09-11-2005, 07:24 AM
I think this letter from the editor of Game Informer sums up Microsoft's marketing strategy quite nicely.
"There is a wide variety of consumers who would be drawn to the unique, crippled gaming experience offered by the Core Package. Like, people who are just plain ignorant. Any gamers who want backwards compatability with the Core System will have to shell out an extra $100 for the hard drive anyway, so why not get more goodies for the same price? Of course, the whole pricing structure is really just an elaborate scam to fool well-meaning grandparents into buying the Core System for their grandkids, who will in turn trade in the fake system for the Premium Edition, thus officially scoring two Xbox 360 sales. Curse you and your marketing acumen, Microsoft!"
Granted, the majority of sales probably aren't coming from grandparents, but it seems to be a smart move on Microsoft's part nonetheless, as I believe that most consumers who purchase the Core System would be disappointed with the hardware/features offered, and would eventually upgrade to the Premium Edition.
"There is a wide variety of consumers who would be drawn to the unique, crippled gaming experience offered by the Core Package. Like, people who are just plain ignorant. Any gamers who want backwards compatability with the Core System will have to shell out an extra $100 for the hard drive anyway, so why not get more goodies for the same price? Of course, the whole pricing structure is really just an elaborate scam to fool well-meaning grandparents into buying the Core System for their grandkids, who will in turn trade in the fake system for the Premium Edition, thus officially scoring two Xbox 360 sales. Curse you and your marketing acumen, Microsoft!"
Granted, the majority of sales probably aren't coming from grandparents, but it seems to be a smart move on Microsoft's part nonetheless, as I believe that most consumers who purchase the Core System would be disappointed with the hardware/features offered, and would eventually upgrade to the Premium Edition.