Sitting among the crowded at Microsof't E3 press conference, you could here the gasps when Microsoft announced the $499 price tag for the Xbox One. In the grand scheme of things, it's only $100 more than the PS4 (likely due to the Kinect), but even when you compare it to other electronics, it's not too unreasonable. And that's exactly the justification Microsoft Xbox boss Don Mattrick is using when defending the Xbox One's price.
"It's a lower number than some of the analysts had forecasted," Mattrick said on Bloomberg TV. For the record, esteemed video game analyst Michael Pachter had projected a $399 price for the Xbox One.
"We're over-delivering value against other choices I think consumers can get," Mattrick continued. "Any modern product these days you look at it [and] $499 isn't a ridiculous price point. We're delivering thousands of dollars of value to people, so I think they're going to love it when they use it."
In comparison, Microsoft's competitor, Sony, is offering its PlayStation 4 console for $399 this holiday season. PS4 owners will need to pay $60 to purchase the PlayStation Eye camera, while a Kinect 2.0 sensor will be included with each Xbox One. Of course, the Kinect is pivotal to the Xbox One's all-in-one experience.
"We're really making the living room your center of fun for your family," Mattrick concluded, referencing Microsoft's vision of having the Xbox One as the central entertainment hub in your living room. To be fair, Sony did spend a considerable amount of time during its own E3 press conference talking up the PS4's capabilities of streaming music, television, and movies; but that was after they already established it as a gaming machine first and foremost.
Look, we've heard enough from the suits; it's time to ask you, the consumer. Is $499 too much for the Xbox One?
[GameSpot]
