For those of you who are still on the fence of whether or not to buy a system, or whether you want an Xbox, a PS3, or a Wii, having all the facts makes the decision making process that much easier.
Each system has its own merits, but out of the three systems, the Xbox 360 has the most perks, the biggest library, and the most played network.
Here are some commonly asked questions about the Xbox 360 for new owners or those looking to expand or upgrade their system collection.
How much is it going to cost?
Well the system itself comes in 4GB and 250GB models which are $199 and $299 respectively or bundles with the Kinect accessory and/or games for about $100 more each ($299 and $399 if you’d like to skip the math). New games are $50-60 for standard editions while older games can be found new as low as $20 or even lower if purchased used.
Xbox Live Silver is free, but if you want to get the most from your online experience, Gold service is purchasable in 1, 3, and 12 month subscriptions for $8, $20, and $50, the yearly subscription saving you the most money over time. Points for the Xbox Live marketplace (required to purchase DLC, Add-Ons, and Arcade games) are $20 for 1600 points and scales up or down from there for more or less points at a time.
Do I need to purchase Gold to play online?
Simple answer, yes. Gold service is required for the online play of all but a handful of games. However, Gold also gives you access to party chat, advanced search and dashboard features, and special deals on games, DLC, and new releases through the Xbox Live Marketplace so it’s more than worth it to pick up if you have the extra cash.
Is the Kinect any fun?
That’s a really subjective answer, but looking at the sales figures alone, lots of people think it is. It’s not anything like the Wii or Playstation Move motion gaming systems, you play as the controller yourself, getting you fully up off your couch to enjoy a unique and immersive gaming experience. In addition, you can expand the functions of non-Kinect games through voice commands, share pictures, and even video chat with other Kinect owners. It really is an incredibly versatile accessory and they’re expanding its function all the time.
Will I need to get a new or bigger hard drive if mine gets full?
With older “pop-top” hard drive models of Xbox, once the space was full you either had to clean out game saves or DLC that you weren’t using if you wanted to add more or upgrade the hard drive entirely. The new models, however small 4GB seems, is actually more space than before. The new hard drives are expandable with any kind of external USB hard drive (official or not, no matter what Microsoft will want to tell you) so worrying about space over time really isn’t an issue.
What do you mean it’s the most played network?
It’s s simple as the statement itself. While the Wii’s online capabilities are limited to a few games and the Playstation Network is plagued by security issues and a general lack of players outside of some big name games, Xbox Live has the most players playing the most games all around the world. If you want to be connected to the network that has the highest number of people online to play with, Xbox Live is really your best choice.
The Xbox 360 was one of the first consoles to break into the “new age” of gaming and even today it still stands strong as the top contender in the console war. If you’re looking for a console that will have everything you might be looking for guaranteed, the Xbox 360 should be on your shopping list.
