Xboxist

Predicting The Price Point Of The Upcoming Xbox 720 Console

We all know that the Xbox 360 is going to have a successor release within the next few years. Microsoft has all but confirmed that the follow-up to the Xbox 360 is well-along in its development. One of the bigger questions gamers ask though is, how much is a next-generation console going to cost?\n\nThe last generation of consoles featured very different strategies from the various gaming companies.\n\nNintendo released the Nintendo Wii at a very competitive, and mass-market price point of \$249.99 when the console launched.\n\nSony went for a far more hardcore, dedicated gaming audience when the Sony PS3 launched, as the price point for the base version of that console came in at \$599.99 upon launch, more than double the price of the Wii.\n\nMicrosoft released the Xbox 360 at a middle-of-the-road price-point at \$399.99 upon its launch.\n\nSo do any of these price-points have any impact on the launch of the Xbox 720 and what it will cost?\n\nGoing back into gaming history, gaming consoles have historically been fairly expensive on launch-day. The original Xbox was sold in \$500 bundles upon its launch, with the base console being priced at \$300 if memory serves me right.\n\nThe Xbox 360 followed-suit with a price-point that was \$100 higher than the first Xbox.\n\nSony made a much bigger jump from the PS2 to the PS3, as the Sony PS2 launched at \$300, while the PS3 launched at \$600.\n\nThe initial price tag of the Sony PS3 was a huge turn-off for gamers, and hurt the viability of the console as a mass market media device for its first few years of existence.\n\nMicrosoft will likely learn from that mistake, and continue the \$100 price increase trend with the Xbox 720.\n\nWe believe the Xbox 720 will release at a price point of \$499.99 upon its launch. This will put it in-line with many of the other high-tech gadgets on the market, including tablets, laptops, etc.\n\nThe Xbox 720 is likely going to be touted as an all-in-one media center, the showpiece of your home theater, and this price point would justify just that.\n\nWhat do you think, what will Microsoft price the Xbox 720 at?