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Price cut spurs 40% increase in UK Xbox 360 sales
Last week's European Xbox 360 price cut looks to have been a huge success with retailers seeing hardware fly off shelves in greater numbers over the weekend. 40% more 360 sales to be exact. Chart-Track's 40% increase in 360 sales estimate is great news for team Redmond, but the increase in sales doesn't equate to continued success seeing that the that it could potentially be the result of the Easter holiday. So, we'll have to keep an eye on European 360 sales in the weeks to come to verify its success. All said, Europe is happy to see a 360 price cut, retailers are happy to see a 360 price cut and Microsoft is happy to see a 360 price cut, because their sales have increased. Now only if they'd share the price cut love with us in good old North America ... mmm?
Nokia's N810 internet tablet gets a $90 price cut
If you've been looking for some kind of incentive to dip into the savings account and splurge on a new gadget, this may be music to your ears. Nokia has just lowered the price on its jack-of-all-trades N810 internet tablet, shaving $90 off the MSRP to bring it down to a highly affordable $389.99. Of course, you can probably find the WiFi-sportin', QWERTY-havin', GPS-rockin' little guy slightly cheaper if you troll the internet (which we know you will). Before you lay down the cash, though, you might want to ask yourself this: does the price drop mean a new version is on the way, like, say... that WiMAX-equipped N830 we've been hearing about? It's a tough call, but we know you'll make the right decision.[Thanks, Tony S.]
Analysts: 360 to see North American price cut in '08
With yesterday's Xbox 360 price cut in Europe, those ever so analytical analysts are already churning out their predictions and all agree that the 360 will be seeing a similar price cut in North America sometime this year.Both Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter and Lazard Capital Markets Colin Sebastian expect Microsoft to drop the Xbox 360's price sometime before the holidays to fend off a PS3 whose sales have seen a spike. Pachter predicts "a 360 price cut before Xmas, perhaps to USD 299 for the premium model" and mentions that if Sony were to cut the PS3's price, he expects Microsoft to "cut to at least USD 50 below the price of the PS3". Both analysts also predict that a price cut would be ushered in when / if the rumored 60GB HDD equipped 360 hits the market. Price cuts for all in 2008!
European 360 price drop is the real deal
European fanboys rejoice! The rumors have come to fruition and the whole gamut of Xbox 360s is getting a price cut in Europe. Yes, wallets will be fatter and gamers will be happier, and maybe, just maybe, projections of PS3 dominance will falter. Without further ado, the price cuts -- which will go into effect this Friday -- per Major Nelson: Xbox 360 Arcade – was €269.99 / £199.99 ($414) now €199.99 / £159.99 ($307) Xbox 360 Pro - was: €349.99 / £249.99 ($536) now: €269.99 / £199.99 ($414) Xbox 360 Elite - was: €449.99 / £299.99 ($691) now: €369.99 / £259.99 ($566) So, it's almost a complete shift for every version of the Xbox 360, with the Pro costing what the Arcade used to cost and the Elite sitting only €20 / £10 higher than the old Pro cost. All it all, it's a pretty hefty cut (at least to these American eyes). What say you, Euro-fanboys? Is this price cut enough to energize 360 sales?[Via Joystiq. Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Euro Xbox 360 price cuts landing Monday says paper
Remember that Xbox 360 price cut we mentioned a few days ago? Well it appears that the Financial Times Germany is reporting that this Monday, Microsoft will trim the fat from the Arcade and Pro consoles, shaving €80 and €50 off the price tag, respectively. Of course, right now this is still unconfirmed by the boys in Redmond (or in any other official location), though the buzz in the community does seem to suggest that these cuts are coming. Hopefully if these become a reality, the company will break something off for folks on these shores as well -- we need all the help we can get right now.Update: See that photo above? it looks like that price cut really is happening. Good news for you, Europe.Update 2: Amazon UK has jumped on board too.[Via I4U News; Image via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Rumor: Euro Xbox 360 price cut on March 14
Good fortune may soon be smiling on our European friends according to a report on Tech Radar that says the Xbox 360 will be getting a 50 Euro price cut on every SKU on March 14. Citing "numerous well-placed games industry sources," that have been corroborated by European retailers, the price cut rumor has yet to be confirmed or denied by Microsoft. If true, the premium Xbox 360 package would be priced at € 250 ($380) while the Arcade pack would ring it to around €197 ($300). This would mean that the Xbox 360 Arcade SKU would sell for less than the popular Nintendo Wii, which in most cases is available for around € 234 ($356) on Amazon's UK site. While we haven't been able to substantiate these reports, we will keep you informed as soon as new details emerge.
Xbox 360 HD DVD drive now officially $49.99
Look, don't act like you didn't know this was coming. Microsoft has started selling its Xbox 360 HD DVD drive for the ultra-bargain price of $49.99. So now's your chance to get one super-duper cheap. Or you could just throw that $50 into the garbage... same thing.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Canadian Xbox 360 gets $50 price cut, our hockey players are still better looking
While all those juicy Canadian money jokes are sadly behind us, the dropping US dollar does have one nice side effect, at least for those pesky squatters north of the border. That's right, Canadians are finally getting an Xbox 360 pricing scheme on par with us Americans, with the 360 Pro dropping from $399 to $349, the Elite dropping from $499 to $449, and the Arcade slouching from $299 down to $279. If it weren't for the fact that this price drop is long overdue and the exchange rate still has 'em forking over $5 extra, we'd almost be jealous of those hosers up north.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
It's official, Canada sees another Xbox 360 price cut
Crazy, the FutureShop employee was actually telling us the truth as late last night, Microsoft announced that all of the Great White North (that's Canada) will see Xbox 360 price cuts effective immediately. The new console pricing will be dollar for dollar equal to the 360's price in the United States, with the Xbox 360 Pro dropping from $399 to $349, the Elite going from $499 to $449 and the Arcade sinking from $299 to $279. So, if you're Canadian and need another 360 or know someone who does, then jump in. There's no better time then now ... price cuts FTW!
Rumor: Canadian Xbox 360 price drops $50 Friday
Update 8:15 PM EST: Toys R Us Canada has apparently lowered their prices already.Thanks to an anonymous tipster, we have early word on what might be an upcoming price drop for the Canadian Xbox 360. The above phonecam photo comes from a FutureShop Canada employee, who says he was "quite surprised" to find a $50 price drop for the Xbox 360 Pro Console advertised right on the front page of next week's advertising fliers. Our source also tells us that the inside of the flier trumpets a $50 price drop for the XBox 360 Elite (to $449), an offer which allegedly includes a free copy of Turok.Both price drops should be effective Friday, if this rumor proves true, and while we have no way of confirming this information as of yet, we have no explicit reason to doubt it either. Regardless, if you're a Canadian looking to buy an Xbox 360, it couldn't hurt to wait a couple of days to see if you can save a bit of green, er, funny multicolored money.
Arcade 360 to see lower price in Japan
Struggling as they are in Japan, Microsoft has pulled another move in a desperate attempt to gain (or perhaps simply lose no more) ground. The Premium 360 there had previously been priced at 34,800 yen, and on March the 6th Microsoft will launch the Arcade to the tune 27,800 yen, which is (one would think not coincidentally) much closer to the Wii's Japan price of 25,000 yen. With this new price effecting only the Arcade SKU it's difficult to see how this could gain Microsoft anything at all, as with the sale of Arcade units the consumer is still not receiving the entire experience (Live, HDD required content, etc) and may not end up being a loyal customer. Just how hard is Microsoft willing to push in Japan? Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon have already released and that didn't change much at all, so what will it take? Will this price drop do anything to sales? Readers, is Japan a lost cause for the 360?
Analyst: PS3 production costs dropped by 50% in a year
Business Week spoke with Nikko Citigroup analyst Kota Ezawa who believes changes in the PlayStation 3 have dropped production costs from $800 to about $400 per unit. Although Sony may have cut production costs dramatically it's not all sunshine and lollipops, Ezawa expects the Sony games division to lose about $1.4 billion this fiscal year, which is still better than the $2.1 billion loss last year and he doesn't expect prosperity in the division until '09.With production costs continuing to drop and signs that Sony may see Blu-ray succeed, consumers who held out on the PS3 may see benefits this year. If the cadre of American analysts is correct, there may be another PS3 price drop this year -- although this time it'll appear more a sign of growth than desperation.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
UK gets a price break on select DS games
UK gamers, you've got a heck of a sale going on. Select titles from online retailer Play.com have gotten their prices slashed, with free shipping on all titles purchased. Any games purchased won't get there before Christmas, sadly, but you will get one heck of a sweet deal. Perhaps you've shopped for everyone else and now it's time to treat yourself? As far as good games you can get on the cheap, Drawn to Life (£12.99), Custom Robo (£14.99) and Jam Sessions (£17.99) are a few of the titles that are up for grabs. Not only that, but newer games like Call of Duty 4 (£17.99) are even getting in on the price cut action.
Toshiba's HD-D3 going for $100 on Boxing Day
We've already seen some fairly notable deals for a variety of Toshiba HD DVD players in America and Australia, so it's only fair that the Canucks get a bargain of their own, right? Starting at 6:00AM on Boxing Day (that's December 26th for us Americans), Futureshop will be offering up the HD-D3 for a mere $99.99 while supplies last. It needn't be said, but we'd recommend queuing up a few hours in advance if you're dead set on securing one.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Microsoft's Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel now $99
Time's running out, folks, and if you've got an Xbox 360 gamer in your life that you've vowed to spend a C-note on (and nothing more, tax notwithstanding), here's a bright idea. Microsoft has just cut the price of its Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel by $30 to a manageable $99, and it also comes bundled with a driver disc and a demo of Forza Motorsport 2. So, what are you waitin' on? No, really, what's the holdup?
Tretton: 'Not appropriate' for publishers to suggest hardware price cuts
Jack Tretton thinks publishers should be a tad more considerate before they start suggesting console price cuts all willy nilly. Last month, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick envisioned $199 price tags for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, labeling it a necessary step for both manufacturers' march across the mainstream moat. "Well, I think from an unrealistic standpoint, I'm never surprised by that, because a software manufacturer may not be concerned whether a hardware manufacturer is successful or whether they're profitable," said the CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. "But I think they should be, because without the hardware manufacturer, the software manufacturer has nothing to publish on."Tretton went on to tell The Mercury News that he would never "suggest what software publishers should price their software at," thinking it equally inappropriate for them to put a price on hardware. The point is certainly valid, but it misses the fact that both parties require each other to be successful. It's a nasty Catch-22 the PS3 currently and very visibly finds itself in: Software publishers need an audience to purchase their multi-million dollar games, and hardware manufacturers need said multi-million dollar games to attract hardware buyers. Until the situation finds better balance, you can expect more shoddy PS3 ports and fewer Uncharted gems.Though Bobby Kotick's heart was in the right place (his wallet), Tretton thinks a change in perspective would do him some good. "I don't know, maybe he should design a platform." Hey now, let's not give the Activision Blizzard behemoth any crazy ideas![Via GamesIndustry.biz]
Samsung's BD-P1400 Blu-ray player dips to $270
Whoa, Nelly! Just three days after we saw Samsung's BD-P1400 crack the $300 barrier, the unit is now down below $270 at Amazon. More specifically, it can be had right now for $269.98, which certainly brings it a lot closer to the price range currently dominated by HD DVD. The only question now is: how much lower will it go (and when)? [Thanks, Adam]
PS3 about to make big turn-around with sales
This is all according to Tech.co.uk, but they believe the PS3 could "be about to pull off one of the biggest turn-arounds the games market has ever seen." This is relying on the idea that the PS3 was hampered by the lack of compelling titles at its launch coupled with the high entry price. Since both of those are pretty much nonsense now, the sales figures are already looking decisively different.Tech goes on to explain how the Halo effect is starting to wear off of the 360 and the PS3 has been consistently outselling its number one rival in the UK. After the price cut of the PS3, sales doubled from about 5,000 to nearly 12,000 per week. It's interesting, but the PS3 is really starting to get into a comfortable number two position everywhere but the US. The Wii is getting a little nervous, as the gap between sales with the PS3 is continuing to narrow as well. Originally 6-to-1, the gap has shrunk down to 2-to-1. In time, it may shrink to an even more favorable gap for Sony, but for now, the race is getting closer.
Sony gets head in the game with new PS3 ads
The word you're looking for is: FINALLY. Sony America finally gets their damn head in the game to sell some PS3s with a new ad campaign for this holiday. Sony Senior VP of Marketing and PSN Peter Dille wrote a long love letter on Sony's blog about the plan with this holiday's marketing. "Last year, we launched the PS3 with a campaign that become known as the 'White Room' and we received a strong reaction to those ads for being provocative and demonstrating the PS3's power," Dille wrote, obviously unaware of the extreme delusion in that statement. "With those technology messages now firmly embedded, we wanted to move beyond the 'power' message with a more high-energy, entertainment driven focus for the PS3. The games are here, the price point is now $399 and we wanted to make the news loud and clear."The 30 second spot (above) focuses on the exclusive games for the console. And in a shocker for Sony, they actually show the games in the ads. After the break is the 60 second spot focusing on the PS3's features. Now we wait to see if new consumers notice the lack of backwards compatibility in their new $399 PS3.
Japan gets a 360 price cut. Japan doesn't care
With sales of Xbox 360 hardware in the land of the rising sun not doing to hot, Microsoft is looking to spur some sales using the age old marketing technique of ... price cutting. Starting November 1st the Xbox 360 will be available in Japan for 34,800 yen (from 39,795) and come bundled with Viva Pinata and Forza Motorsport. Maybe the price reduction and value add of getting free games with purchase will finally make the Japanese come to their senses and fall deeply in love with the 360. Ahh heck, who are we kidding? No amount of price cutting is going to change things in Japan unless Microsoft can swing a deal to get 360s shrunk down to the size of marbles and dispense them out of anime themed gumball machines. We'll be sure to send that idea off to the Japanese 360 marketing team.
