Channel 5

Xbox 720 to cost $99 with a subscription fee?

The Gadget Show  Wednesday 11 July 2012

Xbox 720 to cost $99 with a subscription fee?

When famous video game industry analyst Michael Pachter predicts things, people tend to listen. According to his latest prediction, the new Xbox will go on sale for just $99, alongside a monthly TV subscription, and be both your television and games console. It’s a bold prediction, but could he be right.

As Xbox 720 rumours continue to roll in, Pachter’s prediction is one of the boldest. Speaking at the Develop conference in Brighton, he said that the next Xbox will sell for just $99 and be “priced like a smartphone” with a subscription fee, with a cable TV provider in the US, and no doubt similar here in the UK.

Xbox 720 rumoured for 2013, six times more powerful than Xbox 360

You’ll be able to watch your TV through it. He said that the Xbox 720 will continue the trend for consoles to be multi-purpose devices. “You won’t need a ‘smart TV’ when you’ve got an Xbox 720” Pachter predicted, as reported by Inc Gamers.

“It will be you television and your internet” and be able to “display television to as many screens as you have in your possession” with “multiple TV channels in different windows,” using Microsoft’s SmartGlass technology to stream different channels to different screens.

So, that’s a games console and TV, with the potential to play games and stream content to other screens without having to invest in multiple consoles. All for $99 with a monthly fee. How does that sound, gadget fans?

Its success would depend on just how much a subscription fee would actually cost, but with millions of gamers already paying a monthly subscription for premium services such as Xbox Live and PlayStation Plus, it appears that many of us would already be willing to pay if it means receiving a premium service.

One question remaining is what non-subscribers would get for purchasing just the console, and where the line between default services and premium services lie. What would you expect for a monthly fee? 
 Naturally, we ask readers to take the above with a pinch of salt, but for even more Xbox 720 rumours, hit the link below. 


Xbox 720: five hot rumours about the next-gen console

User comments

Be the first one to leave a comment.

Join Channel 5

Creating an account is free, will only take a few moments and will allow you to enjoy the full benefits of 5FWD and Channel 5:

  • Create lists of your most wanted and owned products
  • Leave article comments without having to re-enter your login details
  • Get updated with all the latest gadget and car news

Leave a comment

Please note that we will not expose your email, but we might use it to email you back. Links may be included in your comments but HTML is not permitted.
* mandatory field

Jason Bradbury

Jason has been on The Gadget Show since day one. Before he joined us, he could be seen popping up on The Big Breakfast, hosting The Web Review for ...

Profile

Pollyanna Woodward

Pollyanna has previously worked on the online tech show techworld.tv and is a geek's dream woman: gorgeous and obsessed with tech. She's also a bit...

Profile

Rachel Riley

Rachel made her television debut in 2009 when she took over from Carol Vorderman as the numbers expert on Countdown. Rachel studied maths at Oxford...

Profile

Jon Bentley

Jon Bentley returns as The Gadget Show’s chief gadget tester, completing the show’s strongest line up ever.

Profile

The Gadget Show tests the latest gadgets and technology and tells you, the viewers exactly what kit to buy. We also value your comments and feedback.

For Gadget Show website queries email the studio

For any other enquiries or complaints – email our customer services department