Xbox 360 to launch in Europe on November 25 at 299 UKP

[Slay]

High price tag expected for hardware and games following Kutaragi's PS3 price warning

Highly placed sources in the UK industry have told GamesIndustry.biz that the Xbox 360 is set to launch in Europe on November 25th, with the US launch preceding a few days earlier - and the price tag may be as high as UKP 299.

According to our sources, speaking under conditions of strict anonymity, the official announcement of the European date will be made by Microsoft to its trade partners on the 15th of this month, two days before a public announcement at Game Convention in Leipzig.

While they were confident of the dates being mooted, the price of the system remains less certain - with our sources indicating that Microsoft itself may not have made up its mind on the matter as yet.

"The original plan was UKP 249, but now that Sony is talking about the PS3 being expensive, UKP 299 is looking more likely," according to one source - although it was admitted that this pricing is a "best guess" based on information from Microsoft, not an official figure by any means.

Even allowing for the higher tax rates here in Europe, a UKP 299 price point would translate as around $500 in the US, which is significantly higher than is currently anticipated by most market watchers - among whom the general consensus is that the system will launch at $300, suggesting a UK price point of under UKP 200.

One area of pricing which our independent sources were more certain of was the pricing of software, with Xbox 360 titles likely to hit shelves at around UKP 44.99 - a price premium over current generation software which Microsoft is said to be unhappy with, but which has been driven by demands from third party publishers.

Microsoft this afternoon declined to comment on the reports, saying simply that "we have nothing to announce at this time."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=10605

EDIT: at the current rate 299 pounds is about 430 euros

[Hypx]

Holy shit that's $530! And we thought PS3 would be expensive...

[Godfather]

There's something wrong there, if you covert the $299 to British Pound, it would be under £200, that's a bit of a con, the American's are getting it cheaper then.

[Dili]

"although it was admitted that this pricing is a "best guess" based on information from Microsoft, not an official figure by any means."

[unr3stricted]

Haven't consoles ALWAYS sold for more in Europe than they did in America?

[spiderman]

Haven't consoles ALWAYS sold for more in Europe than they did in America?

yep mainly in the uk thou we get taxed bad and they charge more as the ave uk person has lots more money then the ave usa person but usa is richer as it got lots more people lol i think the ps3 will be £400 and £299 is not that bad is a tad more but for a launch its a fair price over here

[Aquanox]

"The original plan was UKP 249, but now that Sony is talking about the PS3 being expensive, UKP 299 is looking more likely," according to one source - although it was admitted that this pricing is a "best guess" based on information from Microsoft, not an official figure by any means.

Yeah right, Microsoft will change (and screw) all it's pricing plans because Kutaragi said something.

Anyways, they admit this isn't official information by any means, so this shouldn't be taken seriously.

[Hunnter]

btw Godfather where'd you get $299 from It was £299 lol

I never thought the exchange rate from £ to € was like that, thats almost double in numbers, but same value anyway lol, worse between £ an $ though, but i didnt think the £ and € were that much apart, i would have guessed maybe around 350-ish

Well its probably just rumours just now, although that price mark doesnt seem that bad compared with all the stuff it can do, same with PS3 and its guessed price

[Godfather]

The predicted US price for Xbox 360 is $299, Huunter. I'm going to wait till the price drops a little.

[kingarthurivvi]

if you people payd attention to what they have been saying all along j.allard too. there not doing the exchange rate thing he said that uk will be paying allot more he said each area will be paying what they thought was right for the area.

[Hunnter]

Oh, i thought you were quoting the price from the article lol

I think thats pretty pathetic if they are going to do it like that, its unfair really...
If your going to sell something worldwide, use the exchange rates, why change it for different regions...

[Godfather]

I agreewith Huunter, that means that Europe will be getting ripped off, thats a bit of a cheek of Microsoft. They should do it according to Exchange Rates, that way everyone gets a fair price advantage.

[Aquanox]

That means nothing, they are only rumors.

[Blackeye]

Nothing is official yet. Microsoft hasn't given an official announcement yet, so there is no need to take this article so seriously.

[Steroyd]

yeah but the forums have been...dry of information so i'd take any rumor seriously at the moment. Not completely serious but it's like the only thing to debatee at the moment.

[luxurys]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_ ... op;title;6

Got it