phffft ahhhahaa. My text messages are important! lol and sad face at our society.And?, you get what you pay for, having a mobile contract isn't just about buying a fancy phone monthly, you also get free minutes, data, texts etc, the service plan is very important.
No real reason NOT to offer a legacy model. Customers love choice.This is actually a pretty genius move.
Should offer upgrades when the plan is over for a reduced price into next-gen. Also expand and offer different payment plans, include a 5 year one in there. Then they can roll ot a decently powered console every five years.
Still you have to keep the legacy model of offering the full console at full price.
I doubt this will be the case with this pricing model being offered through MS Store next week.If netflix is included, this is a great deal.
Very very, VERY smart.
We've seen this work before with mobile communications companies.
Basically you're buying an item worth $420 for $100 today and $15 at the end of each month.
That's a nominal rate of 9.64% which is lower than any credit card I'm aware of.
I was about to post that this was potentially a very dicey move as they'd be tying up a lot of money up front in subsidies that they'd only get back gradually. But the mobile communications point was very apt.
Only downside I can see is, what if people stop paying before the contract is up (i.e. cancel your credit card)? Mobile companies would simply shut off your service, as they's essentially what you're paying for month to month. And your phone would be a brick at that point, because it's carrier locked.
Microsoft could do the same for Xbox Live, but people would still be able to play the consoles offline. Assuming they couldn't remotely disable the unit. That would probably be dicey from a legal perspective though.
Selling consoles as a service? loooooool
Not sure how this is such a great deal for consumers, since you end up paying a lot more for the console, around $100 more. Also, it's only available at Microsoft Stores. How many are there? Less than 20?
I suppose there's money to be made from stupid people.
So, anyone who uses credit card for purchases is stupid too, no? That's like 99% of this country.
This deal ain't for you. It's for those who want 360 but don't have disposable income to cover the cost at once. For them, it's a perfectly fine deal.
I see where you can make this argument, but this isn't a credit card. If you don't have the disposable income to get an Xbox, you probably shouldn't get into a 2 year contract to get one. A smart person, who doesn't have a whole lot of disposable income, would get a used one. Like I said, stupid people.
So only stupid people sign up for cell phone contracts?
I see where you can make this argument, but this isn't a credit card. If you don't have the disposable income to get an Xbox, you probably shouldn't get into a 2 year contract to get one. A smart person, who doesn't have a whole lot of disposable income, would get a used one. Like I said, stupid people.
This is console hardware, not service.
Cell phone <-> XBox 360
cellular service <-> XBox Live
Does this offer also include full broadband Internet service?
What about all the iPhone owners who signed up for 2 year contract with $200 down. Are they also stupid? Out of pocket cost for new iPhone would be what, $600~700? You shouldn't buy an iPhone if you don't have spare $600~700 laying around?
Does that iPhone work without service? The monthly service price is still the same, in a contract or out of contract. An Xbox doesn't require service to run. Live doesn't require you to buy a contract. You still access to some of Live without paying anything and if you choose to pay for it, it's fairly cheap.
When you sign up for this Xbox, you're paying for Xbox Live Gold service and to subsidize some of the cost of the Xbox.When you sign up for a cell phone contract, you're paying for a service and to subsidize some of the cost of the phone.
You can get a cell phone out of contract and still get the same product, just cheaper (assuming fewer months of service). How is this a lease? I must have missed something, I don't see where you have to give the Xbox back after 2 years are up.You can get an Xbox out of contract and still get the same product, just cheaper, so this is really just leasing.
Does that iPhone work without service? The monthly service price is still the same, in a contract or out of contract. An Xbox doesn't require service to run. Live doesn't require you to buy a contract. You still access to some of Live without paying anything and if you choose to pay for it, it's fairly cheap.
No smart ass.
Service is a service. Either you want it or you don't. A lot of people do want XBox Live service.
And you don't need the expensive plan that comes with subsidized hardware to get the most out of an iphone.But Xbox Live isn't required for an Xbox to work. It's not hardware dependent on service. A cell phone requires service to work. I don't need to purchase Live to get the most out of my Xbox or to even make it work. And if I choose to use Live, I can get a month fairly cheap.
But Xbox Live isn't required for an Xbox to work. It's not hardware dependent on service. A cell phone requires service to work. I don't need to purchase Live to get the most out of my Xbox or to even make it work. And if I choose to use Live, I can get a month fairly cheap.
And you can use an iphone on a cheaper plan than the one that comes with the subsidized hardware.
It's exactly the same thing, don't hurt yourself trying to turn this into something it's not.
But the Xbox360 is a hardcore console!
The problem is what I stated before, they could use this as an excuse to go completely crazy in a way that's actually unhealthy for the game industry. If this could STAY as, say, buy a $400 console or get it $200 with a contract, and otherwise be no different from prior launches, then I actually wouldn't have that big of a problem with it, just an alternative for people who prefer it that way.
Why should we be paying "contracts" on game consoles to begin with?
Slippery slope, folks.
Why should we be paying "contracts" on game consoles to begin with?
Slippery slope, folks.
I came up with $40 more. $460-$420=$40.Not sure how this is such a great deal for consumers, since you end up paying a lot more for the console, around $100 more. Also, it's only available at Microsoft Stores. How many are there? Less than 20?
I suppose there's money to be made from stupid people.
Fucking disgusting. Lmao.
That's your misplaced perception.No, they would be buying an item worth $300 today. People shouldn't be paying any fee to play games online. Whether they do so under the guise of a "contract" or not is meaningless...it's a scam either way.
You need to reassess your definition of how these devices "work". They have multiple functions.But Xbox Live isn't required for an Xbox to work. It's not hardware dependent on service. A cell phone requires service to work. I don't need to purchase Live to get the most out of my Xbox or to even make it work. And if I choose to use Live, I can get a month fairly cheap.
He is right though, if it should get to the point where you can't buy the console out of a contract. Or if they at least make it a pain in the ass, and very likely would make it prohibitively expensive stand alone depending on what they do with it. Stuff like cellphones I want more for a service, and things like fridges or cars are just so damn expensive yet necessary that, yeah, paying over time really does make sense. I outlined a possibility I'd be comfortable with, but I doubt it'd end at just that.Uh, you don't have to pay anything. It's just an option.
No, I'd be very disappointed with Nintendo too, but how Nintendo does business seems to be fundamentally incompatible with those, or at least would come off as excessive. They never really aim for absolute cutting edge hardware in the way Sony and Microsoft do, especially this generation, whereas Sony and Microsoft both like to push those limits. It's not a big step to think Microsoft might want to go with contracts FOR some grossly overpowered console in the future, and I wouldn't be surprised if Sony seriously considered it too.If the thread read exactly the same but you replaced the word Microsoft with Nintendo and 360 with Wii U, this thread would be entirely different. People would be hootin and hollering about how genius Nintendo is.
But since its MS, the haters gonna hate.
Hopefully this test doesn't translate to extremely expensive hardware next gen with contracts.