For Europe, the 360 is still junk…just cheaper
Hooray! Whoopee! Huzzah! The Xbox 360 is getting price cuts in Europe, oh the noble deliverance of it all! Can I interrupt for a few seconds of your time to point out that just because the 360 is cheaper, it isn’t necessarily any less liable to cause you grief and anguish like its expensive predecessors?
Let me give you an example: say Ford cars were known to have exploding engines in anywhere between 10-30% of the models that complete production. We in America already get our Ford vehicles cheaper than the rest of the world (though why you’d purchase one, I couldn’t tell you), but to increase sales in other countries, Ford has lowered the price of those vehicles.
Is Ford (cough Microsoft Xbox), which is failing currently in America against Japanese competitors (cough Playstation), claiming to increase product quality AND cut prices? After all, there really is no way for a company to increase quality and lower prices without someone getting the short end of the stick, right?
The point is this: those Ford engines are still going to explode, but you’ll pay less for your shiny explosion box. 360s are being sold for less money in Europe, but the quality certainly won’t change; if anything, Microsoft has found a way to cut corners and lower prices abroad — that doesn’t endear me to purchasing a faulty console.
If you think for a minute that somehow Americans are getting shafted by not receiving any price cuts at home, take a minute to examine the comparison price rates: even with the new price cuts in Europe, an Elite system (which is the only one made “correctly”) still costs $566, about $115 dollars more than Americans have to pay.
How Microsoft was able to sell consoles abroad is beyond me, especially with exorbitant prices like 360s were formerly listed at. It seems that Microsoft is having trouble moving consoles in other countries, and is lowering prices to compensate for its image of knowingly selling poor quality gaming rigs.
So, Europe…how about a nice healthy helping of quality American manufacturing for less than you would have paid before, but more than we ‘mericans are willing to pay ourselves?
NOTE: When I say the 360 is failing to Playstation, it is only a reference to the quality of the manufacturing. More consoles go back to Microsoft than Sony.
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9 Responses to “For Europe, the 360 is still junk…just cheaper”
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March 11th, 2008
Nice (cough – ps3 fanboy) article.
March 11th, 2008
This was funny, but unnecessary.
March 11th, 2008
Yep. 360 really is crap. Spend a few quid more, and get a 40GB PS3, with Blu-ray, and no need to buy an extra stuff.
I mean come on, a version of the 360 that’s can’t play GTA IV, or Burnour Paradise online? Who wants one of those????
March 11th, 2008
lol, wow, i guess there is someone out there that can actually post something that is dead on about the 360. i cant believe people actually still buy those things, ive been through 5 now, which is 4 too many, im never buying another MS product ever again. they are nothing but junk. the xbox consoles, the Zunes, and vista is absolutely horrible. ROCK ON MS!!! KEEP SELLING CONSOLES THAT HAVE A LIFESPAN OF A HOUSE FLY!!!!
lol, if you xbox fanboys cant afford the ps3, just admit it, and get over the fact that the ps3 is superior in EVERY way.
March 11th, 2008
For the record (and I always add this to my fanboy-inspiring posts), I only own a 360.
March 11th, 2008
The issues with hardware failures is well documented. Personally I have a launch 360 and have not had a problem with it, but that is just me.
My question is, why do PS3 fanboys really care? It’s not like they own the system or anything. Now I think of it, why do fanboys exist? Both systems are great, 360 has some incredible games out there (and more to come) and PS3 looks like it has some of their own on their way this year and next year.
Can’t we all just get along?
March 12th, 2008
group hug everyone
March 20th, 2008
Darn and all this time ive been happy as shit with my 360…I guess I better trade it in and get with the program and get me the most excelent PS3. Now with that said I expect my $$$ to arive in 4 to 6 weeks Sony!!!
March 26th, 2008
Wow, you may want to research your information before blasting the company. Sure the thing had issues, but then again no one else had made a console this powerful at the time so mistakes can happen. They released a new version of hardware specifically to make it more reliable, and reduce the cost and frustration. I highly doubt warrantying 500,000 360’s is profitable for MS so I’m sure they want to fix it.
I own a new Elite with the Falcon MB and new chips, it works fine. I had my other 360 since launch and the only reason it died was the Nyko Intercooler I bought because of all the RROD articles. If you think this is the only console that had problems, I remember jamming cardboard in my Nintendo to keep the game pressed down, and blowing out the cartridges on a regular basis.
PS3.. that thing died the instant it tried to take the high road on hardware. I loved my PS2, but now that online is available I would own nothing other than an Xbox. All of the “exclusive” games by 3rd party devs are now on 360, which should tell you something. I’m not knocking the PS3 hardware, it’s far superior than the 360.
Oh yeah and it wasn’t American Manufacturing that made the 360 it was Chinese.