Play.com has begun taking pre-orders for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console - in the UK - offering the machine delivered to your door at launch for £400, somewhat higher than popular current thinking on the new hardware’s price.
Play also notes that, “The UK release date and retail price have not been confirmed and are subject to change. If the retail price is decreased you will receive the lower price”, underlining the simple fact that, right now, no one really knows what price to expect.
Sources close to the project in various sectors have informed SPOnG that £400 is highly unlikely, with one Microsoft insider stating, “The first console launched was very powerful but couldn’t get a grip on the market in the UK until there was a cut. It’s worth bearing in mind that no one involved in making these decisions is stupid, or didn’t learn anything over the past few years.”
With final UK, US and Japanese pricing expected to be unveiled in the coming couple of months, stay tuned to SPOnG for all breaking developments and of course, let us know what you think in the forum below.
Play also notes that, “The UK release date and retail price have not been confirmed and are subject to change. If the retail price is decreased you will receive the lower price”, underlining the simple fact that, right now, no one really knows what price to expect.
Sources close to the project in various sectors have informed SPOnG that £400 is highly unlikely, with one Microsoft insider stating, “The first console launched was very powerful but couldn’t get a grip on the market in the UK until there was a cut. It’s worth bearing in mind that no one involved in making these decisions is stupid, or didn’t learn anything over the past few years.”
With final UK, US and Japanese pricing expected to be unveiled in the coming couple of months, stay tuned to SPOnG for all breaking developments and of course, let us know what you think in the forum below.
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Comments
Greg2k 1 Jun 2005 16:29
1/9
Well, this is a pretty pointless story after the bank holidays, I'll tell you that.
tyrion 1 Jun 2005 17:31
2/9
Greg2k wrote:
Well, this is a pretty pointless story after the bank holidays, I'll tell you that.
Not quite, remember Amazon had the PSP up for 180 squids well before Sony announced the EU prices. Then took it down a couple of days later, then put it back up again.
Seems like they may have had some inside track on the price, or were just good at guessing.
Perhaps Play are moving on similar intelligence today with the XBox 360?
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Andrew 1 Jun 2005 18:52
3/9
MS would be stupid to ask that much for it - it wouldn't stand a chance of getting the mass market it needs if they are seious about beating Sony etc. Two hundred and forty-nine pounds is my top guess.
(stuffs some more tenners into his XBOX360 envelope, just in case...)
(stuffs some more tenners into his XBOX360 envelope, just in case...)
TwoADay 1 Jun 2005 23:41
4/9
According to Gamespot, J Allard has stated that they are going to price the 360 (In the US at least) "in the $300 range."
400 pounds seems a little...overboard, to me, but only time will tell.
400 pounds seems a little...overboard, to me, but only time will tell.
soanso 2 Jun 2005 03:31
5/9
it's well known that xbox was losing money on each piece of hardware
and if they are saying that the sales picked up after the price cut (which made it £199 if I remember correctly)
so how can the new one cost less and not lose money?
that was one of the reasons given as why they wanted to get to the next gen so quick. To make a console that didn't leak money
Hmmmm? If I knew it leaked money then I would have bought one ;P
and if they are saying that the sales picked up after the price cut (which made it £199 if I remember correctly)
so how can the new one cost less and not lose money?
that was one of the reasons given as why they wanted to get to the next gen so quick. To make a console that didn't leak money
Hmmmm? If I knew it leaked money then I would have bought one ;P
Joji 2 Jun 2005 13:32
6/9
I heard about this, and it seems to me Play.com are putting up a rough figure of £400 just so they can get the preorders in and generate sales before all the highstreet stores do which is a good move.
The $300 dollar price that MS have said seems more reasonable. This would obviously mean 360 would be less than that.
I can see Revo being cheaper than all of them mind. Just a matter of time before Nintendo tell us.
The $300 dollar price that MS have said seems more reasonable. This would obviously mean 360 would be less than that.
I can see Revo being cheaper than all of them mind. Just a matter of time before Nintendo tell us.
Andrew 2 Jun 2005 15:00
7/9
Soanso, I think MS were only losing money on XBOX sales because it was expensive to produce. They were inexperienced at design for mass production (where every penny counts) and they were also using many off-the-shelf bits and pieces because there was no time to make their own cost-effective ones. Hopefully MS have got this sorted now, and the XBOX360 will be quick and cheap to make. I just hope they haven't cheapened it so much that it ends up a rickety mess like a certain other console...
auzdafluff 2 Jun 2005 19:49
8/9
To be honest I think it might be worth making an alteration to the new story. Gi.biz seem to have forgotten aswell that UK law says that I product must be sold at the price advertised or taken off sale (in otherwords play and co would have to cancel all pre-orders) until the price can be corrected.
Play.com and others are unlikely to want to lose pre-orders by having to cancel them to not lose money.
So they'll overprice it then lower the price to what it officially is.
The same will happen with the PS3 and Rev. It happened last time.
Chances are it will likely be £199 and at most £249.
Play.com and others are unlikely to want to lose pre-orders by having to cancel them to not lose money.
So they'll overprice it then lower the price to what it officially is.
The same will happen with the PS3 and Rev. It happened last time.
Chances are it will likely be £199 and at most £249.
PEN15 2 Jun 2005 19:55
9/9
I read somewhere that had I believe J Allard saying "We have to own our own silicon." making reference to having ownership of everything going into the 360 so that when it came time for the price wars they'd have an easier time lowering the price.
So they have taken steps to OWN the parts instead of having cheap ones.
So they have taken steps to OWN the parts instead of having cheap ones.