Xbox Info - Exclusive ;)

[DiscoStu]

HOT OFF THE PRESS
29.08.2002 @ 21:36.28 | Posted by DiscoStu

Just to let you guys in on the scoop. The XBox will be hitting our fair shores very shortly, so start saving up those pennies - not as many as I had expected though ;)

Expected release date: October 3
Expected RRP: $499
With over 80 game titles available on release, and this is expected to be up to 150 by christmas.

After having a quick play of some of the titles at the XBox "pre-launch" party, I can say that they plain kick ass. I was definitely impressed.

Stay tuned for more XBox info ;)

[p01s0n_p1e]

yea, halo is pretty phat- especially in the co op mode!

also- dead or alive 3 defiantly lives up to expectations ;)

[DiscoStu]

There was a pretty cool rally game as well - Rallisport Challenge and a GT-like one as well for all those racing fans.

The controller really rocks, easily the best I have used.

[KingJackal]

Originally posted by DiscoStu
The controller really rocks, easily the best I have used.

Yeah - it's easy to tell they spent so much time/effort/money on that, huh? ( and it's built for European, not asian hands! :) )

Somebody in ChCh buy one and bring it to L3! NOW! I wanna play around with XBox networking! :D :D

[DiscoStu]

I especially liked the trigger buttons on the underside, which were excellent for racing games.

There seems like buttons everywhere, but it felt very natural. Even had force feedback, which I hadn't read about before.


btw - if anyone wants the full press release let me know ;)

[SilverPriest]

$499 :eek:
Daayuum
Lot cheaper than i was expecting.......
Got me thinking.
Damnit, and i guess that's their whole ploy eh ;)
GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!
But seriously, hmmmmmmm
:confused:

[DiscoStu]

Originally posted by SilverPriest
$499 :eek:
Daayuum
Lot cheaper than i was expecting.......
I know, same here. Especially considering the PS2 was over a grand on debut................but then XBox's strategy is a little different than Sony's :D

[Geek4Life]

Originally posted by KingJackal


Yeah - it's easy to tell they spent so much time/effort/money on that, huh? ( and it's built for European, not asian hands! :) )

Somebody in ChCh buy one and bring it to L3! NOW! I wanna play around with XBox networking! :D :D
I know someone with one ;)

[Milamber]

MS sent me an Xbox last friday for a first impressions artcile, and sadly I have to give it back to them on Monday, but everything you've heard about the Xbox is not nearly positive enough.

Its easily the best console ive ever used.

the GT game Disco is referring to is Project Gotham Racing, and its a stunner, the GFX are awesome, and although the sterring is a little too sensitive, its a great game.

Disco, what games did ya get to play with at the pre-launch last night?

[SecretSquirrel]

Milamber - is your name Graeme by any chance? If not, then I know of someone else who is reviewing one too, here in Christchurch...


I would love to see these babies...especially because all the SA guys have been going on about how huge it is etc...but still...

[Daza]

The one that a guy had at school the other day was massive!!

I didnt really like the look of the controler much but havent used it..... it goes against my policy on consols to think about buying one but $400.. damn

[DiscoStu]

Originally posted by Milamber
Disco, what games did ya get to play with at the pre-launch last night?
I managed to try most of the games they had setup:
Halo
Project Gotham Racing
Dead or Alive 3
Spider Man
RalliSport
Tony Hawk 3
Amped Snowboarding
and some surfing game - think it was Transworld Surf

There was also a few that I didn't try:
Max Payne
Oddworld
WWE wrestling

Plus a few games that were still in development which I can't find on my list :D

[Sydog]

Originally posted by DiscoStu
The controller really rocks, easily the best I have used.

I think we all know the king of all game controllers :)

http://drunkgamers.com/images/f0035-dpad.jpg

hehehe

[Joshsti_NZ]

Originally posted by Sydog


I think we all know the king of all game controllers :)

http://drunkgamers.com/images/f0035-dpad.jpg

hehehe

LOL, I still have one of those lying around somewhere :rolleyes:

[Joshsti_NZ]

Holy hell.

Its only going to cost $499!? WTF!? OMG OMG

I might have to put off my PC upgrade and get one of those instead .. this is the l337est thing since the PS2 release .. and only $499 with 80 game avail on release day OMG!


ONLY $499!!!!

[[H]arls]

Is it $499 with a game or just the Box & controller?
Do you get to play DVDs on it right outta the box like the PS2 or do you have to buy that remote?

Thats a hell of a lot cheaper than I ever thought it'd be...Its still a month away, and maybe, if I wish upon a star - Unreal Championship will be out at launch time for it - then MS gets my green once more. :D

[KingJackal]

I don't understand how ANY of you could possibly be surprised at the price.

That is EXACTLY the spot MS were aiming for since day UNO.

Even when it was first released in the states it was about 2/3 the price of a PS2 unit.

Oh and BTW, the games WON'T be all that cheap....
( duh :rolleyes: :p )

NOW WILL A COUPLE OF YOU HURRY UP AND BUY THEM AND BRING THEM TO L3 ALREADY!! I WAAAANNNNNAAA PLAAAAYYYYY..... :mad:

:D

[DiscoStu]

Originally posted by [H]arls
Is it $499 with a game or just the Box & controller?
A game included!?!?!?!...........you really are pushing it there :p But then you'll probably find package deals at noel lemming, harvey norman etc with an addition controller & game or whatever. Not to sure about that though.

Do you get to play DVDs on it right outta the box like the PS2 or do you have to buy that remote?
They didn't really mention that, but I can see a DVD kit listed as one of the extras for $69.95. I'll give them an email and double check for you. I think the PS2 DVD remote is $90 odd isn't it? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Its still a month away, and maybe, if I wish upon a star - Unreal Championship will be out at launch time for it - then MS gets my green once more. :D
Well I wouldn't count on it. I have a pretty long list here of all the titles expected to be ready by release. But then they did mention 150 by christmas so you never know ;)

[DiscoStu]

Originally posted by KingJackal
I don't understand how ANY of you could possibly be surprised at the price.
I was expecting a minimum of $599, keeping in mind usual NZ price hikes.


Oh and BTW, the games WON'T be all that cheap....
( duh :rolleyes: :p )
So $80 aint cheap huh? :p

Price range: $80 - $129. I'm guessing halo will be up there with maybe a few of the kiddie games being a bit cheaper. Still, same prices as PS2 games I guess.

[Joshsti_NZ]

God damn, this is going to be one hell of a console .. but if you have to pay an extra $70 for the DVD kits .. thats lame.

[Tiggerz]

I hate to throw a spanner in the works but.. I was told that the retail price is going to be $599 to be the same as the PS2.. Then there will be gst on top. $499 sounds a little low for me - more like a reseller price.

[KingJackal]

Originally posted by Tiggerz
I hate to throw a spanner in the works but.. I was told that the retail price is going to be $599 to be the same as the PS2.. Then there will be gst on top. $499 sounds a little low for me - more like a reseller price.

Why would they sell it for PS2 prices? It has NEVER been retailed at PS2 prices - even on its debut. $499 is quite low, but it needs to be low - they need an installed base of XBox's, and fast.

And re: games prices, that's not overlow cheap. PS2 games the same? Well yeah, but they're expensive too. $80-$120 sounds good, but as with PS2 pricing, if it's any good it'll be at the $120 end.

The best PC games are normally around $90-$110, with some retailing as low as $60 to start with.

( of course I realise that they have to make back the loss in the console, don't worry - I understand. Just pointing out the cheap adoption, expensive maintanance policy that any smart company uses. Just like teh printer companies and their $(*&%$ cartridges... )

[TheChosen_1]

Originally posted by DiscoStu
I think the PS2 DVD remote is $90 odd isn't it? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.


it depends. Ive got the DVD surfer remote, which come with multizone software as PS2 only plays region 4 DVDs. Ya can buy gayass $30 ones, that are the same brand of a garage door opener company.

[DiscoStu]

Originally posted by Tiggerz
I hate to throw a spanner in the works but.. I was told that the retail price is going to be $599 to be the same as the PS2.. Then there will be gst on top. $499 sounds a little low for me - more like a reseller price.
Nope - MS told me (and every other member of the media present) that the Retail price will be $499 on debut ;)

[I.R]

For all those Auckland peeps that aren't members of the press theres a playable Xbox at central park in St Lukes...... oh yeah stepped up to the controler and kicked some 6 year olds ass (when I worked out which guy I was :p )

[p01s0n_p1e]

I.R: this forum does not support bullying in any way, unless its directed at king jackel.




:)


hehe: i bet that weener 6 yr old had it coming...

[whetu]

jackal, jackal, get it right ;)

IR: did you jump up and down yelling "woohoo!" and then point at the kid and yell "IN YOUR FACE! NYAH NYAH NYAH!"

then did the kid cry?

[KingJackal]

At $600 including DVD playback ( assuming it's any good at it - which with an optimised GF4/PIII setup it ought to be ), there won't be much point buying standard DVD players. May as well get one that looks cooler and can play a game or two... :D

Originally posted by p01s0n_p1e
I.R: this forum does not support bullying in any way, unless its directed at king jackal.


Any reports of me dressing up like a 6 year old and going to Auckers for the weekend are entirely UNSUBSTANTIATED, and I deny all knowledge!

[asanthadenz]

since the XBOX is sumwhat quite cheap, ill be selling my PS2 and will be getting an XBOX, :D

but i heard over the States the Xbox arent quite as popular as PS2's back in America whys tht ???

[KingJackal]

Originally posted by asanthadenz
but i heard over the States the Xbox arent quite as popular as PS2's back in America whys tht ???

Because the PS2 came out quite a while before the XBox. Plus the fact that most people with Playstation's just think Playstation -> Playstation 2 -> Playstation 3 -> whatever ;).

The thing with console's is INSTALLED BASE. You only make money off games - and you only sell games if lots of people already HAVE your console. So the guy that's sold the most consoles generally wins. And given Sony has several months ( 6? 8? I forget ) head-start, they're still well and truely in the lead.

Plus given the success of the PSone ( and original Playstation ), and the fact that MS are g33ks and have never made a console before, there is a natural shying away from MS, and towards Nintendo and Sony.

Give it time, this gen is getting MS INTO the market - it'll be the next gen where we get the head to head....
;)

[Sydog]

The main PS2 owners aren't real gamers. Most of the people who have gs2's are cought up in this little world where the PS2 is almighty compared to anything else, and even when shown the light (eg SOF2 or something on a reasonably fast computer with a big monitor) they still think that their GS2 has better graphics/games/controller/whatever.

I was talking to one of my friends when mohaa came out saying how sweet it is, then next minute some guy came up to me and started going on about his gaystation 2 looking way better and everything.

[Tide]

na most ppl bought a PS2 for the games(FFX,MGS2,GT3) . I know i did

[[H]arls]

I think Sydog is right in a sense, a lot off ppl bought them for that reason ("theyre better than anything else! even youre computer!"), but like Tide, we got ours for the games and the DVD playing ability. MGS2 is purrrty. :)

Whats the warranty on an Xbox, and is it going to be easy to get it fixed if theres problems?
I was just reading the rant at the big [H] and he isnt having amazing luck with his one...

[Joshsti_NZ]

Originally posted by [H]arls
I think Sydog is right in a sense, a lot off ppl bought them for that reason ("theyre better than anything else! even youre computer!"), but like Tide, we got ours for the games and the DVD playing ability. MGS2 is purrrty. :)

Whats the warranty on an Xbox, and is it going to be easy to get it fixed if theres problems?
I was just reading the rant at the big [H] and he isnt having amazing luck with his one...

LOL, what did [H] do to thier's?

[whetu]

I guess it doesnt help that they opened theirs up, took a lot of photos and then proceeded to watercool it :rolleyes:

(warranty wise that is)

[Joshsti_NZ]

Originally posted by whetu
I guess it doesnt help that they opened theirs up, took a lot of photos and then proceeded to watercool it :rolleyes:

(warranty wise that is)

Seriously?

HAHA, a watercooled Xbox would be sooo leet.

[Tiggerz]

have mine ordered now.. xtra controller, 2 games and some other bit, skipped the dvd playback as have too many dvd players round the house as it is.

Came to 750 inc gst.

Now looking at a 64 inch widescreen tv.

[[H]arls]

Geez, some of us have money to burn huh? :rolleyes: :cool:

[Diluded]

hmm got mine +dvd kit+halo $639 oh oh and a hat and waterbottle too!

[Cyrax]

Yeah bought mine on wednesday night 1x X-Box 2 controllers 2 games very nice being played on my 52" Samsung TV