This week, Microsoft announced that there will be a special Titanfall Xbox One Bundle that includes both the standard console AND a downloadable copy of one of the most anticipated games of 2014, Titanfall, for $499. Doing little to no math at all will lead you to see that purchasers of this bundle will get Titanfall for FREE. Now, as a purchaser of the Xbox One on launch day, I can’t help but wonder if I, along with every other early adopter of the console, are almost being punished for buying during the first three months. But then again, with the way PS4 is outselling the Xbox, it’s hard to argue that this bundle isn’t a good idea. I can see both sides of the story.
[promo title=”What About Us?”][/promo]
Early adopters often lose a bit in the long run. After a year or two of a console’s life, there is an inevitable redesign or price drop that us early console buyers don’t get to take advantage of, seeing as we were so eager to purchase at launch. However, you don’t see this kind of thing happening within the first three or four months of a console’s lifespan. Titanfall, Xbox One’s first marquee title, the title they hope will make a run at Game of the Year 2014, is being given away for free for those buying this new bundle. A brand new game, given away for free, as a reward for those who waited until now to buy the new system. Seems kind of backwards? Shouldn’t the ones who bought the system at launch be the ones who are rewarded?
I’m never one to whine or complain about a company’s changes or price drops because I’m not at the company dealing with day to day operations or worrying about sales figures. But, in the case of the Titanfall bundle, I can’t help but complain a little.
[promo title=”What About Them?”][/promo]
It’s no secret that the Xbox One is struggling, especially when compared to the PS4. In January, Sony’s console nearly doubled the Xbox One in sales. A move to decrease that gap obviously needed to be made. That’s why the announcement of the Xbox One’s price drop in the UK came as no surprise to anyone.
The Titanfall Xbox One Bundle is, admittedly, a solid idea from a console sales point. Consumers who were waiting to pick up that Xbox because there were no new, interesting IPs can now have the console and that new IP for the same $499 price tag. It will get more consoles into the market, it will get people talking even more about Titanfall, and it should increase software sales across the board as most Xbox One purchasers will probably want a story/campaign based title along with Titanfall. It’s a solid plan that Microsoft is executing and those who were waiting until now should definitely pre-order the Titanfall Xbox One Bundle. It would just be nice for us Day One/Month One/Month Three owners to be recognized too.
What do you think, current Xbox One owners? Do we deserve a little something for our loyalty or is this just the way business has to be?