| jarrod said: Value arguments tend not to work in the games market. It doesn't matter in the end that a 360+Natal might be comparable/cheaper to a 4 person Wii/M+ or PS3/Move setup, just like it didn't matter that a standard PS3 was comparable/cheaper to a 360 with a Live subscription plus HD-DVD & WiFi add-ons. What seems to matter most is the initial price of entry. |
Yup, quite correct. The double edged sword here is MS is targeting the casual audience (if I can call it that) rather than the audience more likely to sum up all costs and consider total value.
In retail the initial entry price is much more important than the final cost - which is why so many people unwittingly set of down paths that cost $50 to start with and end up at $300 dollars in total.
The average retail consumer will look at the price and see $150 as the entry price for Natal to add to 360 vs perhaps sub $100 for Move (if reports are true).
Of course, the more important comparison is the bundle with the Wii, as other's have noted. And again the issue I see is that for the average consumer the entry price for 360/Natal bundle is going to seem much more expensive than the current market leader (the Wii).
Sony have been pushing the value arguement for ages, and it's pretty clear it didn't really resonate much. All that really mattered was lowering the initial entry price - that's what drove more sales.
Now Natal does seem okay compared to 4 controllers - but that's a comparison few will make. In a sense Natal forces you to go all in - you have to pay all up in advance vs buy in installments.
Try to be reasonable... its easier than you think...
