Microsoft: Xbox mobile phone style contract "pivotal to our business"

[Yungstar 2006]

Microsoft has said its current US exclusive Xbox 360 mobile phone style contract offer is central to its future plans, and hinted it may be used for the next Xbox.

In the US, you can now get an Xbox 360 with a 250GB hard drive for $99 - if you agree to pay $14.99 a month for two years of access to Xbox Live.

And it's just extended the offer in time for Christmas, so you can get the 250GB Xbox 360 with Kinect for $149 and the subscription.

Now, Microsoft has told the Wall Street Journal that this subscription program will likely remain through any future product launches. "This type of program is pivotal to our business," Matt Barlow, general manager for marketing in Microsoft's interactive entertainment unit, said.

that would work very well for nextbox, better again if they offer one with a winphone as part of a deal.

more @
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...o-our-business

[BoyBettaKnow]

Can't help but view that as a rip off.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

Can't help but view that as a rip off.

$460 for an xbox, no games and 2 years live kinda looks that way to me too. The plan is great but the prices aren't.

[Yungstar 2006]

Can't help but view that as a rip off.

$460 for an xbox, no games and 2 years live kinda looks that way to me too. The plan is great but the prices aren't.

its a model that works for mobile phones and i'm sure the trial they have done must have worked for them to think of it as pivotal as they move forward.

rip off? can't see it.

[J3ff3]

its a model that works for mobile phones because they're fucking expensive, as are pay as you go prices for every day use.

the xbox is NOT fucking expensive, and everyday use is not either.

unless they provide something a little extra i see this as a bit of a con, but it may work in the early days of the new console.

[sainraja]

It's just another way of buying the system, right? It's not going to be the only way we can buy their console.

[MATRIX 2]

It's just another way of buying the system, right? It's not going to be the only way we can buy their console.

Basically.

And contract style pricing is a ripoff 99% of the time.

[Yungstar 2006]

its a model that works for mobile phones because they're fucking expensive, as are pay as you go prices for every day use.

the xbox is NOT fucking expensive, and everyday use is not either.

unless they provide something a little extra i see this as a bit of a con, but it may work in the early days of the new console.

WOW.....get you with the swear words. Like that makes your point right. Your wrong though.

[jj03]

WOW.....get you with the swear words. Like that makes your point right. Your wrong though.

Nothing wrong with a bit of expressive language..

He is right to a degree...

Bucket Biff

[BoyBettaKnow]

$460 for an xbox, no games and 2 years live kinda looks that way to me too. The plan is great but the prices aren't.

Completely agree. For a brand new Nextbox or PS4 this would be a brilliant move. But for a console reaching the end of it's life (is it really going to be microsofts flagship product for the next 2 years?) I think it's a total con. If it suits some peoples situation then fantastic. I just think it's a rip off.

its a model that works for mobile phones and i'm sure the trial they have done must have worked for them to think of it as pivotal as they move forward.

rip off? can't see it.

My mobile phone goes EVERYWHERE that i go and i use it a ridiculous amount more than I would use a PS3/360. You can't really compare it to something like a mobile phone. Also, if your in the market for a new mobile phone, they often cost way more than a console costs. So it makes sense for them to do it. But for the 360? Not at all.

its a model that works for mobile phones because they're fucking expensive, as are pay as you go prices for every day use.

the xbox is NOT fucking expensive, and everyday use is not either.

unless they provide something a little extra i see this as a bit of a con, but it may work in the early days of the new console.

This guy gets it.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

It is a rip off imho. You are paying extra money for the convenience of not paying that money up front. How much is a standard 250GB 360? 2 years Live, without deals, is what, $100? That leaves $360 for a console. I love the idea, I think it's a great move by MS to get it's console into more homes, but the price is too steep for the convenience it offers imo.

[Nitey]

I remember the days where they threw in a 360/PS3 when signing up for a new mobile phone contract! They may still do that, I don't know. Haven't looked at phone contracts in ages.

[BoyBettaKnow]

It is a rip off imho. You are paying extra money for the convenience of not paying that money up front. How much is a standard 250GB 360? 2 years Live, without deals, is what, $100? That leaves $360 for a console. I love the idea, I think it's a great move by MS to get it's console into more homes, but the price is too steep for the convenience it offers imo.

Exactly. It is a very good move, if they do with the Nextbox and it worked out well i'd even consider doing it (i probably wouldn't though, i hate having overheads) but the problem is the time they've decided to do it. Everyone knows that Next generation can't be too far away so why would you lock yourself down into an older generation?

I remember the days where they threw in a 360/PS3 when signing up for a new mobile phone contract! They may still do that, I don't know. Haven't looked at phone contracts in ages.

They probably still do those, they always seem too good to be true though.

[LfCpS3]

So in total you're paying $458.76?

I'm not from the US, so I am using stock MS prices for a 250 gb xbox, which costs 299.99( on ebay,com, i found the same console for less than the RRP, around $250)

2 year xbox live is for $90 ( $45 each) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Xb...item231cb81799
So, without this contract, your paying $389.

Same stuff, but you save $69.76

I bet the only people who don't have a 360 in the US are those who are probably not big gamers, so may not have much interest in buying a console and unless they are stupid, wont fall for this type of "offer" if that is what it even is.

I feel, very very sorry for those who buy into this crap.


With the kinect, you're paying an extra $49, making the total $507.76

Amazon have a deal with 250GB xbox 360 with kinect for $389.99, with two year xbox live it totals to 479.99

Saving $27.77


Lets not forget using ebay you can get these products a bit cheaper.

Too bad most consumers are too lazy to spend like 5 minutes like i did and find these types of deals, I won't be surprised if this will does very well though, knowing some people...

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-250GB...dp_ob_title_vg


(I hope I did not make a mistake and look like an idiot :P)


Also Christmas brings bigger savings, so you might even save more if you search online or go into stores.

[MATRIX 2]

I remember the days where they threw in a 360/PS3 when signing up for a new mobile phone contract! They may still do that, I don't know. Haven't looked at phone contracts in ages.

They still do it with windows pc's as back to school bonus during a certain time of the year.

[MacP]

its a model that works for mobile phones and i'm sure the trial they have done must have worked for them to think of it as pivotal as they move forward.

rip off? can't see it.

How can you not see it as rip-off. Even somebody who is on minimum wage can afford an Xbox with 2 years live without the contract. Its simple maths.

Please don't call other users fanboys. ~Blacksite

[emmerich]

It's a huge rip-off from where I stand. I sincerely hope this isn't their plan for going forward in to the next generation. I'll easily make a switch to another system if it is.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

Nah this will just be an option. 100% no doubt about that.

[Yungstar 2006]

My mobile phone goes EVERYWHERE that i go and i use it a ridiculous amount more than I would use a PS3/360. You can't really compare it to something like a mobile phone. Also, if your in the market for a new mobile phone, they often cost way more than a console costs. So it makes sense for them to do it. But for the 360? Not at all.

i'm wondering at what point you guys will actually realise that MS have already done the contract 360 and it works..

so much so that they are letting it reach more people. it has worked so well that MS are saying it is now pivotal to there business going forward.

now while there are those of you who see it as a rip off, MS has shown that it works and for it to work.... people are not seeing it as the rip off many of you think it is.

stop the whining and get over it.

[J3ff3]

WOW.....get you with the swear words. Like that makes your point right. Your wrong though.

I didn't use the word 'fucking' twice to prove I was right, I used it to emphasize how expensive phones are. How did you manage to get confused by that?

And I'm not wrong. It works so well for mobiles because they are prohibitively expensive and/or more than pay for themselves if you are a moderate user, versus a pay as you go system. Until one of those things happen in this industry (ie the console offered is expensive, or the 'package' is linked to games purchases) then comparisons between the two markets are rather weak. The xbox is cheap, and there really are very few day to day running costs - so why bother unless you just weren't that bright? And just because there are many dim people out there ready to be parted from their money, doesn't make this anywhere near good value.

Its less like the mobile industry, and far more like straight up financing.

[LfCpS3]

I didn't use the word 'fucking' twice to prove I was right, I used it to emphasize how expensive phones are. How did you manage to get confused by that?

And I'm not wrong. It works so well for mobiles because they are prohibitively expensive and/or more than pay for themselves if you are a moderate user, versus a pay as you go system. Until one of those things happen in this industry (ie the console offered is expensive, or the 'package' is linked to games purchases) then comparisons between the two markets are rather weak. The xbox is cheap, and there really are very few day to day running costs - so why bother unless you just weren't that bright? And just because there are many dim people out there ready to be parted from their money, doesn't make this anywhere near good value.

Its less like the mobile industry, and far more like straight up financing.

With phone contracts, you get very good text/minutes which, in the long run, save you quite a lot of money ( depending on how much you use it)

I agree, just because a few people are willing to part way with their money so easily ( without looking away) does not mean this is not a rip off...

You not gaining anything, just losing more money. Comparing this to a phone contract is wrong IMO.

Maybe if you got something like a free game per year or something.