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REDMOND, Wash. — March 31, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that they are cutting the Xbox 360 Core System from it's product lineup, and discontinuing support for it effective immediately. This comes after Sony's announcement to make a hard drive a standard feature for it's upcoming PlayStation 3 console. Microsoft is also pressuring 3rd party developers to make their games require the hard drive add-on, in order to get existing Core System customers to buy the hard drive add-on.


Understandably, Microsoft's latest move has caused some criticism from the gaming world.


After the announcement, we managed to get ahold of the Connecticut GameStop regional manager, Tyler Banks. "This is ridiculous, really," he said. "Microsoft made two packages for a reason: The premium package for the hardcore gamer who needs everything, and the Core System for the more casual gamer who doesn't need boatloads of downloadable content. Now that Sony has revealed more of their plans with the PlayStation 3, Microsoft is attempting to one-up Sony, all at the expense of the consumers who went out and spent 300 bucks on the Core System. That's 100 bucks extra for this now 'required' hard drive, which is only a third of the size of PS3's (360: 20gb, PS3: 60gb - Capn) and they've essentially paid the SAME PRICE for the premium package, only without all the other accessories."


Certainly, one would see this decision as a bit, well, wrong, but Microsoft's own Peter Moore had this to say:


"While some people may criticize us for this, 1 year from now everybody will be thanking us for improving their gaming experience. The Xbox 360 hard drive will empower gamers to reach a higher plataeu, both in the gaming world, as well as in the real world. The future is nigh, and we are the ones to deliver it. While adoption may be slow, this minor crisis will not be the end of us. It is but one last hurdle before the Journey and salvation!"


Calls to his office about what he was possibly high on were not returned as of press time.


Certainly, Microsoft would never be in this hole if they had just settled on one SKU with the built in hard drive, rather than splitting it's customer base into two groups, which is a business strategy that Sony hopes to trounce with it's upcoming PlayStation 3, which is rumored to be due this November with a built-in 60 gigabyte hard drive.

"...It is but one last hurdle before the Journey and salvation!"

Calls to his office about what he was possibly high on were not returned as of press time.

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:This smells like it was planned from the get-go.

Stark wrote:I had heard ages ago that the 'core' system would never be available in AU, as it was a US-only thing.

Stark wrote:I had heard ages ago that the 'core' system would never be available in AU, as it was a US-only thing.

Dominus Atheos wrote:So... Is it an april fools joke or not?

"While some people may criticize us for this, 1 year from now everybody will be thanking us for improving their gaming experience.
The Xbox 360 hard drive will empower gamers to reach a higher plataeu, both in the gaming world, as well as in the real world.
The future is nigh, and we are the ones to deliver it.
While adoption may be slow, this minor crisis will not be the end of us. It is but one last hurdle before the Journey and salvation!"

Praxis wrote:April Fools

This topic was a test. It effectively proves that:
No one EVER clicks the source article.

Go ahead, read what IGN has to say about it

skyman8081 wrote:

Praxis wrote:April Fools

This topic was a test. It effectively proves that:
No one EVER clicks the source article.

Go ahead, read what IGN has to say about it

O RLY?

I just couldn't be arsed to reply.