GameIndustry.biz
Xbit labs
The Premium Xbox 360 won?t benefit from a price cut this Christmas - but instead a HD-DVD and console package is due, spearheading a marketing drive of console bundles available from November.
Retail sources have indicated to GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft is currently planning to price the standalone HD-DVD drive at GBP 199 (293 Euro), and to package it with two HD-DVD movies. The sources also suggested that Microsoft will bundle the Premium console and next-generation movie player together for under GBP 400 (589 Euro) ? and that the price could even be as low as GBP 375 (552 Euros).
Next-generation movie support is considered a unique selling point of the PlayStation 3, but Microsoft?s HD-DVD bundle could retail around GBP 50 (74 Euro) cheaper than Sony?s machine, which features the rival Blu-ray movie format.
UK distributor Gem is already offering Premium Xbox 360s with a copy of Project Gotham Racing 3 and two wireless controllers for GBP 299.
It?s expected an official Premium bundle will be made available in early November, with a newly released triple-A third-party title included.
Microsoft recently reduced the price of the Xbox 360 Core package, after many retailers had already taken a similar intiative.
With the pressure to compete with Sony over the Christmas market no longer a threat for Europe, Microsoft looks set to capitalise with a range of SKUs to help grow its installed base in the region.
Microsoft did not respond to requests for comment.
From XBIT:
Microsoft to Bundle HD DVD Drive with Xbox 360.
Microsoft to Sell Xbox 360, HD DVD Drive Bundle at Discount
Category: Multimedia
by Anton Shilov
[ 09/11/2006 | 02:53 AM ]
Even though Microsoft Corp. is reportedly planning not to build-in HD DVD drive into its Xbox 360 game machine, the firm may still sell bundles consisting of external HD DVD player and the console, media reports suggest. It is not completely clear whether the decision is really cost-efficient, however, it indisputably provides Microsoft some production flexibility.
Microsoft will reportedly sell external HD DVD drive for as much as £199 (approximately ?292, $371), which is substantially higher price-tag than expected originally. However, Microsoft is planning to bundle premium Xbox 360 game console and external HD DVD player ?for under £400? (about ?586, $746), reports GamesIndustry.biz web-site. The price of the bundle could even be lower than that of PlayStation 3, which supports Blu-ray disc player.
Earlier it was reported that Microsoft would sell the external HD DVD drive for $199. However, Microsoft is quoted as indicating that due to shortages of blue-laser diodes, Microsoft is reluctant to launch a hardware piece on the markets, which does not have enough movies, particularly, in Asia. Nevertheless, even though that there are virtually no HD DVD or Blu-ray disc movies in the European Union as well, the information reported above means that Microsoft will still make the external HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360 available in the EU.
Microsoft is expected to launch the add-on HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360 game console by Christmas for $200 (which is more than likely to transform into $199 when retailed), according to an earlier news-story. The drive will enable Xbox 360 owners to play high definition movies on HD DVDs, a standard that battles against Blu-ray for becoming the successor of DVD. The drive will feature H.264 video decoder from ATI Technologies, who developed visual processing unit for the gaming machine. It is projected that the add-on drive will allow Xbox 360 to compete head-to-head with Sony?s PlayStation 3 which offers rival format Blu-ray playback.
Sony recently decided to postpone the release of its PlayStation 3 game console in the EU due to production problems with Blu-ray drives and also cut the volumes to be immediately available at launch to 500 thousand. This may allow Microsoft to benefit, it manages to release enough external HD DVD drives for the Xbox 360.
Xbit labs
The Premium Xbox 360 won?t benefit from a price cut this Christmas - but instead a HD-DVD and console package is due, spearheading a marketing drive of console bundles available from November.
Retail sources have indicated to GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft is currently planning to price the standalone HD-DVD drive at GBP 199 (293 Euro), and to package it with two HD-DVD movies. The sources also suggested that Microsoft will bundle the Premium console and next-generation movie player together for under GBP 400 (589 Euro) ? and that the price could even be as low as GBP 375 (552 Euros).
Next-generation movie support is considered a unique selling point of the PlayStation 3, but Microsoft?s HD-DVD bundle could retail around GBP 50 (74 Euro) cheaper than Sony?s machine, which features the rival Blu-ray movie format.
UK distributor Gem is already offering Premium Xbox 360s with a copy of Project Gotham Racing 3 and two wireless controllers for GBP 299.
It?s expected an official Premium bundle will be made available in early November, with a newly released triple-A third-party title included.
Microsoft recently reduced the price of the Xbox 360 Core package, after many retailers had already taken a similar intiative.
With the pressure to compete with Sony over the Christmas market no longer a threat for Europe, Microsoft looks set to capitalise with a range of SKUs to help grow its installed base in the region.
Microsoft did not respond to requests for comment.
From XBIT:
Microsoft to Bundle HD DVD Drive with Xbox 360.
Microsoft to Sell Xbox 360, HD DVD Drive Bundle at Discount
Category: Multimedia
by Anton Shilov
[ 09/11/2006 | 02:53 AM ]
Even though Microsoft Corp. is reportedly planning not to build-in HD DVD drive into its Xbox 360 game machine, the firm may still sell bundles consisting of external HD DVD player and the console, media reports suggest. It is not completely clear whether the decision is really cost-efficient, however, it indisputably provides Microsoft some production flexibility.
Microsoft will reportedly sell external HD DVD drive for as much as £199 (approximately ?292, $371), which is substantially higher price-tag than expected originally. However, Microsoft is planning to bundle premium Xbox 360 game console and external HD DVD player ?for under £400? (about ?586, $746), reports GamesIndustry.biz web-site. The price of the bundle could even be lower than that of PlayStation 3, which supports Blu-ray disc player.
Earlier it was reported that Microsoft would sell the external HD DVD drive for $199. However, Microsoft is quoted as indicating that due to shortages of blue-laser diodes, Microsoft is reluctant to launch a hardware piece on the markets, which does not have enough movies, particularly, in Asia. Nevertheless, even though that there are virtually no HD DVD or Blu-ray disc movies in the European Union as well, the information reported above means that Microsoft will still make the external HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360 available in the EU.
Microsoft is expected to launch the add-on HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360 game console by Christmas for $200 (which is more than likely to transform into $199 when retailed), according to an earlier news-story. The drive will enable Xbox 360 owners to play high definition movies on HD DVDs, a standard that battles against Blu-ray for becoming the successor of DVD. The drive will feature H.264 video decoder from ATI Technologies, who developed visual processing unit for the gaming machine. It is projected that the add-on drive will allow Xbox 360 to compete head-to-head with Sony?s PlayStation 3 which offers rival format Blu-ray playback.
Sony recently decided to postpone the release of its PlayStation 3 game console in the EU due to production problems with Blu-ray drives and also cut the volumes to be immediately available at launch to 500 thousand. This may allow Microsoft to benefit, it manages to release enough external HD DVD drives for the Xbox 360.
