD TVs.

Most companies developing for the 360 and PS3 now assume that the player will see the game in HD. We work all day on HD monitors and probably only see it in SD once every few months, if at all. Personally I'd rather this wasn't the case, but that's the reality of it.

To put it another way, you might think it's niche, but the people making your games don't and they are increasingly correct.

@moggsy

"Or that most gamers on this gaming forum already own the superior gaming console and would like a blu ray player to go with it?"

Damn right, I already own a 360 and wouldn't mind a PS3 for some exclusives and try out blu ray but I'm not paying £300 for that. Hopefully Sony will have to drop the price now so everyone wins!

@Lovemoose: ""You still have to pay £200 to get the console working in any particularly useful way."

This is, of course, incorrect. You need to work harder on your argument. "

£130 for the Arcade, £55 for the wi-fi, £30+ for a harddrive... My mistake, it's more than £200.

Yes, these things are not essential, but you've only got half a machine without getting it online or being able to download games, patches (such as the new and free DLC in Burnout Paradise), and other content like trailers onto your harddrive. I'd say those are features that fit into the 'particularly useful' description.

The price is just too good to ignore, I think at least in the UK MS will see huge sales with this price cut. Sony won't be able to follow suit because they lose money on every PS3 as it is, so a price cut is out of the question. The rest of europe is the problem for MS, but if they beat Sony in the UK and the US and I think they will, they will finish in second place this gen.

"Hopefully Sony will have to drop the price now so everyone wins!"

Well, except for Sony of course... ;)

But seriously, most posts around here are about 360 vs. PS3. Agreed that that battle is a tight one and therefore interesting but this price drop is aimed at getting the 360 accepted by the masses and thus in Wii teritory. And there MS simply doesn't stand a chance, no matter what price they sell the machine at. Maybe the Wii hype will be over by chrismas 2009 but that will come way too late for the 360. Maybe they'll have better luck next gen.

onyxbox

It's still too expensive... it's a faulty piece of junk.

BTW: Mine RRoD'd last night :-(

What again that must be at least a hundred you have gone through at this stage ;)

Nice to see Les fighting the good fight as usual.

@Doctor_What

Your an idiot, my guess is the people who the arcade is aimed at won't give a shit about wifi and the hard drive, the simple fact is you can buy a Hi Def console with the best\cheapest\bigger catalogue of games for £120 quid. How you can try and say thats not a good deal is beyond comprehension, even if you decide you want the hard drive later on it's still no where near what you would pay for a PS3.

By far the only must own next-gen system, becomes even more unmissable.