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Palm Pre rumored to be dropping to $150 on September 8th
We've already seen the Palm Pre dip below its $199 list price during a few limited, occasionally inadvertent sales, but it looks like it could soon be dropping well under the $200 mark for a slightly longer period of time -- at least if a purportedly legit leaked document is to be believed. According to PreCentral, the doc comes from someone working at a Sprint "indirect partner retail dealer," and quite clearly indicates that "indirect partners" will be able to sell the Pre for $149.99 (after a mail-in rebate) between September 8th and October 31st, 2009. Presumably, Sprint itself would also be offering the Pre for the same price during that time and, if the HTC Hero's $179.99 price tag on Sprint is any indication, there seems to be at least a decent chance that the price drop could eventually become a permanent one. Either way, we won't have to wait too long to see how this one pans out.
Not as big in Japan anymore: Xbox 360 prices
The Xbox 360 price drop has propagated to Japan, with Microsoft announcing new price points roughly commensurate with those of American Xboxes, effective September 10. The Pro is being phased out, with the retail cost of remaining stock now up to retailers, with no "suggested" price from MS. The Elite is dropping from ¥39,800 to ¥29,800 ($322) -- in a new HDMI-free package, of course -- and the Arcade will remain at ¥19,800 ($214). We expect to see deep cuts on the Pro, as retailers seize an opportunity to get Xboxes out of their stores. In addition, the 60GB hard drive is dropping from ¥11,550 to ¥9,975 ($108), and the 512MB Memory Unit is dropping from ¥5,250 to ¥3,150 ($34).[Via Edge, image via GAME Watch]
Interview: Xbox's Aaron Greenberg on the $300 Elite and all things Xbox
Last night, just hours before the price cut announcement went out, we had a chance to talk with Aaron Greenberg – the often outspoken Director of Product Management at Xbox – about the new $300 Elite console, the company's Fall lineup in the absence of Splinter Cell Conviction, Netflix "exclusivity" (whatever that means), the (still!) outrageous price of the WiFi adapter, and whether we're ever going to see Hulu or Groups/Clan support in Xbox Live (those are two of our favorite questions for Aaron). Read on for the complete interview: Joystiq: Hey Aaron – so what do you have for us today? Aaron Greenberg: So this may shock you, but effective on Friday we are dropping the price of our Xbox 360 Elite console by $100, dropping that down to $299. At the same time, we are also reducing the price of the Xbox 360 Pro or Premium 60 gig SKU down to $249 -- that will be effective while supplies last. And this will essentially set us up as we head into holiday with a two SKU setup: the $199 white Arcade SKU and then the $299 120 gig Elite black console. The Elite price is effective Friday? Yes. The price drop goes into effect at retail on Friday. So of course we're totally surprised and had no idea this was coming, so any questions that might indicate I was prepared you should just take as good guessing on our part I think. Right, exactly. So you don't read your own site or anything I guess?
North American PS3 Slim ad campaign 'Does Everything'
While definitely not as unsettling as the Japanese "Play Face" advertising campaign, or as costly as the £82 million European marketing push, the recently revealed PS3 Slim ad campaign for North America possesses something unique for the world of video game promotion -- actual humor. PlayStation.Blog revealed the first two television spots for the western hemisphere's "It Only Does Everything" campaign. The first, featuring a startling Jonah Hill lookalike, is posted above. The second is embedded after the jump. We'd like to extend a big round of applause to Sony's marketing team. Congrats guys! You've finally managed to market Sony's gaming hardware in a manner that makes a freaking lick of sense. %Gallery-70349%
Xbox 360 Arcade price increased in UK, Microsoft explains
Although the Xbox 360's cheapest package, the Arcade, experienced no price adjustment in the States during the recent markdown, the same can't be said for its British cousin. In the UK, the Arcade actually increased 30 lbs. pounds overnight, with no added value in the box. Microsoft, by way of CVG, has explained it as an attempt to "offset" exchange rate fluctuations and local market conditions.A Microsoft representative told the site that the increase from £130 to £160 is a first for the company, which has never "made upward adjustments to the trade price of consoles before." British gamers have been asked to take solace in the fact that -- even with the increase -- the Xbox 360 remains "the most affordable console in the market." [Via Edge]
Microsoft confirms Xbox 360 price cut: $300 Elite on Friday; $250 Pro 'while supplies last'
Surprising ... well, surprising exactly no one, Microsoft has announced a $100 price cut on its Xbox 360 Elite model, bringing the 120GB console down to price (if not feature) parity with Sony's recently revealed PS3 Slim. While the Elite will take the place of the 60GB Pro at $300 beginning this Friday (that's tomorrow!), the Pro will enjoy a temporary $50 price drop. We say "temporary" because, once those are sold out, that's it. The hard drive-less Xbox 360 Arcade unit remains at $200. While this $300 Xbox 360 Elite may have a fancy new package (see above) it's the same ol' Elite inside the box. But the rest of the bundle isn't quite the same: taking a page out of Sony's PS3 handbook, this cheaper package ditches HD cables entirely (accessory sales ahoy!) in favor of bundling a standard AV connector. Want HDMI? Get thee to Monoprice. Most disappointing is that Microsoft continues to leave WiFi out of the Xbox, a console that – more than any other – excels in the online department. Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg told Joystiq, "We have not announced any change to our accessory pricing as part of this announcement." In other words, the WiFi adapter is not only missing from the console but, at $100, it's still insultingly expensive. Despite our misgivings about some of Microsoft's cost control measures, a $100 price drop on the 120GB Elite is nevertheless a welcome change ... ... even if it's just (barely) keeping pace with Sony's WiFi-packing, Blu-ray having PS3 Slim. Look for more from our chat with Greenberg later today. %Gallery-71096% %Poll-33788%
Hirai: PS3 Slim sold at a loss, but business profitable overall
Speaking to the UK's Times Online during last week's GamesCom event, Sony boss Kaz Hirai provided some insight into the ramifications following the introduction of the smaller, cheaper PS3 Slim. Hirai noted that while the system itself would be sold at a loss, it would be buoyed by other elements of the PlayStation platform."If you look at the growth of the installed base, it is slower than the PS2 was but it's pretty much on track with the growth that we had with the original PlayStation," Hirai said. Responding to the issue of selling the redesigned PS3 at a loss, Hirai explained, "I don't actually know that that's the true nature of the business that we're all in, whether it's PlayStation, Xbox or the Wii. I think the better indicator is to look at the business as a whole platform, to ask: are you profitable in terms of the hardware, software and peripherals. And the answer to that question is yes on a gross profit level since the last fiscal year." If Sony's price-cutting measures have their intended effect and lift the whole PlayStation platform, Hirai might just be in a position next year to boast about profits so plentiful ... it's gross.[Via Edge]
Rumor: Xbox 360 Elite, Pro deals revealed by Target
Adding to the growing pile of evidence indicating an upcoming Xbox 360 Elite price drop, a reader has sent in a picture he claims is a snap of next week's Target ad, showing a new price of $299 for the system. In addition, the ad advertises Pro systems for $249.99 -- and both systems will have an extra controller thrown in. If this is real, it'll be in effect August 30. Engadget has a clearer shot of the ad. In addition, we received a tip from a Canadian game store manager who stated that because of the Halo 3 Elite bundle available there (which is no longer on The Source's website -- we guess that retailer jumped the gun), current Elite bundles have been marked down to $349.99. A quick look at The Source and Amazon verifies this claim.
Xbox 360 Pro and Elite price cuts confirmed in Target ad for next week
We just received a pair of pics from "next week's" Target Ad. As has been heavily rumored, the Xbox 360 60GB Pro system will be cut to $250 while the 120GB Elite will drop to $300. Knowing that Target's weekly ads run from Sunday to Saturday we fully expect to see the new pricing go into effect on Sunday the 30th. One more image after the break.[Thanks, Tyce]
NPD expects PS3 sales to jump 40-60% post-price cut
It doesn't take a whole lot of analysis to figure out that a $100 price cut will result in a boost in sales, but market research group NPD seems to think that the PS3's new $299 price point could have a particularly big impact on Sony's numbers once next month's sales are tallied up. While it's obviously not a sure thing, NPD expects sales of the PS3 to jump between 40% and 60% over the course of September, noting that "the USD 299 price point is important to getting to a point where the next segment of price-conscious consumers can jump into the market and it most certainly will re-energise sales of the platform." It's also quick to point out, however, that those sales might not be enough for Sony to take the lead in US console sales for the month, adding that "other systems might too take a price cut," and that "content is still the key motivator of a hardware purchase decision." Update: Joystiq offers a clarification from the original quote that, historically, price cuts tend to lead to a 40 to 60 percent increase in sales over the previous, higher priced month. The group is not specifically predicting PS3's sales, just pointing out what's happened in the past -- it's a subtle but important difference. [Via gamesindustry.biz]
NPD: 40-60% sales increase projection for PS3 was misquoted
Last week, IndustryGamers quoted an InformationWeek article on post price-drop PS3 sales forecasts ... which just so happens to have misquoted NPD. According to the former, the number-cruncher of video game sales told the latter that, "based on history, price cuts tend to increase month-over-month unit sales in the 40%-60% range," which ended up as, "We would expect to see in the range of a 40% to 60% unit sales increase when September sales are reported." If you read InformationWeek's version of what NPD said, it sounds like, once September's sales numbers come in, PS3 will have sold 40 to 60 percent more than it did in August. The original quote, though, indicates that based on past price drops, it's seen console sales increase by that amount -- though it wasn't saying that would necessarily be the case with PS3.We're not exactly sure how quote No. 1 became quote No. 2 -- they're just a tad different, as you can see -- so we've contacted NPD to get its actual projections for $299 PS3 sales. (Which we promise to quote accurately.)
Sony: PS3 price cut not due to 'market conditions,' more social networking features on the way
Though the world economy is crumbling faster than a three-year-old sugar cookie lying on the floor of a jam-packed mosh pit, the recent cheapening of the PS3 shouldn't be attributed to current market conditions. Don't believe us? Perhaps you'll pay heed to the words of SCEE president Andrew House, who explained, "We are aware that consumers are watching their euros and pounds more carefully than before," but later added, "it would not be fair to say [the PS3 price cut] is a reaction to current market conditions." See? We told you.This quote came in the middle of an interview with Financial Times -- an interview in which House would later mention that Sony is planning on implementing additional "social networking features" into the platform. Financial Times' write-up mentions a possible "tie-up with popular sites such as Facebook," but heck -- we'd be content with just being able to, y'know, talk to each other regardless of what games we're playing.[Via Edge Online]
Xbox 360 Pro missing from new Elite packaging
The lifespan of the Xbox 360 Pro looks to be dwindling every day. First, the SKU disappeared from the comparison chart on the Xbox 360 Arcade packaging, and now it looks like the same change has occurred on the Xbox 360 Elite box. Perhaps even more significant is that the Elite has abandoned its traditional (and super 1337) gray packaging for white. White, as it happens, is also the color of Xbox 360 Pro packaging. Coincidence, or proof that the Pro is on its last legs? One final bit of (somewhat depressing) evidence, the Elite box states that it only includes standard A/V cables. No component, no HDMI, just plain vanilla A/V. In fact, the only features separating the Elite from the Arcade are a headset, an Ethernet cable and the 120GB hard drive. Even assuming the Elite drops to $299, that's not a lot of extras beyond the $199 Arcade model. At least Canada gets Halo 3 and a wireless adapter to make the deal a little sweeter.
Xbox 360 Elite in white package in the wild, Pro SKU missing on back-of-box chart
Can't say we're all that surprised given other sightings, but one anonymous tipster has sent us pics from a local Walmart of the 120GB Xbox 360 Elite in a shiny white package with a back-of-box chart that neglects to mention the Pro models, essentially striking it from the records. It's still scanning at $399 for now, but having seen multiple retailers' print flyers -- including Walmart's own -- quoting $299, the computers very well may be updating just after some official Microsoft announcement, which wouldn't surprise us at all if it happen sometime this week, just ahead of the PS3 Slim launch. Peruse the pics in higher-res format below. Update: As several readers have pointed out, the back-of-box chart shows the Elite as having standard, presumably non-HD cables only, and there's no mention of bundled HDMI cables anywhere. Also of note is the wording for Xbox Live has changed from "Silver Membership" to "Free." Before you go thinking the premium Gold membership is going away, however, there's a superscript '4,' and if it's like the older box, it leads to a longer explanation on the Xbox Live's tiered plans -- not to mention there's an ad for buying into XBL Gold just under the chart. %Gallery-70770%
Rumor: Discount Xbox 360 Elite Halo 3 bundle coming to Canada (update)
Another day, another Xbox 360 Elite price cut rumor. This time, said gossip comes to us in the form of a tipster (who wishes to remain anonymous), whose unnamed Canadian retail outlet is adding a new SKU to its store shelves -- a $349.99 Xbox 360 Elite bundle which includes a copy of Halo 3 and a network adapter. Considering both of those items still carry fairly hefty price tags, that's one heck of a deal.Said tipster sent in four photos (the others are posted after the jump) and a supposed street date for the Canadian bundle -- August 28. Another interesting bit of info: The tipster also claimed that a new shipment of Xbox 360 Arcades carry no mention of the supposedly-soon-to-be-phased-out Pro model. If you're a Canadian retail employee who can shed some light onto the veracity of this new bundle, shoot us an email -- and as always, we'll respect your anonymity. We'll also respect your anemones. And your enmity!Update: We've just received a tip pointing out that this very bundle is now available at The Source, a Circuit City affiliate based out of Canada. Get this -- the online offer actually shows a $329.99 price tag for the whole kit-and-caboodle. Oh, if only we lived up in America's Big White Hat!
Rumor: Walmart catalog lists $100 price cut for Xbox 360 Elite
Oh, man. This ish just got real, son. Last week, a supposedly leaked Meijer's catalog revealed a $100 price cut for the Xbox 360 Elite SKU -- we weren't sure what to make of it, but a recent Walmart catalog (due to hit stores on August 30) revealing the same exact discount adds a hefty amount of credence to rumors that Microsoft is dropping the price on the console's 120GB SKU. You can see the full ad posted after the jump, courtesy of one of our readers (thanks, Patrick). A few sites have gotten the ad, presumably from different sources, leading us to believe it's not just a high-quality fake.If it is legitimate -- and the rumors of an Elite price cut end up being true -- then the flames of console war are likely ready to flare up once again. For the first time this console generation, Sony and Microsoft would have two SKUs available at the same price. The resulting struggle for market dominance would be brutal.
EA, Ubisoft execs applaud PS3 price cut, also like things that are good
Well, this one doesn't exactly come out of left field, but it looks like gaming industry execs are starting to sing a decidedly different tune now that Sony has finally cut the price of the PS3. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Ubisoft bigwig Yves Guillemot said that "it's exceptional news, actually," adding that "I think the machine is a great machine, with the Blu-ray." EA Games president Frank Gibeau was also apparently more than happy to back up that praise, saying that, "I think it's awesome," and that "it's an old line, but it still rings true for us: 'We make the ammunition for the hardware wars.' So the lowest priced hardware possible is a good thing for us." Still noticeably mum on the matter, however, is Activision's CEO, who once threatened to pick up his ball and go home if Sony didn't drop its prices. [Via Joystiq]
Did Microsoft delay its price drop announcement to avoid Sony's Slim Storm 2009?
You may have seen a post or three (or eleventy) over the past few days about Sony's newer, skinnier, cheaper PS3 Slim. Microsoft apparently did, and that might be partly why it chose to delay its own re-pricing announcement, a move it was apparently set to reveal yesterday at GamesCom -- but opted not to. Big Redmond is said to be killing off the Xbox 360 Pro and replacing it with the Elite at the $299 price point, a move it will want to make quickly because, for the first time, it's now the most expensive gaming console on store shelves. Whether the supposed delay was to let the dust settle on Sony's big news or was just to clear out some additional Pro inventory remains to be seen, but either way MS had better get a move on -- and maybe think about knocking an extra couple bucks off for good measure.[Via 1UP; thanks, jeremy23j]
EEDAR: PS3's $299 price to become 'new standard' for next year
Microsoft isn't likely to take today's unsurprising (but welcomed!) PS3 price drop to $299 lying down. EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich believes Microsoft will follow suit with their own announcement next week, officially killing the $299 Pro SKU and replacing it with a price-dropped $299 Elite model. Divnich says Sony's price cut "will close the sales gap between the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360," but doesn't offer a clear "winner" this holiday season. While he says the PS3 is a "superior hardware product," he also draws attention to Xbox 360's "deeper software library and superior online services." Without a disparity in pricing, it should prove interesting to see what mainstream consumers choose this holiday: hardware or software? Looking forward, Divnich notes that $299 is likely to remain the "new standard" price for the two consoles for the next year. One or both may drop down to $249, but he believes that's the lowest prices can go in the next two years. Instead of continued price drops, Divnich believes both Microsoft and Sony may pursue including Natal and the PlayStation Motion Controller as standard attachments in the future. Is it just us, or does the "console war" seem like it's only just beginning? [Image Source]
It's official: PlayStation 3 price drops to $299
As foreshadowed by retailers and called for by analysts (it's pretty nice for us lowly consumers, too), Sony has officially cut the US retail price of the PlayStation 3 by $100, effective tomorrow immediately. This new pricing affects all PS3 systems currently in the retail stream, and will carry over to the just-announced PS3 Slim.So, now that it's finally happened, the waiting game to see just how much the drop actually helps PS3 sales begins. Take our poll below if you've been sitting on the fence, waiting for Sony to lighten the load on your wallet.%Poll-33468%
