Was Xbox One called Xbox 720, priced at $299? It would have been the ultimate console

While we have previously talked about Xbox 720 and Kinect 2.0, a recent explosive leak sheds more light on the subject. Microsoft originally planned to launch the Xbox One as Xbox 720, priced at $299, but the plan got shelved, and it instead released Xbox One at $499.

Back when it was released, Xbox One faced a lot of criticism, owing to Microsoft’s plans to make it the one-stop solution for entertainment, be it full XTV Support or online web content.

An Xbox console at $299 would surely have been more competitive pricing and should have placed Microsoft in a better position in the market. Besides, this would have attracted customers across the globe.

What does the recent leak tell us about the Xbox 720?

The leaked document, a PDF file, was first posted on Reddit, and was promptly removed by the moderators. But by then, it was downloaded by thousands of users, and we, too, managed to get a copy of the confidential document.

The most significant aspect, as gathered from the leak, is the pricing. With a COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) of $225, Microsoft planned to sell the Xbox 720 at $299. This is in line with Microsoft’s approach of earning profits through additional services and not the console (hardware).

The document explains the vision for the Xbox 720, compares the console to the existing competition, and lays out the plans for consumers, developers, operators, and OEMs, amongst other things.

For consumers, the Xbox 720 was meant to be The only box you need for premium living room entertainment, as per the document.

Besides, Microsoft was focused on increasing the customer base, providing an exclusive experience, creating more monetization opportunities, building a unified ecosystem to increase customer lifetime value, and targeting multiple platforms.

We have seen all these happening sooner or later. Microsoft offered the Xbox app on Windows, and it tried to integrate as many features into the later Xbox consoles.

But it seems like the only thing users wanted was a captivating gaming experience, which sort of didn’t see a massive upgrade over the years. As a result, the PlayStation outsold Xbox, and the trend continues to date. Though, Xbox is slowly catching up!

The recent leak also led users to question Don Mattrick’s role and his vision for Xbox during the period. He was criticized back then, and Microsoft replaced him with Phil Spencer as the CEO. That’s a story for another day!

Do share your take on the leak and whether the Xbox 720 would have been a better choice over Xbox One.