Elitist Attitude

A couple weeks ago, Microsoft released X-box 360 Elite. The Elite is the newest version of the X-box that features a gigantic 120 GB HDD and HDMI capabilities. Sony has reacted to this by saying they are staying the course; however, just last week the discontinued the sales of the 20 GB PS3 in North America. Microsoft is also doing the same thing as they are discontinuing the sale of the X-box 360 “core” system.

What does this say about the state of video game consoles? With the way that technology advances, can you really be sure you're buying the right technology at the right time? Microsoft obviously thinks it makes sense to provide the latest and greatest technology, but isn't it too early at this time? Normally, you see a price drop come when a console comes to be nearly three years old, but having a totally re-designed console at this point seems a little brash.
Why couldn't Microsoft make this console at the start of their reign in the next generation? Microsoft knew full well at the time what Sony was going to be bringing to the table with the PS3, so it would have made sense to make the absolute latest console with all the latest hardware. I'm not saying that the X-box 360 is an inferior system, but a move like this paints a picture of fear in the Microsoft Corporation.

Another point I would like to bring up is; what does this say to the early adopters of the X-box 360? The “core” system didn't make sense to most industry vets and hardcore gamers at the time; however, from my personal experience, the “core” system made perfect sense. There are some gamers out there that only want a casual gaming experience. The system did not feature a hard drive, a concept that escaped me. The 20 GB HDD would have been perfect for a person who wants to download content and play some games from the X-box Live Arcade. This would work out best because the less hardcore gamers had a small hard drive while the hardcore had a larger hard drive. Manufacturing the Elite at the start of the console's life would have worked out much better.

No matter which way you look at it, this move either is the best that Microsoft has made, or the worst. The way I look at it, it draws a big question mark on the face of Microsoft Games. Is this a perfect way to create market buzz, or is this Microsoft making drastic decisions due to the release of the PS3? Sony Computer Entertainment is having a rough time at this point with their latest console, but the PS3 is definitely built to last well into the next generation on the horizon. It's very puzzling, but exciting to watch as three video game behemoths clash in head to head market kombat. Round 2 Fight.