While that still leaves Castle Crashers at a price point higher than your average XBLA title, it's a great deal less than the original listing, which had the game going for 1800 points, or $22.50. Behemoth would also like to remind you that they'll be on hand at both PAX this month and the Tokyo Game Show in October, so stop by and give them hugs. The sweatier the better.

1200 Points, Behemoth Forums, PAX, and TGS [Castle Crashers Dev Blog]

Now we just have to wait a couple more weeks to see if the Castle Crashers price tag was wrong yet actually right as well.

Summer of Arcade: Braid - XBLA - Wednesday [Gamerscore Blog]

This apparently shows the SKU for the no-hard drive Arcade model. Other cuts are said to be coming for the Pro (60GB, $299) and Elite (120GB, $399), a development first reported by Ars Technica.

VGChartz follows the pic with a detailed analysis of what the new price points could mean for Microsoft, and the timing behind the price change. An excerpt:

The scheduling of the drop is telling as well. It takes place 1 week after Square Enix's 'Infinite Undiscovery' and 2 weeks before Harmonix/EA's 'Rock Band 2' - both exclusive to the Xbox 360 platform at the time of release and pricedrop (obviously, Rock Band 2 will ship in November for the other platforms).

The writer also peers into a crystal ball of sorts to guess at the production costs of the 360. Conclusion, down from $525 at launch to $140.15 to $182.19 today.

VGC Exclusive: Xbox 360 to Cut Arcade Prices to $199.99 on Sept. 7th [VGChartz.com, thanks Loaded Statement]

* Arcade (no hard drive) to $199
* Pro (60GB) to $299
* Elite (120GB) to $399

This would of course bring the 60GB system down to the same price as the 20GB it is replacing, pissing off everyone who purchased a 20GB system in the interim. Yep, sounds like Microsoft!

Mole attack: 360 price cuts on all hardware in September [Ars Technica]

According to the Circuit City employee focus newsletter people who buy the $300 Xbox 360 will get a free $30 gift card and a copy of Athlon Magazine. The catch? It's a doozie, you also need to buy a copy of NCAA Football 09. Boooooooo!

Update - We originally thought this was a Target Ad, but have since confirmed it is indeed Circuit City. Sorry for the confusion.

Microsoft to Cut Xbox 360 Pro Price [Wall Street Journal (sub required)]

A GameStop employee has sent us cell pics of the internal announcement for the coming Xbox 360 Pro price drop announcement. They also included pics of the shelf art all of which will go on display on July 13, the day before E3 kicks off with Microsoft's press conference.

So, while still not official, it seem pretty clear that come Sunday you'll be able to pick up an Xbox 360 Pro (aka Premium) for a penny shy of $300.

If true, I can't help but think that this means that Microsoft wanted to clear the decks of pricing news to make room for something more interesting, or at least they want more attention on, come their press conference. Motion controls? Minority-Report-like interface? Who knows.

With price cuts possibly on the horizon that could bring console prices closer to the Wii's territory, should Nintendo worry? "The Wii audience is not choosing between 360 and Wii," said Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter. "Either they will buy a Wii only, or they will buy both a Wii and either a 360 or PS3. So Microsoft is right to consider the PS3 as the competition and to ignore the Wii."

Sony is the one, says Pachter, with more to be concerned about regarding possible pricing and feature set changes for the Xbox 360:

"Consumers see two boxes with very similar game experiences, and have to decide if a 360 with a 20Gb HDD, no Internet adapter, a very well-thought out Live experience and an extraordinary game library is a better deal at $349 (or $299) than a PS3 with built-in Internet adapter, a 40Gb HDD, a Blu-ray disc drive, a weak online experience and a relatively thin library of games for $399," said Pachter.

Both Sony and Microsoft unsurprisingly declined to comment on rumors or on their future price strategy.

Said Pachter, "So far, Americans consider the value proposition a toss-up, while Europeans value the PS3 more. Lower pricing and/or enhanced features for the 360 could change that."

Microsoft slashing price of Xbox 360 model [Hollywood Reporter]

Microsoft Xbox 360 Pro, Refurb 299.99

Update: Several Gamestop employees have altered us that the retailer has been running this refurb deal for the past month or so, thus negating anything it has to do with the rumored price-drop Xbox 360. Nothing to see here! Move along, move along.

The ad scan doesn't indicate further price adjustments for the 'Arcade' or 'Elite' models, but with the lower end SKU currently priced at $279, we would assume that it will have to be adjusted somehow. Consider it rumor for now, but we'll be getting in touch with them to learn more.

Xbox 360 price cut is coming around July 6th, price will be $299.99 [High-Def Digest Forums via NeoGAF]

If you're reading this chances are you're a night owl. Good thing too, tonight's episode of GameTrailersTV has Geoff Keighley pulling an all nighter with Insomniac's Ted Price as the two check out some never-before-seen single player campaign footage from Resistance 2. The show will also include some new multiplayer footage as well as a peek at some new cities, enemies and weapons from teh game.

If you're up for some Resistance 2 and can't sleep than check out the show on Spike at 1 a.m. Yes ONE in the morning.

One title, Gangs of London, saw its price rise by 11 dollars to $29.99. Kingdom of Paradise and Ape Escape: On the Loose saw six-dollar jumps, while Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee, WipeOut Pure and SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo saw their prices go up by $5.

Twisted Metal: Head-On PSP and LocoRoco saw only a dollar increase. Many other titles, including FlOw and Echochrome remained the same, while The Con actually saw a $10 reduction.

Gamasutra's full list of changes follows the jump:

Prices up:
Gangs of London $11.99 up to $22.99 (+$11)
Kingdom of Paradise $10.99 to $16.99 (+$6)
Ape Escape: On the Loose $9.99 to $15.99 (+$6)
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee $10.99 to $15.99 (+$5)
WipeOut Pure $10.99 up to $15.99 (+$5)
SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo $10.99 to $15.99 (+$5)
Twisted Metal: Head-On PSP $14.99 to $15.99 (+$1)
LocoRoco $21.99 to $22.99 (+$1)

Prices same:
Syphon Filter: Combat Ops stayed same at $9.99
Beats stayed same at $4.99
Ape Quest Bundle stayed same at $19.99
Go! Puzzle stayed same at $5.99
The Cryptics (digital comic) stayed same at $2.99
flOw stayed same at $7.99
echochrome stayed same at $9.99
SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2 stayed same at $15.99

Prices dropped:
The Con $19.99 dropped to $9.99 (-$10 )

Sony Raises PSP Downloadable Prices On PlayStation Store [Gamasutra]

"I don't really think that Microsoft and Sony are doing badly - just doing badly in comparison to Nintendo," Pachter said. "It makes sense that PS3 and 360 are doing about the same... instead of saying 'what's wrong with Sony and Microsoft,' we should be looking at Nintendo and saying, 'how the hell do they keep doing this?'"

It's easy to peg the answers on the price discrepancies, but Pachter said that's not all there is to it, pointing to Nintendo's success in a mainstream market most gamers are less aware of. "There really are people who play games that don't read Kotaku - I know it's hard to believe," he said. "There are people out there who don't even know how to spell Kotaku, and don't even know that there are websites dedicated to games."

Calling the typical console-fanboy attitude "extremely myopic," Pachter added, "There are actually people out there who have sex. The people on Kotaku, other than their parents, they've never met anyone who's had sex."

Mainstream gamers are mad about Wii Fit, Pachter said, agreeing with fellow analyst Billy Pidgeon who predicted that the Wii would not balance its supply with demand until 2009. So no price drop for Wii anytime soon - but what about the others?

"You'll get a price cut," said Pachter. "I think if I were Sony, I would wait for the Fall, or for the Christmas lineup. There's no reason for them to cut it today [with MGS 4 out]."

Pachter thinks it's likely to see a $50 reduction in the PS3's price. "They'll go $100 if they can afford to," he said, possibly close to the release of LittleBigPlanet, taking a "family bundle" angle.

As for Microsoft, Pachter said they won't stand for having the 360 and PS3 on level pricing ground, and will probably implement their own price drop commensurately. "Madden was an event for Microsoft last year, so perhaps you'll get a 360 cut with Madden. But I think if I were Microsoft, I'd maybe cut it in front of Gears 2."

Pachter also anticipates possible future supply constraints for Wii, based on Nintendo's history of consistently underestimating demand - he also thinks their attach rate estimates for Wii Fit are a bit lower than they'll turn out to be.

He has to. Resistance 2 online play will support up to 60 players on one map, and without some way of sorting through some of those problems the matches just wouldn't be any fun to play.

If you really don't care about the confusion of such a mighty match, if you revel in the disorder, you can still play the matches you want, but for the rest of us Price and his team has some pretty neat ideas.

As he announced in Europe, Resistance 2 will feature a multiplayer mode that breaks those 60 gamers into smaller squads. While the matches I saw and played through featured ten squads of six, Price said that other size squads will also be used in the game.

While the members of the squad don't have to stick together, they do spawn together and it pays to stick to your group. Once spawned, the game's AI looks at the larger battle taking place on the map and issues automatic orders to your and your squad, marking your new objective on the map with a star in a circle.

Objectives can include taking a control point, defending an area, even coming to the rescue of another squad under heavy fire or taking out one particular member of an opposing squad.

Resistance 2 automatically matches you up with an enemy squad, making sure to give the two opposing forces the same sorts of orders so they're always fighting one another. The AI also does it's best to make sure that when possible your objectives and the objectives of other squads in the larger army aren't near one another, so team mates will be more inclined to stick together and follow orders.

A player can decide to just run around the map attacking other enemy squads, but an in-game point system awards far more points for doing what you're told and for getting kills on that squad matched to you. And not only do those points let you get in-game buffs of sorts like a shield, but they're also used to help permanently rank up your character outside the game.

There are some other really neat tweaks to squad play as well. For instance, the enemy squad your team is taking on will be marked to make them more identifiable. (In the build I played they were tinted red, but Price says that something more subtle will be implemented by launch.) Those enemy players who are doing well will be marked with a large red star over their head. The longer they are on a kill spree, the more successful they are, more points someone will get for killing them. This bounty-like system can award up to four times the normal number of points for taking out these skilled players and will likely go a long way to help balance the game for new players and make it more challenging for skilled gamers.

I'm a long-time fan of first-person shooters, and like many of my ilk, can get a little touchy when someone starts messing with the formula, but playing through a couple of matches on one of Resistance 2's enormous maps populated with 60 gamers made me a believer.

The spawn locations, the use of orders, the tight-knit squad system, all made me feel as if I was playing a much smaller, more manageable match, more importantly it made me feel as if my effort meant something, instead of it being lost in a frenzied 60 person free-for-all.

While I loved the system, I think it's just as important that Price and his team aren't forcing people to use it. Not only can you choose to play traditional matches in the game, with 60 people on board, you can also just ignore what you're asking to do in the squad play and go-it alone. Player choice is an important factor in shooters, guiding players to make smart tactical decisions is a great thing, but not forcing them to do so is even better.

While the version of Resistance 2 was missing a bit of polish and quite a bit of features, I was still impressed with how far Resistance multiplayer has come since the first title hit. Visually, the game seems a bit grittier, and the play more fluid.

Price wasn't showing off the single player campaign at last week's event or the eight-player co-op, but what I did see of the title left me both impressed and eager to see more.

"We are continually looking for ways to enhance the player experience on the PLAYSTATION®Network, and downloadable content through the PLAYSTATION Store is just one of our areas of focus," said Grace Chen, Senior Manager for the PLAYSTATION Store. “We anticipate that this price adjustment will meet the expectations of our Canadian consumers and provide them with a better PLAYSTATION Network experience."

I'm not positive that increasing Xbox sales in Asia is as predictable as the rest of the world where the drop price, grow sales technique reigns supreme. But, you know, it probably won't hurt.

Microsoft Cuts Xbox 360 Prices in Four Asian Markets [Bloomberg via Gamasutra][image]

HOTHEAD GAMES SETS PRICE, TECHNICAL SPECS FOR UPCOMING PENNY ARCADE GAME

Windows, Mac and Linux versions to sell worldwide for $19.95

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - March 27, 2008 - Hothead Games today announced official pricing for the upcoming first installment in the downloadable, episodic game series Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness. Although the title is long, the price is just a short and sweet $19.95 for the Windows®, Mac® and Linux® versions of the game, currently scheduled to launch simultaneously this spring on these platforms and via Xbox LIVE® Arcade.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One is expected to offer gamers five to ten hours of gameplay and work on current generation computer hardware, making it compatible with players' schedules and pocketbooks.

Reqiured Specs:

Windows and Linux

* Windows® 2000/XP/VistaTM with latest updates or Linux® 32-bit x86
* Pentium® III, AMD AthlonTM 1.0 GHz or better

Mac

* Mac® OS X 10.4/10.5 with latest updates
* PowerPC® G4, G5 or Intel® based Mac 1.0 GHz or better

All Platforms

* ATI RadeonTM 9500 or better, NVIDIA GeForceTM FX 5200 or better, Intel® GMA 950 or better with 64 MB of video memory (shared or dedicated)*
* 512 MB of available system memory
* OS-supported keyboard and mouse
* OS-supported sound card
* 350 MB of available hard drive space (185 MB installed)
* Available Internet connection for download and one-time authentication

Recommended Specs:

Windows and Linux

* Pentium® IV, AMD AthlonTM 1.5 GHz or better

Mac

* PowerPC® G4, G5 or Intel® based Mac 1.5 GHz or better

All Platforms

* ATI RadeonTM X800 or better, NVIDIA GeForceTM 6600 or better video card with 128 MB of video memory*
* 768 MB of available system memory
* 16-bit stereo- or surround-capable sound card with latest drivers

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One has been rated "M" for Mature by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board.

Asked in its investor call if the company was seeing an end to the post-holiday shortages that affected the Xbox 360, DS, and Wii in January, company COO Dan DeMatteo said that specifically with the Wii, the company anticipated that the console's supply "won't meet demand for the next 2 quarters," at least.

The company also assumes a $30 price drop for the PS2, but said they don't see one coming for the Wii or PSP.

The call wrapped up with talk of how the-economic-down-turn-which-must-not-be-named won't effect the game industry and could in fact lead to sales growth as more people travel less and stay home more.

GameStop: Wii Shortages To Continue, Price Drops Expected For PS3, 360 [Gamasutra]

"That's obviously fairly significant, given we didn't have too much time to communicate it to our consumers. So with a lot more of the marketing kicking in now we expect it to grow even more in the coming days and weeks."

UK Xbox 360 sales up 40% [GamesIndustry.biz]

"Sony will be nervous that the PS3's recent sales surge may fizzle out now that the premium Xbox 360 undercuts the PS3 by GBP 40, and the cheapest Xbox model is almost half the price of the PS3," commented principle analyst David Mercer.

Sony "nervous" following Xbox 360 price cut [GamesIndustry.biz]

"History shows that €199/£159 is the price point where a console's audience begins to expand, and with these new ERPs in place we're ready to bring more consumers into the Xbox 360 world."

Everyone's Invited to Experience Xbox 360 as Microsoft Lowers Estimated Retail Price in Europe

With Estimated Retail Price Starting At €199.99/£159.99, Even More European Consumers Can Enjoy The Definitive High-Definition Gaming and Entertainment Experience

LONDON - Monday 10th March, 2008- Microsoft today announced it is lowering the estimated retail price (ERP) for its Xbox 360™ family of consoles in Europe. Now with an entry-level ERP of €199.99/£159.99, Xbox 360 is a mass market entertainment proposition with something to offer for every interest and budget.

From Friday, 14th March, Xbox 360, which includes a 20GB hard drive and one wireless controller, will have an ERP of €269.99/£199.99 - a saving of €80/£50 on the current ERP. The Xbox 360 Elite, which comes with a massive 120GB hard drive enabling consumers to store huge quantities of content downloaded from Xbox LIVE™ Marketplace as well as their own music, will have an ERP of €369.99/£259.99 - a saving of €80/£40. The Xbox 360 Arcade console, perfect for those wishing to make their first foray into the gaming and entertainment world of Xbox, will have an ERP of €199.99/£159.99 - a saving of €80/£20.

Xbox 360 is the number one next-gen console in EMEA, owning 42% of the market in terms of life-to-date revenue. Xbox 360 continues to enjoy the highest software attach rate of any game console in Europe with more than 7.0 games sold per console (PS3: 3.8; Wii 3.5) after 26 months on the market .

The new ERPs are part of Microsoft's ongoing strategy to open up the ultimate in high-definition gaming and entertainment to an even wider audience, with an offering for everyone:

* Best Choice for Families:
o Xbox 360 grows as your family does, offering games and entertainment for every member of the family - from movies to games to music videos.
o With over 150 3+ rated games and unparalleled parental controls, parents can feel good about their kids playing Xbox 360
* Most Diverse Entertainment:
o Xbox 360 offers great choice in high-definition entertainment
o Xbox Live Video Store offers a wide variety of movies to download, both in HD and SD, enabling great entertainment in the living room at the press of a button
o It's easy to view and enjoy video and photos on Xbox 360 as well as connect wirelessly to share content with a Windows Media Center PC
* The Best Games:
o There will be over 1,000 games available on Xbox 360 by the end of the year, with something for every skill level, interest and taste.
o New community games allow gamers to sample the best of indie games, providing innovative new ways to play and enjoy
o Blockbuster franchises like Grand Theft Auto IV, with exclusive downloadable episodes on Xbox LIVE, and Rock Band make Xbox 360 the place to be this Spring
o Xbox 360 exclusives for 2008 include Fable 2, Gears of War 2 and Too Human, setting new standards for next-generation gaming

"Xbox 360 is now mass market in Europe," said Chris Lewis, Vice President, Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business Europe. "We have reached and surpassed several key milestones that form part of our long term strategic plan to achieve critical mass in Europe; and our portfolio now offers the kind of mainstream entertainment experiences that secure wider appeal for Xbox 360. These factors allow us to execute on our strategy to widen the market for Xbox 360, as planned.

"We continue to offer intense, immersive gaming experiences for gamers - but now we're priced in a way that will allow new consumers to find out for themselves why Xbox 360 is the ultimate in high-definition entertainment." said Lewis. "History shows that €199/£159 is the price point where a console's audience begins to expand, and with these new ERPs in place we're ready to bring more consumers into the Xbox 360 world."

###

Sure. I think that's possible... I think Killzone demonstrated that it doesn't have to be a first-person shooter. I think Killzone: Liberation was a fantastic game, but a very different game from the original. Anything is possible.

So a new IP is coming from Insomniac in the semi far to far future? Sounds good to us.

Insomniac's Ted Price Talks 'Ratchet' Sales Surprises, New IPs [MTVmultiplayer]

Rumours suggest Xbox 360 price cut this month [GamesIndustry.biz]

Wii Fit Priced for UK [IGN]

We've actually made it a big focus to include more churches and now synagogues and mosques in Resistance 2.

Xbox 360 HD DVD Player price drop (now US $129.99) [Xbox Live's Major Nelson - Thanks Scott!]

RESISTANCE 2 INTERVIEWS [threespeech]

I've had a pet project I've been working on for years, three of them if my memory is right. It started as a simple idea: You can judge a lot from a person's desk. I bet you could judge just as much from their home entertainment system. So I decided it would be fun to try and track down some pictures from the work desks and home gaming set-ups of the people who work in and cover the video game industry. Simple right? Not so much.

Turns out that many of the people are either too busy or too private to want to participate in such a project. To make matters worse, there's always fear that something sitting on someone's desk, that ends up in a photo, could actually be news worthy. Like a secret project or the next big thing. But I didn't give up and about once a year I'd harass a bunch of game developers for photos. Finally, this year, the harassment paid off.

What started as a trickle of photos turned quickly into the collection of galleries you'll find on the jump: More than 40 different photo galleries from 17 studios, seven publications, two industry movers and shakers and a couple of fun surprises.

You'll get to see the desk of such greats as Sid Meier, Peter Molyneux and Tetsuya Mizuguchi along with plenty of others. Remember you can comment both on the next page and on each individual photo if you click on them.

If I find there is interest, I will try to periodically update this gallery of galleries with more developers, journalists and industry movers and shakers. Have fun.

DEVELOPERS
2K Games

ASTRO Gaming

Buzz Monkey Software

Capcom

Eat, Sleep, Play

Electronic Arts

Firaxis Games

Flying Lab Software

Gearbox Software

Harmonix Music

Incognito Entertainment

Insomniac Games

Kojima Productions

Lionhead Studios

NanaOn-Sha

Naughty Dog

NCSoft

NetDevil

Neversoft Entertainment

Ninja Theory

Pandemic Studios

Petroglyph Games

THQ

Q Entertainment

JOURNALISTS

Blue's News

BoingBoing

EGM

The Escapist

GameLife

Joystiq

Kotaku

MTV

Slashdot Games

VE3D

VH1

INDUSTRY FOLK

MISCELLANIES
I AM 8-BIT

Penny Arcade

Whorecraft

Video Games Live

Sony to put cheaper PS3 in play [The Hollywood Reporter]

Looks like we just hit step six.

Sony Computer Entertainment of Europe just confirmed what we seemingly all already knew: The Playstation 3 is getting a price drop. Only they don't call it a price drop, they call it a new model. Why does this sound familiar?

The "new" 40GBHDD PS3 will hit SCEE territories on Oct. 10 for €399 and comes with a SIXAXIS wireless controller, WiFi, HDMI two USB ports, rather than four, and no multi memory card port. The new model will also not be backwards compatible with the PS2.

SCEE also announced that the 60GB PS3 will not sell for €499 until they run out of supplies. Which makes me think they're getting rid of the 60GB model in Europe. I'll be checking on both that and if this will in anyway be mirrored in the U.S. or other territories. Stay tuned.

New PLAYSTATION®3 Model to Take Holiday Season by Storm [SCEE, thanks for all of the tips]

New PLAYSTATION®3 Model to Take Holiday Season by Storm

Aggressively priced hardware and a terrific software line-up make for an unbeatable combination
New 40GB PS3 at €399

London, 5 October 2007 - Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced details of its exciting new PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) model that will launch throughout the SCEE territories on 10th October 2007 at the highly attractive price of €399.

Providing an incredibly appealing entry point to the world of High Definition gaming and entertainment for the holiday season, the new PS3 brings the next generation of interactive home entertainment to homes all across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australasia.

Along with an ever expanding line-up of PS3 titles (a total of 65 titles tracking across all genres by Christmas), the new PS3 is equipped with a 40GB HDD and includes all the features central to the High Definition entertainment experience; true next generation gameplay, stunning High Definition Blu-ray Disc™ movies, SIXAXIS™ wireless controller, Wi-Fi and HDMI connectivity, all powered by the Cell Broadband Engine™, the digital heart of PS3.

As with the 60GB PS3, the new PS3 features upgradeable firmware allowing new features and functionality to be added to the system as time progresses. A recent firmware update, for example, enabled PS3 to upscale DVD's played on the system to full 1080P High Definition.

The introduction of the new PS3 has been determined following user feedback from thousands of existing PS3 owners as well as research into future potential PS3 owners. The new model features two USB 2.0 ports rather than four and no longer includes the multi memory card port.

The new model is no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation®2 titles, reflecting both the reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3, as well as the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles (a total of 65 titles across all genres by Christmas).

The existing Starter Pack*, comprising a 60GB PS3 with extensive backwards compatibility, an additional SIXAXIS wireless controller and two first party titles will be reduced in price to €499. Remaining on sale while stocks last, the 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3.

"The introduction of the new PS3 has been the result of extensive research into the entertainment needs and preferences of the next generation of PS3 owners," said David Reeves, President of SCEE. "It has allowed us to deliver an extremely advanced, yet incredibly affordable High Definition gaming and entertainment system, configured to the needs of the next generation of European PS3 owners. PS3 has always been the device of choice for the discerning gamer and entertainment seeker, and the new PS3 is more than ever the perfect High Definition entertainment system.

*In the UK and Ireland, the Starter Pack will be replaced by a separate in-store promotion on the 60GB PS3.

Wal-Mart Canada Sale Hints at New 80GB PS3 Price [DailyTech]
[Thanks, xIvSlowDeath420]

FCC Filing Provides Peek at New PlayStation 3 Model [DailyTech - Thanks Nick!]

USA Today ran one of those no-brainer stories today about how people won't, in fact, pay anything for electronics and do have limits for how much they're willing to spend. The story was spurred by last week's announcement by Steve Jobs that he was dropping the price of the iPhone by $200 (Hey, it suckered me into getting one.)

After citing an analyst saying that most consumers will only pay about $400 for a "typical electronic item" the story goes on to list "several recent cutting-edge devices (that) have struggled to find buyers" among them, both the PS3 and Blu-ray players.

•Sony in July lopped $100 from the price of its $599 PlayStation 3 video game system, even though researcher iSuppli estimates it costs more than $800 to make. Sony's move came after being outsold more than 2-to-1 by rival Nintendo's $250 Wii. (Microsoft's Xbox 360, starting at $280, has also outsold PlayStation 3.)

•Blu-ray players were expected to dominate the new market for high-definition DVD, but sales are falling short of expectations, says tech analyst J.P. Gownder with researcher Forrester. The players, made by Philips, Samsung, Sony and others, start at about $450. Players using a rival technology, HD-DVD, start at about $250. Despite Blu-ray's powerful backers, HD-DVD players are outselling it, Gownder says. (Exact numbers aren't in yet.) That's because the average high-definition TV owner only wants to pay about $204 for a DVD player, he says.

Double whammy Sony, ouch.

* 80GB PlayStation 3: $499.99
* 40GB PlayStation 3: $399.99
* Spider-Man 3 Blu-ray movie pack in with one, or both
* PlayStation 2: $99.99

$400 40GB PS3 with Spidey 3 Blu-ray pack-in? Our mole tells all [Ars Technica]

Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter said in his latest report, "We note that Sony recently acknowledged that it will no longer produce its 60Gb PS3, and we expect the price of the 80Gb PS3 to be reduced to $499 before the holidays, maintaining a premium SKU at that price point."

Analysts: 80GB PS3 to Drop to $499 This Year [GameDaily BIZ]

"We're not making any pricing announcements at Games Convention at all. There's none. And we don't have any plans in that regard. We're really happy with the way that things are going for the PAL business. We really are. It's on track."

Apparently it is for Europe's own good. They want to keep the focus narrow to help people schedule their game playing and not go all willy-nilly.

"It's important to get a window so that someone's played a game and they're ready for the next one, because they don't have huge wallets and they can't go out and buy five games at 59 Euros all the time. So we're trying to do pillar titles every month."

GC: Sony has no plans to cut PS3 price - Reeves [Eurogamer.net]

Oh, but that's inflated Canadian money, you say? Not the real, green, American, smells-like-Wendy's money like we have here? But actually, $100 CND equals $97 USD by current exchange rates. Yeah, the difference isn't anywhere near that miles vs. kilometers standard that always makes their speed limits sound so high.

So why the price drop? Canadians had been paying almost $100 more for each SKU. Their Premium is actually running $378 USD after the drop. No worries, America still rules!

Thanks Steve!

The rampant speculation, the endless images of circulars, the bogs of "insider emails" are all correct: The Xbox 360 is getting a $50 price drop starting this Wednesday, Microsoft announced tonight.

As of Wednesday the Elite will be $449, the Halo Limited Edition Xbox 360 (when it hits) will be $399, the standard will be $349 and the core will be $279.

The price drop is meant to be timed to the upcoming release of Madden 08, said Aaron Greenberg, group product manager for Xbox 360, as a way to grab up all of those Playstation 2 Madden fans who haven't yet upgraded to the Playstation 3.

"Madden is the number one selling game, and we felt like that was the right title to lead with," he said. "We know Madden will bring a lot of PS2 owners into the store and that's a specific reason for this timing. We feel we have the showcase platform for Madden this year and with this drop we hope to be the home for those gamers this season."

Greenberg said that the decision to time the price drop with the release of Madden has been in the works for a very long time and that the 360 price drop has nothing to do with the recent PS3 pricing flux.

"We've had this on our plans for a long time, an extremely long time," he said. "We did not make this decision even heading into E3, this is all based on before hand. We had the first media briefing (at E3) so we could have been the first to announce it, but it was never on our calendar. The benefit of pre-planning, of having this time, outweighed being one-upped, perhaps, at E3."

Greenberg pointed out that the 360 has been the same price for 21 months, the longest any console has maintained their launch price.

Too bad Microsoft didn't drop the core down a bit more and make it competitive with the Wii. I think $249 would have made things very interesting for Nintendo.

Microsoft Lowers Price of Xbox 360 by $50

Price drop coincides with release of "Madden NFL 08" on Xbox 360, one of many titles that make up the greatest holiday lineup in video game history.

REDMOND, Wash. — Aug. 6, 2007 — Microsoft Corp. today kicked off the greatest holiday lineup in video game history by announcing it will reduce the retail price of Xbox 360™ by $50 (U.S.) beginning Aug. 8 at United States retailers nationwide. Soon to follow, Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) will release its blockbuster video game title "Madden NFL 08" on Aug. 14. "Madden NFL Football," one of the most important mass-appeal franchises in video games, was the top-selling game of 2006 and is the top-selling franchise of the past 10 years. Only Xbox 360 offers a console for all interests and budgets.

"The fact that we have been able to keep our launch price longer than any other console while retaining our leadership position demonstrates that consumers believe in the value of Xbox 360," said Mitch Koch, corporate vice president, Global Retail Sales and Marketing Group, Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft.. "On the eve of the best holiday games lineup ever and the launch of 'Madden NFL 08,' there has never been a better time to jump into Xbox 360."

Xbox 360 will enhance the value of its entire family of consoles beginning on Aug. 8. At a new price of $349.99, Xbox 360 offers an unsurpassed experience right out of the box with a 20 GB hard drive, wireless controller, Xbox 360 headset, and more. For those looking for the ultimate value and the freedom to customize their console as they see fit, Xbox 360 Core System now has an estimated retail price (ERP) of $279.99 (U.S.). Xbox 360 Core System provides everything gamers need to hit the ground running while giving consumers the ability to add new features and accessories they want. Dressed in black and equipped with a 120GB hard drive, Xbox 360 Elite will be priced at an ERP of $449.99 (U.S.) for those who want the premium games and entertainment experience. In anticipation of this year's largest blockbuster game launch, the Xbox 360 Halo® 3 Special Edition Console will hit store shelves in September with an ERP of $399.99 (U.S.). Featuring an authentic Spartan green-and-gold finish, this console will include a matching Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, Xbox 360 20GB hard drive, Xbox 360 Headset an Xbox 360 Play and Charge Kit and more.

In addition to being a great value, Xbox 360 is the only place consumers will be able to play all of this year's biggest titles: "Guitar Hero III™: Legends of Rock" (RedOctane/Activision), "Halo 3" (Bungie), "Madden NFL 08" (EA) and "Rock Band" (MTV Games). Xbox 360 is also home to the most exclusive games, such as "Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation" (NAMCO BANDAI Games), "BioShock" (2K Games), "Lost Odyssey™" (Mistwalker and feelplus Inc.), "Blue Dragon" (Mistwalker and feelplus Inc.), "Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action," (Screenlife), "Naruto: Rise of a Ninja" (Ubisoft), "Project Gotham Racing® 4" (Bizarre Creations Ltd.) and "Mass Effect" (BioWare Corp.). With a record-setting attach rate of 6.1 games per console sold (NPD, June 2007), a new price and the greatest holiday games lineup ever, Xbox 360 has proved itself as the home of the best games and entertainment at the best value.