Any successful consoles launched at more than $299.99?

[Anthony1]

Ok, first off, I'm talking about the United States, and I'm talking about home consoles.

Now, the only consoles that I can think of, that sold for more than $299.99 in the U.S. were the Neo-Geo, 3DO and Sega Saturn.

I'm not sure what price the Neo-Geo debuted at, but I'm sure it was well over $299.99, it was probably like $549.99 or something like that. The 3DO launched at an outrageous $699.99, and the Sega Saturn launched at $349.99. I know that at one point the TurboGrafx-16 CD unit retailed for $299.99, I'm not sure if it was ever above that, although if you factor in the purchase of the base TG-16 console, then that goes above $299.99.

But none of these consoles were successful, in terms of any significant market share.

The reason that I bring this up, is because I'm very suprised by the fact that it's very possible that both the XBOX 360 and Playstation 3 will be above the magical $299 threshhold.

Actually, with the Playstation 3, it's pretty much a given that it will launch above $299.99, but the XBOX 360 could still sneak in at that magical $299 price.

That kind of amazes me though, that these companies are even considering selling a system above the $299.99. price point. Looking back through history, no system that I can think of, has ever been successful in the U.S. at a price point above $299.

I'm not sure why Sony, and maybe Microsoft, think that for whatever reason things will be different this time for them, even though no other system has had success at that high a price.

You might wonder why there would be such a huge difference between a pricepoint of say $299 and $349. I mean it's only a 50 buck difference, but the difference psychology wise is much more significant than a measly $50. For whatever reason, consumers have a feeling that they can accept a price of $299 for a next gen console debut, but you go above that amount and a large number of consumers will choose to pass. It's only a 50 buck difference, but subliminally, when consumers see prices above $299 they think, "Damn, that's an awful lot of money for just a video game machine". But when they see a price of $299.99, they think, "Well, $299.99, that's expected. I guess I can live with that."


So what is your take on the whole $299 scenario? Do you take a step back when you see a price above that magical threshold?

[MegaDrive20XX]

Look at the PS2 launch...people were paying insane prices just to have it before anyone else. So I think on a consumer stance, price is not an issue, more like "How can I get one before X-mas?"

Imho, $299 is my limit on new consoles, yet I actually waited until PS2/Xbox dropped to $199

[Ed Oscuro]

Look at the PS2 launch...people were paying insane prices just to have it before anyone else.
People with too much money, perhaps...that wasn't the norm. I sure wouldn't pay more than the launch price for a system (unless it was something super rare; all I can think of was my Astrocade, maybe Wondermega units...)

Also, I'd like to know if this analysis Anthony1 provides is at all backed up by analysts or studies...

[Damion]

All I know is that I'm going to wait till I'm comfortable with the price. which more then likely will be when they are at two hundred or so. I've have plenty of games from this generation to keep me happy till then.

[THATinkjar]

Why is it we assume consoles shouldn't be priced higher than three hundred dollars?

The next-gen hardware, if you were purchasing it for a PC, could cost you thousands. We should count ourselves bloody fortunate. Anything under 500-600 dollars is an amazing bargain.

[Mangar]

Look at the PS2 launch...people were paying insane prices just to have it before anyone else. So I think on a consumer stance, price is not an issue

I disagree with this. I believe that there will always be a certain segment of diehard gamer, who is willing to pay 400$-500$ just to have a console "first" or to whom price isn't an object. These same people also bought the 3DO at 699.99, and the Saturn, and other high priced consoles.

But in order to get actual market share and be truly successful, you need to account for the the Average Joe Gamer, Parents, Grandparents, all for whom Price is indeed a MAJOR issue. They will market these machines over 299.99 at their own peril. Even at that price, lots of people will wait. It will eventually reach 199.99, and most people tend to know that. Especially once all three console players are directly competing against each other.

[Starcade]

Anything over $299.99 is too much, and I refuse to pay it, as cool as PS3 videos and demos look, over $300 is insane.

[slip81]

Why is it we assume consoles shouldn't be priced higher than three hundred dollars?

The next-gen hardware, if you were purchasing it for a PC, could cost you thousands. We should count ourselves bloody fortunate. Anything under 500-600 dollars is an amazing bargain.

PC's also do more and are generally much more powerful than next gen consoles.

When you think about it $300 is a lot of money for something that just plays games and movies.

Wasn't the PSX $399 when it first came out?

[MegaDrive20XX]

Look at the PS2 launch...people were paying insane prices just to have it before anyone else. So I think on a consumer stance, price is not an issue

I disagree with this. I believe that there will always be a certain segment of diehard gamer, who is willing to pay 400$-500$ just to have a console "first" or to whom price isn't an object. These same people also bought the 3DO at 699.99, and the Saturn, and other high priced consoles.

But in order to get actual market share and be truly successful, you need to account for the the Average Joe Gamer, Parents, Grandparents, all for whom Price is indeed a MAJOR issue. They will market these machines over 299.99 at their own peril. Even at that price, lots of people will wait. It will eventually reach 199.99, and most people tend to know that. Especially once all three console players are directly competing against each other.

Well hold on, you just pretty much added to my side on your first paragraph

The second half, I strongly agree with.

Yet, what I meant is the 'people" meaning the first group of crazy buyers will go to any lengths. Which does not include the for the the Average Joe Gamer, Parents, Grandparents

[njiska]

Why is it we assume consoles shouldn't be priced higher than three hundred dollars?

The next-gen hardware, if you were purchasing it for a PC, could cost you thousands. We should count ourselves bloody fortunate. Anything under 500-600 dollars is an amazing bargain.

Why? Because that's not how the human mind works. At least not on a large scale. It's all psychology.

A console is still just that a console. No matter how many little extras are added on the whole it will be treated as a gaming machine and nothing else. Paying more for a PC doesn't feel as expensive because a PC has lots of uses. It's more then a gaming rig, it's an office tool, a web browser, a graphic editor, a database, etc. A PC has so many possibilities that for some reason we don't feel bad paying so much for it.

Even if you rationalize the cost like you did (which most people won't) it just seems wrong to spend more then $300 USD on a little box that''s going to sit in your living room just to play games. Even if it's being used for playing movies and other things, on a grand scale the average person still looks at it as a game machine.

Also with consoles they need to sell millions as fast as they can. There's a greater need to sell more then with PCs and to sell as many as they can they need to keep the cost low, other wise they'll go 3DO.

When this new era of consoles comes my limit is $349.99 USD because quite frankly i can't afford to spend more. I want the console, an s-video adapter (because those pricks never make it stock) a couple of games and a second controller. Now think how much that adds up to, it's not gonna be cheap.

[Captain Wrong]

Any successful consoles launched at more than $299.99?


If the XBOX 360 or PS3 are priced above $299.99 will that effect you purchasing them at launch?

Well, which are we talking about here? Are we talking about consoles that have crossed the $299 or are we trying to find out who would buy a Xbox 360 or PS3 for more than $299? And why not include the Nintendo Revolution in that batch, considering no one has mentioned a price and all anyone is doing is assuming they're going to be cheaper and everyone else is going to be more.

[sharp]

In first place I am not realy intrested in the next generation sytems as I'm a 2D-fanboy.

I found a month ago the bill of my now dead first Playstation 2, which was 999,00 Dutch Guilder (which is 450 euro, he who gave us that that stupid Euro :angry: ), just tyo play Gradius IV. Oh and that was after the first pricecut. But I don't think they will release much 2-D stufff soon on the next-gen systms so that saves the money anyway, cause I don't except a Gradius VI as release title for any next-gen system (but if they do I think I will buy it immediatly, but chances are small).

But if they make a game good enough I don't care about the price.

That's my two cents.

Oh and if their spell-mischecks it's because I just had too much cider-booze in the pub.

[Porkchop]

I think the $299 limit has something to do with what parents think is too much to pay for a toy. The thinking is something like this:

Should we buy little Johny a $400 video game system or a $400 computer. :hmm: He can use the computer for school and he might learn something with a computer.

Toys should cost less than $300.

[Yago]

The Intellivision originally sold for $300. So to answer the question in the header, no, systems that sell high don't make it. There are many out there that will pay more for a system. But the number of people who buy according to price far outweigh those that would pay the higher price. And the companies know this otherwise systems would be selling for a lot more than they presently are.

[Anthony1]

an s-video adapter (because those pricks never make it stock)


Actually, maybe with this next run of consoles, S-Video will be the standard cable thrown inside, and it will be the component and dvi and hdmi cables that people will have to buy along with the extra controller and 3 games.


Nah, it will probably still be an old composite cable. They know that just about anybody can plug a yellow plug into a yellow plug and a red plug into a red plug and a white plug into a white plug.

[thegreatescape]

Whatever the magic number for console launches is, it sure as hell doesnt apply to Australia and Europe- we get boned pretty hard on launches. At the current exchange rate the ps2 launched at over $500 US in Australia, and around $400 US at the 2000 rate i think.

[Big Papa Husker]

I think that $349.99 is the most I will pay. I think the PSX launched at that price... or maybe that was the bundle with Battle Arena Toshinden. I cant remember.

[Anthony1]

I think that $349.99 is the most I will pay. I think the PSX launched at that price... or maybe that was the bundle with Battle Arena Toshinden. I cant remember.

In the U.S. the PSX was $299.99 at debut. No game included.

[Nez]

I'm not sure why Sony, and maybe Microsoft, think that for whatever reason things will be different this time for them, even though no other system has had success at that high a price.


The difference being that both Sony and Microsoft will release the consoles above said price. If they were not the biggest players in the next race maybe they would go with a lower price. But who ever is wining usually sets the price.

[THATinkjar]

Battle Arena Toshinden

Loved that game!

Consoles are becoming more powerful than PCs. They are becoming media and digital hubs. Consoles are going to move up in price as the years tick by. I don't see why companies like Sony and Microsoft should have to price their products lower because we believe we have some devine reight to a 299 dollar console!

[drwily008]

Look at the PS2 launch...people were paying insane prices just to have it before anyone else.
People with too much money, perhaps...that wasn't the norm. I sure wouldn't pay more than the launch price for a system (unless it was something super rare; all I can think of was my Astrocade, maybe Wondermega units...)

Also, I'd like to know if this analysis Anthony1 provides is at all backed up by analysts or studies...

I kid you not, at least 10 or more people a day would come into my store and offer me $500-800 for a PS2 that first Christmas. My buddy owns several comic shops and used to put a $1000 price tag on the ones he sold and sold 100's at that price. I didn't agree wish those type of business practices though and NO I never took a bribe from a desparate Mom and I treated everyone equally.

This last Christmas I had several people offer $400+ for a Nintendo DS.

WTF...it's Christmas time in Hollis, Queens!

[felix]

^^ When the DS was released I worked at EBgames. I had people comming up to me a few days before release and offer ME $100 PLUS the acutal price of the DS. A couple of them were secret shoppers.. I "won" a free DS from the secret shopper but got cut off by my manager who took it and gave it to her kid (mother @!#%@#).

Another funny thing is, durring the week before xmas, everybody was looking for a ds. Of course we didnt have any (we barely had enough for preorders). Desperate parents were comming into the store and offering upwards of $300usd for one of our "reserved" DS's that supposidly we had in the back room :? . I got yelled at like I had something to do with the lack of systems in the store a week before xmas.. BAD CUSTOMER!! NO BISCUT!!! ..

The best part about the story was that SEARS which is right above us in the mall didnt sell all of theirs till after xmas.. I think that The Refresments said it best.. "Everybody knows, that the world is full of stupid people".

for all of you who called your EB games a week before Xmas asking if we had any DS's... :smash:

[WanganRunner]

Anyone that first xmas who had PS2s must've been NUTS to actually sell them in a store....

If I had gotten my hands on any, it would've been straight to ebay with $1000 BIN's.

Let the wackjobs pay through the nose for the first few consoles.

[yuppicide]

If the Revolution plays games from all the old systems and homebrews it's the system I'll be buying.

[TEXASGAMEPLAYER]

WanganRunner said:

"Let the wackjobs pay through the nose for the first few consoles"

I paid over $500 for a playstation 2 and then gave it to a friend's kid. And I don't consider myself a "wackjob" even at 500 I am sure the percentage of my disposable income spent on video games is far less than yours. I hate people that call people "WACKJOBS" for having the means and connections to get what they want! Are you jealous because you can't provide the lifestyle you want for yourself and I CAN? There's nothing wrong with spending a lot on something you want if it makes you happy and does not take money away from your responsiblities. SORRY that you are so poor and helpless and that $500 is such an unattainable price tag for you! You are probably the same as the hippie losers here in Austin that pretend I am somehow hurting the environment by driving a BIG, SAFE auto, while they drive their smoking hunks of crap. They complain because they want justify their meger existance and failings in life not because they really think my vehicle is polluting more than their hazardous rotten car! So tear down all those that can aford more than you and call them "wackjobs" because this wackjob will have all the new systems and have fun playing them!

[Slate]

the Sega Saturn launched at $349.99.

I thought that the saturn originally sold for $399.99.

[le geek]

I voted $199, but I'm not necessarily getting a Revolution first... Right now $199 is my cut off price for a new console.

In general I think people accept and continue to accept $299 for a console launch and $40-50 for new games.

I'll be curious if $60 a game is tried and sticks. I could see it working for HUGE releases like Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto and Madden. And I can see EA trying it for their other titles and falling flat on their fat ass.

[Avatard]

LOL LOL LOL

That was awsome TEXASGAMEPLAYER. Spend your disposable income however you see fit man.

However, any console over $300 just tends to seem unobtainable to the masses. I know I'd never ever get a present that expensive for christmas, even now or when I was younger. Its just not happening. In my family if it was over $150 then its not happening. Its not that we're meager as much as not seeing any reason on spending so much.

[aaron7]

I voted the last choice. Of course they require $$ to make and sell, but at $50+ a game... sorry, I'll stick to my NES.

[SSJ3]

Didn't they make an Atari at like $500 bucks and only a few people were able to afford it?

I have seen/heard of a Sega that had a VCR or DVD player and it orginal sold for $500-$600 and was taken off the market in like one to two weeks. LOL . MAybe thats why Sega went out of business. :(

[PDorr3]

It all depends on if I have the money on hand to buy the new consoles. I will be getting a xbox 360 becuase it is the first to launch, but if the ps3 follows close after I doubt I will haver a spare $400-500

[NintendoMan]

I will pay whatever for the revolution. But will have to wait and see how much XBOX 360 is before I pick one up. Won't pay over 199.99 for that. (So I might be waiting a while, which is ok, since there is like 300 regular xbox games I still need)

[jajaja]

Look at the PS2 launch...people were paying insane prices just to have it before anyone else. So I think on a consumer stance, price is not an issue

I disagree with this. I believe that there will always be a certain segment of diehard gamer, who is willing to pay 400$-500$ just to have a console "first" or to whom price isn't an object. These same people also bought the 3DO at 699.99, and the Saturn, and other high priced consoles.

But in order to get actual market share and be truly successful, you need to account for the the Average Joe Gamer, Parents, Grandparents, all for whom Price is indeed a MAJOR issue. They will market these machines over 299.99 at their own peril. Even at that price, lots of people will wait. It will eventually reach 199.99, and most people tend to know that. Especially once all three console players are directly competing against each other.

I remember when the PS2 was out here in Europe. Was on the news from France. People went nuts and bought PS2, was chaos in the store hehe. And it was way over $299.

The retail price on a PS2 here was over $800 when it got out and ppl bought it.

So the price doesnt matter that much for ppl who MUST have it.

[SuperNES]

WanganRunner said:

"Let the wackjobs pay through the nose for the first few consoles"

I paid over $500 for a playstation 2 and then gave it to a friend's kid. And I don't consider myself a "wackjob" even at 500 I am sure the percentage of my disposable income spent on video games is far less than yours. I hate people that call people "WACKJOBS" for having the means and connections to get what they want! Are you jealous because you can't provide the lifestyle you want for yourself and I CAN? There's nothing wrong with spending a lot on something you want if it makes you happy and does not take money away from your responsiblities. SORRY that you are so poor and helpless and that $500 is such an unattainable price tag for you! You are probably the same as the hippie losers here in Austin that pretend I am somehow hurting the environment by driving a BIG, SAFE auto, while they drive their smoking hunks of crap. They complain because they want justify their meger existance and failings in life not because they really think my vehicle is polluting more than their hazardous rotten car! So tear down all those that can aford more than you and call them "wackjobs" because this wackjob will have all the new systems and have fun playing them!


being a classic gamer is not about getting everything brand new, having the biggest best console before everyone else, and buying huge cars and stuff. it's about classic games. and classics usually don't cost much. last i checked, this was a classic gaming board. i think most people on this board are on a very tight income so you don't need to get all mad and start gloating about how great your car is. you're no better than WanganRunner calling you (and it was'nt even directed at you) a wackjob, with you going around calling people "hippie losers" and saying how they have a "meger[sic] existance".

also, i want to make it known that i don't care how TGP spends his money, i just did not particularly like his attitude towards "hippie losers"

that is all. :roll:

[evildead2099]

[quote=THATinkjar]Why is it we assume consoles shouldn't be priced higher than three hundred dollars?

The next-gen hardware, if you were purchasing it for a PC, could cost you thousands. We should count ourselves bloody fortunate. Anything under 500-600 dollars is an amazing bargain.

njiska covered a lot of what I was going to say.

I'll add this, however:

When you fork out the big bucks for a PC, you walk away with the assurance that the commercial software you see in stores is likely to be compatible with your system (So long as your hardware specs are up to par). PCs don't have a whole lot in the way of competition - It's not like buying a system from Micro$oft and worrying that $ony's system is going to get all the good games rather than yours.

[SSJ3]

It all depends on if I have the money on hand to buy the new consoles. I will be getting a xbox 360 becuase it is the first to launch, but if the ps3 follows close after I doubt I will haver a spare $400-500

If the PS3 were to come out the same day Xbox 360 came out it could be $600-$700 and Sony will still have massive loses, no matter what Sony is going to have massive losses becasue of the blue-ray, which is sick, btw.

[CullJeff]

I'm sure that the companies understand that the lower the price the greater sales they will have. What i can see happening is Microsoft and Sony will probably have a big number starting price and when the sales are not as projected the price will lower by $50 to $70. The one thing i am sure of though is that Nintendo will price the Revolution at a point where even the poorest video game consumers will be able to say:

Hey you know what i don't have shit for money now but in like 2-3 weeks i am gonna have me one of those Revolution things.

[imanerd0011]

WanganRunner said:

"Let the wackjobs pay through the nose for the first few consoles"

I paid over $500 for a playstation 2 and then gave it to a friend's kid. And I don't consider myself a "wackjob" even at 500 I am sure the percentage of my disposable income spent on video games is far less than yours. I hate people that call people "WACKJOBS" for having the means and connections to get what they want! Are you jealous because you can't provide the lifestyle you want for yourself and I CAN? There's nothing wrong with spending a lot on something you want if it makes you happy and does not take money away from your responsiblities. SORRY that you are so poor and helpless and that $500 is such an unattainable price tag for you! You are probably the same as the hippie losers here in Austin that pretend I am somehow hurting the environment by driving a BIG, SAFE auto, while they drive their smoking hunks of crap. They complain because they want justify their meger existance and failings in life not because they really think my vehicle is polluting more than their hazardous rotten car! So tear down all those that can aford more than you and call them "wackjobs" because this wackjob will have all the new systems and have fun playing them!

Wow man, talk about going off the deep end! @_@ He wasn't even referring to you when he made that comment. I don't think anyone is jealous that you spent $500 on a PS2 on launch day. I would maybe have been jealous for the first 2 weeks you had it, but after I bought mine for $300, I would have been laughing (with $200 in my pocket).

Oh, and to reply to the topic, I wouldn't buy any console over $300 no matter how sweet it is. I have my NES and that is all I will ever need!!! :rocker:

[grayrobertos]

the whole console should be more expensive than a PC made me laff. With a PC you get a monitor and all sorts of things. I could get Hl2 capable PC with a monitor for £400 tops. With upgrades and some love a PC will be usefull forever.

Over here in the uk we prettymuch get screwed over with the exchange rate. As dollars just get turned into pounds. This makes things doubley as expensive for us, and also makes it cheaper to import.

I will hold out as long as I can when buying a new console. Im all about getting as much stuff for my money as possible. I could go out and pay 350 for a console and game. But, if I can be patient wait a few months maybe I could get a conosle and a ton of pre owned games for 350. It makes little sence to buy at release.