Jump to navigation
Advertisement

Price cut boosts 360 sales by 32 per cent News

Xbox 360 News by Robert Purchese

23 September, 2008

The Xbox 360 has sold six million units in Europe following a price cut for all three models in the region.

"We're very excited that more consumers in Europe are joining the ever-growing Xbox 360 community," said Chris Lewis, Xbox Europe almost-boss.

"We're now the best-value next-gen console on the market with an entry-level ERP of GBP 129.99, and consumers have clearly responded to that offering.

"We're supporting this momentum by putting launch-level investment into a European advertising campaign, launching this week, which shows how Xbox 360 is changing the way consumers experience entertainment," he added.

Last Friday, Microsoft reduced the price of the Xbox 360 across Europe. The Arcade unit now retails for GBP 129.99, the Premium machine for GBP 169.99 and the Elite model for GBP 229.99.

As well as titles such as Fable 2 and Lips, Microsoft is also due to revamp the Xbox Live dashboard and introduce Mii-style avatars to the online service later this year.

Advertisement

Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!

Comments: 1-50 of 122 in total | next 50 »

Poster
Comment Low-scoring comments hidden. Log in to see them!
bad09
23/09/08 @ 07:23
#1
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Go Xbox \o/

Shame you'll ruin it all with the new update.....

(only joking - I will reserve judgment - but I HATE IT already, sorry!)

Still missing the blu playback tho MS you could catch more with that now poor HD DVD is gone (loving the fire sales still, thanks BDA!)
Garulon
23/09/08 @ 07:23
#2
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
I'm starting to warm to the Avatars since I found out you can make them dizzy by spinning them around. Am I a fanboi?

Worried,
Europe
lambtron
23/09/08 @ 07:25
#3
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
I think for that price I will use my money-off vouchers and get an Arcade so I can bring my hard drive back and forth between work and home. Anyone know if there are any issues with using the same hard drive on different machines?
systems
23/09/08 @ 07:28
#4
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@lambtron - I was thinking of doing the same thing, but will wait for the Jasper chipset due soon. Then I can leave my old Zephyr at work and have the quiet Jasper at home. You'd better get yourself a nice foam-padded box for transporting your hard drive though, as they're expensive to replace.
Vandrius
23/09/08 @ 07:29
#5
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
And now if Sony had half a brain they'd drop the PS3 down to the premiums price and slaughter the 360.

Yeah, it'd cost em a bit upfront, but it'd be HUGE long-term.

Of course, this is sony. So they won't. Cause smarts aren't their strong point.
BTBAM
23/09/08 @ 07:36
#6
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Vandrius - Sony don't need to drop their price; people will buy the PS3 even if it cost £3000 and had no games for it.
menage
23/09/08 @ 07:41
#7
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Can't you just switch of those Avatars?

dr_faulk
23/09/08 @ 07:41
#8
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Blue-ray add-ons would be a bonus, but DRM free HD movie purchases would set the Xbox going for the next ten years.

Either way, I love my Xbox.
insane_cobra
23/09/08 @ 07:41
#9
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Yeah, it'd cost em a bit upfront, but it'd be HUGE long-term.

Huge loss, that is. They are already losing tons of money, now is not the time to swallow another bitter pill. But maybe early next year. Maybe.
dr_faulk
23/09/08 @ 07:42
#10
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@ Lambtron

No, I've done it with my bro's machines, and even with another bro whose machine is Japanese. Swap away!
onyxbox
23/09/08 @ 07:45
#11
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
xbox is so cheap now I was thinking of getting one to heat the utility room
captainrentboy
23/09/08 @ 07:46
#12
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
I would congratulate them if I actually knew what they were on before the price drop, if it was 5.99 million consoles a week ago then it's not that impressive :)
I'm glad they've actually achieved a sales surge, although I haven't really noticed it in my store, yeah we've sold more than usual but it hasn't been a whopping increase and the vast majority are still going for the Premium console ignoring the relatively dirt cheap Arcade unit.
bioreit
23/09/08 @ 07:50
#13
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Not surprised about this to be honest - the key thing is whether the momentum remains in the run-up to Christmas.

What I want MS to do is allow a central store for Gamertags - like on a Windows Home Server. For those of us with more than one 360 (I have an upstairs one for serious online sessions and a downstairs one for more casual, single-player games), it's a pain having to recover GTs via Live or memory cards. And with the console now so cheap, I fully expect it to take off a bit more as a decent Media Centre Extender, so I doubt I'll be the only one who wants this feature. Needs to be made a bit quieter before it goes mainstream, though.

I know there's probably all sorts of reasons why it can't work, but a man can dream...
JetSetWilly
23/09/08 @ 08:02
#14
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
The opening paragraph makes it sound like they've sold 6 million in under a week. It has sold 6 million in Europe, and there was also a price cut last week :p
4thVariety
23/09/08 @ 08:04
#15
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Just like EA said on Gamasutra
Estimates for the 2008 calendar year see the PlayStation 3 pulling ahead in Europe, with the Xbox 360 expected to sell only between 1.5 and 2.5 million units.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_in...

That currently puts the 360 at about 2 Million so far this year. Not too shabby, but it's also not setting the world on fire. Especially when Sony aims at selling six million PS3 units in Europe only this year!
Buztafen
23/09/08 @ 08:04
#16
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
The momentum doesnt need to continue till christmas, its all about waiting for when the parents of all the little timmys around the world eventually snap and are forced to buy a new 'console thing' for them....reckon about the arse end of nov for that 'surge'....
captainrentboy
23/09/08 @ 08:19
#17
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
In the MCV magazine we get in work the front page news story was the 360 price drop, and also how they intend to spend freakin' millions in marketing this chrimbo. Clever marketing, focussing not only on Gears Of War 2, but Lips, Banjo 3 and the new Scene It will surely help them achieve their targets.
Adverts with folk parachuting from the sky carrying 360s does not lead to little timmy pleading with his parents to get him one, why do these companies (Sony are definitely guilty of this) insist on these 'clever' little adverts? People want ads with footage of the game in question, blaring 'hip' music in the background and folks being seen to have fun playing the game in question. It's not difficult.
Buztafen
23/09/08 @ 08:23
#18
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
All that was need for me to buy in M$ christmas 2006 was a short advert featuring the cover of a song by tears for fears!

Its a mad world init!
Xerx3s
23/09/08 @ 08:30
#19
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
/\ Bitter tears of the sdf /\

"Especially when Sony aims at selling six million PS3 units in Europe only this year! "

I'm sure that ms aims at selling a 100 000 000 360s this year. Whether they will achieve this is of course another thing.
Edited 1 times, most recently on 23/09/08 @ 09:33
kangarootoo
23/09/08 @ 08:39
#20
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"Am I a fanboi?"

For spelling fanboy like that, you most certainly are.
kangarootoo
23/09/08 @ 08:40
#21
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@lambtron

"Anyone know if there are any issues with using the same hard drive on different machines? "

None at all.
Dark_Era
23/09/08 @ 08:45
#22
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
well thats all godd news then, but my only concern comes down to one question, Are MS Breaking even with all these price drops, let alone make profits? or is their main aim to sell more unts compared to Sony irrespective of what happens?
Vice.Destroyer
23/09/08 @ 08:46
#23
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@lambtron.

Apart from XBLA games. If you bought them on console A, you'll only be able to play them on console B if you're connected to the internet.
drumbaby
23/09/08 @ 08:48
#24
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
I suppose making it this cheap justifies the fact that it's essentially packed in the box in a pre-broken state.
Z101
23/09/08 @ 08:50
#25
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"We're now the best-value next-gen console on the market"

The european don't agree and prefer Wii and PS3 anyway.
captainrentboy
23/09/08 @ 08:54
#26
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
God damn some of you are bloody sad, ''Awwwww, it's a positively spun 360 story, Eurogamer are baaad''.
Get a fucking grip, surely there's more important things in life to be fretting over :/
Dizzy
23/09/08 @ 08:56
#27
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"Especially when Sony aims at selling six million PS3 units in Europe only this year! "

That is cool. But Sony have slightly more that 6M PS3 atm in Europe, so they better hurry up and sell a million a month now.
IneptPercy
23/09/08 @ 09:09
#28
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
I think it will have a huge effect this xmas as long as the shops don't push the PS3 more than the 360.

Mother" Little Jimmy wants to play all the new games this christmas on is 14" portable TV, he isn't aloud online either, he has a PS2 now what would you recommend"

Game employee "the PS3 is the one for you with its HD Blu r... ermmmm, how about its wireless in.... errmmmm, free onli.... errrmm, backwards com.... errrmmm its only £299...., actually the 360 arcade will him just fine and its only £129.99"

It probably won't happen like that but that what should happen.

Personnally I am hoping this will start to drag the PS3 cost down so I can finaly afford one (or justify to my other half to be exact)
The Bodybuilder
23/09/08 @ 09:10
#29
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
>"but my only concern comes down to one question, Are MS Breaking even with all these price drops, let alone make profits?"

Why should that be your concern? Or anyone's for that matter? That's MS problem.
Let's just worry about the games. OK?
Thunderbolt!
23/09/08 @ 09:14
#30
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
>"but my only concern comes down to one question, Are MS Breaking even with all these price drops, let alone make profits?"

As mentioned before the losses with hardware with be recovered by the sales of software as the X-box has the highest attach rate.

Market penetration is the goal here.



mcmonkeyplc
23/09/08 @ 09:18
#31
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Launch level advertising eh? We'll see.
CHAZBIGPOTATO
23/09/08 @ 09:20
#32
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
For the websites I visit online, this website is quite unique in that every single news story posted seems to be met with a combination scepticism, howls of derision and sarcasm..Genius!
Xerx3s
23/09/08 @ 09:26
#33
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
THIS IS EUROPE!

(where we all are sarcastic bitches)
farticusmaximus
23/09/08 @ 09:27
#34
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"For the websites I visit online, this website is quite unique in that every single news story posted seems to be met with a combination scepticism, howls of derision and sarcasm..Genius!"

I suspect some of the usual suspects here also believe MS to be behind the UFO conspiracies, and do in fact believe the EG editor to be Bigfoot* himself.

*Everyone knows Bigfoot is on the MS payroll, right?

Waffleaber
23/09/08 @ 09:32
#35
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"I suppose making it this cheap justifies the fact that it's essentially packed in the box in a pre-broken state."

Erm, isn't everything you buy packaged in a pre-broken state? Otherwise known as, you know, working?
jonsaan
23/09/08 @ 09:36
#36
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Lips???
Dizzy
23/09/08 @ 09:49
#37
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
>*Everyone knows Bigfoot is on the MS payroll, right?

As is the Yeti.
miiiguel
23/09/08 @ 09:53
#38
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
bioreit : what's the problem in placing your profile in a mem card? I also have multi-360s, and my GT is in one. I even take it to friends place.

edit and in "on comments topic": put 360 in a thread and you see the usual whiners "ooh pre-broken"; "oooh the heat"; "oh but the liefestyle is with PS3!"... FFS!
Edited 1 times, most recently on 23/09/08 @ 10:55
miiiguel
23/09/08 @ 10:07
#39
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
ahahahah! touchy!

"I can't stand it, I know you planned it
I'm a' set straight, this Watergate
I can't stand rocking when I'm in here
'Cause your crystal ball ain't so crystal clear
So while you sit back and wonder why
I got this fuckin' thorn in my side
Oh my god, it's a mirage
I'm tellin' y'all it's sabotage"

completly off-topic: Halo3 Achievements arrived!
Dizzy
23/09/08 @ 10:08
#40
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Kotaku? Are you serious????

Anyway.. Gi.biz had this

"GFK Chart-Track has told GamesIndustry.biz that sales of Xbox 360 hardware rose 32 per cent over the weekend of Microsoft's latest price reduction.

In comparison, sales of Sony's PlayStation 3 were down eight per cent on the previous weekend. "

Start a war over that one.
Arwin
23/09/08 @ 10:08
#41
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
So, surges, means that in the UK, the console got a 32% sales increase over the weekend? Wow. ;) (I think that's on gamesindustry so I'm sure we'll hear about it here soon ... ?). I guess that's why they choose to focus on that 6 million figure rather than the sales increase ... doesn't sound as impressive.

I guess the value of the pricecut will have to show itself over the holiday period.
boabg
23/09/08 @ 10:09
#42
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Who the fuck is Timmy?
farticusmaximus
23/09/08 @ 10:12
#43
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"Some people need to open their eyes and shut the fuck up."

And some people need to stop playing Nazi and accept they have no control over internet forums.
GamerG
23/09/08 @ 10:14
#44
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
32% increase is very good seeing as there was like 3 days notice!

Its not like Sony who announce the cut a month in advance so sales dry up and then get a substantial boost!

I expect this weekend will be a bumper one for 360 as a lot of people get paid monthly and the new pricing even brings the console within people who get paid weekly's price range now they are aware of the cut (it was in all the UK papers over the weekend)
mingster
23/09/08 @ 10:22
#45
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Timmmeeeiiii...
Slim
23/09/08 @ 10:27
#46
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@ lambtron

"Anyone know if there are any issues with using the same hard drive on different machines?"

Yes, it doesn't work. The profile and drm are tied to the console somehow, not the hard disk. If you want to transfer saves, you're better off storing your profile and saves on a memory card.
prolific8
23/09/08 @ 10:28
#47
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Sony don't need to drop their price; people will buy the PS3 even if it cost £3000 and had no games for it.

You got one right, at least.
Madafunkola
23/09/08 @ 10:33
#48
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
I saw on another site (Joystiq i think) that japanese Xbox 360 sales were up 2600%... They must have sold about 19 the week before!
farticusmaximus
23/09/08 @ 10:34
#49
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@simakperrce

People have a vested interest in sales because if their preferred console doesnt sell then games will not be developed on it. The comparison to utility items is not valid.
Xerx3s
23/09/08 @ 10:40
#50
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Some people need to grow some manners, think before they post and stop being complete fuckwits. (Arbiter)

Comments: 1-50 of 122 in total | next 50 »

Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!

X View gallery