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Opinion: A $99 Disc-less Xbox One could lead to another Kinect-level success!

Using a $250 base Xbox One S as an example:

-Remove the 4K blu-ray drive from the: shave $100
-Remove unnecessary optional ports that aren't popularly used: shave $25
-Shrink the box size making manufacturing process cheaper: Shave $25

Total: $99

The way you arrive at this $99 price in your 3 easy steps reminds me of this

zGZstW1.jpg
 

JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
It's funny how everyone has all these "win" scenarios with Xbox somehow assume that Sony could do nothing to counter-punch.
 

Mattyp

Gold Member
There is no way a discless Xbox One OG comes out for $100.

And besides, even if it did who is the targeted audience? Digital only gamers who want to play the worst port?

The 10's of millions of families out there who can't afford a new console but $99 might now be manageable for their sons birthday, the list of countries longer than my arm who tax regular consoles out the ass making them unaffordable, throw in gamepass for $10 a month and now little Johnny came game with all his friends and we as a family can afford it.

People need to think outside the box here, If they introduce this before next gen it's to see the reaction and what they can do next gen to release the cheapest possible unit but still allow next gen game playing.

The majority of us here all game on $2,000 rigs, own multiple consoles, and buy dozens of games a year. But that isn't the norm, and only a small section of their market audience.
 

Ramzy

Member
I think $99 is a little too cheap. I don't think Microsoft could hit that number. The removal of the BD drive and associated licensing costs isn't going to bring their hardware/manufacturing/distribution/licensing/insurance/certification/compliance costs down to less than $100 per console -- ignoring the fact that retooling their factories for a smaller xbox chassis is NOT cheap.

There is a slim possibility that Microsoft makes game pass mandatory for the diskless xbox. Perhaps that could be a way for them to subsidise the console, sell it at a loss, recouping their money through monthly subs?

I don't know why everyone is fixated on this $100 price tag though. It doesn't seem like a realistic price point.
 
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quickwhips

Member
How is that an upgrade? Just break your disc drive if you hate it so much.
I have an og Xbox one and the s gives better frame rate so hopefully this would also. This would be worth it to me as I don’t use the disc drive and it’s 99 dollars. Can you point to where Microsoft hurt you?
 

-MD-

Member
I have an og Xbox one and the s gives better frame rate so hopefully this would also. This would be worth it to me as I don’t use the disc drive and it’s 99 dollars. Can you point to where Microsoft hurt you?

They mostly hurt themselves when they stopped making good games a decade ago, it's why Sony ate their lunch, shit it out and force fed it to them this gen.
 
I think you're overpricing their costs of the hardware. I think the BR player costs them probably 15-30 bucks, not 100, that's what some can sell for, not necessarily the costs. That plus some of the costs you mentioned with cheaper shipping I think would be closer to 150$, although 99$ would be insane!
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
A diskless Xbox One for $99? You really think that drive cost more than $15 bucks inside the thing, let alone anther $99?

A streaming box for $99 maybe. But we had one of those in the PSTV as well at one time.

I think consumers are smart enough to realize that an extra $100 for a disk drive is highway robbery, and something more sketch by the company.

I can see $149 however.
 

Halo0629

Member
It would probably sell a lot in a short term but we're already at the dawn of this gen and I doubt anything announce this gen like another hardware revision would be groundbreaking anymore. If anything a discless sku would play a big role next gen especially when there is huge hype and desire for new consoles/games.
 

onQ123

Member
$99 is usually the death knell for a console the only way this would actually increase Xbox One sells is if they market it as a Xbox/Windows 10 TV device & go for a market that's not based on gaming alone.


xbox360dea-100009623-medium.png


gen001584.jpg


Wii_Mini.jpg


DSC_2855.0.jpg
 

leo-j

Member
$99 is usually the death knell for a console the only way this would actually increase Xbox One sells is if they market it as a Xbox/Windows 10 TV device & go for a market that's not based on gaming alone.


xbox360dea-100009623-medium.png


gen001584.jpg


Wii_Mini.jpg


DSC_2855.0.jpg
PlayStation 2 sales exploded when the thing went 129.99 and 99.99.
 

Nydus

Gold Member
Even at 99$...what would I play on this console? If MCC comes to PC there's nothing worthy for me on the X left.
 

Winter John

Gold Member
-Remove the 4K blu-ray drive from the: shave $100
-Remove unnecessary optional ports that aren't popularly used: shave $25
-Shrink the box size making manufacturing process cheaper: Shave $25

IB5ZWgv.gif
 

quickwhips

Member
They mostly hurt themselves when they stopped making good games a decade ago, it's why Sony ate their lunch, shit it out and force fed it to them this gen.
What are you even talking about. This isn’t about Sony it’s about a 99 console and what we think about it. The ghost icon guy wants to let his emotions cloud the discussion.
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
If demand for a low-cost Xbox was that high, used OG Xbone's would be rare as rocking horse shit.

They aren't though.
 

ethomaz

Banned
That made me think about...

Are there any non-successful console that become a sucess after it got cheaper?

I mean every non-successful console become a hell of cheaper fast and dies fast without accomplish anything with the aggressive price cut.

It is five years of MS slashing XB1 price and nothing changed after all... why some believe a cheaper option close to release of next-gen will help to change the situation? It will only make MS lose money.

In 2013 near consoles releases I said that XB1 should be $100 cheaper than PS4 at launch to have a chance and make competition fair.

Today or peharps form some years already $100 cheaper doesn’t cut anymore... I don’t think any difference in price will make any difference anymore.
 
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Gavin Stevens

Formerly 'o'dium'
If they hit $99 then they would set the place on fire. It would be amazing. It won’t happen though.

Sadly I don’t know many at all who care about digital as an only means of purchase. Not yet, anyway, it until internet speeds increase and bandwidth limits are removed.

I love buying retail. Cheaper and with a box. But unless they bring digital prices online with retail (they can’t) and set up the digital-retail trade in programme, it’s just not feasible for the vast majority of people.

I do want to see an all digital future, I don’t care about disks in the long long run. I own thousands on steam. I just don’t see how when moving into a new generation of gamesWee big hitters will easily be 100gb+, it’s feasable.
 

Vawn

Banned
I have an og Xbox one and the s gives better frame rate so hopefully this would also. This would be worth it to me as I don’t use the disc drive and it’s 99 dollars. Can you point to where Microsoft hurt you?

What are you on about? Which part of my comment was at all offensive against Xbox?
 

Xenon

Member
If a anything the thing is going to be bundled with gamepass. So I can see 200. With a six month subscription. I can even see an infomercial type sales pitch to go after an untapped market.
 
People forget the Xbox One S (and X) have 4k Blu-ray drives not regular br drives. A standalone 4kbr player is iver $100. The one on the Xbox however isn't the latest models and speeds so $100 is a pretty good bet because when the S was announced it was rumored to be $50 less at launch but the BR drive being 4k was where, at that time, the increase came from.
 

goldenpp72

Member
The 10's of millions of families out there who can't afford a new console but $99 might now be manageable for their sons birthday, the list of countries longer than my arm who tax regular consoles out the ass making them unaffordable, throw in gamepass for $10 a month and now little Johnny came game with all his friends and we as a family can afford it.

People need to think outside the box here, If they introduce this before next gen it's to see the reaction and what they can do next gen to release the cheapest possible unit but still allow next gen game playing.

The majority of us here all game on $2,000 rigs, own multiple consoles, and buy dozens of games a year. But that isn't the norm, and only a small section of their market audience.

People who can't afford a console don't want to be forced into the digital space I can tell you right now.
 

ethomaz

Banned
People forget the Xbox One S (and X) have 4k Blu-ray drives not regular br drives. A standalone 4kbr player is iver $100. The one on the Xbox however isn't the latest models and speeds so $100 is a pretty good bet because when the S was announced it was rumored to be $50 less at launch but the BR drive being 4k was where, at that time, the increase came from.
Are you using BR players prices as Xbox's BD-drive?

The Philips Lite-on DG-6M5S for replacement on S or X is sold at retail at max $49.

That is retail price... MS maybe pays way less than that for it.
 
While I don't think $99 Will happen, it would be amazing if it did. This will not be marketed towards anybody on this forum as their sole gaming device. It will be a second box for the bedroom, an enticement for PS4 owners to buy into Game Pass on the cheap, and will be a holiday item for parents to buy their young teenagers with a GP sub. I think $149 is realistically the best price we can hope for.

I used to buy my little brother a yearly GameFly subscription on his birthday for a few years, my dad raved about how happy my bro was with a virtually unlimited new game selection, and about how much money he now didn't have to spend. Don't underestimate how much money MS is willing to take a hit on in initial hardware sales if they can turn virtually every sale into a GP sub.
 
Let's say at the GDC Microsoft comes on stage reveales the disc-less Xbox One, and Phil comes in with a kings crown on his head shouts "$99.99" and drops the mic. It would be an epic conference because the message will be clear: The gen is over.

If MS can pull it off, since you can get an original Xbox One or S for <$200 and $250 respectively, you could have a Kinect level success. World Wide digital is growing, and there are already millions of people all over jumping in on it. Xbox One already has several of the biggest games on XBL, but with Gamepass it gives a new incentive for people to go all digital, and add the fact that Microsoft is the only one of the big 3 with BC and actual long-term digital support consistency, it would be a steal.

Adding to the damage, you have the upcoming streaming platform allowing even more options on you're all digital gaming device. This could be a huge deal.

Sony could potentially counter with a disc-less PS4, but the likely hood of it being $99 is slim, but even so, Microsoft currently objectively has the better digital infrastructure (technology and server wise) and has a better record of long-term support and compatibility that may cause some to Switch or new buyers to Jump in

Using a $250 base Xbox One S as an example:

-Remove the 4K blu-ray drive from the: shave $100
-Remove unnecessary optional ports that aren't popularly used: shave $25
-Shrink the box size making manufacturing process cheaper: Shave $25

Total: $99

That's an easy $99 all digital box that could take off selling Kinect-like numbers, closing the gap. Going into Best Buy and Gamespot and not only seeing a $99 digital Xbox One, but also gamepass making games cheaper and streaming coming in the future gives a good reason

Even parents will pick it up for their kids, as they will still be playing MP with strangers and/or friends, but this time they don't have to spend $190 on 6 games, don't have a shelf cluttered with plastic, and a console that costs only $99!


People forget the Xbox One S (and X) have 4k Blu-ray drives not regular br drives. A standalone 4kbr player is iver $100. The one on the Xbox however isn't the latest models and speeds so $100 is a pretty good bet because when the S was announced it was rumored to be $50 less at launch but the BR drive being 4k was where, at that time, the increase came from.

There is no way a discless Xbox One OG comes out for $100.

Of course there is no way for discless Xbone to be 99$. Looks like Afro literally has no idea what he is talking about. UHD drive BOM is around 30$. While Afro is using retail price for standalone cheapest UHD players. So, back to drawing board!
 
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jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
That made me think about...

Are there any non-successful console that become a sucess after it got cheaper?

I mean every non-successful console become a hell of cheaper fast and dies fast without accomplish anything with the aggressive price cut.

It is five years of MS slashing XB1 price and nothing changed after all... why some believe a cheaper option close to release of next-gen will help to change the situation? It will only make MS lose money.

In 2013 near consoles releases I said that XB1 should be $100 cheaper than PS4 at launch to have a chance and make competition fair.

Today or peharps form some years already $100 cheaper doesn’t cut anymore... I don’t think any difference in price will make any difference anymore.

The 3DS comes to mind. When it initially launched at $249, sales were pretty stagnant and five month later they announced they were lowering the price pretty substantially to $169.99 where it went on to sell gangbusters.
 

DanielsM

Banned
We'll if I was poor-ish, not sure I would consider a subscription for $10 a month as a good thing, you can buy used games very cheap $5-10, if you go back to X360/OG Xbox games sub $5. There are only so many games you can play. If I was interested in Xbox and poorish, I would probably get cheap Xbox with a drive and go used and maybe subscribe to Xbox Live and get 4 games per month, that's 48 games a year for say $40-60 a year, than pickup some used games here and there.

GamePass to me is something you cherrypick, so say Halo 6 comes out and you are on the fence, you subscribe for a month and play it, and the rest of the games, after the month is up you can than decide to buy or pass.
 
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onQ123

Member
People forget the Xbox One S (and X) have 4k Blu-ray drives not regular br drives. A standalone 4kbr player is iver $100. The one on the Xbox however isn't the latest models and speeds so $100 is a pretty good bet because when the S was announced it was rumored to be $50 less at launch but the BR drive being 4k was where, at that time, the increase came from.

That 4K Blu-ray drive isn't $100 it's basically the same as a normal Blu-ray drive the difference mostly come from the encoding/decoding software/hardware .
 

goldenpp72

Member
That 4K Blu-ray drive isn't $100 it's basically the same as a normal Blu-ray drive the difference mostly come from the encoding/decoding software/hardware .

There is also the obvious fact that a stand alone BR player has a lot more to it than a disc drive.. And that the player must be sold at profit. Lot of simple people it seems.
 

GoldenEye98

posts news as their odd job
I don't know what's worse about this thread. The fact that people think they can shave $150+ off a console by removing the disc drive or fanboys taking the bait and saying "Even if the console was $50 it wouldn't be worth it!"
 
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