UK Xbox 360 sales up 1000%

UK Xbox 360 sales are up a whopping 1000 per cent following the release of the new 250GB model last week, Microsoft has claimed.

As a result, Microsoft has 84 per cent of the market.

Xbox Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) boss Chris Lewis told our sister site Gamesindustry.biz that sales were helped by price cuts for the Elite and Arcade models.

"It's only a couple of days of sales, but it does further enforce the appetite that people have for the Xbox 360, and excitement for the 250GB slimmer, quieter version."

Chart-Track said earlier in the week that sales of the redesigned console were higher than Sony's release of the slim PlayStation 3 model and the launch of the smaller PlayStation 2.

The Xbox 360 S goes for £199 in the UK, while the Elite is selling for £149 and the Arcade unit £119.

Specialist retailer GAME said it had seen "amazing demand" for the new Xbox 360 250GB following midnight openings across 400 of its stores.

Yesterday Microsoft confirmed pricing for Kinect (£129.99 / €149.99), a new Xbox 360 4GB model (£149.99/€199.99), due out on 20th August and designed to replace the Arcade model, and an upcoming Xbox 360 4GB and Kinect bundle (£249.99/€299.99).

Analysts have already offered their thoughts on Kinect's pricing.

Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter told VG247: "The standalone price for Kinect is too high, and core gamers will be put off by the price."

Pachter does, however, reckon the 4GB model "is very attractive" and that the 250GB model "is very profitable", which leaves room for a price cut next year.

EEDAR's Jesse Divnich, though, disagreed with Pachter's assessment. He told Joystiq that Kinect is appropriately priced.

"Previous peripherals with mass-market appeal, such as band kits, have sold millions of units worldwide even while priced north of 150 USD," he said.

GAME is already convinced. "At E3 in June, we were lucky enough to play with Kinect and can say that it truly is ground-breaking technology," managing director Martyn Gibbs said.

"Since then, we've been driving awareness of Kinect to our customers in-store and online. We know from their feedback that they are excited about getting their hands on it and what it could do to their gaming experience.

"Whether they buy Kinect on its own or as part of the great value bundle, it is going to be on the Christmas lists of both core gamers and families."