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Forums - Microsoft Discussion - Microsofts secret weapon!

Sqrl on 08 January 2009

I don't think MS's plans really matter to Sony in this instance. The people who are waiting for a price drop to "Play Beyond" probably don't care too much what the price of a X360 is. Obviously there is some overlap in the two markets and the X360 would retain a clear advantage on at-purchase decision makers. But beyond that I think a Sony price cut is aimed at people waiting to buy a Sony console...not just any console.

The reason is that at this point everyone knows the 360 is cheaper so that advantage is already factored into the situation. A reduction in the price won't change that perception so I don't see how it would change the purchase rate. And that is the important distinction to make here, I'm not saying this is a bad plan by MS, it actually is a good move. But the price cuts from each company have entirely different goals. Sony simply wants to increase sales volume in the hopes of increasing software revenue and in general it's all about volume for them at the moment. MS's move would also be about volume to an extent, but the real goal is in protecting and gaining market share.

That's my take on the situation at least.
To Each Man, Responsibility
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ceaser92 on 08 January 2009
JaggedSac said:
What they should do is make a deal with NBC to have an XBox Live Primetime game interact with a live broadcast.

 

EPIC FAILURE, would not work



JaggedSac on 08 January 2009
ceaser92 said:
JaggedSac said:
What they should do is make a deal with NBC to have an XBox Live Primetime game interact with a live broadcast.

 

EPIC FAILURE, would not work

 

Ouch.  No just a FAILURE, but an EPIC FAILURE.



okr on 08 January 2009
nightsurge said:
okr said:
So threads like this mean 360 fans are still afraid of a PS3 comeback? Yes, I think they should be.

About as afraid as that all their virginities will be taken by the hottest opposite gender individual on the planet...

In other words, no we are not afraid of any PS3 comeback.  We've seen how MS handles those by watching 2008.

"We"? It's interesting that a person who owns both consoles replied to my post in that way. Seeing your sig I assumed you liked your PS3 as well.

Are there really people who want to see Sony fail? Unfortunately yes, it seems so. Maybe not you as you own a PS3, but I think there are many MS fans and Nintendo lovers these days who are happy that Sony's has some problems right now and I never understood why. I never owned a PS console (and just recently bought a PSP), but I always loved what Sony contributed to the videogames market in general.



nightsurge on 09 January 2009
okr said:
nightsurge said:
okr said:
So threads like this mean 360 fans are still afraid of a PS3 comeback? Yes, I think they should be.

About as afraid as that all their virginities will be taken by the hottest opposite gender individual on the planet...

In other words, no we are not afraid of any PS3 comeback.  We've seen how MS handles those by watching 2008.

"We"? It's interesting that a person who owns both consoles replied to my post in that way. Seeing your sig I assumed you liked your PS3 as well.

Are there really people who want to see Sony fail? Unfortunately yes, it seems so. Maybe not you as you own a PS3, but I think there are many MS fans and Nintendo lovers these days who are happy that Sony's has some problems right now and I never understood why. I never owned a PS console (and just recently bought a PSP), but I always loved what Sony contributed to the videogames market in general.

You stated "fans," not fanboys.  I am a fan of both, but I favor the 360 because of all the better experiences I've had with it.  More friends on live, less lag in CoD, Netflix, Gears, Halo, Fable...

Yeah I definitely do not wish anyone to fail.  I will likely grab Killzone 2 and Uncharted 2 this year for the PS3, and Pixel Junk Monsters is one of my most favorite Tower Defense games!

 



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Spankey on 09 January 2009
misterd said:
I love how one Sony fan pisses on MS for charging for Live, while the next boasts how Sony has made one million dollars selling shit on Home.

one difference: you don't have to pay to play online on Home.

 



Proud Sony Rear Admiral

nightsurge on 09 January 2009
Spankey said:
misterd said:
I love how one Sony fan pisses on MS for charging for Live, while the next boasts how Sony has made one million dollars selling shit on Home.

one difference: you don't have to pay to play online on Home.

 

True.  That is why Sony is hurting so badly and is trying to release Home to make up for some of the costs of running their PSN.

One difference:  With XBL you pay up front and know ahead of time it is a great service/deal.  On HOME, the charges sneak up on you as you try to make yourself different from others, and the ads gradually consume every wall and billboard... oh and you never know when the next update is going to remove you of your items...



Spankey on 09 January 2009
nightsurge said:
Spankey said:
misterd said:
I love how one Sony fan pisses on MS for charging for Live, while the next boasts how Sony has made one million dollars selling shit on Home.

one difference: you don't have to pay to play online on Home.

 

True.  That is why Sony is hurting so badly and is trying to release Home to make up for some of the costs of running their PSN.

One difference:  With XBL you pay up front and know ahead of time it is a great service/deal.  On HOME, the charges sneak up on you as you try to make yourself different from others, and the ads gradually consume every wall and billboard... oh and you never know when the next update is going to remove you of your items...

1 so MS doesn't charge for anything other than subscription fees in Live? All free D/L content and games to make you different from people who don't buy them? awesome.

@ second bolded: paid for items won't vanish afaik

 



Proud Sony Rear Admiral

Skeeuk on 09 January 2009

well giving free live is a good idea, i dont use my 360 online becuse of the live gold issue.

it would be a good counter, but what people want is games.



...not much time to post anymore, used to be awesome on here really good fond memories from VGchartz...

PSN: Skeeuk - XBL: SkeeUK - PC: Skeeuk

really miss the VGCHARTZ of 2008 - 2013...

madskillz on 09 January 2009
Seihyouken said:
Despite all the doom and gloom the PS3 is currently getting, Microsoft are the ones potentially in a really tight spot right now. Now that the Christmas bargain rush is over, 360 and PS3 sales will fall back to being within 50,000 every week. At that point it doesn't come down so much to which console is cheaper, but more so which console has the latest and greatest releases. (See Jan-Sept 2007 & 2008 for reference)

In that aspect, Microsoft is fighting a lost battle. The 360 doesn't have a single upcoming exclusive this year that is sure to sell a significant amount of systems. Ninety-Nine Nights, Dance Dance Revolution Universe, Blue Dragon, Mass Effect, Lips, Scene It?, Splinter Cell, and espeically Forza Motorsport and Halo have already saturated the 360's market. They'll all sell huge amounts of software for sure, but the effects of their releases on weekly hardware sales will be negligible at best. Alan Wake and Ninja Blade, as new IPs, could both potentially have a sizable impact, but only if they're extremely well-recieved by critics and heavily marketed.

PS3 on the otherhand has a ton of significant next-generation premiers coming in 2009 such as Final Fantasy XIII, Gran Turismo 5, God of War III and Killzone 2 all of which should combine to move millions of consoles for Sony. PS3 also has quite a few promising new IPs such as M.A.G, Quantum Theory, White Knight Chronicles, Heavy Rain, EyePet, and Demon's Souls, which all have the same potential to be runaway hits as Alan Wake or Ninja Blade. Furthermore, now that the PS3 with the upcoming 45nm Cell revision coming around March, the PS3 will be profitible and be able to ride profits all the way into Q4 when the PS3 will cost about $325 to manufacture. At that point, Sony will issue a $100 price drop in every region combined witht the scheduled releases of Final Fantasy XIII in Japan, Gran Turismo 5 in Europe, and God of War III in America. Needless to say, Sony stands to handily win 2009 all together due simply to Q4, the same way Microsoft did in 08, if Microsoft can't come up with something to drastically spur 360 sales.

That being said, there's really not much more Microsoft can do. They almost definitely can't afford to drop the 360's price by $100 because they'd be breaking the base manufacturing cost for the system and could likely end up selling the system at a permenant loss. On the otherside, a $50 price-drop would look weak and likely wouldn't be enough in comparisons with a $100 price drop from Sony, especially with all the blockbuster hits Sony has for Q4 in every region.

MS had it's best year ever with the 360, expanded its lead to 8M consoles over Sony and they are in trouble? I stopped reading after MS is in a really tight spot now. Uh, yeah right. MS isn't the one laying folks off and so far in the red it looks like they are wrapped in a Russian flag.