Readers Speak Out...Interesting GameSpot Article

Last week we ran a news article that quoted Robbie Bach, senior vice president of Microsoft\'s games division, who stated, "Console pricing is a pretty well-defined science. The research has told us that consoles typically start around the range of $299 in the US and somewhere between 29,000 yen and 39,000 yen in Japan. We will take that research into account when we start pricing the Xbox."
While this price is about $5 cheaper than the price the PlayStation 2 retails for in Japan and equal to the PS2\'s North American price tag, many of you felt that the Xbox would be overpriced at $300. Considering the Xbox has all the features of the PlayStation 2 plus improved hardware, a 10GB hard drive, and a broadband adapter included, these arguments may be unsubstantiated.  Barnaby Jones agrees and had this to offer: "All you guys who think that $300 is expensive have got to be stupid. Look at the price of Nvidia\'s graphics cards. Weaker ones than what will be in the Xbox cost more than the entire [Xbox] system itself. DVD players aren\'t cheap, either." Eldon Thompson agrees wholeheartedly, as his Talkback post demonstrates. "What\'s with all the love for Sony and the PS2? It\'s overpriced garbage. The Xbox could cost twice as much as the PlayStation 2, and valuewise, it\'ll still beat the crap out of anything Sony has dreamed up so far. The Dreamcast is still better than the PS2 and it costs a third of what Sony is robbing folks for. What is it about change that has people so scared?" he stated. John Sturgeon broke the situation down to the essentials when he exclaimed, "The PS2 already costs $299, so there is no difference in Xbox launching at $299 that would give Sony any advantage. Even if Sony lowers the price by $50 at the Xbox\'s launch, you will still be forced to pay $100-plus more to add on a hard drive and broadband adapter, still making Xbox the better buy." One genuine concern that many have with Xbox is the quantity and quality of its exclusive software.

Many of our more astute readers have picked up on this potential problem and voiced their opinions in Talkback. Alan Falconer wondered what value there is in excellent hardware without the software to support it when he wrote, "How dumb do they think we are? Who\'s going to pay $300-plus for a system when no one even knows if it will be successful? It\'s like buying a more expensive PS2. At least the PS2 has some decent franchises behind it." Mike Lee from Los Angeles concurred: "Microsoft keeps on bragging about how powerful its Xbox is compared with the PS2 and the GameCube, but they hardly say anything about how strong their software lineup is going to be after the launch of the system." WLHarrier was thinking along the same lines when he retorted, "By the time it [the Xbox] comes out, the PS2 will be $200 and the GameCube $150. Why would anyone buy a more expensive system with hardly any exclusive games?"

Many of our readers expanded on the topic to predict Xbox\'s overall chances for success. Of those who responded with this sort of post, the impressions were split down the middle. Some believe that the Xbox is bound for success, while others feel it\'s doomed. Chris E. Reginaldo from Orlando, Fla., thinks that Microsoft has plenty of money in the bank to become a competitor. "Considering their available \'war chest,\' Microsoft might match Sony\'s PS2 price, banking on their software sales to compensate for the losses they will no doubt take," he stated. Seth from Minnesota is already sold on the potential of the Xbox, as evidenced by his post. "All I can say is that if they can make it $299 or less then I\'m all over that," he quipped. A few of our readers fear another PlayStation 2 launch fiasco when the Xbox hits retail later this year. Jim McKeever would be happy if Microsoft makes sure there are enough Xbox consoles to go around. "Microsoft, open up those ears and listen to what the people want: great games and the ability to pick up the system a week before Christmas without having to be put on a waiting list or log onto eBay to be gouged by the greedy," he explained. Danny Miller from Ohio isn\'t convinced that the Xbox will be a success and instead believes that Microsoft is making the same mistakes other companies have made in the past. "I really think the Xbox will turn out like another 3DO. The system is just like it--I think it will do very well at launch and fail," he predicts...
 

An interesting read...the rest can be found at http://www.zdnet.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2707227,00.html

some guys are blind, and won\'t realize that they will never see the PS2 true potential with remarks & a mentality like that, its just sad, people arent afraid of change thats why they bought PS2\'s cause they knew it was going to be a great investment. they only people that are afraid of change are the fan boys. do i have to name 1?

Wow, the agressivity of that guy (Barnaby Jones) is amazing !!!

"PS2 It\'s overpriced garbage."

Incredible !!!

Who\'s that guy, he\'s working for MS?

Maybe that Barnaby Jones guay finnaly relized Xbox aint all that??

Just maybe..
Poor little sad man..

/FAST

What those guys don\'t realize, is that MOST console gamers aren\'t going to spend 600 bucks on a console, no matter how great it is!  Remember the NEO GEO (Amazing power/graphics, pretty decent games)?  It was released here in canada at 500 bucks (PS2 is 450 here).  It failed utterly.  At the time, the upper limit of it\'s competition was about 250 cdn (segaCD/32X, SNES).  
If Microsoft can\'t competitively price their system, no matter how much better it is, it won\'t sell.  All those 8-18 year olds who rely on their parents to buy them a system will be getting a  PS2 or Gamecube.  No way a mother/father will fork over 2x the cost in a store for a "hdd" and "dvd player".  Usually, the parents don\'t even know about that stuff.

Originally posted by Julien
Wow, the agressivity of that guy (Barnaby Jones) is amazing !!!

"PS2 It\'s overpriced garbage."

Incredible !!!

Who\'s that guy, he\'s working for MS?

Man this guy(Barnaby Jones) is plain stupid.
This is clearly XBOX propagantha.100%sure he works for MS.
As time passes I feel more disgust about them.

, it\'ll still beat the crap out of anything Sony has dreamed up so far. The Dreamcast is still better than the PS2 and it costs a third of what Sony is robbing folks for. What is it about change that has people so scared?"

Yeah DC still better,YEAH RIGHT!!.
read the highlighted part.NOW THAT SOUNDS AS MONOPOLYSTIC AS NOTHING ELSE I VE EVER  HEARD IN MY LIFE IN HISTORY OF GAMING.NO COMPETITION!!!
He is like calling US stupid for buying  and liking PS2.As if we arent smart enough to choose what is good for us consumers??????????
HELL!!!EVERY PS2 OWNER I KNOW IS SATISFYED WITH IT!!!!(not refering to the forum).

Yet again, M$ has made complete fools of themselfs!

LMAO @ MicroBRAINS!

/FAST

Originally posted by Unicron!



Yeah DC still better,YEAH RIGHT!!.

What is wrong with saying DC is better? I certainly think so with its more appealing games. But that\'s just me.

I think everybody (blatent fanboys excluded) agrees here that if Microsoft can put out powerfull harware at  a decent price and a good software line-up then they will succede.

Its all about games and if MS doesn\'t have any, they fail.  But if they get it right and give the people what they want you have to be an idiot to pass the xbox by because of some false idea that Sony (I also mean Sega, Nintendo, MS, exe.) actually gives a damn about us over our money.

The last one out will suffer, period.

People who buy multiple consoles are in the extreme minority, and of those that do, the software they buy has to be divided between them (if not pirated....bastards!!).

So, the third company to release their system, weather it\'s MS or Nin, will be facing a much smaller demographic of available consumers.

After the first 2 have launched (PS2-NGC, or PS2-Xbox) the third will have to scrounge for gamers not yet situated.

This really is a fight between MS and N.

Why is everyone h8ing on Barnaby Jones? He\'s misguided yes, but I know plenty of people who genuinly h8 Sony as much as he does, and do not work for MS. He\'s too far against Sony, and some of you are too pro Sony. The last 3 posts above are the only non biased ones here.

Originally posted by Ashford


What is wrong with saying DC is better? I certainly think so with its more appealing games. But that\'s just me.

I wasn dissing DC.I really like DC.But Barnaby Jones uses it to promote XBOX.he is using it against PS2 to promote XBOX.Thats what makes me angry.
DC has super cool games.But PS2 has now.Its not the PS2 we used to see in launch.It has games that the DC will never match.
And seeing the future PS2 games how can he understate PS2 so much???
This is no way to speak about the console you think its good.Dissing other consoles to make your console sound better is not right.

Why is everyone h8ing on Barnaby Jones? He\'s misguided yes, but I know plenty of people who genuinly h8 Sony as much as he does, and do not work for MS. He\'s too far against Sony, and some of you are too pro Sony. The last 3 posts above are the only non biased ones here.

Most Sony haters are Sega,XBOX and Nintendo fanatics.
The majority of developers and gamers like Sony a lot.

And why is my post biased?Ha?Because I spoke th etruth about Barbaby Jones?

Just to clear something up:
Isnt the XBox not coming with the broadband apadter anymore?
I thought they are adding that as a buy-up option.
Also it doesnt come with DVD paybeack.
So, If you were going to get everything the PS2 has and more, youd be spending at least $330(they said the remote and drivers would cost at least 30 or 40 dollars so I picked the low cost one) + the broadband adapter($30?), so youll actually be spending 360.

Other than that, I think this guy was overly harsh.
I hope the Xbox does live up to its hype though.
Imagine the games we could be playing.

Originally posted by Unicron!


And why is my post biased?Ha?Because I spoke th etruth about Barbaby Jones?

The truth? That he works for MS? Wheres your proof? And yes, people who hate PS2/Sony usually are fanatics of another system, that doesnt mean they work for their favorite company, or have been brainwashed. I love my PS2, but I do not like Sony one bit.

Originally posted by Faithdies
Just to clear something up:
Isnt the XBox not coming with the broadband apadter anymore?

It\'s still included. I think you were confused.