$299 gets you:
Xbox 360 system
No Hard drive
A wired controller
standard A/V cables

$399 gets you:
Xbox 360 system
Hard drive
wireless controller
Hi-Def & A/V combo cable
Wireless headset
Universal Remote (limited time)

essentially, the 360 costs $399 because the $299 package is just marketing BS.

"OMG, X360 only costs 299! WTF? extra stuff for only 100 bucks!!! 1337!"
Is the response they want, but really, the added stuff is essential stuff, so X360 is a $399 console.

Really the biggest difference between the 2 packages is the hard drive since you need it to play the original Xbox games. I figured that the included extras on the $399 packages is valued at $179. All for an addition $100 more than the $299 package. Aside from the hard drive, the extras aren't really that special. If you have an Xbox already the original Xbox Live headset will work with the Xbox 360, and is actually better looking that the 360's IMO, the wired controller with the $299 package is PC compatible, the romote although nice to have, and a nice included extra isn't neccesary. And unless you have a TV that support Component input to take advange of the HD Component cable then it's almost useless since the standard $299 package has still has A/V.

HD-DVD + Blu-Ray Still Possible
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3144209

It seems like the biggest reason why they haven't been able to come to an agreement is because Sony is hell bent on getting the size that Blue-Ray offers, whill HD-DVD is content with it's size. If both companies came together to develope a hybrid-format between the 2 that uses exsisting DVD laser technology that would solve the problem. I just don't think either company has had that kind of a proposal. The only thing negativde thing that would ensue though is the possible delay of the PS3 if Sony was to switch media formats at the last second, although I don't think that woulod such a problem since there already holding out on the final controller design.

onto another topic if the Nex-Gen systems, about week or so ago I came across an article over at Gamespot about the debate about the price of the PS3. Apperantly some companies are considering dropping support for the PS3 if the system turns out to be a steep price for consumers. They're already spending a rediculious amout of money to develope games for the PS3, and if the price point is so steep that it alienates consumers from buying it, then that just makes a smaller market for game developers to market games too on the PS3. considering that the development cost have doubled to develope games on the Xbox 360, and Tecmo has stated that although they plan to develope games for the the PS3, they said that they have a hard task of finding a way to significantly bring the development cost of games down on the PS3, because it is considerably higher than even what it costs to develope games on the Xbox 360.

Thats a pretty scary statement, if games are costing that much to develope on the PS3, I'm pretty surprised that the PS3 has as much support as it does. Given that another developer has stated that development cost of the PS3 will probably start to come down about a year or so after the system launches as developers start to get a handle on the system, thats still going to be pretty pricey, and consumers are getting away pretty easy with a $10 increase in game prices.

Microsoft has confirmed 8 of the 15-20 games that will be available for the launch of the Xbox 360 and they are:
Project Gotham Racing 3
Kameo: Elements of Power
Perfect Dark Zero
Madden NFL 06
NBA Live 06
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06
Need for Speed Most Wanted
FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup

Mocrosoft has also stated that the other 7-12 games will be announced in the next few weeks. Apperently there still going threw certification. Thats sweet since I thought PGR3 might not make launch. I pre-ordered it, then turned around and also pre-order Need for Speed just incase. Thats nice to know that PGR3 is going to make launch. II'm still curious as to what else will make launch since there are other game sthat I'm looking forward too.

'm surprised that oblivion hasn't been confirmed yet.

topic: nintendo revolutions (or whatever) , and alittle bit of ps3

i just finish watching g4 and they were at the tokyo game show and they showed this thing called the nuhn-chock how the hell can you play mk or any fihgting game with that thing i hope is a hit but it looks dumb

oh by the way the gameboy micro is small as hell
(or should i say tiny as fuck)

the ps3 controler looks ok but the legs are to long its a damn boomerang.

The PS3 controller is a concept design the final one hasn't been announced yet.

http://www.pcnation.com/PCNproductimages/E80419.jpg In PSM,they say this may be the memory card.Whoa.....Suckage!

Actually it is from what I've heard. If you can find images of the PS3 system there isn't any memory cards slots, just memory stick slots. It isn't a bad concept considering you'll be able to transfer save files between your PC, PSP, and PS3. The down side is if Sony goes with the regular size memory sticks there fucking expensive as hell (4gb for as much as $999), even the mini ones are pretty expensive (2gb $200+). Also you won't be able to use exsisting game saves from your PSOne & PS2 memeory cards because the PS3 doesn't support memory cards. You will still be able to save their game files to a memery stick with the PS3 though.

Just curious though does anyone know if you can trasnfer save files from a PS2 system to a USB thumb drive? If thats possible then it's probably possible to transfer your PSOne & PS2 game saves that way.

Yes the PS2 has a Usb thumb Style drive called the "MAX Drive" it's 16mb and only allows standard FAT file format not FAT32 It has ok compression a full 8mb PS2 memory card only takes up 3mb on the USb drive It's around $30 and comes with a disc to allow transfer i'm not sure if it works with PS1 saves as they dont use the same format.

I have heard a few rumours on how PS1 and PS2 would work, one was a Memory Card reader style device that connects Via USB and allows you to put your memory cards in and make saves that way, Another was to connect your PS2 to the PS3 via USB the PS3 reads the momory cards and lets you transfer to Memory stick., no one knows for sure i guess We will have to wait for Sony to announce something.

Microsoft admits worldwide launch was a bad idea, leading to shortages.


Speaking to the BBC News website, Microsoft Vice President Peter Moore expressed a certain degree of regret over the Xbox 360's near-simultaneous worldwide launch this holiday season.

"There's a reason no-one has done this before and we are figuring that out," the BBC News website quotes Moore as saying. According to the BBC News site, Moore made similar statements at last week's Amsterdam-based X05 event, saying that "If we knew what we were getting into, we might not have done it."

If Microsoft is already questioning their decision to launch the Xbox 360 worldwide in the same time frame, what does that mean for consumers? The likeliest answer is widespread shortages of the next-gen console, particularly in the huge U.S. and European markets.

BBC News quotes Microsoft's corporate vice-president J Allard as saying, "we are going to have some disappointment with retailers and consumers," which seems to confirm the shortage theory.

Bugie has hinted that current-gen Xbox games will look better running on the Xbox 360! In this weeks "Weekly What's Up Update" at Bungie.net Frankie is quoted as saying "We’re going to have more to tell you about how Halo one and two look on 360, and it’s all good news.
". This raises the notion that Xbox games will have so graphical improvements running on the Xbox 360. Kind of how PSX/PSOne games had some anti-alising applied to them when running on the PS2. Certainly not very noticiable IMO, but I'm hoping that mabe things will be a little more noticiable with the Xbox.

Some interesting news for Sony fanboys told to me by someone that develops for EA-
-PS3 will have a 33% failure rate.
-PS3 willretail around $599
-Most games will be optomised for the 360 and then ported to the ps3
-Developers prefer the 360 over the ps3 by a mile
-You will notice very little difference in the graphics between the 2 systems

Sucks for some people. I'm still getting a ps3, but after a price drop and when they fix the buggy failure rate.

This isn't neceserilly new, more or less whats unspoken. Really the only games that will probably take full advantage of the PS3 will be 1st party, and exclusive 3rd party titles. Like I said earlier Tecmo said they have to find a way to bring development costs down on the PS3 since there considerably more than even the Xbox 360. It's only natural way to significantly cut costs. I think the only really thing the PS3 has that developers really like is the Blue-Ray disk, since it holds considerably more data.

If game developers are going to just be basically porting Xbox 360 games to the PS3 there only going to be taking advantage of only half of the PS3's processing power. Games for both the Xbox 360 & PS3 will have considerably better graphics that what the PC will offer though. The developers of Call of Duty 2 where showing it iff for the Xbox 360 a few weeks ago on the show G4Techtv.com, and where saying that this is going to be the first time in history that games for next-gen systems will be considerably better than the PC.

Wait what's that smell i know it's Bullshit, this has been said a million times mostly by Xbox fans, I doubt you know any one from EA and if anyone from EA said that then i'm king of the universe and Pigs fly wearing tu-tu's

Whats this I smell? Oh yeah, a Sony fanboy. Its ok to be scared. Its cool that you dont believe me, but my cousin DOES work at EA and develops for them at their Canada dept. In fact, a lot of developers are already hinting at this in articles. Its so funny that the only ppl that doubt what a developer says is a fanboy. If its bad, it has to be bull shit but if its good, it has to be true. If this was about the 360 you would be celebrating like the sad fanboy you are. Did MS kill your parents or something for you to be such a Sony whore? That sucks to be a fanboy. As for me, I'm a fanboy of video games and will always own all systems. Again, it must be hard to be a Sony fanboy like yourself and realizing "teh cel!!11!" isn't as good as the hype Sonys trying to spill about it. Just wipe Sonys sperm off your mouth and enjoy video games. Fanboy. So, I bow down to you King of the Universe and have fun with your flying pig wearing a tu-tu. I guess you gave it a Sony tu-tu.

HEY! I gotta question, How do I get Xbox live? do I give the money to the gamestop people or soemthing?

Here's some more PS3 price gossip.
November issue of EGM, page 64. Here's what it says word for word...

Believe It Or Not

Q: Now that the Xbox 360 is coming out at $399 (or $299 if you go for the cheapo package), will the PlayStation 3 have a similar price point?

A: Probably. Even though rumors persist that Sony might slap a $500 tag on its next-gen system, everyone we talked to (especially the folks who work on Wall Street ) believes $400 is a more realistic price. And as one financial contact (who wishes to remain anonymous) tells us, "The price of the PlayStation 3 will probably have alot to do with how hot the XBox 360 is selling at that time.

Sony Confirm today October 27th that PS3 may not be 100% backwards compatible although they are trying to get as close as possible, this comes after the news that Sony are having problems with the new updated Slimline PS2 that is due for release in Japan in November it seems that some current PS2 and some PS1 games are not playing at all or suffer from glitches such as freezing on cut scenes and loading and saving on Memory cards, one of the games that isn't working on the new PS2 is Tekken 5, this doesn't look well for PS3 backwards compatiblity , if they are having problems getting a PS2 game to work on a new PS2 then what hope is there for the PS2 games on PS3 via emulation.

In an article over at Gamespot Sony, as well as some media outlets have been stating that the PS3 will be capable of runing games at 120fps. Given that tv's don't even support 120fps yet.

This is a complete waste IMO since the human eyes is incapable of distinguishing the difference between 61fps, and 300fps. Considering that so game makers are still incabable of getting games to run 100% smooth at 60fps as well. It's a complete waste to get game developers to jump up to double the frame rate when they are still incapable of getting gmaes to run smoothly as it is.

How come the only Xbox 360s on ebgames.com are the ones with the Bundles? Wheres just the Xbox360 with the kickass harddrive for what is it? $399?

Btw, I cancelled my Xbox Live today, so glad, because it was gonna automatically renew Nov. 4th. Ill just play the Silver Edition for free on the weekends when 360 comes out and if i really wanna play a lot ill just buy Gold Live.

The online sites aren't offering them for launch. If you want just the system you have to go to the store to get it. Besides both the stores as well as the online retailers (EBGames, and Gamestop) websites say they are all sold out for launch anyway.
On another note Gamespot has listed in their Rumor Control this week, they state that there is a rumor going around that all Xbox 360 launch games will only use 1 of the 6 CPU's thread. It's one of the ways game developers are cutting corners to get the games out in time for launch. Apperntly some people over on Gamespot are saying that the developers of Call of Duty 2 have stated to the contrary that they are using 2 threads.

I also cancelled my Xbox Live account today because it was going to renew itself on November 4th. I didnt want to take a chance with it switching over to 360. Besides, the Silver Account will be free on weekends.