Xbox 2 PC would be amazing for MS and the consumer...
by jesusphreak · in General Discussion · 03/15/2005 (8:43 pm) · 31 replies
I was just thinking about this.
There was talk a few months back about how MS would release 3 version of the Xbox 2.
1) the base version w/out a hard drive
2) the base version and you buy the hard drive add-on
3) the base version w/ hard drive and it could play PC games
Now think about this, if MS put out an Xbox 2 PC this year, it would make a KILLING, and it would make so many gamers happy.
All accounts say that MS will be making a profit off of the Xbox 2 hardware. That's why that got rid of a lot of the little extra things, and focused on cost efficiency. Its one of the main reasons no hard drive will likely be in the base version of Xbox 2.
Its also worth noting that the Xbox 2 will be FAR more powerful than any consumer PC on the market come this fall. It will be a few more months if not half a year until PC video cards catch up, and you won't be seeing tri-core 3 gig processors until late 2006 or even 2007, likely. Even so, these technologies won't be cheap early on at all.
So, let's say MS puts out an Xbox 2 PC this fall that retails at $500. Its a full-blown computer and it also plays Xbox 2 games. Just think about how many of those they'd sell. $500 is 1/3 of the price of the cheapest top-of-the-line PCs out there today, and none of them can play Xbox 2 games, and then the Xbox 2 would be far more powerful than anything available.
It'd also be small, nice looking, and just a lot cooler than any PC tower.
MS would make a KILLING. So many PC gamers would buy one, and so many people who wouldn't even normally get an Xbox 2 or a PC would get one.
It would be such a boon to gaming. I'd absolutely love something like this to happen. It'd also give MS a really nice grip on the PC gaming market and give them a nice profit off their consoles for doing little more than adding a hard drive and some software.
What do you think?
There was talk a few months back about how MS would release 3 version of the Xbox 2.
1) the base version w/out a hard drive
2) the base version and you buy the hard drive add-on
3) the base version w/ hard drive and it could play PC games
Now think about this, if MS put out an Xbox 2 PC this year, it would make a KILLING, and it would make so many gamers happy.
All accounts say that MS will be making a profit off of the Xbox 2 hardware. That's why that got rid of a lot of the little extra things, and focused on cost efficiency. Its one of the main reasons no hard drive will likely be in the base version of Xbox 2.
Its also worth noting that the Xbox 2 will be FAR more powerful than any consumer PC on the market come this fall. It will be a few more months if not half a year until PC video cards catch up, and you won't be seeing tri-core 3 gig processors until late 2006 or even 2007, likely. Even so, these technologies won't be cheap early on at all.
So, let's say MS puts out an Xbox 2 PC this fall that retails at $500. Its a full-blown computer and it also plays Xbox 2 games. Just think about how many of those they'd sell. $500 is 1/3 of the price of the cheapest top-of-the-line PCs out there today, and none of them can play Xbox 2 games, and then the Xbox 2 would be far more powerful than anything available.
It'd also be small, nice looking, and just a lot cooler than any PC tower.
MS would make a KILLING. So many PC gamers would buy one, and so many people who wouldn't even normally get an Xbox 2 or a PC would get one.
It would be such a boon to gaming. I'd absolutely love something like this to happen. It'd also give MS a really nice grip on the PC gaming market and give them a nice profit off their consoles for doing little more than adding a hard drive and some software.
What do you think?
#22
03/16/2005 (1:16 pm)
I think MS should leave the harddrive in. That's a big bonus for a lot of people.
#23
not sure if this has been posted, too many to read.
03/16/2005 (1:34 pm)
Well see I would still not buy the xbox even if i could play PC game mainly becuase i like using my mouse and keyboard and why would i spend the extra money when i already have the computer. plus the xbox would have to allow the video card to be upgradable by the user to allow better play for newwer games. in all have the pc game support would be too costly IMO. not sure if this has been posted, too many to read.
#24
03/16/2005 (1:36 pm)
Ugggh... kill me now! :|
#25
not sure if this has been posted, too many to read.
03/16/2005 (1:36 pm)
Well see I would still not buy the xbox even if i could play PC game mainly becuase i like using my mouse and keyboard and why would i spend the extra money when i already have the computer. plus the xbox would have to allow the video card to be upgradable by the user to allow better play for newwer games. in all have the pc game support would be too costly IMO. not sure if this has been posted, too many to read.
#26
If you assume that the Inquirier is lying about getting their hands on NDA'd marketing materials, you mean.
Still, they are old plans, and anything could change before launch day.
03/16/2005 (2:00 pm)
Quote:the whole "3 different models" and any specs that people have been throwing around are all speculation.
If you assume that the Inquirier is lying about getting their hands on NDA'd marketing materials, you mean.
Still, they are old plans, and anything could change before launch day.
#27
As far as I can see (this is from the GDC of a few days ago even) the only real unknowns about Xbox2 were the harddrive issue as the processor specs are already out there (tri core ibm based on powerpc architecture), similarly the graphics specs are out there too PS3.0 etc. etc. based on ATI next gen pc hardware with a few custom mods for mesh handling, HD tv compatible (original XBox was too so not much of a shift there even).
I think we all know how much hype it takes to sell a piece of hardware these days. As a result I can't fault Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo for playing the "my hardware does everything and the dishes" game.
You always get those who will defend a product to the death even before it is out. Partly from excitement and partly because we all choose sides as part of human nature. The older you get the more judgment you have and the harder it is for companies to dazzle you with numbers.
Heck someone on this site (shall remain nameless) was even vocally upset when I suggested that Phantom wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to the indie scene as it was still in the vapourware stages. Said person almost bit my head off. I wondered then weather that was extreme fanboyism or an irate investor who had seen their hard earned go into a shady directors pocket :o)....heck I still wonder what the reason for the Phantom defence was! I nicknamed it the true Phantom menace (well it got a laugh from some of my colleagues in the games business)
03/16/2005 (2:21 pm)
@PatAs far as I can see (this is from the GDC of a few days ago even) the only real unknowns about Xbox2 were the harddrive issue as the processor specs are already out there (tri core ibm based on powerpc architecture), similarly the graphics specs are out there too PS3.0 etc. etc. based on ATI next gen pc hardware with a few custom mods for mesh handling, HD tv compatible (original XBox was too so not much of a shift there even).
I think we all know how much hype it takes to sell a piece of hardware these days. As a result I can't fault Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo for playing the "my hardware does everything and the dishes" game.
You always get those who will defend a product to the death even before it is out. Partly from excitement and partly because we all choose sides as part of human nature. The older you get the more judgment you have and the harder it is for companies to dazzle you with numbers.
Heck someone on this site (shall remain nameless) was even vocally upset when I suggested that Phantom wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to the indie scene as it was still in the vapourware stages. Said person almost bit my head off. I wondered then weather that was extreme fanboyism or an irate investor who had seen their hard earned go into a shady directors pocket :o)....heck I still wonder what the reason for the Phantom defence was! I nicknamed it the true Phantom menace (well it got a laugh from some of my colleagues in the games business)
#28
I worked at Sony a year ago. They have been below profit margin with the PS2 for a while. Which is the main reason for the PS2 slim. Maybe now they are doing a little better with each PS2 sale. I have no idea whats going on at Nintendo camp, but I can't imagine a system selling for $99 and still turning in profit.
And what is up with the Phantom?? That thing is dust. I remember when I had slightly growing interest in it. Now it's just a joke. At least the Panasonic 3DO and Atari Jaguar were actualy released and they are two of the biggest jokes in gaming history.
-Ajari-
03/23/2005 (3:50 pm)
Quote:Where did you hear that console companies typically lose money on hardware?
My understanding is that MS did this with the Xbox, and Sega did it with some of their consoles, but Nintendo and Sony profit on hardware.
I worked at Sony a year ago. They have been below profit margin with the PS2 for a while. Which is the main reason for the PS2 slim. Maybe now they are doing a little better with each PS2 sale. I have no idea whats going on at Nintendo camp, but I can't imagine a system selling for $99 and still turning in profit.
And what is up with the Phantom?? That thing is dust. I remember when I had slightly growing interest in it. Now it's just a joke. At least the Panasonic 3DO and Atari Jaguar were actualy released and they are two of the biggest jokes in gaming history.
-Ajari-
#29
03/23/2005 (4:40 pm)
From what I heard once upon a time, a GC costs less than 20 US dollars to manufacture... selling it at 99 dollars doesn't seem so financially burdening given that is true.
#30
They generally make about $15 a unit for each game that is sold, and lose $50 a unit on the console, so they need to sell 4 full-price games for each console to make money.
MS has always lost money on the XBox, but their strategy from the beginning was to lose something like $4 billion on the XBox 1 building up market presence. They *still* have $40+ billion in cash, so they can keep the strategy going for a while if they want to. One thing I will virtually guarantee: The XBox2 will *not* cost more than $50 over the PS3. MS will bleed red ink from every pore before they'll abandon the living room to Sony and Nintendo.
03/23/2005 (5:24 pm)
Originally the strategy on hardware pricing was to lose money at the beginning, until the cost of the chips and parts came down, and then make money in the last half of the product cycle. But in the last cycle, Nintendo dropped their price to lose even more than usual, which forced Sony and MS to follow. Sony was nearing break-even on the PS2 when they went to the slim design, which is actually *more* expensive (along with having new chips that do everything in fewer pieces and a smaller space, they added the ethernet port), so they're losing something more than $100 a unit (maybe much more in the US, with the weak dollar).They generally make about $15 a unit for each game that is sold, and lose $50 a unit on the console, so they need to sell 4 full-price games for each console to make money.
MS has always lost money on the XBox, but their strategy from the beginning was to lose something like $4 billion on the XBox 1 building up market presence. They *still* have $40+ billion in cash, so they can keep the strategy going for a while if they want to. One thing I will virtually guarantee: The XBox2 will *not* cost more than $50 over the PS3. MS will bleed red ink from every pore before they'll abandon the living room to Sony and Nintendo.
#31
03/24/2005 (4:38 pm)
Actually, I'm better Xbox is a good deal cheaper than the PS3, and close if not below the Revolution, considering they aren't going with a harddrive or HD-DVD, but rather a DVD player. 
Torque Owner Bucko
This is exactly what M$ failed to do on the XBox 1. They had to continually lower their prices to compete with the much cheaper to produce PS2. M$ learned (the hard way) that it's the number of compelling titles that sell the console, not the performance itself.
Dropping the harddrive for the cheapest XBox 2 may be troublesome as many of the XBox 1 titles rely on it being there (not to mention does direct calls to NVIDIA harware that won't be there as the XBox 2 graphics is ATI based).