Price Cut coming to 360 again?

[JamesJ]

More Xbox 360 Price Cuts Coming Next Month?

seems reasonable enough, and at 199 for arcade, I would imagine alot of people would jump on this offer!

 

[IcEWoLF]

Possibly enough for some people to dump their old xbox or PS2's for it.
I think we are moving to the right direction.

 

[dmendenjr]

That's my next buying project; either the 360 or the ps3.... I am not the biggest fan of the $50 annual fee on the MS web service (can you at least get software patches on the free silver service), but I just don't see software coming out for the PS3 that I want. I've always been a bit of an RPG'er and I just don't see the PS3 getting the RPG love that the PS2 got: Fallout 3 (both systems), FF XIII (both systems), Star Ocean (xbox 360 only?), and then there are the Fables. Add to that the fact that we (my wife and I) aren't making the blu-ray jump any time soon - and when we do, I would want a stand alone unit. If they really drop the prices another $50 in september, my mind is made up.

 

[meStevo]

That's my next buying project; either the 360 or the ps3.... I am not the biggest fan of the $50 annual fee on the MS web service (can you at least get software patches on the free silver service), but I just don't see software coming out for the PS3 that I want. I've always been a bit of an RPG'er and I just don't see the PS3 getting the RPG love that the PS2 got: Fallout 3 (both systems), FF XIII (both systems), Star Ocean (xbox 360 only?), and then there are the Fables. Add to that the fact that we (my wife and I) aren't making the blu-ray jump any time soon - and when we do, I would want a stand alone unit. If they really drop the prices another $50 in september, my mind is made up.

Ya somehow the 360 became the RPG console of this generation. The fee for Xbox Live only is for online play and hastens the availability of some content. For example a Madden demo came out on Monday... it was then available to silver (free accounts) on Thursday I think. This lag is typically just a week and helps with bandwidth management so there's less of a bottleneck when stuff does come out. The other thing that it will get you access to is streaming of Netflix to your 360, though you can do that already with a media center plugin (not an official plugin, but not illegal).

In the end, I'd go with what the most of your friends have - the cost for live is negligible, and online gaming is awesome. If that doesn't matter, then it may come down to budget or other features. The 360 will have the Netflix integration this fall, but the PS3 (at a higher upfront cost) would put you in the Blu-Ray era.

If it comes down to just who has the most RPGs, your choice is probably pretty clear.... here's a list I grabbed from a Google search, not saying they're all awesome, but most/all are 360 exclusives:

1~Blue Dragon 2............Jrpg
2~Infinite Undiscovery........Jrpg
3~Mass Effect 1 ~Mass Effect 2
4~Fable 2
5~Too Human~ TooHuman 2
6~Sacred 2
7~Cry On.................Jrpg
8~Age of Conan
9~Elveon
10~Dark Messiah of M&M
11~Operation Darkness
12~Tales of Vesperia..........Jrpg
13~Spectral Force 3........Strategy Jrpg
14~Venetica.... RPG
15~Percusors
16~White Gold
17~Champion's Online
18~The Secert World Online
19~Two Worls temptation
20~Dungeon hero

 

[lakebum431]

Why is it that you think you need a stand alone unit for when you jump to blu? For 99% of users the PS3 does everything that a stand alone unit can.

 

[meStevo]

Why is it that you think you need a stand alone unit for when you jump to blu? For 99% of users the PS3 does everything that a stand alone unit can.

Well the PS3 is quite the package, I can see people wanting something simpler, and not have a monolith in their entertainment center well after this gaming generation has passed.

 

[dmendenjr]

I think it is a mental thing. I have never used a ps1 to play cd's, I have never used a ps2 for DVDs. Before we got our HDTV, I would barely watch a dvd on the higher resolution computer monitor. When I buy a game system, I just can't wrap my mind around it being anything other than a gaming devise. I know it excels at blu-ray playback, but it would be more of a novelty to me than a feature. Furthermore, for right now, I am fine DVR-ing movies off the premium channels. When I do decide to go 1080p; then I can revisit it. But if the prices really do fall in September and Sony stays firm; then I regret to say that this generation I am going to end up going Microsoft.

 

[JamesJ]

by the way Games for computers Windows Live, can be played for free with the 360 version, meaning if you have silver 360 account and have lets say....Whatever a Windows live game is ( I dont know of one off hand as I am not a big pc gamer now) then you play that game for free on xbox live . I know its not alot but its a start in the right direction.

 

[yourbeliefs]

This may have some legs...

Even more retailer proof of a 360 price cut in Sept - Xbox 360 Fanboy

I really would like a $199 360 Arcade model. Then my friend can FINALLY upgrade from his PS2 and start playing some modern games we can both enjoy.

 

[JamesJ]

This may have some legs...

Even more retailer proof of a 360 price cut in Sept - Xbox 360 Fanboy

I really would like a $199 360 Arcade model. Then my friend can FINALLY upgrade from his PS2 and start playing some modern games we can both enjoy.

I think you hit the nail on the head....at this price point will M$ grab a big portion of the PS2 base?

 

[meStevo]

IMO I think it will very quickly show how many PS2 users the PS3 has failed to win over due to price point especially now that FF13 isn't exclusive.

 

[gck105]

360 Elite $299 at Dell.com

Dell.com had Xbox 360 Ellite Bundles for $299 yesterday. I haven't checked to see if there were still some available, but that is a good price.

 

[meStevo]

Dell.com had Xbox 360 Ellite Bundles for $299 yesterday. I haven't checked to see if there were still some available, but that is a good price.

It was a price mistake

 

[jwfgeol]

Would it be worth it to get the Arcade with no hard drive? That means no backward compatibility, right?

 

[akodoreign]

Would it be worth it to get the Arcade with no hard drive? That means no backward compatibility, right?

But down the road if you add a HD you get backward compatability automatically.

The reason the arcade cannot do BC is that 8 gigs of the HD space has to be reserved for file cache that the old XBOX used. (the games won't run with out it).

Thats why you only get 12 gigs of usable space on a 20 gig HD on the old pro.

 

[dmendenjr]

But down the road if you add a HD you get backward compatability automatically.

The reason the arcade cannot do BC is that 8 gigs of the HD space has to be reserved for file cache that the old XBOX used. (the games won't run with out it).

Thats why you only get 12 gigs of usable space on a 20 gig HD on the old pro.

I (Very) breifly tried to find info on this before... can you add a HD to the arcade model?
(If so, I am guessing it is an external USB2.0 Hard Drive?)

 

[jwfgeol]

But down the road if you add a HD you get backward compatability automatically.

The reason the arcade cannot do BC is that 8 gigs of the HD space has to be reserved for file cache that the old XBOX used. (the games won't run with out it).

Thats why you only get 12 gigs of usable space on a 20 gig HD on the old pro.

Are all the other features the same? If so, I may jump on this if it proves to be true. I've been waiting to go next gen.

 

[JamesJ]

I (Very) breifly tried to find info on this before... can you add a HD to the arcade model?
(If so, I am guessing it is an external USB2.0 Hard Drive?)

yes you can...thats whats good about the arcade is if you want to upgrade little by little you can....they have 20 gig, 60 gig, and 120 gig. 20 gigs will go on ebay for about 20-30 when the 60 gig comes out.

 

[JamesJ]

Are all the other features the same? If so, I may jump on this if it proves to be true. I've been waiting to go next gen.

everything is the same, the arcade even comes with HDMI plug, just no HDMI cable.

 

[meStevo]

Downside is the price of the hard drive... MSRP is like $98 for the 20gb, and over $170 for the 120gb.

Arcade will be a perfect second 360 console for many people too i think.