| wfz said: Console prices will be kept affordable for lower-income people due to the subsidizing of consoles that Microsoft and Sony are sure to do through their online plans. Microsoft is testing it on the 360 and I guarantee you it'll be a main focus of their strategy for the Xbox Durango. Sony would be silly to not follow suit. |
The net increase in revenue, based upon MSRP for the console and the XBL subscription, is minimal -- less than $2 per month over the 24 month life-span of the contract.
Plus, if people don't have internet, because of affordability or access issues, they will not go for this plan. And how many people will default if their console dies out of warranty? That is a great unknown.
About the biggest potential on this is to inflate Gold Level XBL memberships to make it appear to be more valuable to subscribers.
In other words, this may not be the money-maker some see it to be.
It is not like buying a cell phone where your contact subsidizies the phone price -- because you have to have a contract to have phone service. If you have options on how to buy, and don't need the Internet to play -- then the per month plan is not an attractive option for most people. (And if you have to have the Internet to play, the console is not attractive for a lot of people).
Mike from Morgantown
 I am Mario.I like to jump around, and would lead a fairly serene and aimless existence if it weren't for my friends always getting into trouble. I love to help out, even when it puts me at risk. I seem to make friends with people who just can't stay out of trouble. Wii Friend Code: 1624 6601 1126 1492 NNID: Mike_INTV |
