Report hints at Xbox 360 price drop |
There’s some proof in numbers when it comes to recent game console sales and lately the Nintendo Wii seems to have the magic formula. It looks like Microsoft may have been taking some notes on the Wii’s success and in a report from Bloomberg they hint at a price cut coming for the Xbox 360.
“We are well aware that the sweet spot of the market is really 199 bucks,’” said David Hufford, director of Xbox product management, in the Bloomberg report. The current Xbox 360 sells for $300 to $400 depending on the model, and the Xbox 360 Elite goes for $480.
Microsoft also says it has plans of bringing on more family-targeted games and re-organizing retail displays to bring more attention to these types of titles, which also falls in line with mimicking the success shown by the Nintendo Wii.
Dropping the Xbox 360 price point down to under $200, or even to match the Wii’s price at $250, would be quite a significant price drop and most likely a difficult balancing act in order for Microsoft to be more competitive in console sales along with staying profitable.
Analysts are speculating that some type of price drop for the Xbox 360 is expected as soon as September in order to be ready for Christmas. If Microsoft wants to sell more games at a profitable price they will need to sell more consoles, even if it’s at a loss.
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September would be a perfect time to do a 360 price drop. Not only does MS have some amazing titles lined up for September, including Halo 3, but they would probably beat Sony’s own rumored price cut of the PS3. A significant price cut would also put a lot of pressure on Nintendo. The Wii has had this entire price bracket to itself since launch.
It sounds like MS has been planning this price cut for a while with all the leaked news on the internet regarding ways of cutting expensive including manufacturing a smaller cpu for the 360.
If MS makes the price cut in September they would make an absolute killing this holiday season and might scratch the PS3 from the market all together.
I really hope that the price does drop because im despreately trying to save up for a 360 for halo 3. And if the 360 does drop in price then I think this will seriously damage the ps3 and it may
mean that they will be able to stay ahead on nintendo.
I think they should lower the price of the premium to 200, lower the price of the elite to 280, Lower the price of games to 50$ tops, make LIVE free, and cut the useless core alltogether. If they did this before halo 3 and christmas……they WILL succeed in finishing of the ps3 with a powerful last hit (except for in japan) and they will succeed in catching the wii by its tail..uh..i mean its wii. If the 360 manages to get FF13 (Final Fantasy 13) and MGS4 (Metal Gear Solid 4) you can bid the ps3 farewell in japan as well, and it will catch up to nintendo in japan too. Either way I beleive that the PS3 will someday perish. (man i really miss SEGA…)
They should package Halo 3 with the Elite. I’m sure they will. Perfect Xmas gift.