Thurrott: Upcoming Xbox to cost $299 with subscription, $499 without, other details revealed

The usually reliable Paul Thurrott has reported on the upcoming Xbox successor.

Microsoft confirmed yesterday the console will be unveiled on May 21st at an event on their campus.

Thurrott says the system will be released in early November and will cost $299 with subscription or $499 without. The "subscription" cost is $10 per month for two years and will require an Xbox Live Gold subscription.

The journalist also revealed some more great info on the console. Reads the report:

Windows 8 Core. The next Xbox is based on the "Core" (base) version of Windows 8. This suggests a common apps platform or at least one that is similar to that used by Windows 8. It also suggests that Microsoft could open up this platform to enthusiast developers. (That last bit is supposition on my part.)

No entertainment box. Microsoft originally planned to offer both a "full" version of the next Xbox (with video game playing capabilities) and a lower-end entertainment-oriented version, code-named "Yuma," that didn't provide gaming capabilities. But plans for Yuma are on hold, and no pure entertainment version of the next Xbox will appear in 2013 (or possibly ever).

Blu-ray. The next Xbox will include a Blu-ray optical drive.

Internet-connected. The next Xbox must be Internet-connected to use. This is the source of the "always on"/"always online" rumors and isn't as Draconian as many seem to believe.

Very, very interesting.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Apr 2013 0:09

KSib

Quote:Internet-connected. The next Xbox must be Internet-connected to use. This is the source of the "always on"/"always online" rumors and isn't as Draconian as many seem to believe. They need to expand upon this. There's:
A) Always-connected as in if there isn't internet activity for 10 minutes then your game is paused until there is one. This is what everyone is losing their minds about.
-or-
B) Always-connected as in if you power down your machine it will still continue to be able to recieve messages, stream content from it to other machines and download and apply patches, but it can be disconnected at any time and still function to play games from a disc.

26.4.2013 00:59 #1

Jemborg

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

26.4.2013 01:43 #2

Justoneguy

So it won't be functional without an internet connection? No Sale.
I guess I'll be looking at the playstation 4, for my next console.
You really have to wonder what MS is thinking.

26.4.2013 06:13 #3

bobiroc

$500 (or $300 + $240 = $540 for subscription model), Always on DRM (essentially), New Chip so no Backwards compatibility = No Sale. I will just stop buying games for my Xbox 360 and invest $300 or so into a decent graphics card for my QuadCore HTPC and that can run games at 1080p on my TV with my wireless controller and I do not have to worry about all that.

If the 720 is gonna be $500 I would suspect that the PS4 would be too since they are essentially using the same chip.

AMD Phenom II 965 @ 3.67Ghz, 8GB DDR3, ATI Radeon 5770HD, 256GB OCZ Vertex 4, 2TB Additional HDD, Windows 7 Ultimate.

http://www.facebook.com/BlueLightningTechnicalServices

26.4.2013 08:06 #4

guy8689

Quote:New Chip so no Backwards compatibility
I don't know why people are fussing about this. Who's forcing you to sell your xbox360? You can just keep both, just like in the old days of NES, SNES, nintendo64.

26.4.2013 08:12 #5

bobiroc

Originally posted by guy8689: Quote:New Chip so no Backwards compatibility
I don't know why people are fussing about this. Who's forcing you to sell your xbox360? You can just keep both, just like in the old days of NES, SNES, nintendo64. No one but how many consoles and devices do you want connected to your TV?? Most TVs only have a few HDMI inputs and there is only so much room to put things in that area. So it may not matter to you but apparently it matters to many others.

With my SNES I had a cartridge adapter to play my NES and Gameboy games on. True I could not do that with the N64 but history shows more consoles were compatible in some way with at least the generation before it. For the cost of the new XBOX or PS4 I can get a graphics card for my HTPC and still have money left over and not worry about having to flip between all these devices as much. Thankfully I really do not play the MS or Sony exclusives.

AMD Phenom II 965 @ 3.67Ghz, 8GB DDR3, ATI Radeon 5770HD, 256GB OCZ Vertex 4, 2TB Additional HDD, Windows 7 Ultimate.

http://www.facebook.com/BlueLightningTechnicalServices

26.4.2013 08:23 #6

Dragon3000

Great, so my internet goes down foe whatever reason and bam! no gaming for you. Stupid idea. Good Luck Microsoft.

26.4.2013 08:59 #7

Jemborg

What does "...isn't as Draconian" mean?

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

26.4.2013 10:08 #8

bhetrick

Quote:The "subscription" cost is $10 per month for two years and will require an Xbox Live Gold subscription. Wait a minute... am I the only one who reads this as having to pay a $10 subscription PLUS you have to pay for your LIVE gold?

This $10 sub sounds more like a rental-to-own fee. You can obtain the console for $299 down and make payments of $10 a month for 2 years to pay it off.

Quote:I will just stop buying games for my Xbox 360 and invest $300 or so into a decent graphics card ... and it's a shame more console gamers don't see that option staring them in the face.

Most of them argue that they would game on the pc if they wanted to, but they prefer their console because it's more convenient.

So, how's this "convenience" paying off for these console fanatics?

26.4.2013 10:12 #9

bobiroc

Originally posted by bhetrick: Quote:The "subscription" cost is $10 per month for two years and will require an Xbox Live Gold subscription. Wait a minute... am I the only one who reads this as having to pay a $10 subscription PLUS you have to pay for your LIVE gold?

This $10 sub sounds more like a rental-to-own fee. You can obtain the console for $299 down and make payments of $10 a month for 2 years to pay it off.

Quote:I will just stop buying games for my Xbox 360 and invest $300 or so into a decent graphics card ... and it's a shame more console gamers don't see that option staring them in the face.

Most of them argue that they would game on the pc if they wanted to, but they prefer their console because it's more convenient.

So, how's this "convenience" paying off for these console fanatics? No I noticed that too. The $299 with subscription means you will end up paying $540 for the console on top of XBOX live. It is just a way to make consumers think the console is more affordable when in reality they will be paying more.

I didn't mind paying for XBL as I usually got it for like $35-$40 a year but these consoles from Microsoft and Sony are really losing their appeal.

I once thought the same about convenience but now thanks to technology like HDMI connecting a PC to a large TV is way more convenient and I will take my QuadCore/8GB RAM HTPC and throw in a nice mid/high graphics card in the $300 price range and call it a day. I already have a wireless controller for PC so I am mostly set.

AMD Phenom II 965 @ 3.67Ghz, 8GB DDR3, ATI Radeon 5770HD, 256GB OCZ Vertex 4, 2TB Additional HDD, Windows 7 Ultimate.

http://www.facebook.com/BlueLightningTechnicalServices

26.4.2013 10:28 #10

doowop72

Quote:Blu-ray. The next Xbox will include a Blu-ray optical drive.

Better take real good care of the games now, don't see being able to back them up so soon.

26.4.2013 10:51 #11

Qliphah

Originally posted by Jemborg: Quote:Internet-connected. The next Xbox must be Internet-connected to use. This is the source of the "always on"/"always online" rumors and isn't as Draconian as many seem to believe. Why???

PS: Looks like this rumour wasn't "debunked" after all Andre.

PPS: I wonder if that guy will get his job back. The rumor wasn't debunked he was just fired for shooting his mouth off and insulting their customer base.

26.4.2013 10:53 #12

Jemborg

Originally posted by bobiroc: ...I will take my QuadCore/8GB RAM HTPC and throw in a nice mid/high graphics card in the $300 price range... So whatta ya gonna get, AMD/ATI or nVidia card?

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

26.4.2013 11:06 #13

ThePastor

And thus marks the beginning of the end of the console gaming market...

That cost, coupled with the required fees and the internet requirement make this an absolute no-go for any "new" gamer.

This could have been a very cool media device but instead they are trying to turn it into a money machine.

Well, they won't be getting my money. My PC serves me well. I think I'll stick to it.

Oh, Im sorry... Did the middle of my sentence interrupt the beginning of yours?

26.4.2013 13:38 #14

Mysttic

Originally posted by bobiroc: $500 (or $300 + $240 = $540 for subscription model), Always on DRM (essentially), New Chip so no Backwards compatibility = No Sale. I will just stop buying games for my Xbox 360 and invest $300 or so into a decent graphics card for my QuadCore HTPC and that can run games at 1080p on my TV with my wireless controller and I do not have to worry about all that.

If the 720 is gonna be $500 I would suspect that the PS4 would be too since they are essentially using the same chip. You also forgot you MUST have XBL Gold on a subscription service during the 2 year interim which at its base price of $120 for 2 years which could go up in fees on release of 720.

Not really worth it to me, may be for others but the always-on crap whether its used for DRM or not, is not the way to go. I really hope it bites MS in the arse this time. My 360 had a great run: 200 game library 5+ years. Looks like I'll put it away since I can't see MS supporting 360 for too long after the 720 launches.

26.4.2013 13:39 #15

IceCold84

I for one am going to wait until May 21st before I make any rash decisions as so far everything is speculation until its official. Relax guys...

26.4.2013 17:55 #16

8686

My pc is looking better and better

26.4.2013 18:27 #17

Mysttic

Quote:I for one am going to wait until May 21st before I make any rash decisions as so far everything is speculation until its official. Relax guys... Just because some of us make the choice to not buy something doesn't mean we aren't relaxed...

26.4.2013 20:46 #18

Interestx

For all thew carping & moaning I bet it all ends up much the same as this time around, lots of people end up with their PC but buy the Xbox & PS...and maybe more than a few will have to have the Ouya too.

26.4.2013 20:48 #19

Jemborg

I guess I'm in the minority since I don't think their hire/buy deal is that bad. It's only 8% extra over 2years. And many would automatically get a gold sub anyway. I think it's actually pretty clever of MS.

The "always on" internet kills it for me.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

26.4.2013 21:02 #20

Blalock77

Let's also remember that it has been rumored/predicted that the games for the new Xbox will START at $70-$75.

26.4.2013 21:25 #21

Mysttic

Quote:I guess I'm in the minority since I don't think their hire/buy deal is that bad. It's only 8% extra over 2years. And many would automatically get a gold sub anyway. I think it's actually pretty clever of MS Minority or no; you are right, their price scheme is clever; in May, we'll know then just how restrictive always-on is. But good intentions or bad, Microsoft still alienated quite a bit of people. Especially those in rural areas with nothing better than dial-up *which yes, still do exist*.

Also if the game you buy retail still requires an always-on connected net access: well... Yea that's still not going to sit too well with a lot of consumers no matter how pretty their defense is.

27.4.2013 00:34 #22

Jemborg

Originally posted by Mysttic: Quote:I guess I'm in the minority since I don't think their hire/buy deal is that bad. It's only 8% extra over 2years. And many would automatically get a gold sub anyway. I think it's actually pretty clever of MS Minority or no; you are right, their price scheme is clever; in May, we'll know then just how restrictive always-on is. But good intentions or bad, Microsoft still alienated quite a bit of people. Especially those in rural areas with nothing better than dial-up *which yes, still do exist*.

Also if the game you buy retail still requires an always-on connected net access: well... Yea that's still not going to sit too well with a lot of consumers no matter how pretty their defense is. I said I didn't like the always-on part...

Having to have a gold sub with dial-up would suck balls.

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

27.4.2013 05:13 #23

Interestx

Originally posted by Blalock77: Let's also remember that it has been rumored/predicted that the games for the new Xbox will START at $70-$75. Yeah maybe but they usually end up saying every new gen's games will come with a heafty price-tag....from all the console types.

27.4.2013 07:41 #24

Jemborg

I guess if they do this "always-on" they have a way of turning off nextboxes if you don't pay your hire/buy "subcription" as you have to join. Maybe that's how they plan to justify "always-on" DRM.... tricky!

:/

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

27.4.2013 08:57 #25

Interestx

Jemborg

I've seen so many different claims about 'always on' from the most dark scary 'big-brother' stuff to the benign 'on' like a TV set-top box has to be on & connected to get content & work type.

I'll wait a month or 2 and see what they're actually going to do.

Microsoft are a business in the business of attracting paying custom like any other capitalist business (especially the likes of Sony & Nintendo).
They (like the other 2) will try to keep that custom.

I do not see them doing anything to
(a) make the console unworkable in areas with no or poor internet or
(b) drive customers away with ridiculous demands on how the box works.

We'll see soon enough.

Maybe the Sony fanboys are right & Microsoft is secretly planning to utterly destroy the brand they have worked so hard to establish & build up & spent billions of $ US doing so.

Or maybe not.

My bet is the latter.

(note that no less than 'The Offical Xbox Magazine' is carrying a report that Polygon are saying - as I said right at the start of this- that 'always on' will be left to the devs to decide upon....which suggests to me that it won't just be confined to the Xbox version of games)

27.4.2013 09:59 #26

Mysttic

Originally posted by Jemborg: Originally posted by Mysttic: Quote:I guess I'm in the minority since I don't think their hire/buy deal is that bad. It's only 8% extra over 2years. And many would automatically get a gold sub anyway. I think it's actually pretty clever of MS Minority or no; you are right, their price scheme is clever; in May, we'll know then just how restrictive always-on is. But good intentions or bad, Microsoft still alienated quite a bit of people. Especially those in rural areas with nothing better than dial-up *which yes, still do exist*.

Also if the game you buy retail still requires an always-on connected net access: well... Yea that's still not going to sit too well with a lot of consumers no matter how pretty their defense is. I said I didn't like the always-on part...

Having to have a gold sub with dial-up would suck balls. Hence I agreed with you...

Quote:We'll see soon enough.

Maybe the Sony fanboys are right & Microsoft is secretly planning to utterly destroy the brand they have worked so hard to establish & build up & spent billions of $ US doing so. Ok, this is childish here. Just because we argue that MS is making a mistake does not make us Sony fanboys either. Fanboyism has nothing to do with it regardless if you are or aren't. So because I say I not investing in the NextBox makes me a fanboy, is like sayin cause I buy a car over a the NextBox makes me a car fanboy... Or because I pay rent over NextBox makes me fanboy over living at home. Or because I have bought another console not Microsoft because I already have all the Microsoft consoles already, makes me a fanboy of that device.

Yes there are fanboys out there, but most posters on afterdawn tend to sway neutral and just post relevant intelligent feedback; to those sayin Sony will kick MS because Sony is simply better with no feed back, now that is fanboyism. I love Sony cause Sony does this, and blah blah blah: that's fanboyism. Someone who can argue all sides of the coin, that isn't fanboyism.

Microsft nailed some things right, their XBL for example; however, their price scheme based on as how we currently understand to be always-on connection is what we arguing as not enough value for the dollar, or price-gouge if you will. Outside of that, it's actually on par to what would be expected. May 21st we'll know the details, and that will either make or break how NextBox will do. Fanboyism or not will not have any factor in that.

27.4.2013 10:57 #27

Interestx

Originally posted by Mysttic: Yes there are fanboys out there, but most posters on afterdawn tend to sway neutral and just post relevant intelligent feedback If only (when it comes to game consoles...and OS') .

I don't know what you've been reading but many here seem to have decided that Microsoft are (as these guys invariably always claim with anything they do) going to bring in the worst possible option and the most costly intrusive stuff possible.
It just gets a bit boring reading the same old same old one-eyed bashing.

27.4.2013 14:31 #28

xtago

Originally posted by Jemborg: What does "...isn't as Draconian" mean? It means there's lots of rules and they MUST BE followed or nothing will happen or you will be kicked/banned.

I'm guessing he probably means the same deal as steam.

Where you need to be connected to have the game installed and to enter any keys for games, steam has a offline mode but if there's cloud saves etc it'll bitch that games can't cloud save etc and when starting the game will bitch about how it can't load up cloud saves.

It'll bitch about you not being connected when starting up and if you try to install a game while offline it may not allow this to happen at all (steam allows you to install game offline but you need to be connected to enter the keys) or allow the install but will bitch about you needed to enter a key and need to be online.

To be honest though of the last 2-3 years it would seem to me that you'd be silly to even bother buying an xbox if you didn't have a net connection as you need it to start up the account on a new xbox and it complains bitterly about not being online on the current xbox that you end up needing it anyway.

plus all the extras won't work so really overall it's pretty pointless complaining about the xbox needing net access when the current xbox is next to useless without net access anyway.

27.4.2013 20:05 #29

g_slide

Quote:
plus all the extras won't work so really overall it's pretty pointless complaining about the xbox needing net access when the current xbox is next to useless without net access anyway.
That's not true, the games are not useless the way it's currently setup now. The only feature you are losing from not being connected is:

1) Multiplayer
2) Game achievements for playing multiplayer
3) Updates to the game (i.e. Madden update roster)

The rest of the game is still very playable and who cares about the items I listed above, not everyone wants to play multiplayer and just want to play the campaigns.

28.4.2013 13:52 #30

Jemborg

Originally posted by g_slide: Quote:
plus all the extras won't work so really overall it's pretty pointless complaining about the xbox needing net access when the current xbox is next to useless without net access anyway.
That's not true, the games are not useless the way it's currently setup now. The only feature you are losing from not being connected is:

1) Multiplayer
2) Game achievements for playing multiplayer
3) Updates to the game (i.e. Madden update roster)

The rest of the game is still very playable and who cares about the items I listed above, not everyone wants to play multiplayer and just want to play the campaigns.
Yeah I don't use a net connection with my x360.

:)

---------------------------------------------------------------

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

29.4.2013 06:33 #31

mightyzog

I just think that having to subscribe to a service like XBL is rediculous and Microsoft should know better being in the PC market. This is just extortion, plain and simple. I use steam as an obvious comparison for the multiplayer part. The XBL subscription should come with owning the equipment. Microsoft is making money from the sale of the units and the licensing fees on the games. It's the subscription fee that I refuse to pay that has made me skip consoles the past few rounds.... I just keep upgrading my video card on my computer.

29.4.2013 08:37 #32

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