Xbox 360 price higher than predicted?

by James Ransom-Wiley { May 19th 2005 at 5:03PM }

Xbox 360 Sure, it's just speculation based on the ramblings of a few Goldman Sachs analysts, but it's enough to raise our eyebrows. The old boys have predicted that Microsoft will move about 3 million in the December quarter, with demand exceeding supply. Include the added cost of a hard drive ($30), and Goldman Sachs predicts that the initial retail price will be higher than expected—likely topping the $300 mark.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

thewivil @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

I thought the consensus was a stripped down Xbox 360 would cost $299 and one with the hard drive and other accessories would cost $360.

bertram @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

"likely topping the 300 dollar mark". wasn't the 360 already predicted to cost 300 without the hard drive and 360 with? it sounds like all they are doing is confirming earlier predictions.

Scott @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Yeah, but MS has said that the 360 will come with a hard drive standard. $299-$360 is not a bad price. Anything higher and I will be waiting for a price drop.

Raydeen @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Not that bad of a price, I remember paying well over $300 for the SEGA SATURN whet it first hit.
I was not a very smart consumer back then.

doul weapons @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

#3, if MS said it will come standard with the HD, why is it detachable? A detachable hard drive seems to imply that it's not standard.

As for the price, Xbox and PS2 both launched at $300 back in 2000 and 2001, so $300 seems like a reasonable price for the Xbox 360. Then tack on either $60 (for the 360/$360 cheese-factor) or $100 (more in line with normal "bonus pack" prices) for the HD packed in (and maybe some additional goodies they haven't told us about? one can hope...)

Sergio @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

doul: The reason it's detachable is because it's upgradable. Whether or not they'll sell two version.

Dralt @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

$399.95

anon @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Based on Sony's "Official" take on price, $300US is about right on the Next-Gen Market.
http://www.smackweasel.com/2005/05/playstation-3-price-revealed.asp

anon @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Based on Sony's "Official" take on price, $300US is about right on the Next-Gen Market.
http://www.smackweasel.com/2005/05/playstation-3-price-revealed.asp

DigitalStupor @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Microsoft has made it clear there will only be one version of the console being sold...no tiered hardware configs. J Allard said they didn't want to confuse consumers and make bad estimates as to which configuration would sell better than the other. Straight up, one model X360 will on store shelves. I am guessing $349 will be it's price...$400 feels a bit stiff, and $300 would be awesome, but the reality is, the console will cost MS serious money, and they need to figure out how much of a loss they can take and still eventually make the profit! If MS offers this thing for $299, it will be gone off the shelves FAST...they have the deep pockets to take a hit for the mere sake of getting it into consumer's hands. Can you imagine it going for $249 at launch? YIKES...

bl4xc0d3 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

yah know what is funny, i was expecting a 500$ price tag, i always thought that the next-gen shizz would cost more then the last gen... but hey... 400$ isnt as bad as i was expecting

charlie @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

I dont understand. Yes the Xbox might debut for more than $299, but that was predicted well before E3. Wasn't there any interview with analysts posted on engadget where they agreed that the Xbox would debut at somewhere between $299 and $399? Who was saying that it would start selling for under $300?

Racky @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

I thought that Goldman Sachs were simply pointing out that due to expected high demand RETAILERS could be charging a premium for the product.

Just market forces, not Microsoft.

rc51 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Hmmm, not is it fat and UGLY, its price
keeps going up. Oh yea, its not backwards
compatable. Anyone want to buy my xbox games?

otakucode @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

$50 more than a PSP for the raw power in this box? Sounds like a DEAL to me.

Joseph @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

To someone who posted earlier... the xbox 360 planned to be backwards compatable despite the bad PR and INCORRECT rumors that it won't or will require you to purchase recompiled games. You WILL be able to use your old games on the xbox 360.

Joey Geraci @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Guys haven't you heard the news that Sony confirmed that when the ps3 debuts in Japan (possibly at the end of the year!) it will debut at no higher than $465. That means that it is pretty obvious at all guessed prices for the 360 that the ps3 will be significantly more expensive.

Steve @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Guys listen, i wouldnt worry so much about the price, as if the PS3 is 400 od then you can expect the x box retailers to be selling x-box for a cheaper price, as they are rival companys, plus with all that yummy scrummy hard ware and all the effort the guys at microsoft have put into this, you can expect whatever price it is to be WELL WORTH IT, especailly since the tech on it is STATE OF THE ART, (34 gig hard drive, wireless everything, music control, music control button on the centre of the control pad and last but not least, THE best in graphics proccessing!)

Peter Y @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Does anyone know, if you can play the original xbox games on the new xbox 360, I need to know, im yet sure that im going to buy it. Will you be able to play Halo 2, Fable, Soul Caliber...etc. on Xbox 360? I also heard that for this new xbox you need a memory card?

Evan @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

LOL, Hold your horses everybody it doesnt matter what the price is just save your money go play yur x-box Pc or PS2 cuz in a couple months there will be an official announcement..I KNOW ITS EXCITING THOUGH!I DONT CARE IF NINTENDO OR SONY HAS A BETTER SYSTEM....WHO CAN BEAT THE GAMES THAT XBOX PRODUCES!

Leonard Washington @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Will you be able to play old xbox game???

Tyler @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

i think the HD is detachable so that you can upgrade the memory in the 360 without paying a high price for somebody to open up your xbox and put more memory in it.

Konan @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

I have a weiner. I have a Sony PS2, I am awesome. Who can beat Microsoft? Sony can!
Grand Theft is and was the best game in history.

Jonny BOy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

The Xbox 360 will pwn. Think about it.... Halo 3, Gears of War, Perfect Dark Zero, Project Gotham Racing 3, Oblivion, Fable 2, etc. The list goes on and on. I think MS will make the right decision on the price. Besides who wants a PS3, it has a boomerang from Australia as its controller. WTF. The detachable hard drive is so you can take it to other peoples houses and play your saved stuff instead of taking your whole system. The button in the middle of the X360's controller can do a butt load of stuff including: power button, xbox live menus, music, media etc. The face plates are awesome, I personally like the one that looks like wood.

V. @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Probably it will be backward-compatible. Why not? X-Box featured a standart Pentium III, GeForce Ti200, etc. X-Box 360 seems to use just the same architecture.

I am a computer user, and for me price on X-Box 360 - no matter, $300 or $400 - seems just funny. You can't get neither a decent CPU, neither video card for that, and here is something faster than any PC for just about one eigth of what such PC would cost. More than a bargain. Maybe I'll save myself a couple thousands and buy it or PS3 for newer games. Or

But maybe it will cost more, being bought anyway, if Sony charges much more.

Aly C @ Dec 18th 2005 9:59PM

Will you be able to play the old xbox games on the new xbox 360???

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