Xbox 360 the Best Value, says Don Mattrick
By Chris on Wednesday, December 5th, 2007 at 7:01 PM PST In Game Companies, Game Consoles, Game Platforms, Microsoft, Microsoft
Don Mattrick is the senior VP of Microsoft Interactive Entertainment – in other words, he’s the new Peter Moore. So he’s naturally going to become a mouthpiece and praise the Xbox 360 wherever possible. Up until now he’s been fairly quiet, but speaking with MSNBC, he claimed, “On a price per value basis, I think we win…relative to Sony and Nintendo.”
You could make an argument for any console (the PS3 doubles as a Blu-ray player, the 360 has Live and the Video Marketplace, the Wii is easily accessible), but Mattrick seems confident that the 360’s value is greater than that of the competition.
“Of course, I’m biased given the role that I’m in but if I really think about it using my consumer instincts and the experience that I’ve had, this is the best blend of performance, price, online and games – by far.”
He continued to cite the exclusive and third-party games the Xbox 360 will see next year, although the only specific title he actually mentioned was Grand Theft Auto IV.
Whether or not any of that is true is ultimately a subjective topic, but what was perhaps more interesting was that Mattrick said that the 360 has the potential for a shelf life comparable to the PS3 – which Sony claims will be a decade.
Only time will tell, but if that’s the case, Microsoft might have to extend the Red Rings of Death warranty beyond three years.
He has a point…in some areas, but not in others:
Catalogue of games: 360. Not including backwards compatability (which would take too long with the 360 and PS3) and any downloadable games, such as Virtual Console on the Wii.
Calibre of games: 360. PS3’s have been mostly lack lustre, whilst the Wii’s range from bloody awesome to bloody painful.
Online gaming: 360. With the Wii’s non-existence and the PS3’s common net-issues, Live really is pretty duper. Until you compare it to PC. But then we get Gamespy, so I guess it events itself out.
Value for money: Wii/Elite 360. This one is a tough call. The more you spend on the 360 versions, the far better deals you get, whilst the Wii off-the-bat is just more at every single corner (game prices, accessories and periperhals etc.)
Longetivity: Wii/PS3. See, this is where I have to disagree with him. Unless the PS3 suddenly bellyflops, it will undeniably last 10 years, like they say it will, whilst the Wii has innovation to keep it going. The 360 has…Halo Wars. No, seriously, it has a good few years, but won’t fare up as well as against the others.
Variety of games: No-show. The 360 is for shooting. The PS3 is for…I dunno, actually whilst the Wii (unfortunately) is leaning towards party games, although there are a few gems every so often.
Functionality of console: PS3. Undeniably, the PS3 is the beast. A good beast.
In conclusion, if someone asked me which to get of the three, I’d be inclined to nip in and say Wii first, purely because it is so different and the 360 hot-on-the-heels.
You make some good points, but I’m not convinced the Wii will go the 10 year distance. Ten years is a veeery long time in videogame years.
To start off I’m ignoring the Wii because I simply dont see it as a competing platform against the PS3 and 360. For what it does its ridiculously overpriced and while I might end up being 100% wrong I cant see it still being popular in a year or 2.
Catalogue of games: 360 at the moment. That changes from next year though which is pretty much proved by the way he chose a multiplatform title as the one to highlight for 2008. Metal Gear Solid 4, Gran Turismo 5, Final Fantasy 13, Killzone 2, Haze, Tekken 6, Littlebigplanet and of course Grand Theft Auto 4 are some of the PS3s highlights for 2008. That’s why I pick PS3 for the long term catalogue.
Calibre of games: See above. 360 at the moment but PS3 from 2008.
Online gaming: 360 if you are willing to pay, PS3 if you aren’t.
Value for money: PS3. Anyone who says otherwise is living in a dream world. The 40gb is cheaper than the Elite but it includes built in WiFi, HD drive and its free to play online. Those items would cost and extra $280 on top of the Elites price + another $50 a year for online play. To spec an Elite up to a PS3 and play online for 5 years would cost you just under $1000. On the other hand you can buy a 40gb PS3, install a 200gb hard drive in it and play online for ever for about $550. In home electronics there is absolutely nothing that offers the functionality that console does for as little money. Its not just the best value console, its the best value item in home entertainment. When you remember that its sold at a loss that proves the value point even more.
Longevity: PS3. It will around for a very long time. PlayStation consoles have so far had an average life of 9 years and there is nothing to suggest that will change. I will be very very surprised if the 360 reaches 5 years. 80% of its sales are now coming from the US because the rest of the world isn’t really interested it it anymore and it cant survive like that. Japan is dead and nothing will change that while in Pal regions its selling about the same as the PS3 at the moment but thats with the Halo factor boosting it.
Variety of games: 360 at the moment but once again the PS3 will trump it from next year.
Functionality of console: PS3. Its a fantastic piece of home entertainment. Reliable and well made and with regular firmware updates its getting better all the time.
In summery: The 360 is the one to get right now but the PS3 is the one for the future. Best thing would be to get a 360 now and a PS3 next year.
I’m so surprised that the MS spokesperson has said the 360 is the best value. Amazing.
Seriously, though, I’m inclinded to agree with joelteon in that which is most valuable is really up to the user and what games they want.
However, I really got a kick out of this guys comments on the 360 longevity. AHAHAHAH, he says it will outlast the PS3? The F*&king thing can barely last a year without dying how can it outlast the PS3? I don’t even dislike the 360, but cmon, longevity of a platform MUST include the actual ability of the platform to function that long.
That being said, I think the PS3 and the Wii have the most longevity, simply because they are being marketed to a wider audience. The 360 audience is so targeted at the slobbering hardcore (which can be nice, to be sure), but it will be hardpressed to break that mold. The Wii and PS3 are much more diverse in their offerings, at least as far as the demographics they cater too. The xbox has lots of good games, but outside of 12-24 year old males they aren’t doing much of interest.
I think for the short term, the 360 might just be the best value perhaps rivaled, winning, or losing to the wii, depending on how you look at it. No doubt for me the ps3 will last 8.5-10 years or so, but I can’t really see the 360 as being a great long term contender. Microsoft did much better with the 360 than the xbox imho, but They also screwed up a few things too. I think the Xbox needs a hard drive more than blu-ray or HD-DVD. However, the system itself is just barely not power enough to last a solid 6 years. (and it has already been 2), The Graphics card is fine, but the load rate of the DVD AND only half a gig of ram will leave a lot of pain on it. Simply put, designers are trying to push too many polygons, Textures, and whatnot all at one time.
I consider the wii a three year commodity, but the wii-2 I expect to practically be a consumer electronics device… Not a hardcore gaming council. I’d give it four years before the public loses interest, but the wii 2 might just be the next big thing in electronic entertainment that is mainstream. Fantastic as it is that games might be a mainstream thing, I think its in a different race and should be compaired differently… The big problem about the wii in my opinion is actually the distribution of games. My guess is the wii 2 will just be a much more powerful wii (able to play 360 and ps3 games no problem), but have a steam(see half life)-like system for downloading games… etc.
The PS3 will last ten years, but for continued support, the hard drive, and potentially for the cell processor. The cell processor is as much of a bottleneck as it is a pair of wings. People will not “magically” figure out how to program anything they can for the xbox 360, it simply lacks general purpose processing power. But it has a lot of opportunity for having incredible physics and maybe even great AI… Essentially anything third party will have slight differences between the 360 and the ps3 because they arn’t capable of the same things and either a lowest common denominator will be found between the systems, or the framerate might be slightly better for the 360, but it would lack higher textures or have less eye candy.
I don’t but the HD-DVD bullcrap. Here is why… I have a regular DVD player, a eight year old Sony TV (non-flatscreen 32 inches), and a kickass sound system. It is only Dolby Digital 5.1 but it still kicks ass.
Now when me and my friends get toghether to watch a movie, we always do it at my place… My friend has a blu-ray player, and a nasty good High def TV, but he lacks two things, sound system, and couch.
People are way to focused at the marginally better picture if you ask me. I consider myself an Audiophile to-be, but the improved sound quality of the two systems hardly matters for over 90% of people’s systems anyways… Money is better spend on a quality sound system, even if it is 5.1 Dolby than 7.1 because the number is higher and there is a speaker directly behind you.
Some director recently ranted about Microsoft supporting HD-DVD so it can get direct downloads working, and I believe that. In all honestly, ***k both formats, they are expensive, offer a marginally better experiance, and require thousands and thousands of dollars of equipment before they show any improvement over the DVD, my recondmondation is you spend that money towards getting a great sound system and be happy with your up-converting DVD player. Already have it? Buy a nice couch to sit on. Already have it? Go to the movies until this entire “war” is over, or buy a high def Tivo unit, Already have it? Waste your money however you please.
/End rant.
Ps, I own a Sega Genisis and am very satisfied with it, my sister owns a gamecube, I love SSBM, God of war, and halo.
*I don’t but” should have been I don’t buy* And that pertains to both HD-DVD and Blu-ray.
How come My Xbox360 doesn’t have Blue Ray, WiFi, very noisy, and always brakes. This is my 3rd Xbox360. All my games scratched. I’m gonna buy PS3.
I think all systems have their benefits. I personaly like the Xbox 360 because of the great games and xbox live is worth it alone. The PS3 dont do it for me, no reason to buy one, dont care for Bluray or HD movies. Xbox live is superior to PSN. When the PSN is superior to live then ya maby i will get a PS3.
I already own a Wii, that is a party machine, but what good is it if theres no party? it collects dust. in my oppinion if you want a Game machine get a Xbox 360 or second a PS3. if you want a fun party machine, the Wii is the best value.
I do doubt any console will realy last 10 years. it may be on paper, but 10 years? no one wants to still play a 10 year console. in 10 years look at how far along the video cards will be for PC. i can guarentee the Wii will have a new version out in 10 years. and Microsoft defently will have something new in 10 years to stay ahead of its competition. As for Sony saying the PS3 is a 10 year machine. they will have a new machine in the works by then. in 10 years playing the playstaion 3 or Xbox 360 will be like playing a regular Ps one or Super nintendo now. People will want the latest and greatest.
I dont beleive any company will wait 10 years to release a new system, the technology will have changed by then.
Best value..HA! I bought the XBOX 360 for my son who is a straight A student and I felt he deserved it. Lot more money than I wanted to spend but what the hec. Had it for around 8 months and OH NO, dreaded rings of death. Sent it in, listened to my son complain for about a month and finally got it back right at a month later-same unit serial # matched. Everything was going fine until…OH NO, dreaded rings of death again!!! Now to a 11 year old this is the end of the world, especially at Christmas when 90% of his Christmas list was XBOX games. Called up support and they are sending us a box AGAIN and this time I demanded to talk to someone so I could vent. Spoke to a Matt, id# 6708 who asked me a question right away…is your unit plugged into a surge protector? I immediatley said yes, because it is and he informed me that that is the problem. Well, needless to say I got a little upset because as usual, somebody is blaming someone else for their problem. I asked why hadn’t anyone told me this before and why isn’t that on any of the sites I have looked at for suggestions on what to do and he informed me that it is in the manual. I proceeded to tell him “you mean to tell me that all of these millions of blogs of people like me complaining about this piece of crap product have all caused it themselves by using a surge protector” and he said yes, that most of them probably were. Well, I owe it to the world to let them in on this secret- that it is your fault, you the consumer who spent your hard earned money, you who wasted hours talking to XBOX support and weren’t told this secret, you, you are the problem!!! When I get this next unit back I vow to not plug it into a surge protector, I vow to leave it in a well ventilated area and I vow to read the owners manual as I was so smartly reminded by the XBOX support man, Matt id# 6708. This isn’t XBOX’s fault, this isn’t an inferior product, this isn’t a huge waste of money since they don’t send you a new unit, they just “fix” the one you have…which by the way, breaks again 3 months later…This is my fault and I accept responsibility…now its your turn!