360 HD-DVD Drive to be 199 GBP

[Hardknock]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=19588

With 360 bundles planned rather than pre-Christmas price cut

The Premium Xbox 360 won’t benefit from a price cut this Christmas - but instead a HD-DVD and console package is due, spearheading a marketing drive of console bundles available from November.

Retail sources have indicated to GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft is currently planning to price the standalone HD-DVD drive at GBP 199 (293 Euro), and to package it with two HD-DVD movies. The sources also suggested that Microsoft will bundle the Premium console and next-generation movie player together for under GBP 400 (589 Euro) – and that the price could even be as low as GBP 375 (552 Euros).

Next-generation movie support is considered a unique selling point of the PlayStation 3, but Microsoft’s HD-DVD bundle could retail around GBP 50 (74 Euro) cheaper than Sony’s machine, which features the rival Blu-ray movie format.

UK distributor Gem is already offering Premium Xbox 360s with a copy of Project Gotham Racing 3 and two wireless controllers for GBP 299.

It’s expected an official Premium bundle will be made available in early November, with a newly released triple-A third-party title included.

Microsoft recently reduced the price of the Xbox 360 Core package, after many retailers had already taken a similar intiative.

With the pressure to compete with Sony over the Christmas market no longer a threat for Europe, Microsoft looks set to capitalise with a range of SKUs to help grow its installed base in the region.

Microsoft did not respond to requests for comment.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Its cool that their packing in movies but thats a large chunk of cash for an addon. Probably be better if they sold just the standalone drive.

 

[lefizz]

I have to say for me £199 is too expensive for what it is. As and upgrade for a exhist user that a lot to spend, ok it would be very cheap for a stand alone player but thats a hell of a lot.
£150 sounds about right to me. If its $377 on that price converstion in the US ill eat my hat. UK gets stung again.

 

[avaya]

UK/EU price subsidises US price. Just watch.

 

[Pugger]

Can't see many people going for this (I'm certainly not). Saying that if the Bundle of the Premium 360 + HD-DVD is 375 pound (plus the 2 films), that is pretty good value considering its 479 pound buying them individually..

 

[Bad_Boy]

Going by google...
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=293+euro&btnG=Google+Search
293 Euro = 375.33300 U.S. dollars?

Of course that cant be a direct transfer to the USD price, can it? Is there a USD msrp price?
Thats gotta be like some ps3 price tag type situation where europe gets the higher price as usual.

 

[Titanio]

Going by google...
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=293+euro&btnG=Google+Search
293 Euro = 375.33300 U.S. dollars?

Of course that cant be a direct transfer to the USD price, can it? Is there a USD msrp price?
Thats gotta be like some ps3 price tag type situation where europe gets the higher price as usual.

Usually there's a 1:1 mapping between Euro prices and US prices - even if it's a big rip-off for Europe - so it probably suggests a $299 price, not $375 or whatever.

Higher than people might have hoped, though, either way.

 

[StefanS]

Of course that cant be a direct transfer to the USD price, can it? Is there a USD msrp price?
Thats gotta be like some ps3 price tag type situation where europe gets the higher price as usual.

First of all, remember that European prices include the VAT. Plus, yes we Euros get screwed all the time, especially the Brits - But they deserve that for sticking with pints, miles, stones and the BP.

 

[Bad_Boy]

Yeah, I always expected no lower than $200, but no higher than $300 for it to be worthwhile. So with a $299 Price tag, I suppose that wouldnt be so surprising to me, but $375 would be out of the question imo. Should wait for more official confirmation though.

 

[lefizz]

Grrr.

You can take my pints from cold dead hand.

 

[expletive]

$299 is a bad price in the US imo. Before long 2nd Generation stand alone players will be out for probably $399 retail price, meaning discounts could put it at 350 or so. 299 for just the drive is too much to drive any kind of relevant sales for the format, imo.

 

[Dave Baumann]

Again, remember that any UK prices you hear will be the post VAT price. Lop off 17.5% and then do your comparisons/conversions.

 

[Bad_Boy]

Again, remember that any UK prices you hear will be the post VAT price. Lop off 17.5% and then do your comparisons/conversions.

Yeah, 82.5% of 375.33300 = 309.649725, which puts it at around that 299 price tag.
I'll wait for more official confirmation though. (which I suppose would be @ X06?)

 

[BlueTsunami]

A more rounded off $299 definitely sounds correct. To me $200 would have been the sweet spot.

 

[DeathKnight]

I call BS on a $299US pricetag. No way it's going for as much as the console itself. If it does they can shove it :smile:

 

[BlueTsunami]

I call BS on a $299US pricetag. No way it's going for as much as the console itself. If it does they can shove it :smile:

I totally forgot about the Xbox360 Core price point. $299 defiantly would have a bad stigma in this regard.

 

[Inane_Dork]

MS is apparently not interested in subsidizing HD-DVD adoption. I figured that would be the case.

 

[one]

How are other MSFT products priced in GBP now?

 

[A176]

Microsoft is currently planning to price the standalone HD-DVD drive at GBP 199 (293 Euro), and to package it with two HD-DVD movies.

HD DVD player + 2 HD DVD movies for that price seems very fair. I think many people approach this from a gamer's perspective, which in this case, shouldn't be the method - this is furthering on MS's "360 in your home entertainment center" paradigm.

 

[scooby_dooby]

299 for just the drive is too much to drive any kind of relevant sales for the format, imo.

Agreed 100%.