E3 '08: 60GB Xbox 360 official, 20GB discounted and discontinued

 

 

 

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot

 

Posted Jul 13, 2008 9:47 am PT

 

 

 

After long declining to comment on "rumors and speculation" about the Xbox 360's $299 price cut--even when such "rumors" came from the Wall Street Journal--Microsoft has finally come clean. Today, the company formally announced it is dropping the price of the 20GB Xbox 360 Pro to $299 in the US and Canada, down $50 from its prior $349 cost.

 

 

 

However, the price cut isn't as straightforward a story as had been assumed. In a move reminiscent of Sony's discounting and then discontinuing of the 60GB PlayStation 3 at last year's E3 Media & Business Summit, the $299 price point will only be in effect while supplies last. That's because Microsoft is phasing out the 20GB 360 and replacing it with a long-rumored new model with a 60GB hard drive. The 60GB 360 will go on sale in "early August" at the 20GB's former $349 price point.

 

 

 

In a press release titled "Xbox 360 Console Now Offers Triple the Storage," Xbox director of product management Albert Penello played up the fact the 60GB 360 will cost as much as the 20GB used to. "We know consumers need more and more space to store the amazing digital content Xbox 360 offers, and we're giving it to them at no extra charge," he said.

 

 

 

Contrary to other rumors, Microsoft is not discounting its other two Xbox 360 models: The $279 hard drive-less Arcade and the $449 120GB Elite. Today's move will likely only have a temporary effect on the current console sales struggle, which has seen the PS3 running neck-and-neck with the 360 this year. Currently, Sony's non-backwards-compatible 40GB PS3 costs $399, while the full-featured 80GB PS3 retails for $499. The cheapest and most popular console on the market remains the single-SKU Nintendo Wii, which retails for $249.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My opinion:

 

Not the smartest move from Microsoft, but meh...

 

 

 

lol. The Arcade unit probably isn't going to sell at all until the 20 GB XBOX 360s are gone.

 

$279 for a no HDD having, no head set XBOX 360. For $20 more you can get a 20 GB XBOX 360, with a head set. If they don't drop the price of the Arcade unit it will be pretty idiotic of them.

 

Basically Microsoft is saying that you can buy a 20 GB HDD, and a headset for only $20? Yet, you can't do this seperately. If you buy a stand alone 20GB HDD what is it $100 dollars? A headset alone costs $20. That's $120 for those two items.

 

 

 

You guys better buy up the 20GB XBOX 360's quick before someone wises up.

 

That's a good deal, they should make it a packet. Headset and 20 GB HDD for only $20. Yeah right. How will consumers feel about this?

 

You can pay $20 more for a 20 GB HDD, and headset. Yet seperately these things cost $120 dollars, wont that cause confusion? I'm paying $120 for two things that appear to be only worth $20?

 

The biggest problem MS has isn't the price of the hardware I'd say. I'd say it's the way they overprice their accessories. $100 for a wireless adapter? Complete crap considering it's easy to substitute it for something cheaper, or even substituting it by running the Ethernet cable that shipped with your system to your laptop.

 

The one thing I find inexcusable from MS is the fact that they don't ship with wireless already in the system when both other platforms ship standard with it.

 

Sorry, but not dropping the price of the Arcade unit

 

 

 

 

 

Sumarizing it all:

 

 

 

For $30 more, you get a 20GB HDD and a headset.

 

And M's biggest problem is accesories, $100 for a wireless adaptor? :(

 

Really, Arcade should be discontinued, not the 20GB model.

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, i'm getting my 60GB one this August (along Cod4, Halo3 and a control)

I would be happy if they would just release some bigger HDDs.

I haven't fully filled up my 20 gigs yet

I haven't fully filled up my 20 gigs yet

 

 

 

I always have to clear some stuff my HDD about every two months.

To make a long post short, I hate you Microsoft

 

 

 

 

 

After finishing the M$ conference mid-post, I got mad enough to delete the entire thing and say this:

 

 

 

Microsoft is lucky that they have Live and games like COD4, Gears of War and Halo 3 to keep them afloat, because I haven't seen anything done by Microsoft that is making me want to keep my console. I am very close to selling my console, buying a PS3, and leaving the 360 in these horrible moments I spent watching M$ just advertise their less-than-average products. Also I hated the rep. from Enix because you can barely understand him. Don't use the lead guy just because he is the lead guy, use someone who isn't hard to understand or doesn't sound as if English is a fifth language.

 

 

 

That conference has me disappointed greatly in M$, and they're lucky that they have 6 new games that will keep me with their system, along with Live. Fallout 3, GoW 2, Banjo-Kazooie N&B, Fable 2, Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I know that GH and RB are available for PS3, but I already have a total of 5 instruments between the three games I own, and there is no way I am re-buying the games and instruments.

 

 

 

The 360 should have been shipped with Wireless, or put the Wireless Adapter at $20, so that I'd actually be willing to buy it.

To make a long post short, I hate you Microsoft

 

 

 

 

 

After finishing the M$ conference mid-post, I got mad enough to delete the entire thing and say this:

 

 

 

Microsoft is lucky that they have Live and games like COD4, Gears of War and Halo 3 to keep them afloat, because I haven't seen anything done by Microsoft that is making me want to keep my console. I am very close to selling my console, buying a PS3, and leaving the 360 in these horrible moments I spent watching M$ just advertise their less-than-average products. Also I hated the rep. from Enix because you can barely understand him. Don't use the lead guy just because he is the lead guy, use someone who isn't hard to understand or doesn't sound as if English is a fifth language.

 

 

 

That conference has me disappointed greatly in M$, and they're lucky that they have 6 new games that will keep me with their system, along with Live. Fallout 3, GoW 2, Banjo-Kazooie N&B, Fable 2, Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I know that GH and RB are available for PS3, but I already have a total of 5 instruments between the three games I own, and there is no way I am re-buying the games and instruments.

 

 

 

The 360 should have been shipped with Wireless, or put the Wireless Adapter at $20, so that I'd actually be willing to buy it.

 

[hide=E3Spoilers]New halo game make it better for you?[/hide]

I think it should stay the same price but seriously work on removing hardware failures like the RROD, and add a bigger hard drive. The standard PS3 has twice as much. I think people would be more than willing to pay extra for that.

I think it should stay the same price but seriously work on removing hardware failures like the RROD, and add a bigger hard drive. The standard PS3 has twice as much. I think people would be more than willing to pay extra for that.

 

 

 

They have fixed it you fool.

 

With the new models.

 

Was fixed ages ago ..

 

-.-

I think it should stay the same price but seriously work on removing hardware failures like the RROD, and add a bigger hard drive. The standard PS3 has twice as much. I think people would be more than willing to pay extra for that.

 

 

 

They have fixed it you fool.

 

With the new models.

 

Was fixed ages ago ..

 

-.-

 

The new falcon motherboards helped, but the RROD still happens. Not much was done about the inadequate cooling system. -.-

I think it should stay the same price but seriously work on removing hardware failures like the RROD, and add a bigger hard drive. The standard PS3 has twice as much. I think people would be more than willing to pay extra for that.

 

 

 

They have fixed it you fool.

 

With the new models.

 

Was fixed ages ago ..

 

-.-

 

The new falcon motherboards helped, but the RROD still happens. Not much was done about the inadequate cooling system. -.-

 

Maybe if idiots didn't put it in stupid places it wouldn't. and its not like it costs anything to get it fixed.

 

The new falcon motherboards helped, but the RROD still happens. Not much was done about the inadequate cooling system. -.-

 

Maybe if idiots didn't put it in stupid places it wouldn't. and its not like it costs anything to get it fixed.

 

Mine got the RROD AGAIN for a second time. Had it replaced the first time and is being replaced again :wall: And who cares that it doesn't cost? It takes over 4 weeks for mine to get back. I would rather have them replace it in store :roll:

 

 

 

 

 

Too bad Bungie couldn't announce its new project. Only 12 hours before they did and their people pulled the plug.

 

Maybe if idiots didn't put it in stupid places it wouldn't. and its not like it costs anything to get it fixed.

No, just the 4 weeks it takes for Microsoft to replace it.

 

Maybe if idiots didn't put it in stupid places it wouldn't. and its not like it costs anything to get it fixed.

No, just the 4 weeks it takes for Microsoft to replace it.

 

 

 

4 weeks > £200.

Mine got the RROD AGAIN for a second time. Had it replaced the first time and is being replaced again :wall: And who cares that it doesn't cost? It takes over 4 weeks for mine to get back. I would rather have them replace it in store :roll:

 

 

 

 

 

Too bad Bungie couldn't announce its new project. Only 12 hours before they did and their people pulled the plug.

 

 

 

actually, the only way for the newer models to get the 3 red rings is if the motherboard snapped. the other rr are not permant.