39 replies to this topic

[Sharpshooter]

Ive heard launch stories of people waiting in line for over 12 hours yet to be denied a 360 because instead of first come first serve, there was a raffle. I've also heard stories of some luky people getting their hands on thoose things just to have it stolen out of their hands as they walk out of the store. I think this is outrageous. I mean, I thought the 360 was gonna be good, but I didn't think people would be mugged for it. Also, on online forums and sites such as www.ign.com people have been saying that their 360's have been overheating, crashing, and some reported their 360 not even working. Not only that, but I heard that there were only 10,000 made in the United States. Thats around 200 per state. So, basically they're all sold out and i've heard rumors of the next shipment not being until late january or even early spring.

When i first heard a 360 was coming out i thought it was going to be great, but no im not so enthusiastic anymore. I don't know, even if there is another shipment anytime soon, if I wanna drop 400 probaly 460 for a console and 1 game. YA, $460. Microsoft is greedy. And Bill Gates doesn't need anymore money.

I might wait until the praised PS3 with bluetooth technology in it's controllers and a 80gb dics drive?? I think. Comes Out. Well, I dont know but I think that might be a better choice after hearing theese disappoining stories of the Xbox 360.

One last thing. I checked xbox.com's faq and help forum page. and their phone line is a whole 3 hour wait just to talk to someone and the forum is filled with problems. Doesnt this remind you kinda of PS2. But, Ps2 lasted for about a month before they would break. Some 360's wont even start up.

Tell me how you think this 360 is.
-sharpshooter

[euphemism]

Put it in perspective man, let's compare an Xbox 360 to a PC of equal caliber say maybe a dell XPS 400 or maybe even 600. The cheaper of the two PCs, the 400, starts at $899 the 600 starts at $1,599. And, oh, the PS3, don't get me started, the PS3 has no release date, no games, no specs, no confirmation of its existense, go here and try to find one reference to it, nothing. I've done enough, I'll let someone else compare it to the Revolution.

[ompa]

Agreed somewhat with Euphemism. Keep in mind they're probably losing some money on the sale of one x-box 360, just like the original xbox. They make the money through the games and accessories. So in a sense, the system itself is not really a ripoff, it's everything else.

~ompa

[boltsniper]

$300 is a steal for the hardware you are getting. If you could even buy a PC with equivalent hardware (which you can`t right now) you would pay a few thousand.

My TRU received 18 units. 14 Premium and 4 Cores. A line started forming from 3pm Monday until we opened on Tuesday at 9am. A few people popped tents right in front of the door. Our order andeveryone elses got halved. We were supposed to get 36 units. Best Buy was to get 100 but only got 50. To get the system out before Christmas, they didn`t have the time to build stock up before release.

What sucks is I had one on hold through work along with many of my coworkers. Our DM denied us our holds the morning of. Asshole. Told us we had to wait in line like the rest of the people.

There will probably be no more before Christmas. The best bet is probably January but could be later than that

[Langley]

Our DM denied us our holds the morning of. Asshole. Told us we had to wait in line like the rest of the people.

Yeah, Dungeon Masters can be jerks like that.

Honestly, I welcome the release of the 360. It will allow me to buy an x-box on the cheap now that my college's gamer club has fallen apart. I've spent the last two years playing halo on my friends' machines at school because I didn't think the console was worth the money just to play one game.

[Sharpshooter]

I understand all the replies. What I'am saying though is that why would you even realease a system so early if there is only gonna be about 200 per state. To me that is outrageous. Also the main part of the argument is not only that is expensive it's that your paying 400 dollars and waiting in a line for a day and then you recieve you 360. You get home hook it all up turn it on, but.........nothing happens. It crashes. or overheats after 20 minutes. That is my main concern what am I paying $400 dollars for. Am I paying this for my 360 to crash. No. I understand many systems have bugs when they are first released. But, c'mon thats $400 you want to BE ABLE to PLAY some games. I don't know. Im waiting for titles such as splinter cell 4 and Ghost recon modern combat. And battlefield 2 and even HALO 3 in the fall of 2006. I just dont think I would go out if my way to get one just yet. Im gonna wait for microsoft to work out the bugs on that thing.

[Enigma1313]

Yea...its official...Microsoft screwed the pooch with the actual launch of the 360. These shortages are horrible...my buddy who preordered way back last January didnt get his. Thats just awful.

[Forsaken angel24]

I see it like this, If you make something that everyone wants a rarity (sp) and only 200 people per state can get one. It makes the sytsem seem much more special and unique. If everyone was able to get one, then friends wouldnt be rushing over to their lucky friends place that has one. Only to dream about bringing one home for himself. To me it is just one big marketing ploy. It was the exact same with the game Zelda for N64. They released only so many, and after a few months released the regular copy. Nothing special here, I am waiting for the PS3, I heard it was going to be better anyways.

Edited by Forsaken_angel24, 24 November 2005 - 12:54 PM.

[boltsniper]

Our DM denied us our holds the morning of.  Asshole.  Told us we had to wait in line like the rest of the people.

Yeah, Dungeon Masters can be jerks like that.

If that's the first thing that pops into your head when you see the letterd "DM".....

I don`t think the proce will drop on XBOX 1 anytime soon. It`s pretty close to cost as it is.

[Pineapple]

Watching everyone fall for the hype and interrupt their normal life patterns for a video game makes me laugh...in an uneasy way.

I remember each fad item having it's season for the last several years...first with the original PlayStations, then the N64s, then the original X-box, then the PS2, then the iPods of varying types, now it's the Xbox 360.

Maybe I'm just a generation apart, but is it really worth all the tension and frustration to wait and contend for something that we all know will drop down to affordable levels within the scope of say, six months? Not to mention, as sharpshooter said, to have all the bugs worked out?

I've even seen some paintball markers that sounded really good in the advertising, and were promising...only to have the first run of the product rife with quirks and bugs. They halted production until they have all the anomalies worked out, and that's where it still stands today, in a holding pattern. I'm still waiting to see when it comes out.

I heard that on eBay someone had their 'original' X360 going for over $3000. 3 grand. For a damn game system. I've seen it all already.

Happy Holidays, guys. I'm getting my son a bolt action .22 air rifle.


-Piney-

EDIT; I just went back to eBay, now it's getting ridiculous. One seller is putting his xbox360 up for 29,000 dollars...with a free 2005 Honda Accord included. Sheesh.

[LordoftheRing434]

That all sounds crazy. Even if I were a hardcore enthusiast, I would wait the extra month or two. Some people I just don't understand. Sure, it's cool to say that you camped outside just to get one, but you look back on it and say "wow, was that really stupid!" Like Piney said, is it really worth the anxiety? I don't think so.

Although my Gamecube is "obsolete", it still makes me smile to see my tiny black box sitting there. I don't really care about more technology; I enjoy myself sitting down with a few friends, drinking a Coke, and swearing at each other in a heated game of MOH: Rising Sun. It doesn't matter if the graphics are better, or whatnot. The point is I can enjoy myself with a cheaper system just as well as I can with one that cost me $460 and grey hairs...well, no hairs yet.

Whatever floats your boat.

~Rings

[JSkater]

EDIT; I just went back to eBay, now it's getting ridiculous. One seller is putting his xbox360 up for 29,000 dollars...with a free 2005 Honda Accord included. Sheesh.

LINK. NOW.

Gamefreak's brother has the right idea about the 360 launch. He bought a premium console and now has it listed on eBay. When Gamefreak told me about this, the 360 was already at $1600ish. Talk about profit.

[Pineapple]

GASP. And no, it's not a Accord sedan, it's a coupe you get.

Seriously, eBay will probably dump these auctions, being so ridiculous...the previously linked page also has an Xbox360 for 1 million dollars, buy-it-now, and it will be personally delivered to and hooked up in your house by Santa and an elf, with a giant flat screen TV to go with it.

Okay, I'm done with this. Any more and I'll probably puke.



-Piney-

[Sharpshooter]

Dude, I agree with you now Piney. If your gonna sell your 360 with a car and sell it for 29k you have no life. Whoever buys that I will personally come and chop their head off. Ive seen em all the way up to 1500 dollars on ebay thats outrageous. The people buying theese should be ashamed of themselves for they are just encouraging people and microsoft to jack up the price on theese babys because people are stupid enough to buy them. I officially hate that rich bastard Bill Gates and what he has caused here.

[chris]

What all can they do? They're putting a 1-per-person limit on them, but if you expect them to control re-sales, you're crazy.

[Sharpshooter]

Exactly they can't control resales. But, instead they could have delayed the release to make more of em so they could of regulated the resale more. If you really wanna buy a 360 for 1500 go right ahead. If you do ill personally skin you though. HAHA seriously. Cmon' now.

Edited by Sharpshooter, 24 November 2005 - 10:21 PM.

[Viper]

Microsft spends $525 per xbox on hardware alone. You get it for $399, that not bad. My stepfather is a parts supplier for the xbox, his company designed the removable harddrive and parts in the controller.

[Davis]

Dude, I agree with you now Piney. If your gonna sell your 360 with a car and sell it for 29k you have no life. Whoever buys that I will personally come and chop their head off. Ive seen em all the way up to 1500 dollars on ebay thats outrageous. The people buying theese should be ashamed of themselves for they are just encouraging people and microsoft to jack up the price on theese babys because people are stupid enough to buy them. I officially hate that rich bastard Bill Gates and what he has caused here.

You sir, are a fucking idiot.

See, in the business world, there's this thing called profit. Meaning, you don't spend millions designing a console and hundreds making each one so you can sell it for nickels. They have to make money on this shit.

Yes, it was stupid for MS to not manufacture enough, but factor in that they probably need to know that this thing will sell. I heard at one point in development that they probably were going to lose money with each console purchase.

What price people decide to sell and buy them for is their decision. Stop making empty threats that you, I, and everyone here knows you won't and can't fulfill.

[flamebo388]

Haha, there are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the universe. My 2 cents, let morons be morons and those of us who are sensible will wait a few months.

[Pineapple]

Perhaps I should clarify my point, while understanding the original nature of this off-topic thread, which is Sharpshooter's rant about the X-box 360's insanity.

You sir, are a fucking idiot.

See, in the business world, there's this thing called profit. Meaning, you don't spend millions designing a console and hundreds making each one so you can sell it for nickels. They have to make money...

...factor in that they probably need to know that this thing will sell.

...they probably were going to lose money with each console purchase.

Yes, they do have to have a bottom line. They have to make money off this puppy, otherwise it's a retarded proposition. Last time I checked, Bill Gates was not in the charity business, at least when it comes to his gaming systems.

Initially, they'll lose some on console sales, but someone did mention that MS will have accessories, and add-ons, and did you see the price of the first-run games made by MS?

Hey, even if Gates DID give each one away free, it's not like he's going to the poor house anytime soon. Or maybe ever?

What price people decide to sell and buy them for is their decision.

What intrigues and perplexes me is the ease in which this new generation of young people, of most ages, have absolutely no sense of patience and discipline when it comes to items of luxury, mere wants that are not necessary for life, but are simply the latest 'must-have' item to be first on the block to have.

They spend money, that for the most part, they don't have, to buy things that they cannot afford, to impress people that they don't even like.

After the hype has worn off, it's cast to the side when the next fad comes along. It's a business owner's and marketer's dream.

Is it no small surprise that the people I used to advise about money have 2-3 maxed out credit cards, in which they make minimum payments? For a $2000 credit card, at normal interest rate, did you know that minimum payments will clear that credit in about 17 years?

It really is each individual's decision to buy and sell whatever they want. I just wanted to share the potential consequences for those old enough to not depend on mom and dad for the dough to dish out for this and any other impulse item that comes down the pike.

For those who do depend on their parents for money for these, talking wouldn't help, if your parents decide to overspend for these things anyway.

And...we can discuss this again when the PS3 comes out. Or the X-box 720. Or the iPod google. Or Nintendo GameGirl. Or whatever. Enjoy.


-Piney-

[The Trouble]

I'd like to step in and clarify a couple points.

Game console companies never make money on systems. They sell them at, or even below costs; they make their profit on licensed games and accesories. The original Xbox is still selling at cost...don't expect it to go down.

The Xbox360 is far below cost (I wish I had a link for you, but I don't).

I agree that it's rather shady at how few got shipped out to retail, but the marketing sense of it is clever. Like someone said earlier: the more rare an item is, the more sought after it becomes. Piney is right, too...there are millions of impatient (and stupid) people willing to shed out hundreds and thousands of dollars for the current flavor of the week.

Here's the main point: Why get upset?
Microsoft is a rather monopolizing super-giant that lost billions on Xbox just to get their foot in the console gaming market. If you're a MS hater, be satisfied.

Don't like the price of the flavor of the month? Don't buy it.

Think people shelling out tons of hard-earned cash is retarded? You can buy their system cheap when they're are tired of it.


My main concern is for the gaming market's lack of creativity, and it's downward spiral in Asia (arguably the home of digital entertainment). Of course that's a whole new rant. Relax folks. <insert generic "go nerf" statement here>

[paul1]

this is aboslutly CRAZY!!!!!

what is it with these people and there Xobx360s?
there all like "Oooh I got my 360 befor u?!?!?"

I mean come on! there going to come ou7t with the PS3 and Revolution soon, so why cant u people just wait!

[Davis]

I agree that it's rather shady at how few got shipped out to retail, but the marketing sense of it is clever. Like someone said earlier: the more rare an item is, the more sought after it becomes.

That makes absolutely no sense. If MS shipped out say 1000 consoles for $400 each, and all 1000 were sold and turned arround and sold for thousands of dollars, MS still only has that $400 each.

[euphemism]

There is one core system selling at Amazon for $749.99 which is one of the best prices I've seen.

EDIT: Whoa, ignore that statement, there's much cheaper, just search with froogle.

EDIT II: Actually all the froogle results are backordered so don't ignore the first thing.

Edited by euphemism, 25 November 2005 - 03:19 PM.

[Uncle Hammer]

Lets dumbasses be dumbasses. Let them spend there 1000 dollars and days of their lives waiting for it. It's not our problem, it's theirs. Stop making useless threats about skinning people alive if they pay that much. Xbox 360 will come and go. I honestly am not even interested in it. Sure the graphics are nice but my xbox gets the job done for me. In another year or so something will come along and all the kids will want to buy it and they will be saying screw the 360. I did the same thing with three consoles. Technology evolves too fast now adays and theres something better each and everyday.