Yeah, just what the market ordered. Sony releases a gimped PS3 for several hundred more to PALand and Microsoft responds with... a more expensive Xbox 360. Meanwhile Nintendo will continue riding the mass market train to their Scrooge McDuck size money pile. Nintendo couldn't have created better competitors if they tried.

Haha best post ive read, so true so true

As I said have no idea why the put this high price point...but I guess they might be gamling on that they will have 6 month head start before Home arrives. (then 20 gb might be a little bit on the low side for downloads which the 500$ PS3 have right?) So far I think both the xbox360 and PS3 is doing everything possible to keep themselves away from mass market appel. I serious hope that those two will pull this off because other wise we might find us with a smaller gaming population, and that is something I really don't want.

I would guess that they don't want to sell this system on the open market. It wouldn't make sense, unless you look at it from a different road. We all know that the Xbox will get an IPTV upgrade, and Microsoft tries very hard to get a lead position in this market. What would you think if they don't want to sell this version to only a bunch of crazy hardcore fans. They need this version to offer them to IPTV providers, which bundle them with their program. They can offer the boxes rather cheap with all the bells and whistles that you need for IPTV receiver and on the same time, they get a gaming console for free. They might even include Xbox Live and they can take care of the hardware support. Then this high price even has another reason: the IPTV provider can advertise how cheap their offer is compared to the market price. In fact Microsoft would have to limit the hardware sales of this version, so they can give the IPTV providers as many Xboxes as they like. If you look at it this way they could be on a much better track. The Xbox might be the cheapest console in the market, because you down buy it, you rent it. Then this move would make sense, otherwise it would be ridiculous. And I don't think that they are in such a position that they would have to make such an offer.

120Gb for 180? No thanks, I'll have to pass. If the HD was like 90 or 100$ then okay, I'd think it more reasonable. But for me to pay 180$ to lose -more- shelf space with my PS3, 360, Wii, SNES, NES etc I just cannot afford it lol Now if it wasn't stand alone, sucking up ANOTHER power outlet I don't have, I would consider it even at that price.. But it is and it does so no deal I'll stay with the 20GB it's just fine for me. I don't download much even on my PC, I only have 15GB used up and that's WITH FFXI, Neverwinter nights, 9dragons & DiabloII(I know small game) and a bunch of music and anime on it...

Yeah, this is NOT a good move by MS. The 120GB drive should be selling for $99.99 not $179.99. As for the Elite, the only thing that keeps it from being a total rip off is the fact that the $500 PS3 is damn near non existant. They should be charging $399 for the Elite given what is offered in the package. If they want to charge $479.99 they should throw in an internal HD-DVD drive. I was really thinking about picking up an Elite because A) Black is my favorite color and B)The 65nm chipset. The Elite still has the 90nm chipset. The HDMI port is useless to me, unless I get another HDTV.

The only reas on the elite is $480 is because the PS3 sells at $600, Microsoft and Sony are trying to drive console prices up again! To tell you the truth I think Nintendo would like to upgrade the Wii's graphics but they refuse to up the price, which I think is better for us gamers.