360 Pro = $299.99 7/13/08

[TheUownsAll]

I work for GameStop. We got this info in a marketing package today. Pretty smart move, what with NCAA 09 hitting two days later.

 

[Papa Burgundy]

i wouldve been amazed if ms wouldve dropped it to 250. wouldve been toe to toe with the wii. but 300 aint bad.

 

[Havok83]

I read that they are doing this bc its being discontinued as they announce a new 60gb model at E3. That part is just a rumor but I wouldnt be surprised as it doesnt make sense that the Arcade and Elite also wouldnt get their prices adjusted

 

[Jennifer Walters]

I can double confirm this. As I work at Sears and we got a memo that the price would be dropping to 299.99 as well.

Smart move by Microsoft, that Sony might have trouble climbing over, unless their E3 is AMAZING.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Worst....Price...Cut...EVER!!! It turns out that it isn't a price cut, but a clearance sale:

The rumors of a $50 price cut for Microsoft's 20-gigabyte Xbox 360 video-game console have been swirling for weeks now. It turns out they're true. But the reduction isn't exactly what it might have appeared.

In reality, it's more like a clearance sale, designed to empty the shelves for a new Xbox 360 with three times the digital storage, at the same price as before. The company says the new 60-gigabyte Xbox 360 will hit U.S. and Canadian stores in August at a price of $349.99.

As widely reported in advance, Microsoft is dropping the price of the 20-gigabyte Xbox 360 to $299.99. The unexpected twist: Sales of that model will end when current supplies run out.

In the highly competitive video-game console market, the move may have less of an impact than if the company had permanently decreased the price of the primary Xbox 360 model. A sustained price of $299.99 would have made the main Xbox 360 about $50 costlier than Nintendo's popular Wii game console, and $100 cheaper than Sony's least-expensive PlayStation 3 model. (Microsoft sells its Xbox 360 Arcade model, without a hard drive, for $279.99)

The effect on the market will depend on how much value consumers place on the additional 40 gigabytes of storage in the new Xbox 360 model, said Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities. Consumers use the Xbox 360's hard drive to store downloaded games and other media, including television shows and movies purchased from the Xbox Live online video marketplace.

Sony prices its PlayStation 3 model with 80 gigabytes of storage at $499.99, and one with 40 gigabytes of storage at $399.99. The PS3 has built-in wireless Internet access capabilities. The Xbox 360 requires a $99.99 adapter for wireless Internet access.

Pricing of the Xbox 360 is a key financial consideration for Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices Division, which includes the company's video-game operations. The division is under pressure to post consistent operating profits after years of losses. The move comes on the eve of the E3 video-game convention in Los Angeles, where Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will be showing their upcoming games and accessories.

I'll be reporting from E3, so watch for coverage here starting Monday.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/143264.asp?source=rss

 

[StrainedEyes]

Meh, didn't Sony do the same thing when they phased out the 60gb?

 

[hippie_hunter]

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. That was the worst price cut ever.

 

[Havok83]

Meh, didn't Sony do the same thing when they phased out the 60gb?

yeah and they got tons of hell for it on this board last year. Difference for now with Sony was that within about 3-4 months, they made an official price drop with all their systems when they launched the 40gb at $399 and dropped the 80gb to $499. Only time will tell if MS will do the same.

It makes sense that they've dropped the price and I knew it was bc they were putting out a new model bc the Arcade and Elite are staying at the same price. The $299 is a good deal for those who want a cheaper price point but if I were going to get a 360, Id just get a 60gb. It most likely will be more reliable and the HDD space is better than whats currently being offered (which is too expensive as it is)

 

[RickO'Connell]

I will never understand why go from 20 to 120 to 60 ? It does not make sense

 

[Superhero 101]

Two questions:

1) So how much would the 60 gb Xbox cost?
2) Will they keep making the 20 GB Xbox?

 

[Addendum]

Two questions:

1) So how much would the 60 gb Xbox cost?
2) Will they keep making the 20 GB Xbox?

The answers are in the article hippie hunter posted.

 

[Havok83]

I will never understand why go from 20 to 120 to 60 ? It does not make sense

they should get rid of Elite bc its ridiculously overpriced. $100 for 60 extra gb and a black color? That doesnt seem worth it. I'd also have goten rid of the Arcade and made the 20gb the new low end model bc all systems should have a standard harddrive