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Report: UK retailers increasing price of Xbox 360 Arcade, accessories
UK-based gaming site Eurogamer is reporting that retailers will be jacking up the price of the Xbox 360 Arcade unit, from its current price of £129.99 to the thanks-it's-more-expensive price of £159.99. In fact, even more value is lost when you remove the five free XBLA games that came bundled in the Arcade package; these retailers are stating they will no longer be included. Before you start lighting your torches and taking to the (quaint, cobblestone) streets, keep in mind that this isn't being done because Microsoft just wants more of your colorful money (which we're sure it does). It's due to the poor exchange rate of the pound compared to the Euro, which will also drive Microsoft to raise the price of Xbox accessories £1 to £2 a piece. See how we softened the blow of that last bit of news there? We're finally getting some mileage out of that How to Break Bad News the Good Way training course!
Xbox 360 HD DVD price rumors: 199?
Gamesindustry.biz is reporting that is the price expected for the UK version of the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on coming this holiday season. £199 GBP converts to 293 euros, and $376 (US). The Xbox 360 Core System recently dropped to £199 in the UK, while still retailing in the US for $299. The same source indicated there would be a bundle available for £375-£400 GBP, which would be slightly less than the £425 GBP 60GB HDMI-equipped Playstation 3 now delayed until next year in Europe. That £375 figure converts to 553 euros, and $708 US. However given the fact that UK prices have tended to be slightly higher than a straight-to-euro conversion, and the current $399 US/399€ pricing of the Xbox 360 Premium, if these rumors are accurate such a bundle would probably run $500-$550 US. The separate add-on drive carrying a price equivalent to an Xbox 360 Core System however would likely be a bitter pill to swallow for many Xbox 360 early adopters, even with two movies included in the package. Microsoft has not yet commented on these rumors, all we've managed to get out of them up to this point is that it "will be the cheapest HD DVD player on the market for consumers who already own an Xbox 360 console". We're hoping the $200 rumor is the right one, being an early adopter is bad enough without getting charged extra.
