So as my esteemed colleague pointed out, there are rumors that Microsoft might be dropping the Elite SKU from the Xbox 360 product line. Â I say good! Â What is the point of this console on the marketplace? Â So you have the Arcade and the Premium. Â The big difference between the two is that the Premium comes bundled with the high definition cables and a 60GB hard drive. Â This should cover the needs of every gamer that’s out there.
“But Speedle,” you whine. Â Yes, you. Â I heard you. Â “But Speedle, what about the 120GB hard drive? Â I rip all my games to my hard drive and it’s full!”
Really? Â It’s full? Â Jesus, how many games are you playing concurrently that you filled up 120GB? Â Fine. Â Buy yourself an Arcade unit, and then spend $140 for the 120GB drive, and $45 for the HDMI cable, and you just built up an Elite (and saved yourself $15, aren’t you clever?)
Look, the economy is falling on hard times. Â The stock market is at around 50% the value it had 18 months ago. Â Over half a million jobs a MONTH are disappearing. Â Who knows how long this situation will last? Â I’d imagine that it is going to be a long time indeed before we see the thriving days of 2007 again.
Next, let’s look at the pure genius of this move in light of their competition. Â Once the $399 SKU is dropped from the line, then there are no SKUs that line up with Playstation 3 price points. Â In the eye of the consumer who is looking to spend a little bit of cash now to save money on constantly going out for entertainment down the line, what looks more attractive? Â Saving $100-$200 on a console with a larger selection of games, or being able to play Blu-Ray movies which are more expensive than their normal DVD counterparts?
So long, Elite. Â I stared and drooled at you through the glass before, but my love affair is over. Â Once I slapped a 120GB drive in my Arcade unit, I realized that I could live with white just as easily as charcoal. Â After all, you’re sitting in the dark in my stereo cabinet anyway.
