Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg, director of product management for the Xbox 360 in the US, has said that the firm has no plans for a smaller version of Xbox 360.
You can follow all of the day's price cutting (and raising) madness in this morning's story but as far as Microsoft launching a slim 360 in the future, it's not going to happen.
"We feel like our system has done very well for us in the current form. We have no plans for a slim," he told Kotaku.
Greenberg also said that there's a lot more life in the old dog yet. "We feel that we're not even at the halfway point (of the Xbox 360's life cycle). That is something we believe in strongly. People have invested in these consoles, and we have massively connected communities and we have storage. I think what we did with the New Xbox Experience is a sign of what we want to do with the console."
Just as long as they don't drop it like they did Xbox...
Stands to reason. They'd need to rejig a hell of a lot to make sure that the current HDDs fit onto it in a safe and not-looking-like-it's-glued-on way. And since they've only just got the overheating thing sorted out, reducing the internal space for airflow wouldn't be a smart move.
Ok, so no slim - how about an Xbox 360 Quiet? Sometimes I don't even realise my PS3 is even switched on but whenever I play Xbox I have to turn my tv up to 11!
Ok, so no slim - how about an Xbox 360 Quiet? Sometimes I don't even realise my PS3 is even switched on but whenever I play Xbox I have to turn my tv up to 11!
that happend to me when i got a new 360. was playing PGR, as soon as i turned it on the noise was horrendous but got used to it. after a while i turned it off and put the ps3 on... heard the beep. but thought it wasnt running. had to advance to it to check it was ok. it was. just the 360 was so loud in comparison.
they cant even keep the current model cool in a big box. so slimming it down they have no hope.
Yes, the 360 is a noisy beast. I was shocked the first time I turned on the PS3 too. I can appreciate why people who got the Sony box first boggle at the noise. Thankfully I got the MS one first so I just assumed it was normal (since I'm used to PC noise).
What it needs is some sort of supercooled vacuum-sealed container to keep it cool and quiet
A new box with better ventilation, built-in wi-fi and power supply and possibly a Blu-Ray drive (for film play only probably) would do a lot more to distance the current 360 from the RROD problems than slashing the price again (or in the case of the arcade raising the price).
that happend to me when i got a new 360. was playing PGR, as soon as i turned it on the noise was horrendous but got used to it.
after a while i turned it off and put the ps3 on... heard the beep. but thought it wasnt running. had to advance to it to check it was ok.
it was.
just the 360 was so loud in comparison.
Phew - the tension almost killed me there, so glad there was a happy ending to that little tale....you adding some 'Alfred Hitchc**k' to your posts these days, Grasshopper?
On topic: This is no real surprise. Sony make hardware and are far better positioned to make changes to their models - they certainly have the expertise in that. I suspect MS will just continue to tinker with the current model - hopefully, they'll sort out the reliability issues....I'm not holding my breath, though. The other thing is Natal, which MS are obviously gearing up for - it'll never be added to the console as anything other than an attachment....so, no changes needed to the main thing there.
My thought is exactly the same as CVG's at the bottom of the page. By the time I got an original Xbox, it was nearing discontinuation. Sure enough, about six months after, the 360 came out and I had hell on finding new games. Luckily, mine was bought for about £30 from Ebay with Fable 1 & Halo 1 & 2, so I don't feel too hard done by.
My worry is, if I bought a 360 now and Natal doesn't do as well as MS hope, then will they just try to cover it up by releasing a 720? I know of nobody that has even a slight interest in Natal, and I know quite a lot of 360 owners. (Likewise, nobody I know has any interest in the PS Motion controllers either). I might just wait for the 720 since I don't believe him when he says that they aren't halfway into the 360 lifespan yet, then I could pick up a 360 dirt cheap on Ebay like I did it's predecessor.
I can't see why Ms would make a slim or why anyone would want/need it. Slim consoles has always been Sonys idea from the days of the first Playstation to attract new buyers which is fair enougth if you don't already own the existing console as the slim versions have always been cheaper(Indeed, I bourght a slim Ps2 because I had never owned a Ps2 and the original version was discontinued). What is amuzing however is they also managed to fool a few existing owners into trading in their old machine and buying exactly the same one again albiet in a smaller case and with a slighty revised name - PSOne instead of Playstation(most stores at the time were offering 'money off the new slim versions when you trade in your original console'). Madness.
My worry is, if I bought a 360 now and Natal doesn't do as well as MS hope, then will they just try to cover it up by releasing a 720? I know of nobody that has even a slight interest in Natal, and I know quite a lot of 360 owners. (Likewise, nobody I know has any interest in the PS Motion controllers either)
I'm the complete opposite - everyone I know is pretty keen on Natal. Some of the reports have been a little ropey recently, so I'm not sure what to expect (hopefully, the technical issues can be resolved - I suspect they're only software problems at the moment), but I do think it has a lot of potential....it should extend the life-span of the 360 by a good 2-3 years too (if utilised well).
Likewise, Sonys 'Wand' (does it have a true title at this point?) also has a lot of potential. The great thing about the other two big console makers adopting motion control is the fact that we'll see what the big dev-houses can do with it....see how they incorporate it into their games. Imagine Bethesda using the Wand in Elder Scrolls or BioWare using Natal in Mass Effect - it could be utterly brilliant.
We'll see soon enough, I guess - but I do think it'll be interesting times for everyone. I don't think either of them really have to exclude the standard control pad, either...just make the experience slightly more interactive.
"We feel like our system has done very well for us in the current form. We have no plans for a slim," ??!?!?!?!? WTF!?!?!? RROD mate, how about that? I'd have bought a 360 if they changed the SKU to something reliable. Not now. Come on MS, sort out that unreliable console, I actually want to buy one!
"We feel like our system has done very well for us in the current form. We have no plans for a slim," ??!?!?!?!? WTF!?!?!? RROD mate, how about that? I'd have bought a 360 if they changed the SKU to something reliable. Not now. Come on MS, sort out that unreliable console, I actually want to buy one!
I like how so many think the PS3 is now going to crush the competition. IT STILL HAS s**tTY GAMES!
Come on....that's utter crap.
If anything, the PS3 has a seriously great line up of games - Uncharted 2 looks amazing, GoW3 will certainly be good fun, GT5 will be a huge title and it's surely out very soon...
You also have Last Guardian and Heavy Rain (which will be probably be of an acquired taste, granted) in the following 6-12 months...very interesting.
The biggest 'Ace' the PS3 has over me, personally, is Demon Souls - that looks brilliant....a few more exclusives like that and I'm sold - it's not the cost, it's the games to make it worthwhile.
Relentless is the only way I can think to describe some of the posters on here. Relentless!
Relentless FTW!
Raising the price of the Arcade takes the p**s...
The Arcade X360 should be obsolete by now. The lack of a HDD has always been a problem for Microsoft. In 1yr - 1.5yrs, the PS3's HDD standard will be 250GB. The X360 would be even worse value on every newspaper ad.
We feel that we're not even at the halfway point (of the Xbox 360's life cycle). That is something we believe in strongly. People have invested in these consoles, and we have massively connected communities and we have storage. I think what we did with the New Xbox Experience is a sign of what we want to do with the console.
The only added value Microsoft could then offer is to include Natal with every new system. As Sony has a motion controller coming out early next year as well, we'll have to see how those are bundled / priced. Sony's motion controller will dent Microsoft's bigger strategy. Sony won't make the same song & dance about motion control as Microsoft, but it'll be enough to sidetrack new console punters. Natal will fail to revitalise the X360 in 2010, then what? Are we now seeing the end of the XBox 360?
It's comforting to hear that MS seem to be on the same wavelength in a sense that they plan to develop and continue the current console (echoing Sony's mantra '10 year cycle' malarky) and I don't see any reason why they should make it smaller BUT they should throw some money at R&D to make it QUIETER and MORE RELIABLE. 3-4 years into it's life span there is no excuse not to have ironed out it's (known and infamous) problems. If MS really cared they would have sorted it out instead of making their fans suffer unduly.
Relentless is the only way I can think to describe some of the posters on here. Relentless!
Relentless FTW!
Raising the price of the Arcade takes the p**s...
The Arcade X360 should be obsolete by now. The lack of a HDD has always been a problem for Microsoft. In 1yr - 1.5yrs, the PS3's HDD standard will be 250GB. The X360 would be even worse value on every newspaper ad.
I agree - I find it strange that they've not chosen to just have two (HDD models) available...I don't see the point in having the Arcade at £30 more.
]We feel that we're not even at the halfway point (of the Xbox 360's life cycle). That is something we believe in strongly. People have invested in these consoles, and we have massively connectedcommunities and we have storage. I think what we did with the New Xbox Experience is a sign of what we want to do with the console.
The only added value Microsoft could then offer is to include Natal with every new system. As Sony has a motion controller coming out early next year as well, we'll have to see how those are bundled / priced. Sony's motion controller will dent Microsoft's bigger strategy. Sony won't make the same song & dance about motion control as Microsoft, but it'll be enough to sidetrack new console punters. Natal will fail to revitalise the X360 in 2010, then what? Are we now seeing the end of the XBox 360?
This is true. I don't think that Sonys' wand will cost as much as Natal - in both marketing terms and retail...and, it'll be turning up sooner. I wouldn't actually be surprised to see Natal held back.
I do think that Natal has more potential, however - moreso because of the extreme marketing that MS have plannned for it.
build a slimline console? how about building one that dont pack up after 12 months first! i'm no fanboy everyone knows how crap they are, i'm only on my second console and i'm one of the lucky ones
I don't think that the PS3 will crush the XBOX this Christmas. Most people know that XBOX live is better and more reliable than Sony's free offering. Add to that a list of gamess that are not coming out on the PS3 (Alan Wake - if it ever appears, MGS and a host of XBL games) then I think the XBOX will hold its own. Personally, i would not of raised the arcade prices, and risk losing some money on them for future potential sales of Hard drives.
Im looking forward to Natal if it lives up to its reputation.
I've always found that, should you have one of the original versions of a console (PS2, DS, GBA etc) and a new version comes out, you are left feeling like you own an old and inferior version. I was initially gonna say I was totally indifferent to this news, but actually, that's not true, I'm GLAD they aren't releasing a slim. I don't wanna be stuck with 'old and inferior'.
I wonder if anyone will make any pro-PS3 comment in regards to that last sentence...
2 days ago... Analyst says that a 360 slim is a sure thing.
The next day... Microsoft say no.
Take note, don't listen to analysts, they know precisely nothing.
I wouldn't listen to publishers either. There have been countless instances of "we have no plans to do blah blah blah" actually meaning "that's exactly what we're planning to do, but we don't want the public to know about it yet".
I don't think that the PS3 will crush the XBOX this Christmas. Most people know that XBOX live is better and more reliable than Sony's free offering. Add to that a list of gamess that are not coming out on the PS3 (Alan Wake - if it ever appears, MGS and a host of XBL games) then I think the XBOX will hold its own. Personally, i would not of raised the arcade prices, and risk losing some money on them for future potential sales of Hard drives.
Im looking forward to Natal if it lives up to its reputation.
MGS not coming out on the PS3? I think you need to research that again. How can Natal have a reputation before it's released?
Only took them four years to finally get the hardware right. Can't see them wanting to play around inside again and risk a small fortune on repairing busted consoles for free for four more years.
@ jonasfirth, broother. watch your moth, you animal! keep speeking lays about greet and speciel xbox, and thatsur ass! (congratulaion. urs has just been /owned)
If an xbox isn't evan half way into it's life span..then it means it will be 2013 when a new one might come out.....this is EPIC FAIL because in 3 or 4 years time, PC gaming will be so far ahead...and cheap... consoles will be looked upon like a pile of dog s**t. PC gaming is already ahead of the consoles so god knows what it'll be like in 4 years time xD
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