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Jawbone54 · Mar 28, 2007, 01:25 AM

This might be reading too much into things, but...

Could there be a relation (even one that wasn't entirely intentional) between the new XBox Elite's name and the baddies on Halo? Is the relationship between XBox and Halo so strong that they intentionally tied the two together? I know it wouldn't sell more systems, but is the 360 little more than a Halo-playing machine beyond the barrage of multi-platform games that currently litter the 360 landscape?

Or is there no relation?

chrisdisregard · 06:04 PM

...

ort888 · Mar 28, 2007, 09:39 AM

The Elite is a terrible move by Microsoft.

ort888 · Mar 28, 2007, 10:33 AM

Here's why it is dumb.

As has been proven time and time again. PRICE IS IMPORTANT.

A $480 Xbox 360 Elite is starting to get way to close to a $499 or $600 PS3. A lot of how people look at pricing is subconscious, and there are barriers you do not want to cross. The $500 price point is NOT what you want people to associate with a video game console.

Microsoft needs to focus on creating one SKU for their product, not expanding to three. They should be moving in the exact opposite direction. All it is going to do is create further marketplace confusion.

It's going to alienate a lot of their current customers who will be annoyed that they are improving the console so quickly into it's lifespan.

Here's the thought process of "Johnny Consolebuyer"

I love my PS2, but maybe it's time to look at these cool new consoles. The PS3 is the next Sony console, and I've been with them for a while now, but $600 seems like a lot of cash. That's just insane. I don't even have an HDTV yet, but I think I want one at some point. Still, Blu-Ray isn't that enticing right now, but I probably will want it eventually. Doesn't seem like any of the games are getting good reviews either.

I should just look at the 360 and Gears of War and Halo. I love playing it at my friends house. Hmmm, which one is even the one to get. The core is pretty cheap, only $299, but my friends say you have to be dumb to get that one... well, then we have the premium, which has a hard drive I guess, that one is $400, which is starting to get pretty expensive, but isn't that much worse than $300 I guess. But, now there is this new black 360 thing... hmmm, HDMI, I'm not even sure exactly what that is, but I guess I might need it for my future HDTV or something. A bigger hard drive is nice I guess. And it's black... uhhhh... Hmmm, $479 is starting to get pretty expensive, maybe I should look back at that middle one, but man, what if I feel like an idiot in 2 years if I don't get the HMDI or whatever. I guess I should really get that one, but man, it's almost $500 bucks. Let me call my friend about it. Great, he tells me that I also NEED to buy a warranty because 360s break all the time. That puts me at about $550! Just for the console. Throw in a game and a controller and I'm right at $650 which is a PS3 and Blu-ray. What the hell should I do?

Screw it, I'm getting a Wii.

highstakes · Mar 28, 2007, 11:19 AM

The 360 elite is just another way for MS to say that our console is just as great as yours (PS3). From what I've heard from Gamespot, the Core 360's will be abandoned, the Premium console will be lowered in price, and the Elie will be a limited production console.

Mar 28, 2007, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by highstakes

The 360 elite is just another way for MS to say that our console is just as great as yours (PS3). From what I've heard from Gamespot, the Core 360's will be abandoned, the Premium console will be lowered in price, and the Elie will be a limited production console.

According to MS, they will keep three SKUs and will not be lowering prices on any of the three any time soon.

Xbox 360 Elite: Interview with Microsoft's Albert Penello - Gizmodo

highstakes · Mar 28, 2007, 02:07 PM

that sucks...I guess MS likes to be in 2nd place every gen.

Leonard · Mar 28, 2007, 04:58 PM

What's so bad about the Elite. It's got HDMI and a 120GB HD. Why would it alienate new customers (like me who just bought the old Xbox 360), I don't need HDMI (yet) and Microsoft seems to be saying I can upgrade to the 120GB HD. I could always sell mine and buy the ELite one if I wanted. I don't get this thing about being pissed if a company improves a product. It happens. Companies improve their products. Get used to it or get used to sitting still while the world passes you by.

imitchellg5 · 09:34 PM

Xbox and Halo are sold by the same companies so there is no reason that they can't be related. That'd be like having a Zune that didn't work with Vista.
Edit: That's probably a bad example

Leonard · Mar 29, 2007, 11:18 AM

While we're on the subject, Halo 3 is coming out!

Hmmm... Halo 3, Xbox 360 Elite. There may be something to that Elite theory. Maybe they're going to have some sort of promotion... get your Xbox 360 Elite and a free copy of Halo 3 and fight the Elite.

I still can't believe I broke down and bought an Xbox 360 and enjoy it. Now I can't call myself a Mac Gamer anymore - now I'm a Mac and Xbox gamer. Ho well, back to playing Crackdown. Of course my Mac still rules for playing UT 2004 - there's nothing better than a mouse and keyboard for playin' FPS's.

synthfiend · Mar 30, 2007, 02:00 PM

Hmmm. I hope M$ doesn't redo Halo 3 so it will only run if you have an Elite.

Nah, they'd never do that.

cgc · Mar 30, 2007, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by highstakes

that sucks...I guess MS likes to be in 2nd place every gen.

2nd? MS is 3rd. Wii is 1st, then PS3, then XBox 360. Wii is just fun to play...

ort888 · Mar 30, 2007, 09:26 PM

The Wii is selling more right now, but the 360 is still the #1 current gen console.

This Christmas, when GTA4 and Halo 3 come out, the 360 is going to start selling like crazy.

Jawbone54 · Apr 1, 2007, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by ort888

The Wii is selling more right now, but the 360 is still the #1 current gen console.

This Christmas, when GTA4 and Halo 3 come out, the 360 is going to start selling like crazy.

Scratch GTA IV from the equation since it's coming out for PS3 as well. Halo 3 is the only true killer app that's going to have people going Microsoft's way, except for Gears of War (which a lot of people have voiced disapproval over, particularly the multiplayer).

Hawkeye_a · Apr 1, 2007, 10:40 AM

This is Microsoft going after the "gamers" that Sony was targetting with their PS3.

If you look at it from a gamer's perspective.... the XB360E is everything the PS3 is ..... for gaming (big HDD and moe important... HDMI)....oh and lets not forget the games advantage the 360 has over the PS3.

It seems like a good business move imo. And Microsoft has the games to back the 360 as well.

slpdLoad · Apr 1, 2007, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by ort888

Here's the thought process of "Johnny Consolebuyer"

I love my PS2, but maybe it's time to look at these cool new consoles. The PS3 is the next Sony console, and I've been with them for a while now, but $600 seems like a lot of cash. That's just insane. I don't even have an HDTV yet, but I think I want one at some point. Still, Blu-Ray isn't that enticing right now, but I probably will want it eventually. Doesn't seem like any of the games are getting good reviews either.

I should just look at the 360 and Gears of War and Halo. I love playing it at my friends house. Hmmm, which one is even the one to get. The core is pretty cheap, only $299, but my friends say you have to be dumb to get that one... well, then we have the premium, which has a hard drive I guess, that one is $400, which is starting to get pretty expensive, but isn't that much worse than $300 I guess. But, now there is this new black 360 thing... hmmm, HDMI, I'm not even sure exactly what that is, but I guess I might need it for my future HDTV or something. A bigger hard drive is nice I guess. And it's black... uhhhh... Hmmm, $479 is starting to get pretty expensive, maybe I should look back at that middle one, but man, what if I feel like an idiot in 2 years if I don't get the HMDI or whatever. I guess I should really get that one, but man, it's almost $500 bucks. Let me call my friend about it. Great, he tells me that I also NEED to buy a warranty because 360s break all the time. That puts me at about $550! Just for the console. Throw in a game and a controller and I'm right at $650 which is a PS3 and Blu-ray. What the hell should I do?

Screw it, I'm getting a Wii.

Well at least he made a good decision in the end.

Jawbone54 · Apr 1, 2007, 02:34 PM

I'm still sitting on my PS2, waiting to decide after having taken back both 2 XBox 360's and selling a Wii for a $150 profit.

I'm leaning wayyyyy over in the direction of the Wii right now.