| FightingSmile said: Ok guys this is my first "prediction' on this website so here goes. I believe in the holiday seaons in the US and UK, MS are going to go all out (similiar to what shinobi said) and try to secure most of the remaining xbox 360 players base and perhaps others that havent made up their mind about what next gen console to buy. The reason i say, "remaining 360 players base" is that , whilst some have jumped ship to the ps4 (which i dont doubt) and already to X1, i personally believe there is still a strong player base remaining on the 360. Now this is possibly open for dispute which i am aware so please go easy on me :) Now for me actual predictions, some may overlap and be based on different circumstances: 1. Big prediction here, MS are going to suprise us with a 299 X1, possibly just the black unit (imo they dont need need this, but i think it can make a siezable impact in winning US and UK and honestly, who would be turned down?) 2. If the above prediction is wrong, a bundle will be released in the US and UK with the MCC and a themed X1, 399 dollars 3. Coupled with the number 2 prediction, MS will release a black X1 at 350 dollars. This will be a standalone unit with perhaps 1-2 free games of your choosing, probably just 1 if i might add. All of these predictions above, IMO keeps MS with a definate chance of perhaps retaining the US and UK markets in this generation and will keep X1 sales relevant enough to probably make another next generation console. Now as i said before its just for UK and US because atm, those are the only markets still in contention so to speak. Japan is lost and Europe will be an extermely hard battleground for the xbox to perhaps remain revelant. Now before fanboy comments at me (lost all respect lol) currently i am a X1 owner and looking into purchasing a ps4 sometime in the futre. Bottom line is i want BOTH consoles to succeed so that the market can be competitive and deliver us with great exclusive games that people can enjoy, on either platform. Now enough rambling, what do you think? |
To be honest, I feel that Micrsoft is already going all out with the countless bundles and free game bundles that they have been doing for Holiday 2014. A price drop would simply take away from all of the great deals that they already have in store for the consumers.
I can say, with almost certainty, that Microsft will not lower the price of any SKU on the market. Lowering the price will simply lose out on potential profit for Microsoft during their most profitable months. It is more likely, however, to see price drops for any gaming console during a press conference, most notably E3. The E3 press conference comes at a time where there is a lull in both console media buzz as well as first and even third party games. The E3 press conference spikes the gaming media while a price drop would ensure console relevancy. Neither a press conference nor a price drop during the holidays is needed to push consoles. That is why it is very unlikely that Microsoft will lower the price of any SKU. It would simply be foolish because once you lower the price, you can't take it back.
Now I want to jump to your third point before tackling your second point. I can see how you thought your 3rd point may be a good idea, however you dont want to flood the market with so many different SKUs. They already have a white XB1 as well as the day 1 edition, COD edition, etc. Introducing yet another black XB1 would just take away from the rest of the bundles. This in turn just simply doesn't help Micrsoft a whole lot considering that they have practically covered the XB1 bundle situation.
That leads to your strongest point, the MCC bundle. I have once considered this to be a very questionable call on Microsofts part by not introducing a bundle with their most successful gaming franchise. However, I can sort of see what Microsoft has in mind by not having a MCC bundle. They hope that this game will spike enough interest to simply sell consoles just by having this game on store shelves. If they include this game in a bundle, then they also lose all of the profit that they could have earned by selling the game by itself. I would be completely shocked for Microsoft to release a MCC bundle just weeks before its release instead of announcing it at either E3 or Gamescom. Giving months versus weeks for preordering a bundle is a HUGE difference.
But hey, we all view things differently with varying opinions. You can see that Microsoft is pushing as hard as they can with bundles, timed exclusives, cologne, etc. The one thing they cant do is manufacture 1st party games. Dont be decieved by the XB1 sales as 'lack of effort' or simply not doing enough.
