XBox Finances

by Steve Gibson, Nov 19, 2001 9:24am PST

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15 Threads* | 50 Comments

#11

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By: freshview x Show Full Post

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It would have been smart to release a "hardcore xbox" or something with a keyboard and a mouse and a VGA connector, and basically make it a mini-pc that would run X Box games, and then sell it for like $50 above cost, that way the enthusiasts and the slashdot crowd would have something to play with and microsoft would still make money.

This way.... geez... so risky.... I'll probably end up getting one tho.

Nov 19, 2001 9:55am PST

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It would have been smart to release a "hardcore xbox" or something with a keyboard and a mouse and a VGA ... : freshview
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  I'm not really a fan of the X-Box, but both the GameCube and X-Box should be capable of VGA support with... : Conan
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    really where ? : jedi_27
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      somebody mentioned it before... cheese box or something... : carnivore
      
      ahh, here it is... http://www.baber.com/baber/products/cheese_box.htm : carnivore

#49

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By: the archvile x Show Full Post

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$100 lost per unit sold is a pittance compared to what's in Microsoft's coffers.

Nov 19, 2001 4:14pm PST

$100 lost per unit sold is a pittance compared to what's in Microsoft's coffers. : the archvile

#3

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By: *metal* x Show Full Post

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I wonder how long its going to take before the hacks and modchips start apprearing for online sale. They would sell 100x the games if they where $20 or less. This paying $40-50-60 per game just isn't cool anymore when you have other bills to worry about.

Nov 19, 2001 9:34am PST

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I wonder how long its going to take before the hacks and modchips start apprearing for online sale. They ... : *metal*
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  well the gamecube games have already been pirated so its only a matter of time for the xbox : stiki figgaz
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    I've never understood why people buy a console when they can't afford a "retail" priced software. Y... : GoofyBoy
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      Goofyboy took the words out of my mouth. Sorry, but if you can't afford the software for your new s : KinetiK
      
      cuz people want to play games, duh... and if they can do it for free (or for a very cheap price), they w... : Nullzero
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    I haven't heard about this. Link? : pyrotek
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      i think i saw it on ign boards : stiki figgaz
      
      the most authoritive of places :) : disembodied potato
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  "They would sell 100x the games if they where $20 or less." studies have shown that rising/lowering p... : TwiLyght
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    If that is true, then why is there such a large market for bargain bin games (Deer Hunter, etc.)? Why d... : pyrotek
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      if that is true, why does the Sims still retail for 40 bucks? : Bob Jones
      
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      If what is true? : pyrotek
      
      my point in #42 was actually related to the comments #3 made about modchips. he assumes that people pir... : TwiLyght

#26

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By: jedi_27 x Show Full Post

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I just picked up that damn DVD remote for the XBOX.

ME = SUCKER

Nov 19, 2001 12:05pm PST

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I just picked up that damn DVD remote for the XBOX. ME = SUCKER : jedi_27
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  Why do you say that? Seems better than the PS2's "push x then triangle while holding L2" scheme. I want ... : 0Wingfan
  - never thought about it like that. but you can buy a PS2 remote for about 19.99 : jedi_27
  - Thats INCLUDED with the ps2 though, for free.. if you CHOOSE to have a nice remots, it is only 20 bucks.... : Grandmoff
- I preordered from Walmart and the DVD remote was not shipped along with everything else due to "circumst... : Dread Pirate Roberts

#34

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By: Bali x Show Full Post

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I doubt they are losing any money at all on the sale. Sure they can make it look like that on paper.

Nov 19, 2001 12:43pm PST

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I doubt they are losing any money at all on the sale. Sure they can make it look like that on paper. : Bali
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- what? um losing money on consoles its pretty much the standard save 3D0 and I think GC. : ratman

#38

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By: swordfury x Show Full Post

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thanks man.

Nov 19, 2001 1:35pm PST

thanks man. : swordfury

#18

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By: Ardvaark x Show Full Post

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Forbes makes the point that it takes three versions of anything Microsoft to get it right, and they say that Microsoft's patience will be its greatest asset in the long-haul console war.

I don't buy it in this case. It works well in the PC industry where Microsoft is already the dominant choice, and few people have a choice to use anything other than a Microsoft product during the time it takes to get it right. But when you're losing $100 on every unit sold, you have to make sure it's right the first time. Otherwise, either you'll go out of business or your shareholders will raise a shitstorm.

Bottom line: The XBox must succeed here and now if it is to succeed at all.

Nov 19, 2001 11:06am PST

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Forbes makes the point that it takes three versions of anything Microsoft to get it right, and they say t... : Ardvaark
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#33

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By: PsYk0 x Show Full Post

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Well, just about all new consoles lose money the first year or two. It's a risk you have to take in order to establish itself securely in the market, so it's just the nature of the beast. I'm suprised MS is only losing $100 per unit. Sony is/was losing more like around $150 per unit.

Nov 19, 2001 12:37pm PST

Well, just about all new consoles lose money the first year or two. It's a risk you have to take in order... : PsYk0

#30

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By: veggie x Show Full Post

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anyone notice Shacknews uses the same colors as the XBOX? I think steve was preemptively paid off by M$

Nov 19, 2001 12:28pm PST

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anyone notice Shacknews uses the same colors as the XBOX? I think steve was preemptively paid off by M$ : veggie
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- #30 did you notice that when the xbox started to come out, shugashack started to talk about a site redesi... : RMSzero

#15

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By: afrochops x Show Full Post

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lol, they think ms marketing isn't so good, granted they picked a good example with the msn service to support that argument- THE ONLY REASON MS 0WNS THE WORLD OF THE PC OS IS BECAUSE OF MARKETING. plain and simple. if forbes.com doesn't have faith in their marketing abilities i think they are retarded...

Nov 19, 2001 10:32am PST

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lol, they think ms marketing isn't so good, granted they picked a good example with the msn service to su... : afrochops
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- marketing... right. : Dechter

#2

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By: blueharvest x Show Full Post

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I wonder how much stuff someone has to buy for Microsoft to get a profit?

Nov 19, 2001 9:26am PST

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I wonder how much stuff someone has to buy for Microsoft to get a profit? : blueharvest
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  I wonder if the mandatory packages cover the cost. With 2 1st party games and 1 3rd party game, they c... : sucko
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    No, actually, they'd only be making about a $10 dent in it. : Conan
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      where does that $10 number come from? I thought they got almost that much per 3rd party game, let alone t... : sucko
      
      Developer relations and promotion. Licensing and whatnot /= profit until you've deducted your expenses. : Conan
- Quite a bit, considering they were boasting of spending $500 million to market the thing. In fact, to ov... : Conan

#16

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By: anfo x Show Full Post

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They seem confused, microsoft is NOT going to cannabalize (sp?) thier Ultimate TV (PVR) and XP (server/fileshare) by bundling it all into the xbox. The are going to bleed us for $200-$500 per product instead of bundling it into 1 affordable wide function product. I estimate it is going to cost $945,242,275,433,366,702,973,893,475.05 to equip. my house house with microsoft entertainment products in 2002. For this I will be able to RECORD PROGRAMS OFF TV (OMG OMG OMG) and PLAY GAMES (OMG OMG OMG OMG OMFG OMMFG) and use a PERSUNAL COMPUTAR!!! and I will be able to pay ~$100 a month in subscription fees to keep using them, YAY MICROSOFT, THANK YOU FOR "ENABLING" MY DIGITAL LIFE!!!

of course... I'll still probably buy an xbox, heh

Nov 19, 2001 10:38am PST

They seem confused, microsoft is NOT going to cannabalize (sp?) thier Ultimate TV (PVR) and XP (server/fi : anfo

#8

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By: indeego x Show Full Post

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Conversely, As the /.'ers have said, with a few mods this could make a decent low profile small form factor PC, especially with the HDTV resolution capabilities. I'm considering getting it in a few months when people have hacked it up a bit.

Nov 19, 2001 9:41am PST

Conversely, As the /.'ers have said, with a few mods this could make a decent low profile small form fact... : indeego

#1

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By: disembodied potato x Show Full Post

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3 monkeys one monkey!

Nov 19, 2001 9:26am PST

3 monkeys one monkey! : disembodied potato

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