By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
JoeTheBro on 07 April 2014
Edit Thread
starcraft said:
JoeTheBro said:
starcraft said:

I'm sorry, but I really don't see how a continuation of the same discount we've seen for weeks now, that was already quite reasonable in the first instance, can be interpreted as 'getting more and more desperate.'

Desperate can come across much harsher than it needs to be, but I agree with his point. Less then a month ago the system was $500 with no bundled content. Upon Titanfall's release it became $500 with a game. About a week after that it became $450 with a game. Now this time it's $450 with a game and a year of GOLD.  Cutting out the cost of bundled items, in the US the XBONE has gone $500, $440, $390, and now $330. That averages to about a $40 drop every week. It's also a 34% drop, which is bigger and sooner than the 3DS's first year reduction. This move is great for gamers and probably the correct thing for Microsoft to do, but it's a desperate move.

Ignoring the semantics, this just is not accurate.

All last generation we heard about 'adding value' instead of simply cutting price. The console sold 4 million in short order at $500. Then MS cut the price $50 to better compete with Sony, having collected the gravy for as long as tenable at a higher price point.

I don't agree with that being a sound business strategy when you're in a competitive market, but I do agree that it wouldn't be desperation.

That's not what happened though. You're fixating on the sticker price, but everyone on the opposite side of the coin is looking at the bigger picture. A Titanfall+XBONE bundle at $450 is not equal to a Titanfall+XBONE+GOLD bundle at $450. In the first case the XBONE is essentially $390 and in the second case it's essentially only $330. These are the prices that matter.

starcraft said:

Desperation is defined as feeling a sense of despair and helplessness. It leads to decisions that could be 'inappropriate to those in a rational frame of mind (Wiki reference).'  Nothing about these actions even vaguely fit that definition.  Unless it is your argument that cutting $50 off the price was irrational from either a business or public relations standpoint, it is time to put this argument to bed.

I might add that in the vast majority of territory's where the X1 has been released, there has been no price cut at all.  Hardly the actions of a company in the midst of 'despair and helplessness.'

In the XBONE's largest and most important market we've seen the system's perceived cost drop $110 since the last perceived price cut, and that was only 26 days ago. This is extremely desperate.

starcraft said:

The fact that anyone has even uttered the word 'desperation' indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of the meaning of the word.

Could just be since you're from Australia. Earlier today Conegamer accidentally mis-corrected a user for saying "the proof is in the pudding," since over in the UK the phrase is apparently "the proof of the pudding is in the eating." Desperation may mean a different thing to me then it does to you. Going off dictionary.com instead of wiki,

des·per·ate

  [des-per-it, -prit] Show IPA

adjective

1.
reckless or dangerous because of despair or urgency: a desperate killer.
2.
having an urgent need, desire, etc.: desperate for attention.
3.
leaving little or no hope; very serious or dangerous: a desperate illness.
4.
extremely bad; intolerable or shocking: clothes in desperate taste.
5.
extreme or excessive.

The first definition resembles your understanding. Number two however fits pretty well with this situation.


Links