Microsoft Cuts Price of 360 for Christmas?

Microsoft’s president of entertainment and devices at Microsoft, Robbie Bach, has revealed that the company’s priority is to reduce the cost of Xbox 360 in the near future.

Bach says^† that, "Right now we are thinking about how to cost reduce the Xbox 360. That seems to be the first order of business."

He adds, "You have look at the economics. You have to ask the question, over the life cycle, who has the cost advantage? Who can price most effectively? Who can reach the price points quicker? That has a huge impact on what gets driven…Because we were out there first, we have a bigger installed base of consoles. We can drive down the manufacturing curve sooner and faster. And because we designed a box that was fundamentally easier to manage on costs, we’re going to have that advantage."

With PlayStation 3s in criminally short supply in the US (and months away in Europe), and Wii selling out everywhere quicker than a a student band sniffing a contract, the timing could not be better for Microsoft.

SPOnG-News has been talking to a number of concerned mums over the weekend, who have just realised that their sons are highly likely not to get the must-have Xmas pressie they so crave this coming Christmas.

Our best advice – get down to Oxford Street with the rest of us before midnight on Thursday December 7th for the U.K. launch.

Alternatively, for those who don’t want to risk being left out in the cold without a Wii next week, they might consider picking up an Xbox 360 Gears of War premium bundle from Play.com which is now priced at a rather bargainous £269.99.

Though SPOnG has to point out that Gears of Phwooar is 18-rated and very far from being suitable for kids! Viva Pinata (pictured here) which releases in a couple of weeks time in early December promises to buck the trend for Microsoft, shifting the focus away from hardcore gamer's games towards a company that makes solid and high-quality games for all the family.

^{†Source:Next-Gen.biz}