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Money, cash, currency, wonga, greenbacks, spondulee, the green stuff, moolah, cashola, loot, dosh, payola, dough, whatever you call it, we have it and they want it.
Over the years, the launch of a new console has sent shivers down many a bank manager’s spine as gamers spend way too much money on a console.
Thankfully, the Gamecube will not put too higher dent in the nation’s wallets, as for once we are treated to a reasonably priced console (long may it continue).
With all three consoles showing huge promise, people who have limited funds may have to opt for only one. Although the quality of games is a major factor, the price of a console is a huge swing factor, so a price war is good for everyone.
It’s been reported recently that the sales figures for the launch of the Xbox may not have been as high as expected, whether this is true or not varies from source to source, but I’m willing to that the high price tag deterred quite a few people.
As the honeymoon period of the consoles launch is now pretty much over, and the sales figures start to drop away as many people (myself included) say, “I’ll get an Xbox when there’s a price drop”, the all important price strategy will come into play.
Xbox, though expensive, is a powerful machine with some great looking titles, but for how long Microsoft can maintain the high price tag remains to be seen, and in light of the imminent arrival of the cheaper Gamecube and the PS2 always at a competitive price, Microsoft must be aggressive in their price strategy, or else risk losing a lot of business.
The price of gaming can really add up, especially if you buy games when they first come out.
Going by the latest Special Reserve magazine, you pay £300 for the Xbox console, £75 for three extra controllers, £86 for a couple of games, £29 for a dvd playback kit.
That’s around £500, a hefty investment, though you can whittle down the price by buying a package deal.
For roughly the same amount of money, you could get a Gamecube, three extra controllers, a memory card and about six games.
Or you could buy a PS2, memory card, three controllers and a load of games.
Not forgetting the Dreamcast as well, a cheap console and a shed load of classic games.
It’s simple maths.
I know it’s not that long ago since the Xbox was launched, but there will soon be a huge price difference between the Xbox and it’s competitors and that might possibly force Microsoft’s hand in dropping the price of their console.
If they don’t, then come May 3rd, Nintendo’s new console will attract a lot more punters, lured in by the lower price.
Then throw the PS2 into the equation and Microsoft will not sell a £300 console for very long, despite what sales figures or strategies they have worked out.
Microsoft don’t want to lower the price of their Xbox too soon as Nintendo did with the N64, or people may assume that it’s an inferior product, or punters who bought it at launch will get cheesed off and question Microsoft’s loyalty towards their most dedicated fans as they paid a much higher price for it not too long ago, or Microsoft don’t want to appear scared of the competition by hastily dropping the price.
The lower the price of a console the more units are sold, the user base increases and the real money is made in software sales, and this is something Microsoft must consider.
When the N64 came out I had no qualms about spending £250 for the console plus around £150 for the three launch titles, however some months, later the price had £100 slashed off it. Having greatly enjoyed all that the N64 had offered me; I did feel slightly let down by the haste of the price drop, and many Xbox owners would feel the same if put in a similar position with their new console.
There was even speculation in the papers the other day that the Gamecube and PS2 will have price drops later in the year. What would Microsoft do about that?
The price war in the video game business is an interesting game of cat and mouse with no competitor wanting to show their hand too quickly, and more often than not, the business is getting more like politics, with rival companies shouting down each other’s sales figures and creating a lot of ‘spin’ to hype up their console and who it performed at launch. Nintendo say they broke a record for launch day sales, then Microsoft deny that Nintendo had beaten them, Sony throw in their two cents, and so the merry-go-round continues.
In the end though, all the fierce pricing competition is good for some people: the consumer.
As the companies battle it out for our vital pounds, someone has to make the first move, i.e. the company with the most expensive console, or the console that is under performing the most, they start to undercut each other and we benefit as prices slowly drop.
Prices of game software is still pretty high, go down to most high street stores (not mentioning any names...*cough..DIXONS..cough*) and you’ll find 99% of games still at the RRP, PS2 games like MGS2 at around £45! Shop around a bit and you can save about a tenner (Thank God for Special Reserve!)
That is partly down to competition in the high street, and in my local high street there’s no competition. It’s either pay RRP in Dixons or W.H Smiths or travel somewhere else to buy a game.
It will be nice to one day see new games retailing with an RRP of around £30, but heh, I can dream can’t I??...
Over the years, the launch of a new console has sent shivers down many a bank manager’s spine as gamers spend way too much money on a console.
Thankfully, the Gamecube will not put too higher dent in the nation’s wallets, as for once we are treated to a reasonably priced console (long may it continue).
With all three consoles showing huge promise, people who have limited funds may have to opt for only one. Although the quality of games is a major factor, the price of a console is a huge swing factor, so a price war is good for everyone.
It’s been reported recently that the sales figures for the launch of the Xbox may not have been as high as expected, whether this is true or not varies from source to source, but I’m willing to that the high price tag deterred quite a few people.
As the honeymoon period of the consoles launch is now pretty much over, and the sales figures start to drop away as many people (myself included) say, “I’ll get an Xbox when there’s a price drop”, the all important price strategy will come into play.
Xbox, though expensive, is a powerful machine with some great looking titles, but for how long Microsoft can maintain the high price tag remains to be seen, and in light of the imminent arrival of the cheaper Gamecube and the PS2 always at a competitive price, Microsoft must be aggressive in their price strategy, or else risk losing a lot of business.
The price of gaming can really add up, especially if you buy games when they first come out.
Going by the latest Special Reserve magazine, you pay £300 for the Xbox console, £75 for three extra controllers, £86 for a couple of games, £29 for a dvd playback kit.
That’s around £500, a hefty investment, though you can whittle down the price by buying a package deal.
For roughly the same amount of money, you could get a Gamecube, three extra controllers, a memory card and about six games.
Or you could buy a PS2, memory card, three controllers and a load of games.
Not forgetting the Dreamcast as well, a cheap console and a shed load of classic games.
It’s simple maths.
I know it’s not that long ago since the Xbox was launched, but there will soon be a huge price difference between the Xbox and it’s competitors and that might possibly force Microsoft’s hand in dropping the price of their console.
If they don’t, then come May 3rd, Nintendo’s new console will attract a lot more punters, lured in by the lower price.
Then throw the PS2 into the equation and Microsoft will not sell a £300 console for very long, despite what sales figures or strategies they have worked out.
Microsoft don’t want to lower the price of their Xbox too soon as Nintendo did with the N64, or people may assume that it’s an inferior product, or punters who bought it at launch will get cheesed off and question Microsoft’s loyalty towards their most dedicated fans as they paid a much higher price for it not too long ago, or Microsoft don’t want to appear scared of the competition by hastily dropping the price.
The lower the price of a console the more units are sold, the user base increases and the real money is made in software sales, and this is something Microsoft must consider.
When the N64 came out I had no qualms about spending £250 for the console plus around £150 for the three launch titles, however some months, later the price had £100 slashed off it. Having greatly enjoyed all that the N64 had offered me; I did feel slightly let down by the haste of the price drop, and many Xbox owners would feel the same if put in a similar position with their new console.
There was even speculation in the papers the other day that the Gamecube and PS2 will have price drops later in the year. What would Microsoft do about that?
The price war in the video game business is an interesting game of cat and mouse with no competitor wanting to show their hand too quickly, and more often than not, the business is getting more like politics, with rival companies shouting down each other’s sales figures and creating a lot of ‘spin’ to hype up their console and who it performed at launch. Nintendo say they broke a record for launch day sales, then Microsoft deny that Nintendo had beaten them, Sony throw in their two cents, and so the merry-go-round continues.
In the end though, all the fierce pricing competition is good for some people: the consumer.
As the companies battle it out for our vital pounds, someone has to make the first move, i.e. the company with the most expensive console, or the console that is under performing the most, they start to undercut each other and we benefit as prices slowly drop.
Prices of game software is still pretty high, go down to most high street stores (not mentioning any names...*cough..DIXONS..cough*) and you’ll find 99% of games still at the RRP, PS2 games like MGS2 at around £45! Shop around a bit and you can save about a tenner (Thank God for Special Reserve!)
That is partly down to competition in the high street, and in my local high street there’s no competition. It’s either pay RRP in Dixons or W.H Smiths or travel somewhere else to buy a game.
It will be nice to one day see new games retailing with an RRP of around £30, but heh, I can dream can’t I??...
Richie B wrote:
> Hey small frog, what u bin smokin, PC games and console games are
> pretty much the same price, and PC games can be enhanced with add-ons.
> Consoles are way over priced, the whole industry is a rip off, the
> games cost like £1 to make and sell at £30, the lovely
> government taking a 17.5% cut for doing Naff all, as always. The
> whole industry needs an overhaul.
I think pc games are the cheapest, well I always wait till a good game gets put to budget
> Hey small frog, what u bin smokin, PC games and console games are
> pretty much the same price, and PC games can be enhanced with add-ons.
> Consoles are way over priced, the whole industry is a rip off, the
> games cost like £1 to make and sell at £30, the lovely
> government taking a 17.5% cut for doing Naff all, as always. The
> whole industry needs an overhaul.
I think pc games are the cheapest, well I always wait till a good game gets put to budget
Hey small frog, what u bin smokin, PC games and console games are pretty much the same price, and PC games can be enhanced with add-ons. Consoles are way over priced, the whole industry is a rip off, the games cost like £1 to make and sell at £30, the lovely government taking a 17.5% cut for doing Naff all, as always. The whole industry needs an overhaul.
But don't you think that getting TWO free games and a controller as compensation for the price drop makes up for it? It kinda rewards the hardcore gamers who bought first.
When the N64 dropped from £250 to £150, people only got one free game for buying early- and even then it was some random game Ninty sent them- not one of their choice.
Sonic
When the N64 dropped from £250 to £150, people only got one free game for buying early- and even then it was some random game Ninty sent them- not one of their choice.
Sonic
PC = Expensive
PC Games = Cheap
Consoles = Cheap(er than PCs)
Console Games = Expensive
Make the connection.
PC Games = Cheap
Consoles = Cheap(er than PCs)
Console Games = Expensive
Make the connection.
Totoro wrote:
> Xbox, though expensive, is a powerful machine with some great looking
> titles, but for how long Microsoft can maintain the high price tag
> remains to be seen, and in light of the imminent arrival of the
> cheaper Gamecube and the PS2 always at a competitive price, Microsoft
> must be aggressive in their price strategy, or else risk losing a lot
> of business.
> Microsoft will not sell a
> £300 console for very long, despite what sales figures or
> strategies they have worked out.
Hhmmmm i was right.
> Xbox, though expensive, is a powerful machine with some great looking
> titles, but for how long Microsoft can maintain the high price tag
> remains to be seen, and in light of the imminent arrival of the
> cheaper Gamecube and the PS2 always at a competitive price, Microsoft
> must be aggressive in their price strategy, or else risk losing a lot
> of business.
> Microsoft will not sell a
> £300 console for very long, despite what sales figures or
> strategies they have worked out.
Hhmmmm i was right.
Microsoft will be reluctant to reduce the pricing of the Xbox so soon, especially as they are losing money already with every console unit produced and sold. This would only be likely when software sales will have recouped the costs lost in the production of the Xboxes. That's what I think, anyway.
Totoro wrote:
> Money, cash, currency, wonga, greenbacks,
Did you know that in some states the colour of the dollar will be changed to give a purplish hint?
> Money, cash, currency, wonga, greenbacks,
Did you know that in some states the colour of the dollar will be changed to give a purplish hint?
Yeah. Money's usually the one and only thing that stands between us and experiencing our own little 'gaming heaven'.
People still call prices rediculous today, but all you have to do is look at the past and realise that the X-box isn't really that high for a launch price.
Didn't the Sega Saturn originally launch for an astonnishing £400!?? Or did GamesMaster get it wrong again??
And the N64 was £300, then it soon went down to £250 - that was unfair to have a price drop so soon after launch!
And the games were upto £70 at first - more problems there!
The PS2 (a top selling console) also started at £300, and has more recently dropped down nearer the £200 mark.
The GameCube may be around £150-70 now, but there are rumours that it'll drop to around £105 some time this year!!
All due to an expected PS2 price drop - apparently to less than £150! And these changes are also expected to convince Bill Gates and co. to reconsider also.
So if you compare it with the past, it's not all really that bad - price wise. And you can always enter loads of free competitions to try and win what you want if you can't afford it! And since the the days of the SNES, the minimum wage limit has risen, meaning you should have more to spend on something cheaper!
People still call prices rediculous today, but all you have to do is look at the past and realise that the X-box isn't really that high for a launch price.
Didn't the Sega Saturn originally launch for an astonnishing £400!?? Or did GamesMaster get it wrong again??
And the N64 was £300, then it soon went down to £250 - that was unfair to have a price drop so soon after launch!
And the games were upto £70 at first - more problems there!
The PS2 (a top selling console) also started at £300, and has more recently dropped down nearer the £200 mark.
The GameCube may be around £150-70 now, but there are rumours that it'll drop to around £105 some time this year!!
All due to an expected PS2 price drop - apparently to less than £150! And these changes are also expected to convince Bill Gates and co. to reconsider also.
So if you compare it with the past, it's not all really that bad - price wise. And you can always enter loads of free competitions to try and win what you want if you can't afford it! And since the the days of the SNES, the minimum wage limit has risen, meaning you should have more to spend on something cheaper!
Money, cash, currency, wonga, greenbacks, spondulee, the green stuff, moolah, cashola, loot, dosh, payola, dough, whatever you call it, we have it and they want it.
Over the years, the launch of a new console has sent shivers down many a bank manager’s spine as gamers spend way too much money on a console.
Thankfully, the Gamecube will not put too higher dent in the nation’s wallets, as for once we are treated to a reasonably priced console (long may it continue).
With all three consoles showing huge promise, people who have limited funds may have to opt for only one. Although the quality of games is a major factor, the price of a console is a huge swing factor, so a price war is good for everyone.
It’s been reported recently that the sales figures for the launch of the Xbox may not have been as high as expected, whether this is true or not varies from source to source, but I’m willing to that the high price tag deterred quite a few people.
As the honeymoon period of the consoles launch is now pretty much over, and the sales figures start to drop away as many people (myself included) say, “I’ll get an Xbox when there’s a price drop”, the all important price strategy will come into play.
Xbox, though expensive, is a powerful machine with some great looking titles, but for how long Microsoft can maintain the high price tag remains to be seen, and in light of the imminent arrival of the cheaper Gamecube and the PS2 always at a competitive price, Microsoft must be aggressive in their price strategy, or else risk losing a lot of business.
The price of gaming can really add up, especially if you buy games when they first come out.
Going by the latest Special Reserve magazine, you pay £300 for the Xbox console, £75 for three extra controllers, £86 for a couple of games, £29 for a dvd playback kit.
That’s around £500, a hefty investment, though you can whittle down the price by buying a package deal.
For roughly the same amount of money, you could get a Gamecube, three extra controllers, a memory card and about six games.
Or you could buy a PS2, memory card, three controllers and a load of games.
Not forgetting the Dreamcast as well, a cheap console and a shed load of classic games.
It’s simple maths.
I know it’s not that long ago since the Xbox was launched, but there will soon be a huge price difference between the Xbox and it’s competitors and that might possibly force Microsoft’s hand in dropping the price of their console.
If they don’t, then come May 3rd, Nintendo’s new console will attract a lot more punters, lured in by the lower price.
Then throw the PS2 into the equation and Microsoft will not sell a £300 console for very long, despite what sales figures or strategies they have worked out.
Microsoft don’t want to lower the price of their Xbox too soon as Nintendo did with the N64, or people may assume that it’s an inferior product, or punters who bought it at launch will get cheesed off and question Microsoft’s loyalty towards their most dedicated fans as they paid a much higher price for it not too long ago, or Microsoft don’t want to appear scared of the competition by hastily dropping the price.
The lower the price of a console the more units are sold, the user base increases and the real money is made in software sales, and this is something Microsoft must consider.
When the N64 came out I had no qualms about spending £250 for the console plus around £150 for the three launch titles, however some months, later the price had £100 slashed off it. Having greatly enjoyed all that the N64 had offered me; I did feel slightly let down by the haste of the price drop, and many Xbox owners would feel the same if put in a similar position with their new console.
There was even speculation in the papers the other day that the Gamecube and PS2 will have price drops later in the year. What would Microsoft do about that?
The price war in the video game business is an interesting game of cat and mouse with no competitor wanting to show their hand too quickly, and more often than not, the business is getting more like politics, with rival companies shouting down each other’s sales figures and creating a lot of ‘spin’ to hype up their console and who it performed at launch. Nintendo say they broke a record for launch day sales, then Microsoft deny that Nintendo had beaten them, Sony throw in their two cents, and so the merry-go-round continues.
In the end though, all the fierce pricing competition is good for some people: the consumer.
As the companies battle it out for our vital pounds, someone has to make the first move, i.e. the company with the most expensive console, or the console that is under performing the most, they start to undercut each other and we benefit as prices slowly drop.
Prices of game software is still pretty high, go down to most high street stores (not mentioning any names...*cough..DIXONS..cough*) and you’ll find 99% of games still at the RRP, PS2 games like MGS2 at around £45! Shop around a bit and you can save about a tenner (Thank God for Special Reserve!)
That is partly down to competition in the high street, and in my local high street there’s no competition. It’s either pay RRP in Dixons or W.H Smiths or travel somewhere else to buy a game.
It will be nice to one day see new games retailing with an RRP of around £30, but heh, I can dream can’t I??...
Over the years, the launch of a new console has sent shivers down many a bank manager’s spine as gamers spend way too much money on a console.
Thankfully, the Gamecube will not put too higher dent in the nation’s wallets, as for once we are treated to a reasonably priced console (long may it continue).
With all three consoles showing huge promise, people who have limited funds may have to opt for only one. Although the quality of games is a major factor, the price of a console is a huge swing factor, so a price war is good for everyone.
It’s been reported recently that the sales figures for the launch of the Xbox may not have been as high as expected, whether this is true or not varies from source to source, but I’m willing to that the high price tag deterred quite a few people.
As the honeymoon period of the consoles launch is now pretty much over, and the sales figures start to drop away as many people (myself included) say, “I’ll get an Xbox when there’s a price drop”, the all important price strategy will come into play.
Xbox, though expensive, is a powerful machine with some great looking titles, but for how long Microsoft can maintain the high price tag remains to be seen, and in light of the imminent arrival of the cheaper Gamecube and the PS2 always at a competitive price, Microsoft must be aggressive in their price strategy, or else risk losing a lot of business.
The price of gaming can really add up, especially if you buy games when they first come out.
Going by the latest Special Reserve magazine, you pay £300 for the Xbox console, £75 for three extra controllers, £86 for a couple of games, £29 for a dvd playback kit.
That’s around £500, a hefty investment, though you can whittle down the price by buying a package deal.
For roughly the same amount of money, you could get a Gamecube, three extra controllers, a memory card and about six games.
Or you could buy a PS2, memory card, three controllers and a load of games.
Not forgetting the Dreamcast as well, a cheap console and a shed load of classic games.
It’s simple maths.
I know it’s not that long ago since the Xbox was launched, but there will soon be a huge price difference between the Xbox and it’s competitors and that might possibly force Microsoft’s hand in dropping the price of their console.
If they don’t, then come May 3rd, Nintendo’s new console will attract a lot more punters, lured in by the lower price.
Then throw the PS2 into the equation and Microsoft will not sell a £300 console for very long, despite what sales figures or strategies they have worked out.
Microsoft don’t want to lower the price of their Xbox too soon as Nintendo did with the N64, or people may assume that it’s an inferior product, or punters who bought it at launch will get cheesed off and question Microsoft’s loyalty towards their most dedicated fans as they paid a much higher price for it not too long ago, or Microsoft don’t want to appear scared of the competition by hastily dropping the price.
The lower the price of a console the more units are sold, the user base increases and the real money is made in software sales, and this is something Microsoft must consider.
When the N64 came out I had no qualms about spending £250 for the console plus around £150 for the three launch titles, however some months, later the price had £100 slashed off it. Having greatly enjoyed all that the N64 had offered me; I did feel slightly let down by the haste of the price drop, and many Xbox owners would feel the same if put in a similar position with their new console.
There was even speculation in the papers the other day that the Gamecube and PS2 will have price drops later in the year. What would Microsoft do about that?
The price war in the video game business is an interesting game of cat and mouse with no competitor wanting to show their hand too quickly, and more often than not, the business is getting more like politics, with rival companies shouting down each other’s sales figures and creating a lot of ‘spin’ to hype up their console and who it performed at launch. Nintendo say they broke a record for launch day sales, then Microsoft deny that Nintendo had beaten them, Sony throw in their two cents, and so the merry-go-round continues.
In the end though, all the fierce pricing competition is good for some people: the consumer.
As the companies battle it out for our vital pounds, someone has to make the first move, i.e. the company with the most expensive console, or the console that is under performing the most, they start to undercut each other and we benefit as prices slowly drop.
Prices of game software is still pretty high, go down to most high street stores (not mentioning any names...*cough..DIXONS..cough*) and you’ll find 99% of games still at the RRP, PS2 games like MGS2 at around £45! Shop around a bit and you can save about a tenner (Thank God for Special Reserve!)
That is partly down to competition in the high street, and in my local high street there’s no competition. It’s either pay RRP in Dixons or W.H Smiths or travel somewhere else to buy a game.
It will be nice to one day see new games retailing with an RRP of around £30, but heh, I can dream can’t I??...