With the current topic of various motion controllers and their pricing gaining a lot of attention, just how much will everything cost and is Microsoft’s rumoured Kinect pricing too large?
It’s a hard question to answer considering the price of Kinect has still to be announced by Microsoft, but, going by the current favourite of $150, I’ve attempted to look at the overall cost for those wanting to become an owner of all the technology needed.
The following information is based on average prices on the internet. Cheaper versions may well exist if you shop around but this is based on people that would normally only use the larger retailers to buy from. Please note that the Kinect pricing is completely based on estimations at this time.
Single Player:
First off, let’s look at the single player. Perhaps living the batchelor/batchelorette life or perhaps the only person in a household interested in gaming. How much will it set him/her back?
| Prices for a Single Player Set up | ||
| Xbox 360 Slim | PlayStation 3 Slim | |
| 250 GB Console (incl. 1 controller) | £199.99 | £279.99 |
| Full Motion Control | £125* (Kinect) | £79.98 (PSEye, Move Controller and Sub Controller) |
| Online Gaming | £34.99 | FREE |
| Total | £359.98 | £359.97 |
| *Price for Kinect is estimated based on the current rumoured price of $150. Allowed for currency conversion and any additional charges that Microsoft may apply. | ||
Two Players:
Perhaps a young couple, perhaps two siblings, perhaps a single player and a friend, how much does it cost in this instance?
| Prices for a Two Player Set up | ||
| Xbox 360 Slim | PlayStation 3 Slim | |
| 250 GB Console (incl. 1 controller) | £199.99 | £279.99 |
| Full Motion Control | £125* (Kinect) | £149.96 (PSEye, Move Controller and Sub Controller) |
| Online Gaming (based on 2 separate accounts) | £69.98 | FREE |
| Additional Official Controller (s) (1 per player) | £29.99 | £34.99 |
| Total | £424.96 | £464.94 |
| *Price for Kinect is estimated based on the current rumoured price of $150. Allowed for currency conversion and any additional charges that Microsoft may apply. | ||
The Family:
Seeing as I doubt the Mafia will be sitting around waving their arms, the ‘Family’ of course refers to an average family of 4 or perhaps even a shared house where each resident wants to get involved. How will the prices be affected by multiple gamers?
| Prices for a Four Player Set up | ||
| Xbox 360 Slim | PlayStation 3 Slim | |
| 250 GB Console (incl. 1 controller) | £199.99 | £279.99 |
| Full Motion Control | £125* (Kinect) | £289.92** (PSEye, Move Controller and Sub Controller) |
| Online Gaming | £69.99*** | FREE |
| Additional Official Controller (s) (1 per player) | £89.97 | £104.97 |
| Total | £489.96 | £674.88** |
| *Price for Kinect is estimated based on the current rumoured price of $150. Allowed for currency conversion and any additional charges that Microsoft may apply. | ||
| **Based on 4 players playing at the same time using full controller set up. | ||
| ***Based on Microsoft’s recently announced Family Pack (4 Gold accounts using one Xbox in one household). | ||
So the PlayStation 3 actually costs more across 2 of these examples and only beats the Xbox 360 on price by a penny on the other, although it’s only fair to point out that the PS3 does include a Blu-Ray player as well. There are still arguments over which motion tech is the most accurate, but, either way, Microsoft appear to have the advantage.
This is complete speculation until the Kinect price is 100% officially confirmed by Microsoft. My estimations are logical but by no means should be taken as read. Kinect’s actual pricing could render all of the above incorrect!
I am also aware that Sony revealed a PS3 + PSEye + Move Controller bundle for $399.99, so, converted and allowing for a little extra, this is likely to be around £350. Kinect bundles may also drop the price of the combined units, too. Due to this uncertainty I have purposely not included bundles.
UPDATE:
Okay, it seems that some of you are seeing this as some kind of ‘attack’ on Sony. It’s not. I no longer own a 360 and doubt I will any time soon, unless I come into some money and can afford to pay for luxury items again. No, this is purely an attempt at providing some realistic numbers to soon-to-be-realeased technology. Things seem to have become a little confusing. So, in an effort to maintain my point and cut some confusion, let’s re-evaluate using a basic set up. Let’s work on the basis that the PlayStation Move can not handle 4 Move controllers and 4 Sub controllers by limiting it to 4 Move Controllers and 2 Sub controllers. Let’s also get rid of the additional official controllers as keep it just about motion, shall we?
| Prices for a Four Player Set up | ||
| Xbox 360 Slim | PlayStation 3 Slim | |
| 250 GB Console (incl. 1 controller) | £199.99 | £279.99 |
| Full Motion Control | £125* (Kinect) | £229.94 (PSEye, 4 Move Controllers and 2 Sub Controllers) |
| Online Gaming | £69.99** | FREE |
| Total | £489.96 | £509.93 |
| *Price for Kinect is estimated based on the current rumoured price of $150. Allowed for currency conversion and any additional charges that Microsoft may apply. | ||
| **Based on Microsoft’s recently announced Family Pack (4 Gold accounts using one Xbox in one household). | ||
Things have become a little more even. You happy? As long as Move will never be able to handle 4 of each type of controller then here’s a rough guide to the price differences. Let’s get one thing straight, I’m actually not a fan of motion controllers and have only recently been even remotely interested in PS Move.
Tanzil
does Kinect do 2+ players? i thought we didn’t know
cc_star
The tech recognises unlimited players which it is suspected will be pegged back to 4 players by the time Kinect is released because the processing & rendering of more than that will be prohibitive.
This is still to be announced which would suggest they’re still honing it
Mick939
Check related stories mate.
cc_star
A brand new Sony Blu-ray player for about £80-90 and a Wii with all the bits & bobs for around £200. Sorted.
Rob92
Right yeah cause the PS3 is nothing more than a HD Wii.
Wii has extremly poor games in comparison, your getting a lot better value. Besides we havent seen what either are capable yet, I hardly think its fair.
The consumer will make the decision on which one is best.
cc_star
wat?
Feckin’ joke Mr defensive
Although if you’re gonna debate the playability of Wii games and aren’t just confusing resolution with a great game, yes it may have many poor games (yes, it has loads) it also has quite a few of the best as well.
Not that I own one, but by the time the year is out I might.
nofi
Super Mario Galaxy 2 says hi. Easily the best game this gen.
fps_d0minat0r
i agree, people also make the mistake of thinking a game rated for example a 8 on wii is the same as a game rated 8 on the ps3. the 8 on the ps3 is much harder to earn.
Rob92
Ahhh right yeah, sorry Mr.OnlyMyOpnionIsRight! See I can be patronising too!
I had a Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 1 was good yeah but every system has to have a good game. Come back to me with 10 other excellent games and I’ll be impressed, its mainly a system with crappy ports and mediocre wagglefests. Something that Sony will do well to avoid on Wii.
Jesus, why one persons opinion holds more weight than others I dont know.
yogdog
I played mario galaxy 2 on the wii the other day nofster, not to my taste. Can see why it got such good scores though.
yogdog
Gotta agree with rob92 here cc, you have great points nearly all of the time, but some of your wording seems to be a bit patronising at times, said if other peoples valid points don’t matter. Just my opinion man, and I may read into your comments wrong, so please don’t hold it against me! :(
cc_star
There’s nothing patronising in my comment, neither in my initial joke, or my later response
And certainly nothing which warrants accusations that I believe my opinion is worth more than anything.
All I can see is overly defensive replies which are starting to border on attacks.
And do you really want a list of Wii games? what if they don’t fit your personal opinion, will I be accused of weighting my opinion higher than anyone elses again?
Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 (apparently), World Of Goo, Metroid Prime, Zelda, Resi4, Okami, Boom Blox 1 & 2, Mario Kart, de blob… and of course probably the most played game this gen Wii Bowling
Truth be told it probably take me longer to come up with a PS3 list where the games are as playable as those I’ve mentioned…
Rob92
Certainly not, because I’ve never once gotten defensive in my comments, my initial response was called sarcasm and my personal opinion. Granted I wrote my opinion in a way that may seem confrontational but you then went all patronising and defensive yourself.
Ive owned all 3 systems and Ive got nothing to be defensive of and I certainly dont need to justify my opinions in this way anyway.
And since Im not the only one who believes your comments are written in a dismissive and patronising way, perhaps its worth looking at it.
I dont want to cause arguments over differences in opinion (because this is clearly what it is) and I will look at my own way of writing comments but it does certainly grate on you when you read comments that are so dismissive and patronising in such a way that some of yours are. Especially on TSA.
Ryan1991
Not that I want to get involved but I didn’t see cc’s comments as patronising at all.
Roynaldo
Funny, yet silly, yet truthful, yet bullshit.
I dont know…. wierd is probs the best explanation of this conversation.
jimmy-google
I have to say I sold my wii due to a lack of games. My brother bought a lot (10-20ish) wii games at initially as well but now has 30+ ps3 games and the wii hasn’t been on in over a year.
There are a few wii games worth playing but it falls short in too many genres and there is a lack of choice for each genre.
Richteabiscuit
CRAB BATTLE!!!
tantalus_blank
I also agree with you Rob, if you don’t share the same opinion with cc, it’s usually because you’re “missing the point” or because you’re a clueless fanboy
FireasBall
Your right, it’s all about the people playing games. Some people like adventure games and others again Hardcore games. I personally think ps3 gives out the most to consumers.
?SPAM?
Mick939
All three, im seeing a penny difference on the first.
Parker
I was just about to say that.
The line “So the PlayStation 3 actually costs more across all three examples” is slightly incorrect, as in the first example, it’s cheaper (Albeit by only a penny).
Cadabena
For multiplayer, I think it’d be sensible to use Dual Shocks as subs for the extra players. So you can knock £90 off the 4 player one. Also, an extra £70 every year after for the 360.
cc_star
Have you tried holding one for more than 2mins then accurately pressing the L2 button without the controller becoming unseated in your hand? Almost impossible after a period of time.
squashme
actually thats very easy :) i do it alot
TSBonyman
I thinking that most games using the subcontroller will be ‘seated’ games so the sub or DS3 would most likely rest on your knees, or you would probably rest your hand on your knees depending how you grip the controller.
jikomanzoku
I found I had a similar issue but solved it with some “Gioteck Real Triggers”. Brilliant little things, though one of my ham fisted mates does always manage to ping them off during heated UFC fights.
Note – Trigger attachments may also be available from other manufacturers.
benny boy
Also, you cannot use 4 Move controllers and 4 sub-controllers at the same time!. It can only do up to 4 Move controllers at once on their own. And why would you need 4 Moves, 4 sub-controllers and 4 DualShock 3s? Seriously, these tables aren’t very useful as they’re not reflecting what people would actually buy.
I haven’t seen a single demo with 4 people using Move at the same time anyway. Normally it’s just 2 people using two Move controllers each or 2 people with just 1 controller each. I’ve had a Wii for a few years and whenever we are playing party games we only use 2 controllers at a time and just pass them round if necessary.
This article isn’t very helpful as some of it is also a bit misleading (like why would you get a 250GB PS3 over the 120GB? – it’s understandable for the 250GB Xbox as it will be the only alternative to the gimped Arcade unit after the 120GB unit is sold out.(Until they officially announce the 120GB Xbox Slim.))
I normally LOVE your stuff Gastos but this isn’t very well researched or thought out.
Apnomis
Exactly – some of these assumptions are very dubious. The type of Move games that will support 4 players will be Move controller only games. Also the Navigation controller is not necessary if you have a DualShock, it’s an optional addon for people that struggle to us a DualShock with one hand… I would also argue that based on the casual nature of Kinect games you could disregard the Nav controller entirely as the wave your hand type party games shown so far only use the Move controller.
While you would seriously consider a new model Xbox for full compatibility with Kinect without needing extra power etc, there is absolutely no reason why you would need a 250GB PS3, a 120GB would be more than sufficient, and if it was some misguided attempt to make the spec comparable then maybe you should add a standalone Blu-ray player in the Xbox section?! You can get a 120GB PS3 online for £230, and that ignores possible Move bundles for new purchasers…
Lastly you’re assuming there are many games that support 4 players at once, based on trailers seen so far the majority or games support no more than 2 players…
You are still missing the point that Move can be built up over time as an when extra controllers are required, Kinect requires a large upfront investment.
Also don’t forget that the UK pricing of Move is a complete piss take and this chart would be much more favourable in US$, AU$, and even €…
teddym
And I also doubt that 2 subcontrollers would be necessary, I haven’t seen a game where there have been 2 used. Most subcontroller games are single player anyway – Killzone 3, SOCOM 4
addyjones1234
I still don’t understand why you will need 4 sub controllers when you have included the pricing for 4 Ds3s, a DS3 can be used in the place of a subcontroller….
cc_star
Extra DS3’s would cost more than subs, would they not?
Mick939
But all seem to be added in there
squashme
yea plus you cant really add 4 DS3’s as theres 1 bundled with the PS3 anyway so youll only need to get 3
plus sony has also revealed a £350 bundle so it the price for a family one isnt £700 nearly its actualy alot cheaper or cheaper than the 360
plus sony have actually said that you dont need 4 move controllers you can use just 2 for multiple people as you can pass the controllers to other people so you dont to buy 4 so the move and ps3 is actually cheaper in all those comparisons
Mick939
I think the fact that move generally has alot more possibilities, with it actually have say buttons analogue sticks etc. kinda make it worth the price, I cant really see anything being played using kinect, well except catching a big red ball….
cc_star
Yes, unless MS has a big trick up their sleeve on current evidence it does look like Move has more possibilities across more game types for core gamers.
Mick939
Kinect controller
Pete_UK
This is where MS go ‘oh look, we can do big coloured balls too!’
Shame the webcam tech in Kinect is stuck at 30fps though, or it was last time I saw a spec sheet.
Parker
Also, the four player setup on the PS3 is slightly wrong, due to the limitations:
“Up to four Move controllers can be used at once (four Move motion controllers, or two Move motion controllers and two Move navigation controllers).”
Though, according to you, the four player setup for PS3 includes more than the 4 peripheral limit.. Though that could just be me reading it incorrectly..
Sambuque
You’re right. It’s limited to four motion contollers and the navigation controller counts as a motion controller. So a complete setup is composed of one pseye, four move controllers and two navigation controllers. A complete setup is also required for two players to enjoy the “full experience” as depending on the game, you could need two move, four move or two move and two sub.
The prices on the 2 players setup and family setup should be revised to approx. £235 rather than £149.96 and £289.92 respectively.
Sambuque
€ pricing would have been nice too.
Rob92
Does every game require the sub controller? No. Can you use the DS3? Yes.
Therefore its only a small handful of games that will use the DS3/SC and they’ll mostly be hardcore games anyway. The casual, where Move is aimed at will only use the Move most likely. Much like the Wii.
Mick939
Why have you kept adding controllers? They wouldn’t be needed, and as a base price the 360 controller tends to be 32.99 and ps3 34.99 (unless you shop at game, but at that point you should already realise your being ripped off and funding useless morons) So thats another pricing difference, but if you whip out a webpage with a 360 controller costing less we can keep doing the same. If anything the whol extra controllers should just say non needed on the ps3 bit.
52pickup
I don’t know anybody who actually own either 4 DS3s or 4 Wii-remotes. Most party games,you can use 1 controller and pass it around,at the most people would use 2. Very rare occasions you would see 4.
The initial price tag is what gets consumers to buy. Mums and dads don’t think about needing a second MOVE,they just look at the initial price tag and say “oh that’s cheaper than that one” or “we can always buy a second MOVE at a later date when we have the money”
I feel most people who adopt Sony and MS motion controllers are the ones who already own a PS3 or 360,as the other casuals will be content with their Wii.
stingraz
yes, exactly. You wouldn’t buy 4 controllers in the first place! 2 at most.
Gastos84
Okay, so remove 2 DS3, price goes down. But you also have to remove 2 xbox controllers because, according to you, no one buys 4, and behold, PS3 still comes out more expensive.
fps_d0minat0r
they forgot to add the cost of play and charge kit or endless cost of AA batteries for the xbox =)
also i doubt kinects games lineup will be anywhere near the quality of the ps move lineup and even if it does, it most probably wont be for 2 players on the same camera at the same time.
Jas-n
also forgot a 3DBDP – £200
that means the PS3 is cheaper in all listed aspects… WIN!
Pete_UK
I happen to own 3 DS3’s and one sixaxis, and 4 wiimotes – two of which are black and imported from China. 4 player mario or LBP = win!