Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Price Drops This Fall?

Recent rumors suggest that both Sony and Microsoft's systems will be undergoing serious price drops this fall, Matt Peckham of PC World reports.

Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Price Drops This Fall?

Image courtesy of digitalbattle.com

When it comes to console price drops, especially when it involves the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, most of the rumors have gotten it wrong, so echoing another one's a bit like strapping yourself to the mast of the Titanic. We know Sony and Microsoft will, but the when's about as accessible as a crystal ball locked in a safe sheathed in cement at the bottom of a well.

The story this time? The price cut--make that price cuts--are coming this fall for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. What's more, Sony's planning to replace the 80GB PS3 with a 160GB model, the PS3 slim is real but coming a bit later, Microsoft's planning to replace the Pro with its Elite model, and both systems are getting new bundles in time for the holidays.

To be fair, some of that predates the Ars Technica story (they're attributing it to a mole they imply has a sterling track record). The only new bits are the Xbox 360 price drop, Microsoft mainlining its Elite model, and the bundle additive, though it would've been more impressive if the mole knew the bundle specifics--the tradition of new holiday bundles leading out of the summer into the holidays is as inevitable as death and taxes.

I've got to invoke my usual line here about Microsoft needing to drop where it matters, i.e. component prices. As I've shown time and again, the Xbox 360 is actually more expensive than Sony's PlayStation 3 when you configure the former to spec equivalency. If Microsoft just nudges the system's price, they're not doing their existing base any favors.

On the other hand, Microsoft's selling well enough in part because people have bought into their "upgrade in installments" approach. If it costs you $50 more to pull out all the stops in the long run, no biggie--at least you don't have to mortgage the house to get started. Based on that approach, if the Xbox 360's unit cost drops further, it could well undermine Sony's own own price moves, even if they're as substantial as they need to be, i.e. $100 or more.

For more gaming news and opinion, point your tweet-readers at twitter.com/game_on.

Read the original story here.

THE VERDICT by Andy Burt Andy Burt's Avatar If the rumors are true, gamers should have some nice price drops come this fall. While the details are a little murky right now, we'll see as the summer months go on who will make the announcement first. Speaking of which, I wonder what they'd bundle with the systems for the holidays, hmm...

Comments [29]

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Zepho39

I've been hearing "price drops" for many months, so I'll say now what I always say then. It's about time they drop their price, it may make me actually want one of these systems. Right now they just feel too cost-prohibitive. It's a shame, because all the major producers are making games for them instead of the Wii.

iamthegamepro

if sony drops the price of the ps3 microsoft will have to drop the price of the 360 by double.
make the arcade 149.99 the core 199 and th elite 249.99..excellent prices... and they will have to drop the pariphial prices too.

goldberg_evan

iamthegamepro wrote:

if sony drops the price of the ps3 microsoft will have to drop the price of the 360 by double.
make the arcade 149.99 the core 199 and th elite 249.99..excellent prices... and they will have to drop the pariphial prices too.

Hopefully you are right about the peripherals. I already have my 360 but am looking to upgrade my 20 gig HDD but don't want to pay $100 for a 60 gb or $150 for a 120 gb

hikayu

the fact that microsoft is dropping the price of xbox 360 isnt new due to the fact that new xbox is coming 2010 and they need to clear out those shelves and atract people to buy it during the holiday ( otherwise most will probably wait for the new one ) . i dont know about you but i already seen this coming . sony hates this so they never , ever , announce a price drop until monday next week when they drop the price . the elite drop is a welcoming sign , the 120GB HDD is way way overpriced and the price tag of 399$ is nowhere as competitive as the ps3 when it comes down to hardware . plus , microsoft knew that if the ps3 drop their price to somewhere near the 60GB pros bundle , they will pretty much out sell ( note this ) the xbox 360 if they dont do something . the ps3 lineup this year is really strong and as we're seeing , the economy's downfall has haulted to a stop and we're seeing sign that it might coming back in the near future . a gaming console with bluray is an extremely good deal when compare to the xbox 360 . plus , there arent that many 360 exclusive coming up anyway . many of 360 exclusive is shared with pc , and as number show best , is also a very big market .

dam i typed a lot .

Gaming_Freak

iamthegamepro wrote:

if sony drops the price of the ps3 microsoft will have to drop the price of the 360 by double.
make the arcade 149.99 the core 199 and th elite 249.99..excellent prices... and they will have to drop the pariphial prices too.

I would have to get the 360 if the price is that.

shotgunzzzz

hikayu wrote:

the fact that microsoft is dropping the price of xbox 360 isnt new due to the fact that new xbox is coming 2010 and they need to clear out those shelves and atract people to buy it during the holiday ( otherwise most will probably wait for the new one ) . i dont know about you but i already seen this coming . sony hates this so they never , ever , announce a price drop until monday next week when they drop the price . the elite drop is a welcoming sign , the 120GB HDD is way way overpriced and the price tag of 399$ is nowhere as competitive as the ps3 when it comes down to hardware . plus , microsoft knew that if the ps3 drop their price to somewhere near the 60GB pros bundle , they will pretty much out sell ( note this ) the xbox 360 if they dont do something . the ps3 lineup this year is really strong and as we're seeing , the economy's downfall has haulted to a stop and we're seeing sign that it might coming back in the near future . a gaming console with bluray is an extremely good deal when compare to the xbox 360 . plus , there arent that many 360 exclusive coming up anyway . many of 360 exclusive is shared with pc , and as number show best , is also a very big market .
dam i typed a lot .

Dude you actually made sense. I agree.

Boyanime012

The only one to blame here, is these so call gamers who's listens to some analysts predicts Sony going to price drop PS3. when theres nothing wrong with it's price. PS3 is worth way more then $400.00. to me i think Sony should bring the price back to $600. todays gamers are to cheap to notice a good deal when they see one.. if everyone bought a PS3 back in 07, then Sony wouldn't have to cut out some features for newer models.. so like peoples need to stop being cheap

Sony will drop the price of PS3 when it's right, not because you're whining for one

The12P

hikayu wrote:

the fact that microsoft is dropping the price of xbox 360 isnt new due to the fact that new xbox is coming 2010 and they need to clear out those shelves and atract people to buy it during the holiday.

Actually bro, there is no NEW 360 coming out next year. That quote was apologized for a few days after it was made. Next year Project Natal is coming out bundled with Xbox 360 hardware, but it will also be sold seperately. A new Xbox system won't be coming out till atleast 2011.

denveraic

Boyanime012 wrote:

The only one to blame here, is these so call gamers who's listens to some analysts predicts Sony going to price drop PS3. when theres nothing wrong with it's price. PS3 is worth way more then $400.00. to me i think Sony should bring the price back to $600. todays gamers are to cheap to notice a good deal when they see one.. if everyone bought a PS3 back in 07, then Sony wouldn't have to cut out some features for newer models.. so like peoples need to stop being cheap

Sony will drop the price of PS3 when it's right, not because you're whining for one

Wow, you really are fuckin retarded.

Dadavinci

Well if PS3 drops price, I can expect the more casual people with an HDTV definatly take notice and pick 1 up, and say by 2010 SOny will only be behind Microsoft by 2 million units.

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