Officially Official: Xbox 360 Elite for $299

[modeps]

http://evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/xbox360_logo.jpg

Microsoft has finally confirmed the rumors of the Elite price drop. Starting Friday in the US, you'll be able to get the Xbox 360 Elite for only $299. This is a $100 price cut off its current price. Also, looks like the Pro is indeed being discontinued, but it will get a $50 price drop tomorrow.

Xbox 360 Elite Was $399.99 now $299.99*
Xbox 360 Pro Was $299.99 now $249.99* While supplies last
Xbox 360 Arcade Was $199.99 Still $199.99*

If you were gonna buy an Elite, wait till tomorrow!

[TRiLoGY]

They have dropped to £200 in the UK, However, the Arcade version has gone up to £159.99.

[Mike Jones]

Nail in Sony's coffin.

[tdurdan1]

Same price as a PS3? Hmmmm. With the blu-ray player, free to play online, and already installed wi-fi Im gunna have to say the PS3 is the better choice. Next years line up for microsoft is pretty drab too if you ask me. Hopefully Natal will come out to help with that.

[Jamikazi]

Same price as a PS3? Hmmmm. With the blu-ray player, free to play online, and already installed wi-fi....

I actually have Johans perspective on this whole situation and I don't support one console over the other. You make a good product and I'll buy it. The PS3, at this price point, is the better value. (putting exclusives aside)

[92miata]

agreed. ps3 is a much better buy. come on microsoft, step up to the plate and do something about this. and i am not a fanboy, i have the money to own all of the systems.....:)

[Neirin]

Pretty much perfect timing since my first generation pro finally red ringed.

Only thing Im concerned about, is if the Elite has the jasper chip

[TeeCakes]

Say what you will about Sony taking too long to give gamers a price-cut. But at least they don't change prices out of desperation like MS does! :D

[bean19]

Same price as a PS3? Hmmmm. With the blu-ray player, free to play online, and already installed wi-fi Im gunna have to say the PS3 is the better choice. Next years line up for microsoft is pretty drab too if you ask me. Hopefully Natal will come out to help with that.
Right. The Xbox 360 was always the value proposition (before the PS3 Slim) because it was $100 cheaper and had more and better exclusives. This far into the game, both are starting to get exclusive libraries large enough that gamers will want to own both. The people who have not yet bought an HD console will be attracted to the Blu-Ray player in the PS3 (and possibly the free online play - this demographic is not nearly as tech savvy as even an average gamer). So I'm not sure what Microsoft is thinking. Making a little more money on console sales and giving up their lead seems like a stupid move.

[bean19]

Say what you will about Sony taking too long to give gamers a price-cut. But at least they don't change prices out of desperation like MS does! :D
Desperation? They still have sold over 10 million more units than the PS3. Even if the 360 bombs and the PS3 Slim does great this holiday, Sony won't be able to make up that kind of gap.

Their response to the PS3 price-drop is obviously their long-standing plan considering the phase-out of the Pro, but it's a weak plan.

[TeeCakes]

First to lower 360's price below the (much less powerful) Wii = Desperate

Hustles to lock-in $299.99 the weekend before the Slim PS3 launches = Desperate

Just callin' it like I see it, I'm afraid!

[Roc Ingersol]

Just as we jumped on Sony when they did it, this is not a price drop (in the US).

This is a spec bump to a larger HDD at the same price point and a fire-sale on remaining 60GB units. There's no desperation, there's not even concern. Not only is this an indifferent response to Sony's price cut, it's yet-another year of avoiding a meaningful price drop to entice new consumers. Apparently, Microsoft is fine with middling-to-shrinking hardware numbers.

[ElfShotTheFood]

You backed the third-place horse.

Just callin' it like I see it, I'm afraid!

[TeeCakes]

You backed the third-place horse.

Just callin' it like I see it, I'm afraid!

Haha, I love these comments. Not only is it off-topic and pointless, it's completely inaccurate! Don't even own a PS3 at the moment, Elven Lad, I sold my 60-gig a few years ago since I'm still wading through my PS2 library.

So technically I'm still backing the #1-best-selling horse of all time. :p

[TeeCakes]

Just as we jumped on Sony when they did it, this is not a price drop (in the US).

This is a spec bump to a larger HDD at the same price point and a fire-sale on remaining 60GB units. There's no desperation, there's not even concern. Not only is this an indifferent response to Sony's price cut, it's yet-another year of avoiding a meaningful price drop to entice new consumers. Apparently, Microsoft is fine with middling-to-shrinking hardware numbers.

I don't think "indifferent" means what you think it does. Otherwise, why would MS bother pushing this 'fire-sale' as you call it, the friday before the PS3 Slim's launch?

This announcement was calculated to steal some of Sony's thunder, betraying high concern, and yes, desperation on the lackluster numbers the cheap-yet-still-overpriced 360 continues to pull worldwide in the face of hot new competition.

IMO

[Franjo]

Both systems have pro's and con's. As a gaming system, hands down the 360 is the better choice. Everyone has a mic, everybody communicates. Communication is non-existent on the ps3. I've tried FPS online, and nobody talks. The game I play the most is NHL, and I don't need to talk to anyone while playing that game.

As a media system, the PS3 destroys the 360 in my mind. I barely use the blu ray but it does look great. What I love is installing PS3 Media Server on your PC, and transcoding all your movies straight to the box. Looks fantastic.

In my mind, honestly. If somebody was to say, "Both these are the same price, you only get one? Which one do you want"

I'd have to think long and hard about it but I would pick the 360 by a VERY slim margin

[SpectralWolf]

PS3 is the better value. No one wants your stupid mic or listen to pubescent bull crap on the interweb tubes which I now have to pay $50 fer. And the race ain't over yet assshotthefool!

[Fattydah]

TeeCakes, you assume that a price cut from any company can just happen at the drop of a hat. I bet you 1 (one) goat that both Sony and Microsoft planned on this price cut long ago and just waiting for the right times to implement it. Microsoft's price couldn't possibly be a reaction to the slim; unless, of course, they're clairvoyant.

[Evil Avatar]

Save the flame wars. The price drops are good all around. The entry level for this generation has been pretty high to date. This will mean more sales for an industry that has been hit by the same economic downturn as everything else.

More sales = more awesome games for us nerds.

[Roc Ingersol]

I don't think "indifferent" means what you think it does. Otherwise, why would MS bother pushing this 'fire-sale' as you call it, the friday before the PS3 Slim's launch?The PR timing is obviously a response to Sony's move; but that's the way console price and SKU changes have always been. Everyone plans several possible seasonal changes months and months ahead of time. Someone eventually blinks, revealing which card they'll play and the other side responds according to how serious they perceive that challenge.

"Indifference" was my characterization of what response MS chose: basically nothing.

(Only Nintendo has the balls to pretend their competition doesn't even exist. Microsoft is too PR-stupid, even in markets where they are way out front; they're like the guy who just can't let his online argument stand on its own, but feels the need to repeat himself and defend it from any and all responses.)

[OmegaVader]

great, great...now how about a drop in the price of the HDD?

[jdc]

As a media system, the PS3 destroys the 360 in my mind. I barely use the blu ray but it does look great. What I love is installing PS3 Media Server on your PC, and transcoding all your movies straight to the box. Looks fantastic.

I've used PS3 Media Server thru my 360.

[greenapple]

Microsoft's price couldn't possibly be a reaction to the slim; unless, of course, they're clairvoyant.

Seriously?! You think this is mere coincidence?

You have some bizarre notions of how slow and plodding companies are. This is happening a couple of weeks after the OFFICIAL announcement by Sony, but months after people in the industry were essentially aware of it.

Also, of how stupid they are to not have plans in place for new certain events. "Who would have thunk Sony would ever drop thier price!! What do we do now??!"

This is an MS reaction to the slim, not random chance.

[modeps]

This is an MS reaction to the slim, not random chance.

I'm sure MS had this contingency plan in place for whenever Sony was expected to drop the price of the PS3. There's no way it was knee jerk though, they planned for it... and probably expected it.

[ONI5]

This is an MS reaction to the slim, not random chance.

MS Changes prices every year. This is just routine.

[Pumped'Up]

$299 STILL TOO EXPENSIVE FOR SHODDY LOUD HARDWARE and missing features....

[ONI5]

I'm past all this. I want my 250 GB HDD (http://www.amazon.de/Xbox-360-Wireless-Controller-Motorsport/dp/B002MZZWRM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1251413998&sr=8-4)