Peter Moore, Xbox 360's head honcho and huge tattoo fan, has slammed Sony's PS3 price point by claiming that it has been forced on gamers thanks to the PS3's in-built hi-def DVD drive.
Speaking exclusively to CVG at E3 today, Moore also claimed that there isn't enough of a difference between the quality of Xbox 360 and PS3 games to warrant Sony's far higher price point: 499 Euro (around 340) for the 20GB model and 599 Euro (around 410) for the 60GB model compared to Xbox 360's 210 for the Core Pack and 280 for the Premium Pack.
"Xbox 360 isn't forcing hi-def DVD playback on you, and telling you that it's going to cost you an extra $200-$300 dollars," he said, referring to the in-built Blu-ray drive that will come installed in every PS3 when it launches worldwide in November. The Xbox 360's external hi def DVD drive - which will use the competing HD-DVD format - will be released this Christmas. No price point has been announced.
When asked flat-out if he thought the PS3 was overpriced, Moore responded, "Go ask consumers. That's where I get my feedback from. I'm very comfortable about our price point for what it delivers, the number of games it has, and the quality of those games. Consumers are going to have to see PlayStation 3 games and ask, 'can I see $300 pounds of difference in those games.' I'm not sure that's the case right now. Sony has some challenges in answering that question."
And Moore reckons that Sony will really feel the pinch as the next-gen console battle goes into its final stages. "The problem for Sony isn't this year. This year they're going to sell what they can deliver. The problem comes two years down the road when you have to catch up with a cost reduction curve when your competition is already there."
We'll have the full Peter Moore interview very soon here on CVG soon complete with Moore's thoughts on the HD-DVD drive, Microsoft's game announcements, Live Anywhere and more on his reactions to the Pre-E3 announcements from Sony and Nintendo.
The thing is, whilst it's kind of being 'forced' on us, given you can't buy a PS3 without it, the technology is there to allow games that need more capacity, as well as effectively giving that option to early adopters. Now how will that go down with Microsoft if Blu Ray does take off...?
It will be a while before the new storage capacity is used to any great effect. Remember some of the dross that came out when games were just starting to be released on CD-ROM?
I really wouldn't bank on Blu-Ray winning over HD-DVD.
The picture quality of both formats is on par and Blu-Ray players are twice as expensive than HD-DVD.
If your average Joe goes into a shop looking for a HD player, hears the name "Blu-Ray" and hears the name "HD-DVD"... They're going to recognise the name DVD and think its the obvious next step, before even considering pricing. Then when they learn its half the price of Blu-Ray for basically the same performance...
The thing is, whilst it's kind of being 'forced' on us, given you can't buy a PS3 without it, the technology is there to allow games that need more capacity, as well as effectively giving that option to early adopters. Now how will that go down with Microsoft if Blu Ray does take off...?
It'll go down kinda easily, they'll just create an external drive like they're doing with the HD-DVD one. I guess that's a certan advantage to taking the approach that MS has, it doesn't really matter to them which one wins, though they'd obviously prefer it if HD-DVD won, they can adapt wither way, Sony have pretty much thrown all their eggs in the Blu-Ray basket and now need it to succeed.
I really wouldn't bank on Blu-Ray winning over HD-DVD.
The picture quality of both formats is on par and Blu-Ray players are twice as expensive than HD-DVD.
I thought Blu-Ray capacity was much higher than HD-DVD, tho.
What's the difference, like 30gig as opposed to Blu Ray's50 gig or something? Regardless, the pricepoint is relatively high for a console, but the PS2 was originally Ł300 so it's not a much greater leap than that.
Err, everythings price is forced onto a consumer... if it wasn't everything would be free!.
I don't think he quite meant that. I think he meant that Sony are abusing their current customer base and holding them to ransom by charging such a high price. Personally I don't care if it has a blu-ray drive or not and really don't see why I should be forced to buy one now.
Microsoft have clearly made the smarter move by getting ahead with an early release and not commiting to either format...sony have the exisitng customer base.. but do the customers have the cash to blow...your average customer will go for the cheaper option if they feel they are getting the same thing for less. Money talks and most people dont care about fancy tech specs, Sony are playing a dangerous game by banking on customer loyalty.
I just read on IGN's website that Toshiba's HD-DVD players have sold out in Japan and the US, looks like the HD-DVD titles are selling really well as well. Same quality, Half the price, HD-DVD just makes more sense.
What this guy has to say is nonsensecal. Are we to vilify every manufacturor who bings out new technology. New technology has a price tag, i am sure the sony have there own reasons for including the blue ray drive (theres a format war to be won and all that) however the consumer is not exactly short changed, your getting one hell of an optical medium for storing data, and the more complex the next gen games get the greater storage capacity they are going to need. Its not all about HD movies! Why create a next gen machine that is restricted by current gen technology. By "forcing" you to buy an Xbox 360 with a standard DVD drive and then upgrade to a HD-DVD drive it is microsoft that will be raking it in. Secondly the Moore compares the base price of an core only xbox 360 with that of the playstation with the 20gb hard drive. If you compare prices like for like. THe Xbox 360 with a 20GB hard Drive is actually only Ł60 cheaper, and has far less muscle.
That would be true if the cheaper PS3 just had a smaller hard-drive. But where's the Wireless capabilities, the memory card support and the hi-def in the core pack? The 360 core pack is designed to be built upon. I had the core and slowly upgraded to a premium. There's no chance of that with the PS3.
Plus, the PS3 is stealing so many ideas from Microsoft and Nintendo it's crazy. Follow the leader, not the followers. PS3 will ALWAYS be behind if it continues to take everyone else's ideas. The "PLAYSTATION" button sound familiar!!!! Jeez.
The 360 does'nt have wireless either like the 20GB PS3. You have to buy it. Whereas the 60GB comes with wireless, therefore SAVING money. Not that much, mind.
What this guy has to say is nonsensecal. Are we to vilify every manufacturor who bings out new technology. New technology has a price tag, i am sure the sony have there own reasons for including the blue ray drive (theres a format war to be won and all that) however the consumer is not exactly short changed, your getting one hell of an optical medium for storing data, and the more complex the next gen games get the greater storage capacity they are going to need. Its not all about HD movies! Why create a next gen machine that is restricted by current gen technology. By "forcing" you to buy an Xbox 360 with a standard DVD drive and then upgrade to a HD-DVD drive it is microsoft that will be raking it in. Secondly the Moore compares the base price of an core only xbox 360 with that of the playstation with the 20gb hard drive. If you compare prices like for like. THe Xbox 360 with a 20GB hard Drive is actually only Ł60 cheaper, and has far less muscle.
xbox 360 isnt restricted by current gen technolgy, if by that your meaning the bog standard dvd-drive, this has no effect on games what so ever, since their isnt a game that even uses a full dvd-9 (8.6gb) it's pretty pointless to suggest that a disc with 50gb is need right now, maybe 6 - 7 years from now, then yes games will need that amount of storage, but they dont now.
Sadly sony have put a blue-ray drive in the PS3 because they helped to design the format and spec, and as such own it, so the more blue-ray films about and drives the more they get paid, its that simply they want a reason for film companies to opt for blue-ray technolgy over hd-dvd, hence why they will sell ps3 for way over the odds for a console, with a reduced spec sheet from what they wanted. Also MS have been smart they have kept 360 costs down by using a current drive tech instead of opting for hd-dvd straight out of the box, if people want hd-dvd for 360, then we can go out and buy it, its not being forced on anyone since no 360 game will come on HD-dvd formats, alas it wont devide the 360 community into games that need it and games that dont.
60 quid cheaper with far less muscle isnt true either, it's 60 quid cheaper right now on a conversion bases, it will be even more by the time sony annouce the offical uk price, not too mention the offical price drop for 360 in november. As for having less power than PS3 it dosnt, its the same, plus its alot easy to get it out of the 360 hardware to boot aswell.
"The $499 PlayStation 3 will have a 20 gigabyte hard drive but lacks a memory card slot, built-in wireless and HDMI." Wired controllers, give me a break!
Seriously, not only are they forcing gamers to purchase the Blu-Ray but are also forcing gamers to buy the $599 version. With no HDMI out port, Blu Ray DVD playback will be forced to downconvert to a resolution that will look nearly identical to today's DVD players!
Additionally, Sony only had 2nd Gen Dev Kits running which probably indicates they are having HUGE problems in development most likely working out the kinks of the very problematic Cell processor. Add to that a currently poorly functioning and buggy PSP interface, harder to develop/more expensive games, an unproven wannabe Xbox Live service, AND a weak imitation of Nintendo Wii's motion controller you got yourself one HUGE hunk of expensive poo! Especially since a majority of the next-gen games are going to be released multiplatform.
"But you can surf the web." I have already paid for a nice computer why do I need to fork out money for a machine the does the same thing only less efficiently. Consoles are about games!
Think about it, 5-6 years down the road when 30GB to 50GB media are actually needed for gaming Microsoft will come out with a much better gaming system. What is Sony going to do? Nail their consumer base with another expensive yet VERY similar gaming machine to the PS3? MS took the right approach to produce a high end, cheaper machine, that is flexible and easily upgradeable IF the consumer wishes to upgrade. Until then the CORE users still enjoy the EXACT same gaming quality of the PREMIUM users, they do not punish them!
But we should just have blind faith in Sony coming out with a miracle system? Yeah right! Remember the 3DO that launched for $600? Remember the Saturn costing $100 more than the PS without offering anything significantly better? Both systems failed miserably.
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