
Congratulations fellow Europeans! Beginning this Friday you'll be joining your North American and receive your very own Xbox 360 price cut. Just as Woolworths predicted, huzzah!
Microsoft just confirmed that this Friday, September 19th, the Xbox 360 will see a significant price reduction in all European countries, dropping prices for Xbox 360 Arcades to £129 (€179), 60GB Pros to £169 (€239) and 120GB Elites to £229 (€299). A reduction from the previous £159 (€199), £199 (€269) and £259 (€369) pricing. We're sure this new (and much speculated) price cut will help spur 360 sales in Europe and keep team Microsoft competitive with the PS3 going into the holidays. Again, congrats Europe ... you can haz price cut!
Psst, our Dutch friends get an extra console discount through a special rebate program. Learn more about it here.
Update: Press release after the break.
With Estimated Retail Pricing From €179.99/£129.99 and the best line up of Games and Entertainment For Everyone, Xbox 360 is aiming to win in Europe
LONDON – 16th September 2008 - Imagine if friends and families had the ability to instantly watch movies and share pictures, live out their musical fantasies through "Lips" (iNiS Corp./Microsoft Game Studios) and "Rock Band" (Harmonix/MTV Games) and star in their own Hollywood classics with "You're in the Movies" (Codemasters/Microsoft Game Studios) - all from one console, starting at an estimated retail price (ERP) of only €179/£129.99. That is the Xbox 360™, and Microsoft today announced the new lower ERP for its Xbox 360 family of consoles in Europe. Now with an entry-level ERP of €179/£129.99 and offering a plethora of exciting and broad entertainment in the living room, Xbox 360 is the true home of mass market entertainment with something to offer for every interest and budget.
From Friday, 19th September, Xbox 360, which includes a 60GB hard drive and one wireless controller, will have an ERP of €239.99/£169.99. The Xbox 360 Elite, which comes with a massive 120GB hard drive enabling consumers to store huge quantities of content downloaded from Xbox LIVE™ Marketplace as well as their own music, will have an ERP of €299.99/£229.99. The Xbox 360 Arcade console, perfect for those wishing to make their first foray into the gaming and entertainment world of Xbox, will have an ERP of €179/£129.99.
The new ERPs are part of Microsoft's ongoing strategy to open up the ultimate in high-definition gaming and entertainment to an even wider audience, with something for everyone. A major part of this strategy is a new Xbox LIVE online experience coming to Europe this autumn that will reinvent home entertainment from the inside out, with a bold new look and feel that is fun, social and simple to use. It's the first time in history that a mass market consumer electronics device has been reinvented through free software, changing the way we play games, watch movies, and even become contestants in game shows. Along with the new Xbox experience, the Xbox 360 platform is offering a stunning games portfolio for all ages and interests this Christmas, with new titles for music lovers, family-friendly games, and exciting blockbuster titles for the committed gamer.
"We're proud to be expanding the reach of Xbox as the first next-generation console to break the €200/£150 barrier, making the platform up to €200/£170 less expensive than competitors" said Chris Lewis, Vice President, Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business Europe. "History shows that the majority of console sales happen after this price point has been breached, and we're well positioned to take advantage of this mass market pricing. We're passing on the benefits of being the first console to sell over 20 million units worldwide, and of the ever-expanding ecosystem of Xbox, to consumers. We offer a large library of games and family entertainment for Xbox 360, with 90 titles coming between now and Christmas alone, and we're redefining what people can expect from entertainment with the new Xbox LIVE experience debuting later this year. Plus, with well over five million consoles sold to date the combination of the strongest games line up this Christmas, really innovative entertainment experiences and these groundbreaking new price points will ensure we continue to enjoy fantastic momentum in Europe."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-16-2008 @ 1:40AM
Anon said...
Does Australia count as a European country?
Reply
9-16-2008 @ 2:11AM
B said...
I thought the aussies already had their price cuts
9-16-2008 @ 2:38AM
hi said...
We had one for the Arcade. Like $400 to $350... which, yes is cheaper than the wii (which is $400).
But our Pro model is still $500 and the Elite is $650..................
At least when I checked a few weeks ago.
b-b-bargain?
9-16-2008 @ 1:46AM
Koen said...
For the record, in holland the prices are:
Arcade: 149,99
Pro: 199,99
Elite: 249,99
Reply
9-16-2008 @ 10:33AM
Echtzeit said...
Where?
9-16-2008 @ 1:49AM
eddyk said...
Wooow !! This is what I call a price cut !!
Am I alone to predict a major war console war this holiday in Europe ? The strengh of the Playstation brand VS the tastefully attractive price of the Xbox 360, both running the same major multiplatform games !!
There's a 320€ differences between the entry model of both company, both console running almost the same games !!
Will exclusives make the difference ?
Little Big Planet VS Gears Of War 2 ...
This gonna me hot !!!!!
Reply
9-16-2008 @ 6:28PM
Wes said...
Wow is the difference really 320€ in the entry level consoles? That's...tons.
Living in Canada, I don't really know much about the European xbox 360 prices but if the arcade is 179€ and the PS3's entry level model is 320€ more, it seems like you could buy almost three arcades for the price of one ps3.
A three-child family could literately each have their own xbox 360 arcade for each of their kids or a single ps3 to be 'shared'. I can't help but wonder how well 'sharing' would work lol.
In regards to the exclusives, I guess since FFXIII is no longer an exclusive. I guess it almost really is just LBP/Dead Rain or something like that, an rpg or two and Resistance to persuade people to pay almost triple the price versus Gears of War 2, Halo Wars, several rpgs, some survival horror games and others?
9-16-2008 @ 2:15AM
Tann said...
now thats CHEAP
169£ for a pro?!?!
thats a LOT cheaper than a ps3 now!! and thats even cheaper than a WII!!
i might have to pick myself up a new one at this rate..
i mean, a 120gb hard drive is as expensive as an arcade!!!
Reply
9-16-2008 @ 3:11AM
DigDug said...
Another price cut so soon after the last? Looks like a last ditch desperation on Microsofts part to get some PS3/Wii action, where all the money has been spent for the last 12 months.
It's unlikely to do much to change the 360's perception in Europe thou, it's reputation is already in tatters with the RROD and noisy fans/drives and failed HD formats.
Nobody wants a console thats going to fail every couple of months, create enough heat to melt the polar ice caps, and enough noise to keep bears away.
Reply
9-16-2008 @ 6:47AM
bambino said...
Truth Hurts.
X-bots are negging you into oblivion lol
9-16-2008 @ 11:27AM
cranium said...
using the word "Xbot" = you're a loser
9-16-2008 @ 3:54AM
RancoR said...
yay, finally! I'll definetly get one (Pro, I guess...).
But only 200€ in Holland? 39€ for gas? nah, distance (from Bavaria) might be too long...
Reply
9-16-2008 @ 4:42AM
Boff said...
My mate's been waiting and waiting for the price drop before upgrading to the 60Gig Pro. His 20Gig Premium is on its last legs bless it!
Reply
9-16-2008 @ 6:29AM
stukorn said...
I guess i'll pick up aother 360 toward christmas, to replace my noise origial 20g.
Reply
9-16-2008 @ 6:45AM
bambino said...
Make it £50. Then I might consider it.
In Europe, people don't have a habit of buying defective goods.
Reply
9-16-2008 @ 7:36AM
Ejab said...
Bullshit, Europe bought alot of ps2s
9-18-2008 @ 12:46PM
In Reply said...
In Europe, we tend to call people like you a w*nker, laugh and move on.
Go cry on some other 360 based site's comment system and convince yourself some more that you haven't brought the wrong console.
9-16-2008 @ 7:35AM
Ejab said...
I love how the sony f*cktards are showing their jealousy, i love it:)
Reply
9-16-2008 @ 7:46AM
bambino said...
Of what exactly? AS somebody who isn't a fan of the RPG genre, what exactly has the X-ROD 360 got to offer me?
9-16-2008 @ 9:05AM
Mazrael said...
Games..
There was only one game to tempt me towards getting a PS3.. FFXIII..
More recently Heavy Rain..
But I'm not going to by a console for one game