Could sales of the Xbox Elite be ending?

Fudzilla: We have been following a rumor that we have been hearing from a couple of our sources that suggests Microsoft may be ending the sale of the Xbox 360 Elite in many parts of the world, with the Elite moving into a more limited edition role in the Xbox 360 console line up.

The story that we are hearing goes something like this… Microsoft will stop taking orders for the Xbox 360 Elite at some point during the second quarter and allow inventory of the Elite consoles to start to run down. The majority of retailers would prefer just a low-end and a high-end console, so this change will be made during the second quarter, which is the fourth fiscal quarter for Microsoft.

Once inventory is depleted, the Elite system will move to more of a limited edition role that will be available only at select retailers, and likely only in North America and Europe. The Elite consoles that will be available in these areas sbould be more like the recent Resident Evil 5 Red Elite Limited Edition console, rather than the standard Elite package that Microsoft has offered in the past.

[Cherchez La Ghost]

I don't get it. If they're phasing out the Elite, they must be planning for something else to take the Elite's place. I'm not big on rumors. I'll take this story as a grain of salt.

[Handsome_Devil]

at least wait s month, I'm planning to get an Elite, just that I'm moving to another country for school, I've decided to wait until i finish my move and get it.

[Elven6]

Two theories,

1. They are doing this to replace old units with Jaspers

2. The Elite will be phased out and the Premium will get a 120GB upgrade to take its place. The only thing you will lose is color variation.

[GiantEnemyCrab]

Montreafart you are being ridiculous man... Please go bless the Open Zone with your nonsense and leave rational game discussion to the Gamer Zone. MS getting out of the console biz?? You actually believe that?? 360 not an HD console??

These comments are so asinine I shouldn't even have to explain why.

You keep on representing the PS3!!

OnTopic: This is nothing but a rumor with no source to back it up. Either way, it certainly doesn't mean the end of the 360. Maybe even an introduction of a 360 slim version.

[slak]

yes

[y0haN]

The Elite is a moot piece of hardware now. The 60GB hard disk is more than enough space for anyone out there and anyone willing to spend £80 more for a 60GB HDD increase and a black finish might as well buy a PS3.

[MrWonderful]

i hope not either. my last one broke and i sold it on ebay. im planning on getting another one but i dont want that ugly ass red one that coming out

[Darkseider]

See I said >>IF<< In any case if true it proves one thing and that is the XBox 360 although selling well due to its' $199 price is a dying console. The PS3 at $400 continues to put up comparable weekly numbers and even outsold the XBox 360 worldwide this past week even if only by a small margin. Seeing this when the PS3 gets its' price cut all bets are off as to how the rest of the year will play out OR for that matter if Microsoft will respond with yet another price cut of its' own.

[king dong]

a few contradictions there. but i suppose you should be excused seeing as your one of the worst sony fanboys on here.

it's selling well but is dying?? they're making a profit off of every console sold unlike sony, but it's dying? it's already surpassed the first one yet is dying? has loads of games, and nearly 10mil paying live subscribers yet is dying?

sonys comparable weekly numbers come because of the playstation name, and a few other things...but mostly the name. no other platform holder could sell consoles at the price.

it's more likely that the premium destroys the elites sales, and it's easier to have a two sku strategy. you sony fanboys just spout the most nonsense...lol

[Kushan]

Darkseider, if there's one thing Microsoft is VERY good at, it's making money. Right now, the economy is in a bit of a mess and although I'd take this article with more than a pinch of salt (The site is a relative to the Inquirer - a site notorious for blatantly making stuff up), it does actually make a lot of sense to do a move like this and doesn't indicate a "dying" console, it just indicates that right now, there's no need to have 3 different versions of it.

[Hiruma Youchi]

SLim X360 on its way? E3 09?

[joydestroy]

that's what i'm hoping for. a slimmed version with the power source inside. the power source inside will prob never happen though.

[cryymoar]

how can they slim the xb360 more if the PSU is on the outside?
That's one of the big reasons why the PS2 went from large to slim, because the PSU went from inside to out. This method falsely makes the system look smaller, simply by relocating the power unit.

[Nexy]

Well, that'd be nice. Personally I really dislike the current design. I find Wii and PS3's look much more appealing.

A slim black version of X360 would be really nice, indeed.

[GiantEnemyFlop]

yes

[Zeus Lee]

Like I said in the other post,it appears that the Elite was the weakest link a'k'a was selling horribly in comparison to the Arcade and/Premium.

Microsoft aren't known for axing products without good reason,and 9 out of 10 times the reason is failure of great performance in the market.

[Kushan]

Or maybe the market has changed a little? You know, economic recession and all that...

[Hallucinate]

in other words..failing to do greatly in the market

[pippoppow]

Why buy an elite for the same price as a PS3. At $400 it's value pales in comparison to the PS3 which includes a blu-ray player and Wi-Fi. Most people most likely have the Arcade followed closely by the Premium skus and The Elite being over priced is probably a distant 3rd. There really shouldn't be more than $50 difference between skus anyways.

[ceedubya9]

It would be better if the Elite just took the place of the Pro console. But whatever works. Hopefully they put out a slim model 360 at some point. But I'd have to wonder how that would work with the current HDDs. They would look rather funky sitting on a slimmed down 360.

[joydestroy]

at that point they would prob introduce new hdds as well. so you would see the bigger and smaller ones for early and new adopters.

[kewlkat007]

Get..get..getcha your popcorn ready...

[Mr_Potato_]

Ah ah first closing studios and now giving up on some models... Looks like the 360 is taking the Dreamcast road to the death.

Mine has been collecting dust for months anyway, I only play with my PS3 now, there's nothing to play anymore on the xbox...

[v1c1ous]

why are you so obvious ;-; *slim coming*

[Major_Tom]

Doubt it. External HDD alone is bulk and they have make those universal.

[taco_tom237]

i like the elite if they stop selling the elite i wont buy another 360

[DrRage77]

i am in agreement with the people that are pointing the most logical reason for this....the economy is bad, and by phasing out the elite, microsoft will have 2 options for consumers...a $199 and $299 console....BAM...instant price drop without actually dropping the price!

i would also assume that microsoft is realizing no one is going to keep buying the elite when the only difference is 60gb in hd space and the black color. when the pro only had a 20gb harddrive, paying an extra $100 wasn't too bad for huge increase in harddrive storage....but now that the pro has a 60gb hd standard, it seems silly to shell out that extra $100 for double the space. 60gb is pretty darn hefty for a gaming console anyways (

i have an elite but if the pro had been born with a 60gb hd, i would have bought that one instead and saved the extra $100

$199 and $299 price point in todays economy is smarter...now it puts mroe pressure on sony to drop the price of the ps3 so that people that have been holding out (it's getting ridiculous that people have to hold out for like 3 years for the price of a console to drop) can actually buy one.

[cpt_kaos]

Maybe the Elite is selling so well at it's price considering it's no more relaible than any other variation of this disaster of a console.

[pshizle]

when the hard drive in on the outside!

[Hallucinate]

and the power brick. i guess they could take out the fan and put it on the outside =D or they could sell it as seperate thing...i can see MS doing the latter

[SprayandPreycom]

in a black case mine crashed with the new xne download was such a sad day and had to next day go out and buy new 200 box to pad microsofts numbers

[gameman]

are you saying that your continuously buying 360's???

[Droid Control]

I have an ELITE. But i also want a bigger hard drive. If this rumoured 300GB hard drive comes to pass, i want to buy one.

But heres the snag! The elite hard drive is BLACK - to match the console. But all of M$ other hard drives are standard grey...

Will the new 300GB be grey also? Because that would make my console look odd... or will M$ release a balck version of the 300GB hard drive for ELITE fans wishing to upgrade further?

Press AGREE if yes, DISAGREE if no -----

[gameman]

the 360 is @ the end of his life cycle and you want them to upgrade the hard drive???

[denied]

NAH NAH NAH HEY HEY GOODBYE!!! SING WITH ME.

[Naucious]

I will not even give such a pointless article the dignity of my comment.....

lol wait i just did

[denied]

that MS is pulling out the elite(Wait a sec,Why call the system elite when is the same crap as the normal ones?)I personally would never buy one or would want one, I have seen the games,the bad news about the console yet people with brains that waisting money,would still buy a new one right after there system brakes a week after buying it from best-buy.I have only bought 2 PS3 one I sold for money and the other I use. You xbox fan buy system after system cuz you guys don't think about what is a great system, and please DON'T SAY THAT THE 360 IS A SUPERB SYSTEM. I hate to brake it to you all but you got sucker into thinking that it was gona be a great thing.

P.S. 360 is not a next gen console, they use dvd9 the same stuff they used for GTA San Andreas and MGS3.

[Naucious]

wow your starting stuff there buddy?

But I had a recent incident earlier about my comment so imma say it like this...

YOu know by stating what you stated theres going to be all types of idiotic fanboys going to crucify you lmao but I guess your prepared for that or else you wouldnt have said it

with that being said I agree with you I dont understand what drives someone to constantly buy a faulty system. I got a few guys that are on there 3rd if not 4th system lol crazy if you have money like that i guess share it with me cuz i need it, n e ways i digress....

i guess the only answer to that is that they already heavy invested in the system such as games and peripherials that they have no choice but to buy another one or else start over with a new system such as PS3 or Wii.

[Droid Control]

it has at least 2 nore years...