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$1200 Cheap!

Posted by michael on from the playing-hardball dept.

Pinky3 writes: "The LA Times is reporting that Microsoft is encouraging retailers to bundle Microsoft games with each XBox. "Beginning next month, many retailers will be requiring customers to pay from $499 to as much as $1,200 to reserve an Xbox console that, like it or not, will come bundled with games, peripherals and warranties. The reason: Microsoft will provide additional marketing money to merchants that agree to include the software giant's games in their bundles. That's because Microsoft's games carry higher profit margins for the Redmond, Wash., company than those published by third-party companies such as Activision Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc.""

5 of 388 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Sigh... by dave256 · · Score: 3, Funny
    ...no, you pay
    1. $1000 ea for four Optional High Traction Devices(tires)
    2. $500 for Additional Passanger Carrying Devices (passenger seat)
    3. $800 for Climate Control (vents)
    4. $200 for Multimedia Enviroment (tape deck)
    5. ...
  2. Can they bundle... by jsse · · Score: 2, Funny

    Tux Racer?

    xbill?

    Please....

  3. If it worked for the NeoGeo... by dasunt · · Score: 3, Funny


    Oh wait, it didn't.


    Although, OTOH, the NeoGeo is living a new, vibrant life in the wonderful land of Emulation.

  4. Re:$1200 is everything but cheap by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Ever think of it as a Mad Magazine reference?

    (They used to always have $x.xx Cheap! next to their prices)

  5. Why be upset by this? by fmaxwell · · Score: 3, Funny
    On the one hand, Slashdotters, taken in total, believe that Satan is just one of Bill Gates' minions and that Microsoft is evil incarnate. On the other hand, many people on here get upset when Microsoft does something that will make their products less appealing. This story is a prime example. How many parents in a slowing U.S. economy are going to rush out and buy a $1,200 game console that includes a bunch of games that their kids don't really want? So what if Microsoft makes it the ultimate game console. That's one notch above "the ultimate cotton swab" as far as most people are concerned.


    What would have me worried would be Microsoft selling the XBox for $149, paying a $50 trade-in for existing consoles (to reduce the user base), and giving away a bunch of games. All that they are doing with this kind of predatory pricing is convincing parents that their kids can make do with the existing Sony/Sega/Nintendo/whatever console.


    Moderators, please note:

    use of bold text to emphasize a point

    negative portayal of Bill Gates and Microsoft

    title not "*BSD is dying"

    "fp" does not appear in title or body

    prediction of negative outcome for Microsoft

    "elite" not spelled "3l33t". "z" not replacing "s" at end of words (e.g., "hackerz")

    message not critical of Apple, Linux, or BSD

    Taken in total, those things must be worth a karma point or two.