Posted Nov 27, 2007 at 10:26PM by Nicolo S. Listed in: Opinions & Analysis Tags: Microsoft, Activision, Sony, Bobby Kotick
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Bobby Kotick, Activision CEO - Image 1We gamers are not the only ones who'd want to see nicer price tags on consoles, because even Activision CEO Bobby Kotick is hoping for cheaper machines. To be exact, he believes the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 should be available for US$ 199 in two years to catch up to the Nintendo Wii.

Kotick is looking at cheaper consoles if Sony and Microsoft are to reach the market Nintendo opened up. "The Wii at its price point is now setting a standard and an expectation," he said. It doesn't matter if the Sony PS3 and the Xbox 360 are more complex, because he thinks power of a machine doesn't really matter to the consumer.

Activision's head man continued, saying Sony and Microsoft should drop the prices of their consoles to US$ 199 in 24 months, while Ninty's Wii can sell at around US$ 129 over the next few years.


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17 Comments


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   by Shatterdome - 2007-11-27
 » Well...

The 360 arcade pkg is only $30 more then the Wii and even without a HDD, offers a much better gaming experience (in a classical sense) then the Wii....so i'm not sure it has to come down that much to catch up...

It's just Wii is nintendo and started off cheap, so more people bought it....it also appeals ALOT more to older/casual gamers who trust/know the nintendo brand...so they bought it....i'm not too sure it has THAT much to do with price...


   Re: walker3243 - 2007-11-29
 » woo

the wii is gonna have a price drop just after ps3 or 360 just to kill it
   by Spector - 2007-11-27
 » Bad standard and expectation

This is the first generation really where a console launch has been at such a cheap price point (if you take older consoles are increase their value to todays standards).

I much rather have systems made to a higher end with a higher price tag than to a lower end with a lower price tag. I haven't even turned on my Wii in about 4 months. Too busy be neck-deep in quality next-gen titles. Maybe I'll find some time to go play Carnival Games (super pfft).

I mean honestly if it wasn't for Wii Sports that system would be doing a hell of a lot worse, and old people would just be watching Matlock reruns.


   Re: Billie - 2007-11-28
 » Agreed

Dude, this actually is the first gen that has very high price points, before the PS2, I remember all consoles starting at $199.99. I even remember buying the NES for $199.99.

But as for wanting a expensive system from the Get-Go, to each his own.

   Re: Spector - 2007-11-28
 » above $200 before PS2

How about Sega Saturn and Jaguar just to name a few.

As well as there were games that were over $100 for SNES and Genesis. Games and systems have always been expensive people are just easy to forget.

   Re: Billie - 2007-11-29
 » Oh yeah

My bad, I completely forgot about those, I also forgot about the Neo Geo which cost about 700 bucks if I remember correctly.
   by fritzilla - 2007-11-28
 » Xbox 360 is in the lead

The Xbox is in the lead (narrow lead mind you), so I am not exactly sure what the "catch up to Nintendo Wii" means.


   Re: B - 2007-11-28
 » Wii in the lead

The Wii took over the lead like 2 months ago...

   Re: Advertising -


   Re: Mister Common Sense - 2007-11-28
 » reeallllly????

The PS3 has been consistently outselling the Wii in Japan for the last 3 weeks. Aparently the high price was pretty much the only reason they weren't selling as well.

The XBOX 360 consistently sells the most software, has the most games available with the highest ratings and the best online.

The Wii has the most consoles sold by a narrow margin, but very few worthwhile games. Aparently everyone is playing Wii sports or letting it collect dust after a few weeks. Is this leading??????

   Re: Billie - 2007-11-28
 » True

In terms of software, the XBOX does have the lead, and the PS3 has beaten the Wii for the last couple of weeks, but I think he just ment straight console sales.

   Re: walker3243 - 2007-11-29
 » ACTUALLY

The ps2 is in the lead lol
   by dvdchas - 2007-11-28
 » Sony's already there

So activision is after a console with a massive market share along with a really low price point. That console is the PS2!

Whats really the point in bringing out a new console thats going to be around for a fair few years if its not much better that the old one? The wii is there to get nintendo the money they invested in the gamecube.

The ps2 has a large back catalogue with a number of really decent games. The graphics and sound are comparable to the wii, with the only missing factor being the motion controller, and cutsey nintendo games. Maybe activision could develop some?

As to the future with the next gen thats got to be the PS3 and 360, with the PC bridging the gap in a few years to the PS4

So in three or four years will nintendo bring out a 360 arcade clone and pretend its next gen?

   by CHUCKINGROCKSATSPACESHIPS - 2007-11-28
 » "Power of a machine doesn't really matter to the consumer."-----!?!?

He's joking, right? Umm, to me it matters. Thats why I bought a freaking Playstation 3, dumbazz! This guy's a CEO? So does that mean we're going to start getting more crappy games from Activision? I hope not.

   by Hekynn - 2007-11-28
 » it can happen

it can happen man the psps price was droped from launch to $180 :)

   by Mister Common Sense - 2007-11-28
 » idiot

This guy aparently doesn't realize:
A: The PS3 and XBOX 360 are more powerful and worth much much more than the Wii.
B. Of course consoles get cheaper over time. If any console should get cheap soon, it's the Wii. Even IF it did appeal to me, I wouldn't pay more than $150 for it. A gamecube is $100 new, add Wifi, flash memory, and controller and that's about the only difference. Not worth $150 more, no way.


   Re: Billie - 2007-11-28
 » Well...

Well even if it was just a gamecube, with added modules (even though it does have more cache memory, and higher clock speeds etc), it does start to add up.

You did forget to mention the Bluetooh modules in both the Wii and the remote, GUI frontend (Which costs money to develop), Wii Sports (Which isn't even worth 20 bucks, but you still have to consider it).

Nintendo is making about $10 per unit profit (I read this somewhere, somebody let me know if I'm wrong), so even though you don't think it is worth it (everybody is entitled to their opinion), it actually almost cost that much to produce.
   by Khjar - 2007-11-28
 » Wii

600$ Ps3? 400$ Ps3? Sounds like You need a PsWii with no type of optical disc drive at all for onry 129.99 + SH&H. [Item includes: lawsuits, and FREE plastic.]
(Wii = Ps2+Motion sensing - game library)




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