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XBOX 360 and Playstation 3 price cut rumors abound
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Last week Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick bitingly criticized Sony's steadfast price point on their Playstation 3 consoles, threatening even to halt support for the system if a price cut wasn't enacted soon.
Just over a week later rumors are swirling throughout the industry about price cuts not only for the Playstation 3, but for the XBOX 360 as well. Gamers worldwide have come to this information thanks to Ars Technica and their anonymous source.
This source, although anonymous, has been very accurate for Ars Technica in previous reports, most importantly the price cuts of the Microsoft XBOX 360 last fall.
Microsoft XBOX 360
Microsoft is planning to promote several bundles in an attempt to move the remaining Pro-level consoles off shelves. Though no specifics have been discussed, it's quite possible that Microsoft would be willing to package these consoles with extremely high quality, flagship-level XBOX 360 games.
The point of all this would be to clear out the remaining inventory of the Pro consoles and slash prices on the Elites. Microsoft is looking to phase out the pros completely and replace them entirely with the Elites. The extra hard drive space of the Elite has become more important as of the past year due to the fact that Microsoft is now leaning toward selling entire games, multiple expansions, and HD movies on XBOX live.
It's looking very much like an XBOX 360 Elite could be had for a mere $299 this holiday season.
Sony Playstation 3
Microsoft is indeed making their own moves, but where Sony goes after Kotick and Activision's threat is of particular importance. Sony is leaning toward selling software on PSN much like the XBOX 360 is with XBOX Live, and thus storage space has become a focus for them as well. As with the XBOX 360 Pro, Microsoft will be limiting the production of the 80-gigabyte Playstation 3 and focusing more on pumping the 160-gigabyte console into retailers.
Sony is highly rumored to have a Playstation 3 Slim in the works, not unlike their past release of the slimmer Playstation 2 that still sells by the boatload. If all goes well, look for Sony to release a Playstation 3 Slim this fall with a corresponding price cut, though it has yet to be said when exactly this will occur and exactly how much money will actually fall off the price.
Conclusion
Neither Sony nor Microsoft will confirm either of these moves officially, but the price cuts would make a great deal of sense with the economy's current situation. In a recent article with Gamespot, Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst Jesse Divnich said "I think the biggest concern is just the hardware market in general. We're due for a round of price cuts, and I think all three manufacturers have reached saturation at current price points."
Though still unconfirmed, these price cuts are logical to expect. Look for them some time in the fall.
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