Xbox 360 price slashed 13% in Japan

Microsoft just trimmed 13% of the price from its Xbox 360 console in Japan. The move comes on the heels of Sony's own PS3 slash and bare-bones 40GB PS3 console launch -- a move resulting in a dramatic uptick in sales for Sony. Nintendo Wii pricing has thus far remained unchanged for the holiday season. While we'd love for Microsoft to extend the discounts to the rest of the world -- we doubt they'll do so. This move is meant to shore up demand in Japan where Xbox 360 sales struggle against the homegrown Wii and PS3. Of course, we're more than happy to be proven wrong.

[Thanks, Tris]

[Moorio @ Oct 22nd 2007 6:16AM]

The 360 is to Japan what the PS3 is to America.

[The Kookaluku @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:41PM]

so why is it selling at the same pace as the 360 did in it's first year einstein!

[shamrock593 @ Oct 22nd 2007 6:31AM]

I, for one, welcome our price-cutting overlords.

[Kurian @ Oct 22nd 2007 6:49AM]

Next time, try to be first on a Robot post instead.

[Milax @ Oct 22nd 2007 6:53AM]

Cut the price of the 360 all you want Microsoft, it will still not sell. Why buy a defective product with serious design flaws when you can have the superior PS3?

[shamrock593 @ Oct 22nd 2007 7:00AM]

That post just screams PS3 fan-boyism.

[michas_pi @ Oct 22nd 2007 7:04AM]

Superior in what way?

Games? Nope.
Hardware stability? Sure.
Rumble? For now, no; near future, yes.
Backward compatibility? Nope.

[boing @ Oct 22nd 2007 7:06AM]

That might have worked if the 360 wasn't murdering the ps3 in sales......

[timatl @ Oct 22nd 2007 8:46AM]

The truth is Japan don't like americans nor american products. But they love our money. This is the ugly truth. When america was attacked on 9/11/01 it was millions of people in Japan celebrating.

[Larsen @ Oct 22nd 2007 7:06AM]

It just sucks to see how we Europeans have to pay so much extra for things that are way cheaper all over the world. We have to pay 330€ and up (more than 470USD) for a 360 premium!!!

[kybernz @ Oct 22nd 2007 7:52AM]

If by premium, you mean the normal xbox (not core), then that is still much cheaper than we have it here in New Zealand.

[kybernz @ Oct 22nd 2007 8:02AM]

oops.

On Amazon, prices for an Xbox360 ELITE are $610 NZD (317 euro) on the current exchange rate.

We can buy them in stores for $800 NZD (417 euro). You don't have it /that/ bad..

[Billy Gun @ Oct 22nd 2007 8:07AM]

That's nothing compered to the official price here in Brazil. Here we pay R$ 2.499,00 That's U$ 1,388.33 por the Xbox Premium (It used to cost R$ 2.999,00 here).

Yes, U$ 1,388.33 dolars.

[dj-kenpo @ Oct 22nd 2007 7:48AM]

hey, Microsoft! the canadian dollar is worth more than the US dollar now! 349cdn for the core (399 elite) doesn't cut it!

my sale is lost until I see a $279 xbox in canada. and hell ain't gonna freeze over.

[Billy Gun @ Oct 22nd 2007 8:09AM]

Just take a look:
http://www.shoptime.com.br/apollo/vitrineMasterDetail.do?method=show&masterName=maisInfo&placeOrigin=busca&position=5&codProd=181053

[Milax @ Oct 22nd 2007 8:11AM]

@ michas_pi
Superior in what way? Let me tell you.

Games? 2008 - PS3 exclusive games > 360 exclusives (not even many now that the only game 360 had going for it was Halo 3. Now that game has been released, the 360 has nothing left where as PS3 is only getting started)
Hardware stability? Sure. Definitely.
Rumble? For now, no; near future, yes. So that's a yes.
Backward compatibility? Nope. Really? The 60GB isn't backwards compatible?

@ boing
As already said, the 360 has nothing left. Halo 3 has come and gone. With defective hardware and no good exclusives left, the 360 has had it's day but the PS3 is here to stay.

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Oct 22nd 2007 11:17AM]

STFU. Get over it.

If PS3/Xbox360/Wii (underline your choice) are that good - go and play it.

Do not shit in comments with all the repetitive PS3 fanboyism.

We know that you believe that PS3 is best of the best. You do not need to tell that us that over and over again. Talk is cheap, you know.

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:56PM]

You know Ihar `Philips` Filipau ... that works both ways.

[mlb @ Oct 22nd 2007 8:33AM]

My friend got a 360 when they first came out, and ever since then he has been singing its praises to me. He almost had me convinced to buy one until Friday night. I got a phone call from him ranting and raving because his 360 had just died. There is no way I'll be buying a 360 ever after all these problems no matter how much they cut the price. I guess I'll just have to stick to my Wii because I'm not paying $400 for a barebones PS3 either. Call me cheap, but I prefer to vote with my wallet.

[mfed3 @ Oct 22nd 2007 2:23PM]

you know they have a 3 year warranty and they replace it free of charge if it dies, dont u?

[lothar @ Oct 22nd 2007 5:22PM]

You know that all the 360s on the market now have the updated heat sinks which took care of the RRoD problems, and as stated you get a 3 year warranty.

[Chris in Japan @ Oct 22nd 2007 8:38AM]

C'mon ! 13% - thats laughable.... 13% OH my GOD !
Look, As a long term resident of Japan (near Yokohama) I can say that the 360 has 2 main problems here. (By the way, I almost bought one to play gears of war but my GF got me a PS3 for my birthday)

1)the local shops in my area eg: yamada denki as well as tsutaya and big camera have the box at the back of the stores. That is because of the content, lack of SOFTWARE for Japanese people ! We need more RPGs like blue dragon to be made....I did go to the TGS and saw some interesting upcoming software - but product placement is the key - have 360 staff into the major stores to drum up support !!! plus you never ever see the 360 in the advertisements in the papers.

2) a discount of more than 13% is needed. If they discounted the unit to say 20,000 yen to 24,000 yen then most people I know would buy it (including most of the foreign residents)..I know alot of people will say "the price is competitive" and "its in line with the rest of the world" and "its almost the same as the PS3" - but we're in Japan and If Microsoft wants to be successful then a big price cut is a must. People will go to the store and see the 360 much cheaper than a PS3 especially if it includes a game.

I really don't think Microsoft is serious when dealing with Japan. The marketing people really need to get kicked into action and I know most people will think that I'm being naive but the fact is they are losing big time here and wasting an opportunity to gain market share.

[mfed3 @ Oct 22nd 2007 2:27PM]

i agree, hes right on. but i think it doesnt really even matter what the actual price is or how good the games is, its public perception. of course perception stems from these things over time, but if there are no ads or publicity stirring up a want for the product, it will never succeed. ms has a lot of japanese developers with games releasing in late 07 and 08 and beyond, but without the advertising in japan it will never get any advantage, no matter how superior it is to the ps3. forget about the wii, its in a different category, everyone and his mother has one in the entire country.

[TAz00 @ Oct 22nd 2007 9:46AM]

Here is what you do, buy the xbox in japan, perform the downgrade attack and change the region to whatever you please and you got a cheaper xbox :)

[JAmerican @ Oct 22nd 2007 10:06AM]

The thing about Asian culture to that of Western culture is that they love to save their money. Japan is listed as one of the countries who citizens are more likely to save while our country is listed as one of the countries who citizens are more likely to spend. Why do you think their is a negative savings rate and all this debt in US.

[The Fuzz 53 @ Oct 23rd 2007 1:05PM]

Then why are they buying the PS3 over there then?

I totally agree with the savings rate here in the US. It is horrendous. The average American is currently saving -2% a year. Yes, that's a negative sign. All of the added demand by people spending money they don't have is what's propping prices up over here and perpetuating the problem, and totally screwing us responsible people that manage to save over half of what they earn.