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Two Versions of XBox360 Confirmed?

Posted by Zonk on from the twice-the-flavour dept.

63N1U5 writes "Sources close to Microsoft tell GamesIndustry.biz that the company plans to ship two versions of the new XBox console. The premium version of the console will include a hard drive, and could possibly ship with a version of Microsoft's WebTV installed." We've been reporting on this since the end of last year but it's nice to have some firmer details.

19 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. The Premium version ships with a HD... by Flamora · · Score: 3, Interesting

    While the non-premium version is a downgrade, hardware-wise, from the current XBox?

    Doesn't this strike anyone as a bit confusing and such? The current XBox has a hard drive in it, why wouldn't every XBox 360?

    Sure, I can see the WebTV being a "premium version" perk, but a hard drive? Give me a break.

    1. Re:The Premium version ships with a HD... by wallykeyster · · Score: 3, Insightful
      The current XBox has a hard drive in it, why wouldn't every XBox 360?

      Because it isn't needed? Rumor is that most games will not use the hard drive (instead using a some flash RAM). I believe that the hard drive will be required to play LIVE games, but to play a single player (or local multiplayer) will not require one on the 360. This will allow Microsoft to drop the price on their basic model, perhaps hitting $150 out of the gate. You want to bet they won't sell millions of these plus the LIVE kit?

    2. Re:The Premium version ships with a HD... by ElVaquero · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Not only the HD but the lite version is missing... backwards compatability? This seems a little ridiculous unless they can launch at an extremely competitive price point (say, $150). It's an interesting idea, and apparently Sony's planning to follow suit, but if they're only producing 20% of the base as Lite version, why bother? Also, isn't the system around WebTV dead yet, what's wrong with just a basic browser and email system?

  2. WebTV by Momoru · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I had the original WebTV. It sucked. But maybe with a highdef version of WebTV, it may be useable. It seems like MS is trying slowly but surely to have Xp Media Center and Xbox converge into the "tv top Windows appliance" they have always wanted.

    1. Re:WebTV by SunFan · · Score: 2, Insightful


      Given that media PCs have been poor sellers for a decade, now, Microsoft may be trying to _force_ media PC market penetration via the XBox. They would have to do this to compete against PVRs, for example.

      So...what would the kids say if daddy is recording American Idol when they want to play? Or what about when mommy wants to get some crystal off of ebay?

      --
      -- Microsoft is the most expensive commodity operating system and office suite vendor in the marketplace.
    2. Re:WebTV by SunFan · · Score: 2, Funny


      I just solved the problem: PIPIP (picture in picture in picture) with three keyboards, mice, and game controllers. All on the family 25" TV.

      --
      -- Microsoft is the most expensive commodity operating system and office suite vendor in the marketplace.
  3. Again with 'confirmed'. by hollismb · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What is it with Zonk considering anonymous sources as confirmation of something? Until Microsoft says it, nothing is confirmed. This is just a more specific version of the rumor from November that came out regarding multiple versions of the Xbox. Likely? Yeah, but really it's all just speculation until the MTV special next month. Shudders at the thought of MTV as an actual source of information. And how come these anonymous sources never bother to mention for certain whether the HD version will have backwards compatibility?

    1. Re:Again with 'confirmed'. by Golias · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Backwards compatibility is a given for most who follow this. Specifying that the economy model likely will not included it also goes to this assumption.

      Both are foolish assumptions.

      1. You do not need a hard drive for backwards compatability. A flash memory card can spoof a hard drive just fine. (In fact, there are several on the market which do exactly that on the current X-Box in order to offer game portability.)

      2. The current X-Box is an Intel x86 chip and an nVidia graphics card which most X-Box games were specifically optimized for. The new one will use a PowerPC chip with an ATI graphics card. Not just different chipsets and motherboards, but different instruction sets, different endian orders, and completely different video card. All of these are far greater obstacles to backwards compatability than the presence or lack of a specific type of media drive. If there are two versions of the X-Box 360, it seems extremely unlikely they will be able to pull it off for either of them.

      --

      Information wants to be anthropomorphized.

  4. WebTV a premium feature? by binaryspiral · · Score: 5, Funny

    Adding WebTV as a premium feature is like selling a computer with a free month of AOL.

    Oh wait...

  5. Other Rumors by nathanmace · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have also heard that have a hard drive will enable backwards compatibilty with Xbox 1 games. I don't know if it is true, but I have heard it mentioned at a couple sites.

    --
    I'm very responsible, when ever something goes wrong they always say I'm responsible.
  6. I Predict The Next Games.Slashdot Headline by superultra · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Two Versions of Xbox360 More Confirmed"

    ROXOR739A writes, "My cousin and I played a 3 round session of Rock, Paper, Scissors this morning. He represented two versions of the Xbox360, and I represented one version. He won 2 out of 3. I think this mostly confirms two versions of hardware, and it's nice to have this confirmation. When asked to elaborate Microsoft gave their standard reply, 'We do not comment on rumors or arbitrary games of Rock, Paper, and Scissors.'"

    (Read More... |28 of 29 comments | games.slashdot.org)

  7. The article is horribly written. by Omni+Magnus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I hate how the article mentions the the low end XBOX 360 will not have backwards compatability, but the premium version will have Microsoft Web TV. WTF, why didn't you mention wheter or not the premium XBOX will be backwards compatible. The reason why the XBOX 360 is not going to use a hard drive is because hard drives are expensive compared to most of the other components of an XBOX. Check out Newegg, you cannot find a 3.5 in hard drive for under $50, no matter how small the capacity. Most current games do not take advantage of the hard drive very well. Only a handful of games have released downloadable content which gets stored on the drive. Also, if you are constantly swapping games in and out of the XBOX, you won't be taking advantage of the XBOX caching files on the hard drive, and therefore you would'nt notice a decrease in the load times. Seriously, most of the people who take advantage of a hard drive in the XBOX, are the modders who use a larger hard drive to store the games. The XBOX 360 will come with enough flash RAM to store game saves, and for those who really want the downloadable content and improved load times for one game can purchase the premium version.

  8. shame by Sv-Manowar · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's a shame to see this happen, It reminds me of the N64 expansion pak, where you NEEDED to upgrade to play certain games (like Perfect Dark)

    Hopefully there won't be any "HD model only" type games which can only be used on the higher model. It would annoy a lot of customers

    --
    Business Voyeur
  9. A cheap version without a hard drive could be good by pnice · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If they build the Xbox 360 like the current Xbox they might just not install a hard drive on the cheap version but it will still have a place for an IDE connection. This could work out good for those that are interested in modding one (if it becomes possible). You buy the cheap one, mod it and install your own hard drive, the size you want. I know I immediately replaced my 8gig Xbox hard drive with a 120gig. Now the 8gig just sits around collecting dust.

    --
    My Xbox Live Gamer Card
  10. Re:two version... by SunFan · · Score: 4, Funny


    I propose: XBox360 and XBox 360 MEE (More Expensive Edition).

    --
    -- Microsoft is the most expensive commodity operating system and office suite vendor in the marketplace.
  11. Variations of the same console? by josteos · · Score: 2, Funny

    Isn't the one advantage of consoles that they insure, to the game developer, that all hardware will be the same? No more trying to handle special cases, just code & hit PLAY.

    Suddenly I'm seeing visions of some 14yo bongmaster staring at a screen, trying to play his new game, "Morto Kombato 12: Just Like The Others", but stuck wondering what to do about the message "To Play This Game You Must First Upgrade to InDirectX 15f".

    --
    Save the Music; Save the World at http://www.TuneTriever.com (Our latest Android game)
  12. Re:You paid $950 for a PVR??? by EnronHaliburton2004 · · Score: 2, Funny

    If he's like most people, he doesn't earn $1000000000 a year. If he's like most HDTV owners, he probably earns $50K, and still spent too much on television, hasn't maxed out his 401K, IRA or savings. Hopefully he didn't put it on his creditcard.

    You seem more like a jealous fuck, then anything else.

    I call this the GodTVWin's law: If you complain about consumerism, your opponent tries to make you appear jealous as an attempt to end the conversation. It's like Godwin's law.

    Although, if he does make $1,000,000,000 , then I am jealous. I just want a small piece of that.

    --
    94% of Repubs and 21% of Dems voted to renew the Patriot Act
  13. Re:Does anyone remember by Elranzer · · Score: 2, Informative

    Everything except DVD's on the PS2 is true. But remember, when the PS2 came out in 2000, many people did not have a DVD player. A lot of people actually used the PS2 as a DVD player more than a game machine. To this day, I know many people (mostly high schoolers and college kids, you know, the demographic that the video game market is catered to), still use their PS2 as their primary DVD player, or in most cases, only DVD player.

  14. If you ask me... by IntergalacticWalrus · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Using the word "confirmed" combined with a question mark is like saying nothing. You might just as well shut the fuck up.