How Much Should Xbox Project Scorpio Cost?

[Megalith]

While there has been an outpour of Project Scorpio information this week, its price is still quite the mystery. The popular vote is that the console will cost $499—does that sound right for what Microsoft has been advertising? Some analysts actually think Xbox will actually outsell PS4 this year because of Scorpio.

If I had to guess, I’d wager that Project Scorpio will debut at $499. I think the PS3 showed that users are resistant to spending $599 for a console (despite the fact that it was actually kind of a steal, being one of the most affordable Blu-ray players at the time). I think Microsoft recognizes that and won’t go above $500 as a result. Having said that, on paper, the console is poised to be noticeably more powerful than the PS4 Pro, which currently costs $399. I would be very surprised if Microsoft came out at roughly the same price, considering Scorpio's beefier specs.

 

[Master_shake_]

if they want to sell them 399 if they want to make money 499.

 

[vegeta535]

I'm calling $500.

 

[MMitch]

Well I think they should make a bundle that appeal since we all know they need to be priced higher than ps4 pro.
Maybe a 2 controllers for 499 ? or 2 games with the console (a code for games of your choice thru digital channels?)

There's no way they can't price it like the ps4 pro and if they go for a normal bundle (1 controller + console) for something like a 100 more... it will be hard to justify especially since Sony has more exclusives..

 

[SighTurtle]

DF thinks $499, Jez Corden thinks $399.

 

[SamuraiInBlack]

$499 better be one hell of a bundle. Like "you'd be an idiot to pass it up if you were in the market for an Xbox One" kind of bundle.

 

[Ocellaris]

Who the hell is Jez Corden?

 

[Grimlaking]

doesn't matter to me. 3 xbox 360's dead to RROD, I won't be buying another xbox bundle until that sting fades.

 

[vegeta535]

Who the hell is Jez Corden?

I have no idea who the hell that is. I can see a bundle with 2 digital games for $500. No company themselves includes a 2nd controller for free since the SNES days.

 

[Carbon_Le]

$599.

 

[vegeta535]

doesn't matter to me. 3 xbox 360's dead to RROD, I won't be buying another xbox bundle until that sting fades.

How long will that take then? It been almost 10 years since it happened and there haven't been issue with later 360 and zero with the xbone. They made a huge mistake with the 360 and they learned a very expensive lesson from it.

 

[bigdogchris]

Even if the Scorpio is better, it won't be significantly better, so people will not pay $150 - $200 more than PS4 Pro.

It would sell OK at $499 (I mean, look at how many people bought 3-4 360's when they kept RRoD) but it will fail if it's $599.

The GPU alone is compatible to a $250 AMD GPU. Plus a better CPU, 4K UHD drive, more ram, etc. It's going to be a lot or they are going to lose their ass on it selling at $399.

I think $499 is really going to be the target. The One shipped at that price and people still bought it, they just got mad because they had to pay for a Kinect with it, no issues with the price.

 

[alamox]

well knowing the specs i put it at 399$, there is no cutting edge gpu or cpu or memory, just bumped up clock, some hardware and software tweaking, and apparently even cooling is not that special, so the cost of the console should be really low.
higher will make it harder to sell and knowing that xbone is practically dead, they better bite a bullet with the scorpio's margins, but for it to work they need some serious line up for launch, the 4k thingy is nice and all, but without some outstanding games to make it appealing.

 

[Mut1ny]

I see $499. All the Xbox fan boys are foaming at the mouth over this thing and think it's the greatest piece of tech ever. They've already bought the weaker console this generation.

M$ will have no issue selling them.

 

[Snowdog]

There is no rush to lower the price, they will start at $499 or even $599 to soak early premium buyers.

I think there is no chance it starts at $399, but it can quickly get to their once production is rolling in high volume for a while.

 

[SighTurtle]

Who the hell is Jez Corden?

Senior Editor at Windows Central, seems to have lots of rumors that are good.

 

[Elios]

600-700 not a shot its less

 

[illli]

600-700 would be suicide. This will sell at a loss. I would say 499 with bundle, 399 w/o

 

[tetris42]

Who the hell is Jez Corden?

He's the guy that predicted $399 as the Scorpio price.

 

[sirmonkey1985]

doesn't matter to me. 3 xbox 360's dead to RROD, I won't be buying another xbox bundle until that sting fades.

lol and yet my first gen 360 is still working like a charm..

but back on topic i'm going to go with a 399, they already sell the xbox at a loss no matter what price they go with so it's going to be more important that they get the console in as many customers hands as possible to benefit from the things they actually make money off of like games and their subscription services.

 

[azuza001]

Like others have said, 399$ if they want them to sell and to gain market share. 499$ if they don't care and are willing to take 2nd place and be profitable.

It's one of those, do we want volume and make our money back with games or just be OK at profit on both system and games.

 

[htpc_user]

I don't know what to think of the different models of the same console. I thought the point of consoles were the uniformity, and now Sony has 2 models and Microsoft will have 3. It seems confusing to me, and I'm supposedly "in the know".

 

[TwiceOver]

$400 is the top I would pay for a console. I didn't even buy a PS4 until I saw a deal I couldn't resist.

 

[Archaea]

RX480 equivalent
and 4k resolution
and 60fps




Pick two...

 

[Zohar78]

I don't know what to think of the different models of the same console. I thought the point of consoles were the uniformity, and now Sony has 2 models and Microsoft will have 3. It seems confusing to me, and I'm supposedly "in the know".

???

This generation seems to be mroe of a platform base, than hardware base. in some ways not much different than a car manufature. you can get a 2016 mustang platform with v6, v8, or even stronger v8.

every generation has different models based around the same specs (super nintendo started off with i think 5 chips with the last one only one chip, sega genesis had model one and model 2). xbox 360 had multiple white models and atleast 2 black s style models.)

Though this is the first time that in a generation, they have done basically a significant performance jump. I kinda liking the generation being more of a platform and not pure hardware. Plus with generations lasting longer, it helps negate the effects of consoles getting long in the tooth and hoding back gaming because the hardware specs released 7 years ago are old. Another positive to this is now you arent basically starting over every 3 to 5 years. you can use the same peripherals, games, and dont have to wait till friends get the new system.

It needs to be aggresively priced at 399 if it hopes to steal some thunder from ps4.

 

[ChadD]

Ah the death throws of MSs console super monopoly dreams.

Scropio is going to be one of the biggest console flops in the history of consoles. They will talk the specs up like crazy, its going to be full 4k 120 fps HDR VR it will slice it will dice it will blend. When it turns out none of the PS4 ported games will be able to live up to that hype the spec kiddies will be disappointed, and the pure gamer crowed never really cared about specs as much as they care about enjoyable video games.

Going to be fun watching MS flame out. No amount of hardware thrown into a box intended to sell for under 600 bucks with out loosing 100s of dollars a unit is going to be able to take games written for GNMX ported to the terrible DX and allow them to run at 4k with all the eye candy on at 60fps. Its just not even possible... and all of us PC gamers know that.

 

[Flogger23m]

Specs matter, but not as much as games. Sure the Scorpio will be faster, but right now they're having a problem with lack of exclusives. Outside of NA, the Xbox is doing very poorly. People will buy what their friends have for MP titles, and other exclusives will largely carry the PS4 until the next full generation comes out.

 

[Archaea]

Also MS said no Scorpio exclusives. So the PC gamer crowd who maybe occasionally picks up a console has even less incentive to purchase than normal.

No greater than $500 is the pricepoint if they want to have a modicum of success.


The curious thing is. I wonder if they made a hardcore console. Say it cost $1k. Had a 1080ti equivalent or Vega,16GB RAM, RGB lighting, a small 64GB SSD os drive and allowed external USB 3 for game storage or SD card. (Or upcharged for larger built in SSD).

Make it lean, make it equivalent to PC top of the line. I wonder if that would sell better? The answer is probably not. Cause at that point you might as well buy a PC. But really the elite PC gamer crowd on this forum is turned off by a RX480. That's just very slightly faster speed than an nvidia 970 which has been out for almost four years. So it's like we are waiting for a console that is using hardware speeds that are 4-5 years long in the tooth on launch day. I can't see many PC gamers being enthused.

 

[Brian_B]

Doesn't matter what the MSRP ends up being.

There are people who will buy it at any price, and those that wil call it overpriced no matter how inexpensive.

Myself? I don't care how powerful the hardware is (or isn't). I also don't care too much what it costs.

If the games on it are good enough, I'll buy one. If I can play whatever is over on XB on my PS4, then I'll do that since I already have one.

That being said, cross play and being able to play XB on Windows 10 PC... probably means won't be buying the console, unless I decide to get a 4K BR.

 

[SixFootDuo]

$599.

Since you want to be absolutely unrealistic about this, I'll guess I chime in and say $699. I mean, if you really honestly truly think that many would spend $599 + $60 dollars tax for a retarded total of $660 dollars then I don't know what to say. Oh let's not forget a game purchase. So $66 dollars + $660 = $726

So .... $726 dollars ? Really dude?

Clearly you never took economics 101 in college.

Let me help you with this. The amount of people that have $399 to spend vs the mount of people that have $599 to spend is an astronomical figure. That's why when they make $1 million dollar sports cars they make them in the hundreds, not the millions.

Even at $499 which I think is way way too much ( and I'm not saying the value isn't there ) people are still looking at $50 in tax and $66 for 1 game added to the $500 so, $616 is still a massive chunk of change.

I think it's going the be $399 and they will break even and make up the difference with upgrades like Xbox Live Gold and additional controllers, etc.

Remember the 3DO ? I do ... beautiful mind blowing games ... but who the hell can afford $700 or $800 dollars??? LULZ

 

[jeremyshaw]

If it costs more than ~$300 dollars, it will be a tough sell, and the Xbox One S isn't a temping fallback, either.

If it is more than $400, it won't be just Scorpio that is DOA, the entire xbox brand will be toast.

 

[86 5.0L]

$599.

This

 

[86 5.0L]

Since you want to be absolutely unrealistic about this, I'll guess I chime in and say $699. I mean, if you really honestly truly think that many would spend $599 + $60 dollars tax for a retarded total of $660 dollars then I don't know what to say. Oh let's not forget a game purchase. So $66 dollars + $660 = $726

So .... $726 dollars ? Really dude?

Clearly you never took economics 101 in college.

Let me help you with this. The amount of people that have $399 to spend vs the mount of people that have $599 to spend is an astronomical figure. That's why when they make $1 million dollar sports cars they make them in the hundreds, not the millions.

Even at $499 which I think is way way too much ( and I'm not saying the value isn't there ) people are still looking at $50 in tax and $66 for 1 game added to the $500 so, $616 is still a massive chunk of change.

I think it's going the be $399 and they will break even and make up the difference with upgrades like Xbox Live Gold and additional controllers, etc.

Remember the 3DO ? I do ... beautiful mind blowing games ... but who the hell can afford $700 or $800 dollars??? LULZ

Guat? PS3 ring a bell?

 

[NemesisX]

He's the guy that predicted $399 as the Scorpio price.

I'm sorry, but this had me laughing for a good several minutes. Thank you.

 

[Cmdrmonkey]

Unless the Xbox game lineup dramatically improves and it gets some amazing AAA exclusives, I'd be unlikely to buy one at any price. All of the games worth playing on the Xbox One are on the PC, with better graphics and controls. Even then, an RX480 derivative (2016 budget hardware) at the end of 2017 isn't that impressive. I might be willing to pay $300 for one. They would be wise to launch at $399 and try to get down to $299 as quickly as possible if they want to actually sell these.

 

[MarkVI]

Like most people here, I have my pc for eye candy. The only thing that sells a console for me are the exclusives, and I can't name a single one on XBONE that I care about. If I want to play on the couch, a hard wired Steam Link does the trick.

For those that don't have a PC, I agree with many of the above: $399 if they want to move units. It has to be able to break even on that, right? I'd imagine they have a pretty solid volume deal on the parts.

 

[EchtoGammut]

The big issue is a lack of game titles. I recently bought a PS4 Pro because of Horizon Zero Dawn and Nioh. If it wasn't for those games, I honestly wouldn't have bought another console. So far Microsoft hasn't announced anything in the pipeline that interests me enough to spend 400, 500 let alone $600.

 

[Snowdog]

Like most people here, I have my pc for eye candy. The only thing that sells a console for me are the exclusives, and I can't name a single one on XBONE that I care about. If I want to play on the couch, a hard wired Steam Link does the trick.

For those that don't have a PC, I agree with many of the above: $399 if they want to move units. It has to be able to break even on that, right? I'd imagine they have a pretty solid volume deal on the parts.

The SoC die is bigger than the one used for the GTX 1080 + 12GB of GDDR5 + all the other components for a SFF computer.

Breaking even at $399 seems like a stretch.

If it ran standard Windows it would be a steal at $499 IMO.

You also have to factor in Microsoft Messaging on the this. When ever asked about pricing Microsoft repeats two things:

It's Premium, or it's High End.

That implies definitely higher than $399 pricing.

It will be more than that, and lots of people will whine, and lots of people will buy one so they can have the "best" console.

 

[86 5.0L]

If I was MS, I'd release this in March/April. Right at tax season

 

[Usual_suspect]

Considering their exclusives are meh compared to Sony's I honestly don't even think a $399 price tag will save the overall image of the Xbox brand.

With how poorly the XBone launched and the realization that people paid almost equal to the PS4 yet got a somewhat lesser experience paired with the waning exclusives like Halo and GoW (which never appealed to me) and Forza (this and Ori are the only exclusives that interested me to play) it's tough to imagine Microsoft has a trick up its sleeve to save it for this generation.

Again, you can have all the hardware and performance but if the software you release is not fun then it's gonna flop. This is a purchase I probably won't make since my biggest purchasing regret in the past year is buying the XBone over the PS4 as my first console. Ended up giving it to my son and decided to stick with my PC and PS4 Pro.

Adding that considering the PS4 from the start outsold the Xbox One and the PS4 being a good system in its own right makes it to where Scorpios success is necessary, the PS4 Pro was released as a cherry and whipped cream on top addition to a already successful console. It isn't necessary to play any of the PS4 exclusives, and the success of the PS4 name isn't riding on the success of the Pro. The Pro just sits as a choice for consumers with different budgets. Scorpios success is paramount in my book for MS to recover any lost ground this generation. This of course is my opinion.