Steve Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 August 17, 2005 - Confirming long-standing rumors of two different Xbox 360 set-ups, Microsoft today officially announced two differently-priced SKUs for the North American and European markets. The Redmond, WA company will offer a premium system for $399.99 and a core set-up for $299.99. The premium and core systems will sell for, respectively, £279.99 and £209.99 in the UK and €399.99 and €299.99 in the rest of Europe. Microsoft said it will announce Asian-market news at the Tokyo Game Show in mid-September. Microsoft remains officially silent on a release date, confirming only that it is on target for "holiday launches" in all three territories. Since rumors regarding all Microsoft products have generally panned out so far, IGN expects a fall ship date (November) for X360 in North America and Europe. The premium, or "Xbox 360" package ($399.99), is designed for the hardcore, HD-ready gamer, while the Xbox 360 Core System ($299.99) is your basic set-up. The premium package includes an Xbox 360, a detachable 20-GB hard-drive, a wireless controller, faceplate, headset, a component HD AV cable, an Ethernet cable, and for a limited time, a remote controller. The Core 360 System is stripped down in comparison. It includes an Xbox 360, one standard wired controller, a faceplate, and a standard AV cable. The $399 package is designed for the high-definition gaming era; the other is designed for a no-frills, current-gen set-up. Presumably both systems come with power cords, though Microsoft's press releases didn't actually include them. Taking into account that a memory card for $39.99 (€34.99/£22.99) is required for saving games, a headset for $19.99 (€19.99/£14.99) is necessary for Xbox Live play, a second controller sells for $39.99 (€34.99/£24.99), and a remote goes for $29.99 (€29.99/£19.99), totaling $130, the premium price appears the better deal. The above tally doesn't include a hard drive, which costs an additional $99 (totaling $229). Microsoft Vice President Peter Moore explained the company learned through extensive research that gamers and consumers wanted options above all else. "We've learned gamers want choice," explained a confident Moore. "We really believe in the early-going that the Xbox 360 package will be the majority of purchases. It's huge value for the money at $399, with a hard-drive, with wireless controllers, with HD cables, and you get high definition right out of the box, and there will be content loaded on the hard-drive, high definition videos included, and you will be immediately able to see HD broadcast." IGN's editors responded with their own comments on Microsoft's announcements. "I think a lot of people will take a look at the $399 price tag for the 'complete' package and balk a bit, but it's actually a great deal in the end. The headset and HD AV pack would cost upwards of $50, even if you bought cheap third-party versions of them. Add in the hard drive that you'd have to purchase separately from the core system, plus a wireless controller and you've got a great package deal, certainly better than any retailers would have put together themselves. Many people will need all this stuff anyway, so Microsoft is actually cutting everyone a deal. "The major problem I have with the whole thing is the lack of a hard drive in the core system. Sony's optional hard drive was a complete failure from a support standpoint, and while I'm sure the Xbox 360 will see much stronger support for its drive, not every developer will be willing to spend extra time and money to support something that may or may not be there. "I'll obviously be picking up the full, $399 version myself. I've already got a bit of cash down on one, so now I just need to make sure they've got me in the computer for the right system. "I do find it funny that Microsoft is listing a faceplate as part of each package. That's like selling a car and advertising that it includes a hood." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snuff Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 oooohhhhhhhh......should be good, i'll have one of those and a PS3 please santa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clownstyle Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Im only gonna get one if i can chip it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snuff Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Im only gonna get one if i can chip it <{POST_SNAPBACK}> and put Linux on it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clownstyle Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I have linux on my xbox.. Well, i have the installer! Still havent got round to trying it yet though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snuff Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 so, whats the flagship game on the 360 going to be then??? anyone anyone?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ryan Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Project gotham racing 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snuff Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Project gotham racing 3<{POST_SNAPBACK}> oh......was hoping for some next level futuristic hyped up neo-apocralyptic warlords on dragon faced turtles type thing.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deeswift Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Oh great, a flagshp game based on something from about 5 years ago that came out on Dreamcast. Yeah, good idea, Microsoft! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzzell Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Halo3, its got to be... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snuff Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Oh great, a flagshp game based on something from about 5 years ago that came out on Dreamcast. Yeah, good idea, Microsoft!<{POST_SNAPBACK}> great minds an all that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deeswift Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Hehe. I'm guessing the flagship game will be Halo 3. It can't be Project Gotham, that'd be stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ryan Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I know, i just typed that.. Sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deeswift Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savwar Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 i nearly won a comp at work to be the first person in ireland with one...came 2nd and some other cunt is gettin it a few weeks before its released...i won a fuji fine pix and a nokia 6230 tho... which i still haven't gotten yet tho.bastards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowgli Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Halo3, its got to be...<{POST_SNAPBACK}> yeah def. i bet its goin to be utter dowpness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-RIZZ Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 i cant wait to get my hands on 1 but the core pak tha 1 i could afford just seems like a waste of time the harddrive is why i got the 1st 1 2 begin with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ryan Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I'm gonna wait till they start selling them for a tenner then get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deeswift Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 LOL @ your av! Steve as Dr. Evil! Stevil. Ah, anyway, yeah. I might wait too. I get sick of the hype surrounding new consoles cause they're never as good as you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedostyle Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 even after all these years of xbox being out what are people still playing? fuckin halo. best waste of money i ever spent in the world was xbox. fuckin halo player. microrape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbay Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 halo rocks! everyone likes to blow the shit out of their friends. halo never gets tiring when youve got a group of friends willing. just like mario kart 64 or mario tennis 64 biatch!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Is it only me that thinks Halo is pretty fucking dreadful? Especially considering some of the top quality FPS games we've had this past... well, decade, really. Sure, there's nice moments, but the level design leaves an awful lot to be desired, and that's where good FPS games excel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deeswift Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Yeah, it's shit. Sonic 1 on Megadrive is better. Don't look at me like that! It fuckin is better! What's up with HALO anyway, it's like really empty or something. Here's a globe kinda thing, errrrm here's 60,000 aliens that all look the same, you need to shoot those. Oh and there's a few maze-type puzzles and a few passageways to run through. ~ Fin ~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaterNob Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Halo blows. Any PC owner will tell you that. My dealer goes ariston (on and on and on and on and on....) about X-Box this, X-Box that whislt playing a FPS with a joypad! LOL! What a moark! pz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deeswift Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Yeah, what's up with that? FPS + joypad = wrongo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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