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Chris Leigh
23 Aug, 2005

Xbox 360 Oblivion 'benefits from HDD'

360 News | Forthcoming RPG could set worrying precedent for those without X360 HDDs.
Last week, we reported on how Microsoft was intending to launch two different flavours of it's forthcoming Xbox 360 console. The cheaper of the two packages, known as the X360 Core System, was to come without a hard disk, whilst the pricier bundle, known as the X360 Premium System, would come with a 20GB hard disk equipped, for those of us who earn a little more green than everybody else. It all sounded fairly straightforward to us. You know, in an elitist, my-360's-better-than-your-360 sorta way.

Except that now, developer Bethesda Softworks has gone and thrown a big, fat, shiny spanner in the works by admitting that it's forthcoming RPG, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, will benefit from being played on an Xbox 360 system that's equipped with a hard disk. Which is great news, if you've actually bought an Xbox 360 with the hard disk included. So now we're confused all over again.

'We've known since day one that there would be versions of the 360 without a hard drive, so Oblivion will still work on every 360,' the game's executive producer told PALGN. 'That being said, Oblivion takes full advantage of the hard drive and uses it extensively, so we'd certainly recommend that everyone gets one.'

Understandably, that's one recommendation that sets alarm bells ringing for future Xbox 360 software. This is the first X360 game that PALGN has heard of where the optional hard disk enhances the game in some way (Bethesda refused to specify exactly how the playing experience would be altered with a HDD in place), and it certainly raises questions about the ramifications of other future X360 games requiring the HDD if they're to be enjoyed fully. What's next? Extra levels for HDD owners whilst the paupers amongst us miss out? Less polygons in Joanna Dark's nose? The future's a scary place indeed.

Anyway, we'll be monitoring this situation closely over the next few weeks, so check back for more in the near future.

Related Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Content

Pre E3 2007: Oblivion: Game of the Year edition on the way
10 Jul, 2007 Everything tied up in a neat little package.
Bethesda producing no more Oblivion expansions
18 Apr, 2007 They want to concentrate on new project.
More Shivering Isles information
06 Jan, 2007 Oblivion expansion confirmed, details within.
14 Comments
7 years ago
i wonder if the difference will be comparable to those N64 games with and without the expansion pack, or whether it's going to mean several memory cards are needed if you don't get a HDD
7 years ago
From memory the N64 expansion pack came with most games that required the extra memory as an option. Otherwise the game didn't work full stop and throws up a red message.

Be really surprised if a publisher made a game that ran half baked without a HDD. It costs too much money for the development and the bad publicity.

I suspect the game packaging will have a warning label like the N64 packaging did if a HDD was critical.

Be even more surprised if Sony didn't offer a couple of models as they have hinted all the time there maybe different PS3s.

Having looked at a couple of rant threads I believe the underlying issue is the price point rather than the separate bundles. The separate bundles is an easy target for discussion.
7 years ago
It could end up like the N64 and the expansion pack thing, but it would effect every game from launch onwards unlike the expansion pack affecting a few games towards the end of the console's life...
7 years ago
i actually wonder how many people aren't going to buy the HDD X360 anyway...

seperately, the HDD costs 100 Euros, which is the difference between the packages... and the memory cards are 35Euros...

i can see where the value lies between the packages... though i suppose i can understand why some people would get the cheap package...
7 years ago
Oooooohhh i can see the day when game, just like the n64+ expansion as mentioned-i can see they day when, in small print, on the backside of a game case will be the message-'Not compatible with poor man's xbox 360'.

Could this be a shrewd marketing ploy by ms.Could everyone buy the cheap version of the 360 and think to themselves 'wow that was cheap', then play some games for a year or so with no hassles, and then later on be forced to buy a HD and all that other crap, only thinking 'ah well-its only another $XXX.XX more, it still worked out cheaper in the long run to buy the poor mans 360(<--wrong)

Jibbs no like-bad medicine.
7 years ago
^NO!!! i guess i will only be getting the poor mans machine no matter what. icon_sad.gif
7 years ago
Im getting the rich mans verison, so I have no worries.
7 years ago
Oh god he's loaded too, like Big Pete!! am i the only poor person here, apart from mangaman? I'm goning to have many sleepless nights worrying about how to make money. icon_razz.gif
7 years ago
If all you guys laid off that crack for a week you could afford it.

Oops did i just think that or type that icon_lol.gif

Kidding guys kidding
7 years ago
Hmm.... maybe i would be so poor if i chose not to just save towards InuYasha stuff, which is awsome icon_biggrin.gif.
7 years ago
Hell I'd buy two of the real ones if:
a) They charged fairly for it (£220 is still more than the Americans are paying for the big one.
b) I could install Tiger on it.
7 years ago
'Could this be a shrewd marketing ploy by ms.Could everyone buy the cheap version of the 360 and think to themselves 'wow that was cheap''

Basically, yea. The £209.99 package is there for pricing/marketing purposes - go to Amazon and you can already see the banners proclaiming, 'Xbox 360: From £209.99'. It's a savvy marketing move by Microsoft but it could backfire; confusing your customers and also having games that don't fully perform without a HDD isn't a great idea, but then there was always the risk of this happening.
7 years ago
Have we been told yet that the Xbox 360 needs the HDD for backwards compatibility? I've stumbled across a rumour photo of an Xbox 360 brochure... icon_confused.gif
7 years ago
GTPod wrote
Have we been told yet that the Xbox 360 needs the HDD for backwards compatibility? I've stumbled across a rumour photo of an Xbox 360 brochure... icon_confused.gif
Probably, it might not though as the 360 has upwards of 8 times the RAM of the original. Also the HDD will not improve graphics performance but loading speeds.
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  Pre-order or buy:
    PALGN recommends: www.Play-Asia.com

Australian Release Date:
  Out Now
European Release Date:
  Out Now
Publisher:
  2K Games
Developer:
  Bethesda
Players:
  1

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