How did you get your Wii?

[Arnwyn]

Interesting theory.

However since Microsoft did it first, long before the PS3 was even remotely ready for retail, I'd say it's pretty much Microsoft's fault. Almost 'by definition', so to speak.

 

[John Crichton]

Yeah, I blame MS for the stupid multi-SKUs and then Sony followed with similar stupidity.

 

[Felon]

Interesting theory.

However since Microsoft did it first, long before the PS3 was even remotely ready for retail, I'd say it's pretty much Microsoft's fault. Almost 'by definition', so to speak.

Yeah, I blame MS for the stupid multi-SKUs and then Sony followed with similar stupidity.

Seems to me that if you're assigning fault, it doesn't matter who did it first, just who did it.

Then again, I'm not hearing what's so bad about providing different SKU's, which are basically just three different package deals for people who have different price points. I like my XBox with HDMI ports and 120 GB HDD, but I can certainly see why someone else doesn't need that stuff.

 

[drothgery]

Then again, I'm not hearing what's so bad about providing different SKU's, which are basically just three different package deals for people who have different price points. I like my XBox with HDMI ports and 120 GB HDD, but I can certainly see why someone else doesn't need that stuff.

Several reasons.

The first is customer confusion. You don't want people wondering which version to buy, especially when (as with the PS3) it's impossible to upgrade the lower-priced versions to have all the functionality of the higher-priced versions.

The second is cost. Unless you cut out a lot of functionality between versions, it's likely that what you save by cutting components you'll lose by having smaller manufacturing runs and imperfect estimation of how many of each SKU to make. That's why Sony's slow-motion cancelling everything but the 40GB PS3, and why shortly after the Elite launched, all the other Xbox 360 models got HDMI (so the only variations among Xbox 360 SKUs are hard drive size, accessories, and case color; they all have the same motherboard).

 

[Elephant]

Mine was a Christmas present.

I felt like a five-year-old again when I realized what I was opening

 

[Felon]

Several reasons.

Guess I should clarify: I don't see where multiple SKU's are bad for the consumer. The companies would obviously like everyone to buy the same model.

 

[Shadeydm]

I saw a Best Buy add for a sale that started last Sunday and it said that every store was going to have a minimum of 15 consoles. So we went to Best Buy that Sunday morning 30 minutes prior to the opening. Someone came out and handed out tickets so that we didn't have to stand out in the cold for 30 minutes. Once it the store opened we walked in and picked it up. They had at that particular BB around 54 consoles.

 

[drothgery]

Guess I should clarify: I don't see where multiple SKU's are bad for the consumer. The companies would obviously like everyone to buy the same model.

Well, as per above, it's not always obvious which SKU to buy if there are multiple SKUs with different functionality (as opposed to just different colors or stuff like that). And if multiple SKUs results in higher costs for the producer (which Sony's current multi-SKU setup always does, and MS's setup does if they don't guess right on the allocation), then they may well result in higher costs for the consumer, too.

 

[John Crichton]

Seems to me that if you're assigning fault, it doesn't matter who did it first, just who did it.

Sure. I can't dislike that MS did it and absolve Sony when they did the same thing.

Then again, I'm not hearing what's so bad about providing different SKU's, which are basically just three different package deals for people who have different price points. I like my XBox with HDMI ports and 120 GB HDD, but I can certainly see why someone else doesn't need that stuff.

I can, too. My issue is more with how the system was put together and marketed just to undercut cost. The biggest fault with the 360 is that devs are told they must make their games to work w/o the hard drive. That limits things they can do.

PS3 is bad with their multiple SKUs and BC, but that's less of an issue for me.

 

[Asmor]

Sure. I can't dislike that MS did it and absolve Sony when they did the same thing.

I can, too. My issue is more with how the system was put together and marketed just to undercut cost. The biggest fault with the 360 is that devs are told they must make their games to work w/o the hard drive. That limits things they can do.

PS3 is bad with their multiple SKUs and BC, but that's less of an issue for me.

Definitely the biggest problem with the Xbox 360. The fact that it can't be assumed a user has a hard drive.