+1, Mister D. Hahah ...

Here is what the Xbox Live page says:

*128 MB available space required for the New Xbox Experience. Hard drive recommended for Xbox LIVE, and is required for some features. LIVE Gold membership and/or other fees may apply for some features. See xbox.com/live for details.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/join/default.htm

Also, see this:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=sv&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=%22xbox+live+without+a+hard+drive%22&btnG=S%C3%B6k&meta=

Are you still sure about what you say?

I just pulled my harddrive off my 360. Lost Odyssey runs just fine. Well except that I can't save it at present.

I'm just relaying my experience. It didn't work in my friends Arcade but all of his games work. I tried in my normal pro console and it works. The reason I can think of is that you needed a hard drive.

What is this morron talking about $200 more? a Ps3 is 400 dollars and a 360 if your a real GAMER will cost you $300 thats a $100 dollar difference...and if you wanna compare the top notch models the Ps3 160gb is $500 bundled with uncharted and the Elite is $350 that is only $150 difference...I rather pay that difference nonetheless since the 360 is lacking so many features the Ps3 already comes packed with...if you have a 360 and want Wfi add $100 to that $300 or $350 price tag...Xbox Live add another $50...also if You bought a basica 360(idk why any1 would) add $100 or so for a hard drive...buying a 360 costs more than a Ps3 mind you your not getting a Blue Ray drive just a DVD drive with a 360...Also you might spend all this money on a 360 then what happens? RROD come on do the math Ps3 is not that expensive people are just cheap or cant afford the best

The Wi-Fi argument is somewhat stupid (although it's a great feature).
If you have wireless in your home already, i doubt there's that much of trouble to plug your modem/router next to your TV where your console is, to have it work wired.
If you don't have wireless on your computer, you always can get USB Wi-Fi dongle for 10-20€ for it (it's still an additional cost, but a lot less than the 360 equivalent).

Of course, Live is still something you need to pay for, but that has nothing to do with the Wi-Fi.

So if you take the Wi-Fi off the Wii will the Wii cost $150?

How many Wii owners are not connected online? alot, are they complaining they over spend on feature they dont use, I wonder how much it cost Nintendo to include this wi-fi feature into their system, I know one thing it didnt cost them $100 thats for sure..

I dont mind the Arcade system but saying Microsoft is giving ppl choices (if you dont want features you dont need why buy them is crap)....Why kind of a choice is a $100 feature when there is no other choice if you want it..and a lot of ppl choose not too cuz is to expensive for what it is..

I bet if the wireless adapter cost $30 to upgrade, I bet even if you dont need that feature you will still buy it, if not is cuz you really dont want too not cuz is too expensive.

Same goes for that 512mb memory card, Is good and all that the Arcade comes with internal storage but the NXE alone will take up most of it, whats the first choice that will come to mind to that Arcade owner is to buy a memory card that cost him $50 , Now this guy hasn't played online yet but his friend does he goes out and buy a $50 gold member card to play with his friend, now not only he plays with his friend but not he sees stuff he like on the marketplace to buy, so he goes out again and buy a 60gig HDD for $120 now he wants to take the 360 around the house, livingroom, bedroom,upstairs or downstairs but he cant cuz the ethernet cable is only in his room, so he decides to go out and buy a wireless adapter for $100, now that guy is having the full experience..

Still if you buy an Arcade is just for that for what it is , cool , but why leave others out if they want to upgrade, the prices alone are deterrents for those who want too including me.

I will have to upgrade for a bigger harddrive soon cuz I have too but if the 120gig HDD was $60 I would upgrade even if I didnt need too...see the difference.

@KylieDog: It does. But what i was meaning is, that if your console is the only one that doesn't work in wireless network, you could place your access point next to the console, so that the console would be wired. You just use the socket next to the TV. If you have cable, you have a plug next to TV anyway and there's a phone plug next to TV plug anyway.

I never use WiFi (for gaming) it is unreliable and so I use Homeplugs and recommend to all that ask me to sort out there wifi connections. It offers me a more resilient connection and allows me to stream content from my PC. Of course had I gone your route I would of paid for a Wifi connection then paid more to circumvent it.

The point is I have a choice and I am happy to have been given that choice.

But then we also have a large chunk of people who will never go online with a console ever... That makes paying for even the ethernet port an additional expense let alone a hard drive.

Where Microsoft do need to put some effort in is the accessory costs. The hard drives and wifi adaptors are clearly overpriced. The reason I still only have a 20gb hard drive is I am waiting for a more realistic hard drive replacement cost but then again I also have an Arcade which has no hard drive at all and has no requirement or need.

Swings in roundabouts.