Is the original Xbox's price changing?

[Wraith]

Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com/) posted a brief article (http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/06/whys-the-original-xbox-cost-more-now/), speculating on Microsoft's move to increase the original Xbox's price from $149.99 to $179.99 (with Forza Motorsport bundled).

The Xbox is installed in fewer than 25 million homes worldwide versus the PlayStation's estimated install base of around 100 million. At this point, no sane third-party developer or publisher is going to release an exclusive for the Xbox given the lower overall demand for Xbox games. It's also unlikely that Microsoft is going to force its first-party developers to pour resources into a last-gen console at a time when the Xbox 360 needs and requires 100% of internal support. Given the situation, the game is no longer about Xbox vs. PS2 sales. Any additional support of the original Xbox in the form of games or even price subsidies would be counterproductive.
...while Sony proclaims a 10-year lifecycle for the PS2?

[Kelegacy]

That's one good thing about a Sony console (and any console that winds up with such an enormous install base); you can squeeze many many years out of it. My Playstation 1 lasted me, jesus, into the twenty first century anyway. Mainly because there were such good games being released for the console even after the PS2 hit. The PS2 looks to live even longer than its older brother, and I only see that as a good thing. People can complain about aging hardware all they want, but you cant argue with a long-lived machine still pumping out the titles. It's uncanny. 10 years might be stretching it, but 7 or 8 I can see, especially with the mainstream that just bought PS2s this past Xmas--the install base is too gigantic to completly ignore.

It always sucks to see a system lose support, even when a newer version comes out--or, with the Dreamcast, dies without a successor. Maybe this will give me time to play the couple Xbox games I bothered to buy but never really played.

Here's to hoping the next crop of consoles last 10 years each! But someone will always jump the gun to get a foothold, and force the next gen even before it's ready.

[rein]

This started before Christmas. I can't believe it is just now making news. They have not restocked the 149.99 version for months.

[Neverborne]

Smart...

While people who pre-ordered are still waiting for their 360's, let's raise the price of the X-box.

Microsoft just doesn't want to sell any consoles.

[Evil Avatar]

Smart...

While people who pre-ordered are still waiting for their 360's, let's raise the price of the X-box.

Microsoft just doesn't want to sell any consoles.

You need to look around more. They have 360's on the shelf here in Phoenix.

[Pumped'Up]

A redesign would warrant an increase in price, but no way, not for the current Xbox (fugly and bulky), no matter what it's bundled with.

Man, the PS3 can't come soon enough....

[Neverborne]

You need to look around more. They have 360's on the shelf here in Phoenix.

Wow, wish I lived in Pheonix. Right now, I'm still 10th in line where I pre-ordered (Gamespot). After the release, I was 46th in line. A buddy of mine got his a week ago, and he was another 10 spots ahead of me. They only get about two in a week since launch. I hate Wisconsin.

[Kelegacy]

Wow, wish I lived in Pheonix. Right now, I'm still 10th in line where I pre-ordered (Gamespot). After the release, I was 46th in line. A buddy of mine got his a week ago, and he was another 10 spots ahead of me. They only get about two in a week since launch. I hate Wisconsin.
Wire someone the money to mail you one.

[AspectVoid]

You need to look around more. They have 360's on the shelf here in Phoenix.

Damn, you are a lucky little punk. There's nothing in the regular stores (Best Buy, Kmart, Wallmart, etc) and the gaming specific stores here are all saying that at the current rate they're getting 360s in, they won't have any on shelves for walk in buyers until March.

[overdrivechao]

speculating on Microsoft's move to increase the original Xbox's price from $149.99 to $179.99 (with Forza Motorsport bundled).

Hmm. like the Slim PS2 from Sony, the Forza Xbox Bundle has been all *** has been sending to retailers since December. This is not new news.

[MajSheppard]

up? Damn it all, wouldn't you know it would happen as my Xbox breaks down.

[overdrivechao]

Wow, wish I lived in Pheonix. Right now, I'm still 10th in line where I pre-ordered (Gamespot). After the release, I was 46th in line. A buddy of mine got his a week ago, and he was another 10 spots ahead of me. They only get about two in a week since launch. I hate Wisconsin.

And its not just WI. We get 2 a week on average here in SoCal too.

[TrackZero]

There's some "core" 360s in Toronto I've found, but no premiums right now. Though my local EB admitted they did have some premiums in last week (which were left over as the people who preordered them never came in for them) and had to return them to the head office as it was end of year and the inventory was recalled. They're supposed to have more coming in this week/next week.

[NightRain]

Both versions of the 360 are avalible in St. John's, Newfoundland. Futureshop, Canadian Tire, Walmart, etc all get regular stock in pretty much everyweek. In fact it has been at least a month since I've not seen a Premium console at Walmart. EB Games still does not have any here, I was told this is becuase their sales person at Head Office did not order enough consoles to meet their demands. Since gamestop owns EB I can assume that gamestop made the same mistake that is why most EB's and Gamestops don't have the Premium consoles in stock.

[Wraith]

Hmm. like the Slim PS2 from Sony, the Forza Xbox Bundle has been all *** has been sending to retailers since December. This is not new news.Well, it's news to me. :D I haven't really looked at Xbox hardware prices since, oh, when I bought mine a few years ago.

I wasn't expecting them to release a redesigned version like Sony. But I was expecting they'd support the Xbox 1 a bit longer, possibly hitting the $130 or $100 price point. Maybe sell more platinum hits titles for gamers on a budget.

[mister_slim]

up? Damn it all, wouldn't you know it would happen as my Xbox breaks down.
Mine's been having problems for a while, but it may have finally died. I'm not sure if I want to pick up another or not. I have quite a few Xbox games, and I'm pretty sure some of them will never be backwards-compatible on the 360.

[Wombat]

What stores in Phoenix have it? I live in Tempe and I've checked Best Buy, CompUSA, Fry's, Walmart, Toys'R'us and a few others over the weekend without luck.

[Banacek]

You need to look around more. They have 360's on the shelf here in Phoenix.

The man speaks the truth. I got mine from Target in Ahwatukee about two weeks about. Followed these instructions I got from the 360 offical forums:

I got a premium system at target yesterday (I live north of denver). It died after 30 minutes, but I got another today at a different target (exchanged, no issues). Here's how to check availability at target stores in your area:

call 1-8000303-0308, navigate through menus 3-3-2-1

give them item number 207-21-0001 (premium system)

they'll get your name address, zip code, and search stores in your area for stock. do this around 7am, stores open at 8am. If none today, have them give you a reference number, you can just give them that the next time(s) you call, and they'll search again for you. Took me 4 days, and then the last 2 days there have been different stores with quite a few in stock near where I live.

Worked for me, no real hassle.

Wow, wish I lived in Pheonix. Right now, I'm still 10th in line where I pre-ordered (Gamespot). After the release, I was 46th in line. A buddy of mine got his a week ago, and he was another 10 spots ahead of me. They only get about two in a week since launch. I hate Wisconsin.

I hope you've learned your lesson and will never pre-order again.

[Pumped'Up]

Seriously, I'd buy an XBox with this increased price if it had been redesigned like the slimline PS2. Sadly, all wishful thinking....

[Borys]

Forced bundling of a game isn't exactly raising price in my book.

[Valkyrist]

Forced bundling of a game isn't exactly raising price in my book.
To someone like me who wouldn't touch Forza with a 10ft pole, it is. I had never gotten around to getting a xbox, and was seriously thinking of picking up one once the price dropped to $100. I don't mind being a generation behind in the consoles. But I'm not shelling out for a game I don't want.

gg MS

[dr_wily]

i dont have an xbox, nor do i plan to unless i buy a cheap used one or MS releases a slim version like the ps2.

I mean what is my reward for waiting so long?? a higher price. F them.

[TrackZero]

i dont have an xbox, nor do i plan to unless i buy a cheap used one or MS releases a slim version like the ps2.

I mean what is my reward for waiting so long?? a higher price. F them.

You better write them a letter. Prehaps they just plain forgot that they're supposed to reward those consumers who didn't buy their products. ;)

[dr_wily]

You better write them a letter. Prehaps they just plain forgot that they're supposed to reward those consumers who didn't buy their products. ;)

well they sure as hell dont know how to garner the casual gamer, who usually picks up a secondary or tertiery console farther down the console lifespan at a discount.

[mister_slim]

This thread demonstrates why there's a Core system, by the way. MS covets those Sony sales, and $180 is not going to cut it.