Microsoft Cuts Xbox 360 Price to $349

AP via Excite ^ | Aug 7 2007 | JESSICA MINTZ

[PAR35]

SEATTLE (AP) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) (MSFT)'s Xbox 360 video game console will be $50 cheaper starting Wednesday, confirming fuzzy snapshots of leaked advertisements posted by bloggers in late July.

The company said its most popular console, which comes with a 20-gigabyte hard drive, will cost $349.

A basic console without a hard drive or wireless controllers will retail for $279, $20 less than its current price, while the Xbox 360 Elite, a black version with a 120-gigabyte hard drive and high-definition video support, will drop $50 to $449.

- snip -

Sony Corp. (SNE) slashed the price of its 60-gigabyte PlayStation 3 to $499, from $599, in early July. Nintendo Corp.'s Wii, the least expensive of the so-called next-generation consoles, costs $250.

[gridlock]

Costing aboout half as much out of the chute didn't hurt, either.

Cost control requires innovation, and plenty of it!

[SJSAMPLE]

I agree.

But, for me, it’s not the platform, IT’S THE GAME and the HALO series is the best thing out there (IMHO).

Like my current X-Box, I’ll gain 10 pounds and lose 8-12 months of my kids lives, but I’m gonna play Halo 3 when the goddamn thing comes out ;)

[Myrddin]

It was fun. I made the mistake of going through the motions as if I actually had a ball in my hand.

The Wii is finding favor with senior citizens as a way to get them in motion. Your experience is an example of why the Wii is succeeding in that market. The human body was made to move. The Wii combines the video game with that need to move.

[LanPB01]

In just two weeks, the 360 will be getting a game that might even be better than Halo (at least the single player, anyway) in Bioshock. That is, if the early reviews are accurate.

[ECM]

Better graphics, yes. Better games, well, that’s up to you but, by and large, it’s more of the same but prettier (and I’m damned tired of more of the same.)

[MARTIAL MONK]

I don't know a Wii from a Wii Wii but I got a call last week from the wife of an Asian friend. She doesn't speak English too well and was having a hard time finding one. She asked me if I could find her one. I often get calls from Asians who have cross cultural problems or who have problems understanding American systems, sometimes as basic as how plumbing works. Anyway I am their problem solver.

I called some stores, found one and picked it up. Now I have a dozen more requests from their friends. Apparently it has become accepted in the Asian community as an alternative to television.

[Vinnie]

The Wii is finding favor with senior citizens as a way to get them in motion

Are you accusing me of being a sedentary old fart?

Ok, I admit it. ;^)

[lowbridge]

Hitler Gets Banned By Microsoft

[lowbridge]

I can kick all your butts in Call of Duty 3.

My Chuck Norris Fu Is Strong. /keyboard commando

[bray]

My son’s box lasted for a year and MS replaced it 2 weeks ago and it lasted for 3 hrs before it crashed. He is waiting for the second replacement box. Piece of junk.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[MinorityRepublican]

Same here. I'll probably buy Halo 3 and xbox 360 next summer when the price drops. Other than that, I'm too busy with my life and other hobbies to play video games that much like I did when I was younger.

If wii truly had a blockbuster game like halo, it'll put them over the top during this generation of consoles.

[mysterio]

Man, those things are really expensive. I got the first XBOX in 2004 or so, and it was only $200. Those new ones are way out of my price range.

[HamiltonJay]

I’m telling you, Metroid Prime 3 will redefine the first person shooter/adventure.

Point and fire, one to one movements for character interactions... etc etc etc.

The sitting in the dark mashing buttons and pushing analog sticks is over... it just cannot compete to the interactive experience.

My entire life I’ve heard “virtual reality” is coming... and Wii is the closest thing you can find in terms of a mass market product in the home.

With movements of controllers in 3 dementional space controlling game movements and actions, no button mashing gamepad will ever be enough to compete again.

The Gamepad type of controller is on its way to being the Mattel Electronics football of the future of video games... it was cool and worked well for its time, but other than retro nastalgia, it will never be acceptable as an input device again.

[PAR35]

I asked the kids at Starbucks and they all said their parents play them.

Parents play them, grandparents play them; kids play them. If you have that kind of market, you can probably let the hard core gamers go.

[ichabod1]

Sounds like you’ve found yourself a new line of work.

[MARTIAL MONK]

What’s the deal? Why are the darn things so hard to get?

[JSDude1]

In both Politics and Videogames..Huh?

[ECM]

lol,good call

[Caipirabob]

Besides, I like my futuristic fighters, with a bit more curves!

Alrighty then...

I've never played "Halo" but my son loves it.

[Caipirabob]

They also realized that people were not going to string ethernet cable to their living room to play a game online, so they included WiFi out of the box.

I only had to configure the Wii once upon setup for our secured network. The XBOX 360 using Linksys equipement didn't cooperate at all. I believe that the majority of the problems were due to the number of WiFi networks in the area, and I've gotten my issues resolved, but it wasn't easy at all.

That being said, the Wii is wonderful for the kids and we have had 9 people playing the "Wario Smooth Move" game with the single baton. It was a complete and total laugh riot. The XBOX 360 is a single or duo gamer experience offline. PFS rule the day, and many of them are good. Overall, I enjoy the HD experience with the XBOX 360, but the Wii is truly an innovative and fun experience.