Microsoft announced that its new game console, the Xbox One X, is going to cost $500. It might seem expensive and a crazy thing to do, but this new console is designed for a different type of customer and Microsoft is confident about its sales, though they know it won’t be the most popular and lucrative product of 2018.
According to Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft’s Xbox Operations, the Xbox one X is definitely a great idea because there are customers that are looking for more powerful consoles. The launch of the new Xbox One X will be on November 7.
“The thing that we should all realize is that that customer buys a lot of games,” Spencer said. “That customer plays a lot of games.”
Who is going to buy the new Xbox One X?
Microsoft’s recent announcement about the launch of their new console has people a little puzzled, especially for the new price tag of the Xbox One X. It is not the first time that Microsoft launches such an expensive console. Actually, the Xbox One was launched in 2013, and it cost $500 too, making it stay far behind of its competition, Sony’s PlayStation 4, which cost $400 but managed to sell the double than the Xbox One.
Microsoft understands this argument and perception, according to Spencer. For example, they are aware that the Xbox One X won’t the most sold product next year. It can’t compete with Microsoft’s Xbox One S, which costs $250.
“We’re gonna sell more Xbox One S consoles next year than we will Xbox One X,” he said.
However, he said that the Xbox One X is designed for a particular type of customer – the best game customer – the one who buys and plays a lot of games. He said that this console will have a good market and that Microsoft is excited to see who are going to buy this new console, which will be available on November 7.
Spencer: ‘You’ve got a person who really wants a premium experience’
The new console is capable of powering 4K gaming, which is better than HD. According to the company, there is an audience that wants to buy exactly what this console offers. People who have a 4K TV want to take advantage of it with games that provide that quality. Obviously, this audience is a minority, but it is good enough to create products just for them because Microsoft is not the only one doing so. A lot of companies are trying to create better and more powerful console even if they are more expensive.
“We get some interest from PC people who have been playing 4K games on their PCs now for a while, and say, ‘OK here’s a console that can play a true 4K game with a controller sitting on my couch.’ And I think a lot of the other people have a current-generation console and are looking for a premium experience and something that really looks different.”
Certainly, the Xbox one offers a unique premium experience. One of the first games it will run is “Metro: Exodus.”
Source: Business Insider