Zilla Man
03-28-2007, 08:19 PM
With all the 360 Xbots in gaming forums worldwide whining about feeling cheated with the release of the 360 Elite, I thought this would be the perfect thread to address an upcoming issue.
MS released the Elite with a 120 GB HD, HDMI, and Wi Fi -- some of the very same features they were saying were unnecessary in a gaming console as recently as 3 months ago. :rolleyes:
Not only that, but they're charging an exhorbitant amount of money for the drive sold separately - $179! As cheap as hard drives are today, there's no excuse for that. The great thing about the PS3 is that you can buy the 20 GB version and swap it out for any larger hard drive - at a lot less than $179.
But here's the real kicker: for all that money you spend ($479), you only get a standard DVD drive, not even HD-DVD! Why? Because MS is playing catch up with Sony. They've basically acknowledged that HD-DVD has lost the format war, and will most likely be offering a Blu-Ray drive of their own :p
Don't believe me? Check out this statement from MS itself:
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4996&Itemid=46
Microsoft: Xbox 360 Blu-ray Possible
Microsoft isn’t so anti-Sony that it wouldn’t offer up an Xbox 360 Blu-ray solution if the format beats out HD DVD.
Xbox UK boss Neil Thompson told BBC News, “Whatever format wins it is highly likely we will offer a solution.”
But the writing was on the wall even earlier than that:
Updated: Tuesday, 10 January 2006
Xbox 360 May Adapt to Blu-ray
Less than a week after Bill Gates' CES announcement of an HD-DVD add-on for the Xbox 360, Xbox marketing VP Peter Moore said that a Blu-ray adaptor could be designed if necessary.
Moore told Japanese site ITmedia that if the Microsoft-backed HD-DVD format loses the format war to Sony's Blu-ray, then Microsoft could simply manufacturer a Blu-ray player add-on (and early HD-DVD add-on adoptors could simply buy a Blu-ray upgrade to accompany their theoretically obsolete HD-DVD add-on, apparently).
He also said that if HD-DVD does win over consumers and movie studios to become the standard, the Blu-ray-equipped PlayStation 3 will be out of luck. Moore made it clear that any external drives would not be capable of playing HD games, whichever format.
But here's the real kicker:
http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=23840
360 Elite validates Sony's hi-def focus – analyst
"Microsoft will likely offer a Blu-ray drive with the Elite," says Pachter
Microsoft's release of the Xbox 360 Elite validates Sony's focus on capturing the early market for high-definition entertainment, according to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter.
As the format holder continues to sign up more providers of downloadable content to Xbox Live Marketplace, the support for HDMI output is Microsoft's acknowledgement that the hi-def consumer is more important that it initially believed.
"Microsoft's move is an endorsement of high-definition output, and its inclusion of HDMI validates that Sony's initial strategy was correct," said Pachter, speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz.
"The 120 GB hard-drive is focused on helping the roll-out of IPTV, and I expect a progression of HDTV broadcast from the current 720p to the 1080p standard over the next few years, so the HDMI output will be relevant."
"On balance, this is a very smart move by Microsoft, but it appears to validate Sony's strategy, and serves as an acknowledgement that HD content matters," he commented.
For Pachter, the Xbox 360 Elite is stepping closer to the functionality of the PlayStation 3, but instead of offering an all-in-one package, Microsoft is giving the consumers a choice to upgrade their current console or buy the individual components relevant to their needs.
"Microsoft has made a bold move here in order to capture additional market share. They have essentially offered consumers the opportunity to replicate the performance of a PS3 by purchasing the 360 Elite plus an external HD-DVD drive," he offered.
"The value proposition is fair, and it places the two companies on similar footing."
The fact that Microsoft is not offering the external HD-DVD drive as part of the new Elite bundle may be an indication that it believes Blu-ray will eventually win the hi-definition format wars.
"It appears to me that Microsoft sees the writing on the wall – Blu-ray is going to win the format wars," he said.
"Ultimately, Microsoft will likely offer a Blu-ray drive with the 360 Elite, and I think consumers will be able to select based solely upon other drivers."
Pachter also believes that although the Xbox 360 Elite will register with early adopters of hi-def content, the current 20GB model will still be sufficient for many consumers.
"I'm hopeful that Microsoft does not phase out the 20GB model," he said.
"I continue to believe that most consumers will be perfectly happy with that SKU, and those with 720p TVs should be very happy with the performance of the current 360."
A price drop of the Premium console would also not be out of the question, said Pachter, giving Microsoft an advantage over Sony at retail.
"Microsoft is in a good position to lower the price of the USD 399 version, and it would give them a big competitive advantage to do so."
"In the final analysis, I would be surprised if they eliminated this SKU, and would consider it a mistake if they were to do so," he concluded.
Now all this hasn't officially happened yet, but with Blu-ray outselling HD-DVD 3 to 1, and studios like Disney, Sony, and Fox supporting only Blu-Ray, it's just a matter of time.
I predict that by late 2008, HD-DVD will go the way of Divyx. And all you guys who went out and bought the HD-DVD add on drive for movies will be stuck with a very expensive paper weight.:cryin: What amazes me is how many of you guys are willing to hurriedly keep shelling money to MS without any regard to the future or how the format's supported.
BTW, why would anyone buy a machine to play movies in a format that was never supported by half of the major Hollywood studios anyway?
My main point is that while both companies are out to squeeze $ from the consumer, MS is only in it for the short run. First they kill the original Xbox the same year its sales peak. Then they launch a console calling it next gen even though it doesn't support any of the two formats out of the box; then they charge you an arm and a leg for a peripheral - that doesn't even play next-gen games, just movies - and a limited selection at that!
Sony's made plenty of mistakes in the last year. But at least I know when I plop my $600 dollars down, that other than replacing the controllers when they install rumble, I won't have to keep adding on peripherals because my machine's outdated.
And now it looks like if you Xbots want to see a lot of the latest movies, you'll have to shell out more $$ for a Blu-ray add on.
BTW, you guys can post all the threads you want about how Blu-ray isn't necessary. The fact is that it's here to stay, prices are dropping rapidly on stand alone players (which is the likely cause of the upcoming PS3 drop). The average consumer is more aware than you think of the fact that HD-DVD doesn't have the strong support that Blu-ray has -- which is one reason why it's outselling HD-DVD. The other reasons? Casino Royale, Pirates of the Carribean 2, etc.
Oddly enough, I think MS has only themselves to blame fot this predicament. If they had an HD-DVD drive built in to every 360, HD-DVD would be ahead of Blu-ray right now with a huge instalment base. Yes it would have cost them more money but they would have started breaking even sooner. As it is now, they're losing money and the format wars. Not good.
So here are my questions:
1) How do you guys feel about the Elite and the price of the 120 GB add on? I know all of 360 owners probably have the premium models, but do you think it will affect future 360 owners? If you don't have a 360 but are thinking of picking one up, how does this affect you?
2) 360 owners: since Blu-ray will most likely win, will you buy the MS add on when they come out with one? Or will you simply buy a stand alone or PS3 model?
And what will you do with your HD-DVD paperweight?:p
MS released the Elite with a 120 GB HD, HDMI, and Wi Fi -- some of the very same features they were saying were unnecessary in a gaming console as recently as 3 months ago. :rolleyes:
Not only that, but they're charging an exhorbitant amount of money for the drive sold separately - $179! As cheap as hard drives are today, there's no excuse for that. The great thing about the PS3 is that you can buy the 20 GB version and swap it out for any larger hard drive - at a lot less than $179.
But here's the real kicker: for all that money you spend ($479), you only get a standard DVD drive, not even HD-DVD! Why? Because MS is playing catch up with Sony. They've basically acknowledged that HD-DVD has lost the format war, and will most likely be offering a Blu-Ray drive of their own :p
Don't believe me? Check out this statement from MS itself:
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4996&Itemid=46
Microsoft: Xbox 360 Blu-ray Possible
Microsoft isn’t so anti-Sony that it wouldn’t offer up an Xbox 360 Blu-ray solution if the format beats out HD DVD.
Xbox UK boss Neil Thompson told BBC News, “Whatever format wins it is highly likely we will offer a solution.”
But the writing was on the wall even earlier than that:
Updated: Tuesday, 10 January 2006
Xbox 360 May Adapt to Blu-ray
Less than a week after Bill Gates' CES announcement of an HD-DVD add-on for the Xbox 360, Xbox marketing VP Peter Moore said that a Blu-ray adaptor could be designed if necessary.
Moore told Japanese site ITmedia that if the Microsoft-backed HD-DVD format loses the format war to Sony's Blu-ray, then Microsoft could simply manufacturer a Blu-ray player add-on (and early HD-DVD add-on adoptors could simply buy a Blu-ray upgrade to accompany their theoretically obsolete HD-DVD add-on, apparently).
He also said that if HD-DVD does win over consumers and movie studios to become the standard, the Blu-ray-equipped PlayStation 3 will be out of luck. Moore made it clear that any external drives would not be capable of playing HD games, whichever format.
But here's the real kicker:
http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=23840
360 Elite validates Sony's hi-def focus – analyst
"Microsoft will likely offer a Blu-ray drive with the Elite," says Pachter
Microsoft's release of the Xbox 360 Elite validates Sony's focus on capturing the early market for high-definition entertainment, according to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter.
As the format holder continues to sign up more providers of downloadable content to Xbox Live Marketplace, the support for HDMI output is Microsoft's acknowledgement that the hi-def consumer is more important that it initially believed.
"Microsoft's move is an endorsement of high-definition output, and its inclusion of HDMI validates that Sony's initial strategy was correct," said Pachter, speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz.
"The 120 GB hard-drive is focused on helping the roll-out of IPTV, and I expect a progression of HDTV broadcast from the current 720p to the 1080p standard over the next few years, so the HDMI output will be relevant."
"On balance, this is a very smart move by Microsoft, but it appears to validate Sony's strategy, and serves as an acknowledgement that HD content matters," he commented.
For Pachter, the Xbox 360 Elite is stepping closer to the functionality of the PlayStation 3, but instead of offering an all-in-one package, Microsoft is giving the consumers a choice to upgrade their current console or buy the individual components relevant to their needs.
"Microsoft has made a bold move here in order to capture additional market share. They have essentially offered consumers the opportunity to replicate the performance of a PS3 by purchasing the 360 Elite plus an external HD-DVD drive," he offered.
"The value proposition is fair, and it places the two companies on similar footing."
The fact that Microsoft is not offering the external HD-DVD drive as part of the new Elite bundle may be an indication that it believes Blu-ray will eventually win the hi-definition format wars.
"It appears to me that Microsoft sees the writing on the wall – Blu-ray is going to win the format wars," he said.
"Ultimately, Microsoft will likely offer a Blu-ray drive with the 360 Elite, and I think consumers will be able to select based solely upon other drivers."
Pachter also believes that although the Xbox 360 Elite will register with early adopters of hi-def content, the current 20GB model will still be sufficient for many consumers.
"I'm hopeful that Microsoft does not phase out the 20GB model," he said.
"I continue to believe that most consumers will be perfectly happy with that SKU, and those with 720p TVs should be very happy with the performance of the current 360."
A price drop of the Premium console would also not be out of the question, said Pachter, giving Microsoft an advantage over Sony at retail.
"Microsoft is in a good position to lower the price of the USD 399 version, and it would give them a big competitive advantage to do so."
"In the final analysis, I would be surprised if they eliminated this SKU, and would consider it a mistake if they were to do so," he concluded.
Now all this hasn't officially happened yet, but with Blu-ray outselling HD-DVD 3 to 1, and studios like Disney, Sony, and Fox supporting only Blu-Ray, it's just a matter of time.
I predict that by late 2008, HD-DVD will go the way of Divyx. And all you guys who went out and bought the HD-DVD add on drive for movies will be stuck with a very expensive paper weight.:cryin: What amazes me is how many of you guys are willing to hurriedly keep shelling money to MS without any regard to the future or how the format's supported.
BTW, why would anyone buy a machine to play movies in a format that was never supported by half of the major Hollywood studios anyway?
My main point is that while both companies are out to squeeze $ from the consumer, MS is only in it for the short run. First they kill the original Xbox the same year its sales peak. Then they launch a console calling it next gen even though it doesn't support any of the two formats out of the box; then they charge you an arm and a leg for a peripheral - that doesn't even play next-gen games, just movies - and a limited selection at that!
Sony's made plenty of mistakes in the last year. But at least I know when I plop my $600 dollars down, that other than replacing the controllers when they install rumble, I won't have to keep adding on peripherals because my machine's outdated.
And now it looks like if you Xbots want to see a lot of the latest movies, you'll have to shell out more $$ for a Blu-ray add on.
BTW, you guys can post all the threads you want about how Blu-ray isn't necessary. The fact is that it's here to stay, prices are dropping rapidly on stand alone players (which is the likely cause of the upcoming PS3 drop). The average consumer is more aware than you think of the fact that HD-DVD doesn't have the strong support that Blu-ray has -- which is one reason why it's outselling HD-DVD. The other reasons? Casino Royale, Pirates of the Carribean 2, etc.
Oddly enough, I think MS has only themselves to blame fot this predicament. If they had an HD-DVD drive built in to every 360, HD-DVD would be ahead of Blu-ray right now with a huge instalment base. Yes it would have cost them more money but they would have started breaking even sooner. As it is now, they're losing money and the format wars. Not good.
So here are my questions:
1) How do you guys feel about the Elite and the price of the 120 GB add on? I know all of 360 owners probably have the premium models, but do you think it will affect future 360 owners? If you don't have a 360 but are thinking of picking one up, how does this affect you?
2) 360 owners: since Blu-ray will most likely win, will you buy the MS add on when they come out with one? Or will you simply buy a stand alone or PS3 model?
And what will you do with your HD-DVD paperweight?:p