Xbox sales triple after UK price cut

By Tom Bramwell Published 8 September, 2004

Drop to GBP 99 stimulates sales.

Sales of Microsoft's Xbox console tripled in the UK in the week following its price-cut to £99, according to sources in the UK retail sector - bringing weekly sales of the system up to around the 15,000 mark.

The boost to sales of the console is expected to continue through the coming months, as Microsoft and its publishing partners roll out a strong software line-up for the Xbox - which should find a more receptive audience among consumers thanks to the lower price point.

Microsoft UK today declined to comment on the retail reports of its sales success. No information is yet known about the impact of Sony's similar price cut to the PlayStation 2, which came into effect late last month.

In a related story, Microsoft today announced that Chris Lewis, formerly UK Northern and Eastern Europe director for the Home and Entertainment Division, which includes the Xbox project, has been promoted to regional vice president of the division for the EMEA territories.

Lewis will replace former incumbent Eduardo Rosini, who is to move to Singapore as Microsoft's new regional vice president for the Asia Pacific market. Neil Thompson, who is currently the division's regional director for Central and Southern Europe, will be stepping up to fill Lewis' former role.

"We're very pleased to welcome Chris to his new role within the Xbox and Home and Entertainment Division EMEA team," according to Mitch Koch, coporate vice president of the division. "He has led the success of these businesses in the UK, where Xbox enjoys a market share in 2004 to date of 25 per cent, as well as in Northern Europe, which has a market share in 2004 to date of 50 per cent."

"Since he has been closely involved in the success of Xbox and the Home and Entertainment businesses in Europe we'll benefit from a smooth transition," he continued. "We're also confident Neil, another Xbox veteran with regional management experience, will build on the successful track record of Xbox and the Home and Entertainment Division in the UK and Northern Europe."

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (48) Latest comment 8 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Dizzy #1 8 years ago

    You would be silly not to buy an XBox with the lineup coming in next months.

  • Ali #2 8 years ago

    I think I read in MCV that the PS2 sales were doubled on the week before. But when you consider that everyone knew the PS2 price was coming down, and no one was going to buy one in the week before it did... surely there can't be that many scrotes out there who want a PS2 but haven't bought one yet?

  • Decoded #3 8 years ago

    "You would be silly not to buy an XBox with the lineup coming in next months"

    Sigh. I must be silly then because none of that lineup appeals to me. Still, it is cheap and I admit to being tempted to buy one - I just don't know why!

  • Pirotic #4 8 years ago

    its a bargin for £99, the xbox has a bloody good selection of games out, and with some big AAA titles due out before christmas i wouldn't be surprised if it over took the PS2 for the first time

  • Eighthours #5 8 years ago

    PES4 on LIVE will no doubt lure a few of the PS2 faithful over. Already some on GR are wavering!

    Shame this is all far too late to make an impact this gen, although Microsoft will be hoping that they can carry some form of momentum through to Xbox Next, and burst out of the gates running....

  • lost_soul #6 8 years ago

    How is the Gamecube doing, sales wise?

  • Rankin #7 8 years ago

    but I need a frigging vacation not more games...

    Do you mean a frigging holiday?

    ;-)
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/04 @ 11:59

  • Blerk #8 8 years ago

    You would be silly not to buy an XBox with the lineup coming in next months.

    I'm still not convinced. There are a small number of games I'd like now, but no one 'must have at all costs' title either now or in the near future. Anyway... I don't have time for another console! :-)

  • gamingdave #9 8 years ago

    burst out of the gates running

    /pictures Gates in John Hurts place in Alien

  • boo #10 8 years ago

    How is the Gamecube doing, sales wise?

    I think somebody bought one a couple of weeks ago.

  • C13 #11 8 years ago

    I practically play only racing games... so it's just GT which would tempt me to buy a PS2. I'm happy with the racing games on my Xbox. Most racing games exist on both consoles anyway, so i'm not missing out on much...

    Hurray for the racing games...

  • ralphwolfenstein #12 8 years ago

    PS2 is still outselling Xbox 2:1 and Xbox in turn is out selling GameCube 10:1

  • Dizzy #13 8 years ago

    Yeah.. the Cube is out of the picture in UK

    Ok Blerk if you are into JRPGs and turn based strategic games, there is not much on the XBox.

    >Shame this is all far too late to make an impact this gen

    Well still two years to go... who knows. XBox seems to be gaining speed every day.

  • lost_soul #14 8 years ago

    I think somebody bought one a couple of weeks ago.

    Heh!

  • mcmonkeyplc #15 8 years ago

    "I think somebody bought one a couple of weeks ago."

    I think I might buy one if RE4 is any good :p

    Blerk: Halo ?

    It had to be said.

  • Destria #16 8 years ago

    Well, I won't be buying one. Not because I can't afford one (I'm sure I could justify the cash), or because nothing on it appeals to me (there are some titles there I'd like a punt at), but I just don't have the TIME. I recently got a Gamecube (because I could afford one, and titles on it appealed to me :) ), and I've got a massive backlog on that. And on my PC too. So I really can't start buying X-Boxes or PS2s right now!

  • Blerk #17 8 years ago

    Blerk: Halo ?

    Halo's good, but I don't think it's as good as people make out. Not to me, anyway - FPS isn't really my kind of thing. I prefer Timesplitters 2, tbh.

  • Xinch #18 8 years ago

    Y no comment Microsoft? You usually gush emphatically at this.
    Is is because you had expected to reduce the price many moons ago but didn't have to for PS2 reasons?

    YES

  • Sid-Nice #19 8 years ago

    Lost Soul asked " How's the Cube doing? "

    Most likely the Cube will be doing 'Badly' as per usual.

  • mash the x button #20 8 years ago

    So this means that three people now own one...

  • Feanor #21 8 years ago

    I wish TimeSplitters 2 would let you have a crosshair on screen at all times. There's really no excuse for them not giving players that option. Especially seen as how the game usually gives you so little feedback on whether your bullets are hitting your enemy.

    I know you can get a crosshair to appear by turning on Aim mode, but then (with most weapons) the controls are far too twitchy for anything but standing still and aiming.

  • red_shift #22 8 years ago

    should i swap my cube for an xbox? id buy one, but i dont have any cash

  • colin 1st #23 8 years ago

    my mate IS silly. very so. He bought all sorts of crap for his PS2 even went online with it. he could have bought a box with all that cash. now he'll probably sell it all and buy one.

  • onezeonx #24 8 years ago

    GOD YES !!!! swap your gamecube for the xbox


    while you still get more than a tenner for it :)

  • asphaltcowboy #25 8 years ago

    Well, I plan on buying one! After Gamestars Live, I want one just for Outrun 2! :D

  • mystic_mick #26 8 years ago

    The Xbox is about to take off and rule the planet, just think of the impact the Xbox would have made, if it had been launched at £99. This is great news, I can see Nintendo pulling out of Europe all together now, he, he. The Gaycube is no more, no more kiddie games, just lots and lots of FPS and driving games, oh and of course Fable. I can see the Xbox outselling the PS2 before the launch of the next gen machines, yes a 100 million Xboxes around the world before 2006. Europe won't see the Nintendo DS or the Revolution, Nintendo you have been evicted, you are the weakest link, goodbye.

  • Decoded #27 8 years ago

    "The Gaycube is no more, no more kiddie games"

    I know I really shouldn't feed trolls, but...FFS. Just for the record (and my sanity) could you please explain how a plastic cube can be a) gay and b) how that constitutes an insult?

    Nobody is forcing you to play those "kiddy games", by the way.

  • aabyssx #28 8 years ago

    > I think somebody bought one a couple of weeks ago.

    Well, I will buy one, too - next year (Wind Waker is a must and maybe RE4 will be good, too).
    But I'll get an X-Box this year (just because Ninja Gaiden ;).

  • Blerk #29 8 years ago

    no more kiddie games, just lots and lots of FPS and driving games

    Sounds like my idea of hell!

  • pjmaybe #30 8 years ago

    Chavs are buying 'em. It is now the chav console of choice, the PS2 has been usurped.

    Peej

  • Blerk #31 8 years ago

    But your idea of heaven is everyone else's idea of hell ;)

    You'll all come round to my way of thinking eventually.

    These aren't the games you're looking for!

    /waves hand

  • mash the x button #32 8 years ago

    kevf123 - I'm going out on a limb here: you own an xbox, right?
    Edited by 1 at 09/09/04 @ 11:32

  • mash the x button #33 8 years ago

    All broken? :)

  • lost_soul #34 8 years ago

    "Blerk: Halo ?"

    Is it me you're looking for?

    This thread needs nuking...

  • Blerk #35 8 years ago

    I thought the schools had gone back?

  • mash the x button #36 8 years ago

    "I traded in one of my Gamecubes"

    So how many Gamecubes do you own?

  • Blerk #37 8 years ago

    Right, now I'm going to take issue.

    My tastes are somewhat 'off the wall', but that doesn't mean I don't like to play some of the games that the rest of you like. I quite regularly play Halo, and it's a very good game - but it's not the sort of thing I generally like to play 'in my own time'. There seems to be this general idea that the Xbox has this 'all-conquering' line-up from now until Christmas that is going to wipe the floor with everything else. Maybe it will? But this 'all-conquering' line-up is full of the types of games that I generally don't like playing, so to me it's nothing special.

    The Xbox has a great line-up and some wonderful games. But its scope is very, very narrow - there's hardly anything in there that's 'a bit different', and hardly anything that's of Japanese origin. I like that stuff. I have no need for an Xbox.

    Dizzy made a post right at the top of the page. I answered it.

    /huff

    btw, I wasn't talking about lost_soul, Max!

  • pjmaybe #38 8 years ago

    pjmaybe: But their turdmobile suspension won't be able to take the weight!

    /keeps an eye out for low riding turded novas.

    Nah they'll just stick 5-spoke alloys on each corner of the box and wheel around on that...!

    Peej

  • lost_soul #39 8 years ago

    Eh?
    Well I thought that joke was funny (if a little late).

    /gets coat

  • mcmonkeyplc #40 8 years ago

    "Blerk: Halo ?"

    What have I done!

    My love for halo is unadulterated, not confined to the breezebox but these "people", dear dog forgive me!

    /points gun to head

  • Blerk #41 8 years ago

    Don't do it!

    Shoot the moron instead.

  • IronGiant #42 8 years ago

    Christ another thread going down the pan.. nice to see kev helping to drag it down, he does post the odd interesting comment though, sometimes.

    Don't let em get to ya Blerk!!

  • mash the x button #43 8 years ago

    If xbox sales have indeed tripled after the price cut why don't Nintendo follow suit with the Gamecube? Come on Nintendo, with your back catalogue and RE4 coming soon, you know it makes sense!
    Even I might buy one...

  • pjmaybe #44 8 years ago

    Cheap cube = great
    Cheaper cube games = better idea!

    Peej

  • ChocNut #45 8 years ago

    Why I own a cube: NFSUG is better on the cube, Star Wars co-operative, metroid, resident evil, better graphics for games like Spiderman 2 & Everything or Nothing. I paid 50 euro for my cube - resident evil was about 6 euro and I got 2 pads with that.
    As for Ps2 - dont know how true this is, but a friend who works at Gamestop told me that ps2 sales had actually decreased since price reduction because package deals weren't perceived as being as good any more.
    Ps2 Online is fantastic btw - no fees and no pc to set it up either. Just bloody works - the way it should be (also its mostly serious gamers who looked into the whole thing for themselves as there seems to have been very little marketing for Ps2 online).
    I probably will face the hoarding masses on xbox live one of these days but I resent credit card fees & subscriptions for my gaming...

  • Kavvy #46 8 years ago

    After ditching my chipped 100Gb Xbox in favour of getting my second PS2 I have to say I am well happy now. The Xbox controller is just shit for footy games, and I aint waiting around for months for GTASA to come out either (the xbox GTAVC was a pretty crappy bug ridden conversion)

    However the overall Xbox build quality is pretty stunning. My aqua ps2 looks better though, even if it is made of paper thin plastic ;-)

  • mash the x button #47 8 years ago

    "Cheap cube = great
    Cheaper cube games = better idea!"

    Even better, a package deal that cannot be refused!

  • Xinch #48 8 years ago

    "HALO,CHRO: OF RIDDICK,RAINBOW SIX 3 and now DOOM3"

    That is chicken counting there.