Spur
10-22-2007, 06:19 PM
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hl2JzbFB6UFd2uL8SVmW1Ago_2UA
TOKYO (AFP) — Microsoft said Monday it would cut the prices of its Xbox 360 consoles in Japan as it ramps up competition with rivals Sony and Nintendo ahead of the key year-end shopping season.
The US software giant's Japanese unit said it would slash the price of the standard Xbox 360 by just over 12 percent to 34,800 yen (303 dollars) from November 1. The move follows markdowns in North America announced in August.
The price of the Xbox 360 "core system," a basic model without a hard-disk drive, will be cut by almost seven percent to 27,800 yen in Japan.
Microsoft will also sell a special set of the Xbox 360 console and two game software titles at 34,800 yen for a limited period of time beginning on November 1, a company statement said.
The announcement comes two weeks after Sony said it would lower the price of the standard PlayStation 3 in Japan by 10 percent to 44,980 yen and introduce a new slimmed down PS3 for 39,980 yen.
The Xbox 360 had the advantage of being released a year before Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Wii, which both debuted in Japan in November of last year.
While sales of the PS3 have been slower than expected due to its hefty price and a dearth of must-have exclusive game software for the consoles, the Wii has been a hit, targeting people who do not usually play video games.
TOKYO (AFP) — Microsoft said Monday it would cut the prices of its Xbox 360 consoles in Japan as it ramps up competition with rivals Sony and Nintendo ahead of the key year-end shopping season.
The US software giant's Japanese unit said it would slash the price of the standard Xbox 360 by just over 12 percent to 34,800 yen (303 dollars) from November 1. The move follows markdowns in North America announced in August.
The price of the Xbox 360 "core system," a basic model without a hard-disk drive, will be cut by almost seven percent to 27,800 yen in Japan.
Microsoft will also sell a special set of the Xbox 360 console and two game software titles at 34,800 yen for a limited period of time beginning on November 1, a company statement said.
The announcement comes two weeks after Sony said it would lower the price of the standard PlayStation 3 in Japan by 10 percent to 44,980 yen and introduce a new slimmed down PS3 for 39,980 yen.
The Xbox 360 had the advantage of being released a year before Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Wii, which both debuted in Japan in November of last year.
While sales of the PS3 have been slower than expected due to its hefty price and a dearth of must-have exclusive game software for the consoles, the Wii has been a hit, targeting people who do not usually play video games.