Microsoft Explains the Price of the Xbox One X - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 16 June 2017 / 7,418 Views
Microsoft’s corporate vice president of Xbox and Windows Gaming Mike Ybarra in an interview with Polygon explained why the Xbox One X will launch at $499 on November 7.
Microsoft talked with developers and they provided a long list of what they wanted in the box.
"When we created this box we weren’t thinking about price," said Ybarra. "We said 'What’s the technology we need to deliver real 4K experiences in the living room?' We could have come out with something last year similar to what a PlayStation 4 Pro is today, but that value proposition to us wasn’t clear at all. It isn’t true 4K in the sense of what we’re delivering and the power that developers told us they need.
"When we talked to developers, they said, 'We need the following.' It was a long list. We had to figure out when can we could come out with that box at a price point that made sense. This was the best product.
"The Xbox One S is something that we’re still 100 percent behind, because as we introduce hardware more often, not only the games, even 15 years ago with original back compat, but all the games, all the hardware, the look and the feel of this box ... for us it’s a choice. You have $249, $499. I you want to go spend $1500 or whatever on a PC, rock and roll. Gaming is gaming to us.
"And I hope much like Minecraft announced yesterday, we can get to a point where it doesn’t matter what glass you’re on, people are playing together and sharing those experiences together. We feel good about the price points we’re hitting."
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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Microsoft is so out of touch; the vast majority of gamers are not mega focused on whether or not they can play games on a 4k TV; most gamers don't even have a 4K TV at this point, nor do they really care. I don't know who's in charge of the Xbox brand at this point but they are mega out of touch with home console gamers. If specs were the only concern then the same people they're supposedly making this product for would already just be gaming on a PC anyway, particularly when there are years old PCs with better specs than any home console today
I'm also curious how the pricing does for them. Sony was in the same boat with the PS3 when it first launched and Microsoft at the lower price made a huge gain because of it. Only now, it's an optional version mid way through the cycle.
The console is for 4k gaming. If you don't want that, you can get an Xbox One S or a PS4.
I dont think you know the difference between a console only gamer and a PC gamer. Also X1X is marketed for home threatre systems something many dont put there gaming towers in.
This! I really dont want a 4k tv.. I wish a could buy a top-quality new 1080p tv these days... Now the best ones are this 4krap that makes my current content look worse...
@Azzanation - It's not though. They really haven't taken that angle at all.
He says they weren't thinking of price when they made it... Who believes that?
I believe it. If they thought about the price they'd not have made it more expensive than their competitor.
The problem is the fact that it's called Xbox One. The majority of consumers don't see the value in mid gen upgrades. They see two Xbox One systems and pick the cheaper one because it plays every game the expensive one does. All this 4K stuff doesn't matter to them. They just want to play Xbox One games and if the Xbox One S can play every single game that the "better" version does, they're going to go "who cares" and get the cheaper console.
Microsoft should have made this Xbox One X their next generation Xbox and given it an entirely new name. People would have swallowed that $499.99 price tag a little better.
completely agree, the xbox one x should have been released next year as a new gen console that would play all xbox one games BUT being a next gen console would have all future games made exclusively for it to push the hardware. the xbox one s can be kept in production for 2 more years and then kill it off(sort of what happened to the original xbox when the 360 came out)
who cares about 4K when you have 144 FPS on Full HD?
A true 4k box with a small handful of actual 4k games. Alright guys. If anything make it $600 and can actually run new third party experiences in Native 4k then no one can chat shit about your delivery.
They could've came out with a checkerboard 4K console like PS4 Pro last year but they decided to do it a year later for $100 more. Great strategy.
There are a few more surprises Sony has and the will probably show those at Gamescom in Germany (August) and/or Paris Games Week in France (1 - 5 november). PS4 pricedrop incoming!!
4k TVs have not really taken off....yet. If this were say 2020 or 2021 then it would be a different story. But in 2017 and 2018 when a consumer walks into Best Buy, or is shopping on Amazon, why would they spend $500 on a One X, when they could spend less than half of that on a PS4 or a One S? I of course am assuming both Sony and Microsoft will make permanent price cuts come this Christmas season.
The One S and One X both play the same games, so what's the value added to a consumer (who most likely does not own a 4k TV) to spend the $500? The One X will be a niche type product.
Bad name and poor price Microsoft just help Sony win this holiday season
On the one hand, I see what he's saying about offering a true 4K experience.
On the other hand, this sounds a lot like how Sony was operating with PS3 - make the most awesome, powerful hardware you can and who cares where the price lands?
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I obviously don't know but it is my guess that this was a prototype in 2012-2013 for the Xbox1 and it got sidelined b/c of price (as it should) and instead we got the OG Xbox1. Then Maddox exits...Phil takes over a failing console launch. Phil sits down with his bosses who say what do you need to turn this around. He points and says give me this prototype we should of launched with in 2013...I need to start a new leaf. This is 100% about righting the ship and nothing to do with 4K and mid gen upgrades. They messed up and they are putting spin on a do-over so to speak.
and playing in 1080 has no benefit like better fps?
You should only listen to developers to an extent. Esp developers who MS would talk to, who are developing for PC and so have PC performance in their minds. Certainly take their perspective into account, but also consider what is going to bring in the customers. Developers aren't the ones buying consoles. MS should be more customer-centric in their thinking.
its a fair price for all that power and innovation. I'm gonna upgrade my x1 to it. just for faster load times. and yes i do have a 4k tv. they are cheap now.
TV manufacturers are loving these consoles though. Nearly everyone will have to purchase a new TV to take advantage of this console. I'm guessing by the time X1X releases 4K sets will be (on average) $100 less expensive than they are today.
TBH 4K TVs have gone from crazy expensive to very affordable in a super short time. I feel like there's other things fueling the 4K shift.
If they really wanted 4k on all games why didn't they made a HW capable of such?
Best quote ever for us its a choice. You have $249 , $499. If you want to go spend $1500 or whatever on a PC, rock and roll. Gaming is gaming to us educate the industry Phil.
Still cheaper than a PS3 when it was released...
No, PS3 20GB launch price was ＄499．
20GB was 499.
But, but we listened to developers and they told us they wanted 4K... or is that just what MS wanted to hear? Did devs really tell MS they wanted 4K, or did they just tell MS they want to be able to do 1080p 60fps more consistently? I wonder...
