Should Microsoft abandon the 360 "core" system?

[Anthony1]

News has leaked today that the PS3 will indeed come with a 2.5 60gb Hard Drive pre-installed in every PS3 system. This is great news for gamers everywhere, cause even though this makes the price that much higher, and that much harder to bear, it also means that developers will code with a hard drive in mind, and it won't be a limiting factor in the creation of the games.


The question then pops up, as to whether or not Microsoft might want to phase out the core system, and only sell the premium system. They could also announce that all 360 games released in 2007 and beyond require the optional hard drive to work. If a user doesn't have a hard drive in their 360, then a message appears telling them they need to re-attatch the hard drive to play this game. If you don't have a hard drive then please purchase one now.


Sure it would be a PR blow, but only to the small number of current core owners that haven't bought hard drives. Also, the few core hold outs can still play all 360 games that have been released in 2005 and 2006. It's just starting with the 2007 releases, games will start requiring the hard drive to even run.


What is your take?

[swlovinist]

The core unit was a dumb idea, just like selling a 20 gig hard drive for $100. IF the PS3 does come with a 60 gig drive, that 20 gig(more like 11 gig) drive the 360 has is going to look stupid. All systems should have a hard drive from here on out to support online downloads, additional content, and so on. The days of the memory card being enough are over.

[pacmanhat]

Nah. The Core System is a decent option, regardless of what many would have us believe. But more importantly, having options is something that I think a lot of people underestimate the importance of. It does a lot of different things on a lot of economics and social levels...it's good business.

[pacmanhat]

The core unit was a dumb idea, just like selling a 20 gig hard drive for $100. IF the PS3 does come with a 60 gig drive, that 20 gig(more like 11 gig) drive the 360 has is going to look stupid. All systems should have a hard drive from here on out to support online downloads, additional content, and so on. The days of the memory card being enough are over.

A 20GB (or whatever it actually is) is still pretty hefty...the PS3's bigger drive probably won't make any difference to most gamers. I don't see the 360's hard drive being too small any time soon, unless that crazy rumor about Xbox1 titles being available on the arcade actually turns out to be true.

[Nesmaster]

Double post. Internet = caput.

[Nesmaster]

Dumb. Lose the core I say. Prices here up north are 399.99 and 499.99. People who buy the core have to fork out another $50 anyways if they ever plan on saving thier games, and another $50 if they want the component cables. So for someone not wanting the Hard drive makes no sense, since after you buy those 2 things you could've essentially had the hard drive free anyways. Hell even if they didn't want the cables, at least thier xbox would be online ready. Then they'd have access to the greatness that is the Live marketplace.

Even for someone who never has plans to play online or use the marketplace, all they're really "saving" is $50, the extras in the premium are worth that for sure.

[diskoboy]

I say ditch the core at the end of the summer. Give the 360 some time to show up in the stores. I saw someone buy a 360 core and HD seperately, today at Target, simply because they were out of premium systems.

But once the 360 is plentiful.... Drop the core like a bad habit.

[Ed Oscuro]

I have to choose option #4, because the first option is basically the same, but with an assertion I have no idea about (that most core owners have bought a hard drive - I assume most real gamers who went for a core bought a HDD, but overall? I don't see stats on that.)

[grimlock]

Yes. Although I think Microsoft did have a plan with the whole Core idea, a temporary plan that is. I believe that shortly before the PS3 launch, the Core will be eliminated and the Premiums (which is all that will be available from now on) will drop to around $350. The seperate Hard drive will now be a 60-100 gig priced around $100-$150.00. They will not let Sony advertise they are the only system that every single one sold has a hard drive and they can't piss off the early adoptors of either the Core or Premium by offering only a 20 gig at retail anymore. Those who bought the Premium can now upgrade to a larger drive and those who bought the Core, if they decide to purchase a hard drive, will fare better because the larger retail drive will now be less expensive compared to the original retail 20 gig one. This way, everyone can look on the situation favorably instead of getting upset that more was offered a year later. Just sayin..... :)

[Anthony1]

There really is only one logical reason to come up with the whole "core" idea in the first place.




SUPERSTITION



That is the only way to explain it. No system ever released above $299.99 has ever been sucessfull. Check all the way back to the beginning of gaming history till now, and this is an absolute fact. The 360 actually has a chance to continue this streak, due to a technicality. Because core systems were available at launch for $299.99, (although in very small numbers), technically, the 360 was available at launch for $299.99, thus possibly continuing a streak that has been there since the launch of the Atari 2600 up until now.


Sure it's a technicality, but hey, that's a long freaking streak. The PS3 is going to be the first system to really give this streak a run for it's money.

[smokehouse]

With the cost of the individual items to make a Core into a Premium being over $100 (at least I think it is) it seems like a waste of time to me. As a gamer, saving up another $100 is not a big deal. The whole “Core” package thing seems like a PR stunt anyway. The problem is that with the Premium pack being hard to come by it forced some gamers to buy a Core. In my opinion that’s where it blew up in their face. I pissed off their early adopters instead of pleasing them.

[jdc]

I'll be the first to say keep it. Give people a choice.

If you buy the core system with the stand alone harddrive you get a bigger hardrive than you have with the premium system. I myself also don't care for wireless controllers.

I bought the premium system because that's all that there was left, (the CORE systems were all sold out!!!)....but I'm glad I did because of all of the extras pre-installed on the premium's harddrive.

[tholly]

the core should have never been released...and they should have never dropped the free mini media remote....so, if they phase out cores and require hdds it would just make more sense.....

....you could still use memory cards to save if you wanted to, you would just need to have a hdd hooked up....

[ozyr]

I'm not an Xbox fan (never will buy one), but I do think the core system is a really stupid thing. The version with the HD has so much more going for it. Now with the PS3 having a HD as the default, Microsoft should really get rid of the Core 360. It just doesn't make much sense to keep it.

[ozyr]

I'm not an Xbox fan (never will buy one), but I do think the core system is a really stupid thing. The version with the HD has so much more going for it. Now with the PS3 having a HD as the default, Microsoft should really get rid of the Core 360. It just doesn't make much sense to keep it.

[CrimsonNugget]

I'm not an Xbox fan (never will buy one), but I do think the core system is a really stupid thing. The version with the HD has so much more going for it. Now with the PS3 having a HD as the default, Microsoft should really get rid of the Core 360. It just doesn't make much sense to keep it.
You do realize core systems are just as capable of doing HD right? They just don't come with the cables.

[ahamilton0953]

I'm not an Xbox fan (never will buy one), but I do think the core system is a really stupid thing. The version with the HD has so much more going for it. Now with the PS3 having a HD as the default, Microsoft should really get rid of the Core 360. It just doesn't make much sense to keep it.
You do realize core systems are just as capable of doing HD right? They just don't come with the cables.

I think that person was referring to the hard drive not High Def.

[Joker T]

Cores are a giant rip off..get rid of them.

[Lothars]

I'm not an Xbox fan (never will buy one), but I do think the core system is a really stupid thing. The version with the HD has so much more going for it. Now with the PS3 having a HD as the default, Microsoft should really get rid of the Core 360. It just doesn't make much sense to keep it.
You do realize core systems are just as capable of doing HD right? They just don't come with the cables.

I don't know if that's really what he's meaning when he says HD, it sounds like he's refering to the hard drive

so I honestly would say they should drop the core and just keep the platinum release.

[Dobie]

I just think the whole core vs. premium thing needlessly confuses customers. The little old ladies going in to pick up a 360 for their grandkid know nothing about this stuff. There's something to be said for the convenience factor of having everything you need in one box. Grab a system, grab a game, and you're golden. With the core vs. premium, now you have the whole "what do I NEED, what are the choices, which is best for my money" process going on. Purchasing a console shouldn't be like buying a car.

Also, the "choices" available lower the performance bar for everybody. Since a HDD isn't standard, developers can't take advantage of it like they could have. Therefore, everybody loses. It was a bad choice to begin with, and unfortunately, its not one they can just say "whoops, our bad" and take it back.

[Anthony1]

and unfortunately, its not one they can just say "whoops, our bad" and take it back.




Sure they can.



All they have to do, is come out with this announcement:


MICROSOFT PHASES OUT THE "CORE" CONCEPT



Associated Presss - Microsoft on Tuesday announced that they are immediately suspending production of all core Xbox 360 systems, and all core XBOX 360 systems currently in the pipeline will be pulled and repackaged as XBOX 360's. The "premium" moniker for the hard drive version will also be dropped in future packaging. Microsoft also announced that as early as September 2006, "some" brand new 360 releases will not run without a hard drive installed. If a 360 owner inserts one of these games into their 360, and they do not have their hard drive hooked up, or it is a core system without a hard drive, they will be instructed to re-attatch the hard drive or visit a local retailer to purchase a hard drive to be able to play this software. Starting in 2007, it is expected that virtually all releases will require a Hard Drive. Microsoft also announced that in September 2006, a new optional hard drive will be available at retail. A 80 gig hard drive will be available for $100, with the former $100 20 gig unit being sold for $50. When asked if Microsoft is turning their backs on Core system owners Peter Moore replied, "Gamers actually turned their backs on the core concept in general. We sold all our core systems, but the attatch rate with the optional hard drive was so strong, that consumers spoke with their wallets and told us that they would rather have the premium versions, and that the core versions weren't really necessary. We like the fact that we will now call the package, XBOX 360, instead of Xbox 360 core system or Xbox 360 premium. Everybody will have a XBOX 360. Developers can now code knowing the hard drive is there for them. Core owners that still don't have a hard drive actually benefit in a way cause they can buy the 80 gig version in September." The first game that will make use of this new requirement happens to be Microsoft's huge e3 hit, "Gears of War". CliffyB had this to say regarding the announcement, "Microsoft did a bold thing with this move. It might make some core owners really mad, but in September they'll be thanking Microsoft!"

[Anthony1]

:D