Xbox 360 Price Drop

[bballboy2819]

Price Drops! Come On Down, Xbox 360!

"This is how Microsoft keeps itself in the news -- Yes, it's official, the Xbox 360 is the next contestant on The Price is Almost Right! Almost, because with all the top tier software massing like a line of thunderheads along the summer-through-winter horizon, $300 for the Premium unit would almost certainly propel the 360 past the Wii in sales. Oh well. There's always "in time for the holidays" to hope for.

The new pricing breakdown:

Xbox 360 Elite - $449.99 (drops $30)
Xbox 360 Premium - $349.99 (drops $50)
Xbox 360 Core - $279.99 (drops $20)

So this one's pretty easy. Forget the Core, because unless Microsoft's dropping peripheral prices, it's now even more expensive to upgrade to Premium functionality parity. Speaking as a proud Core owner, let's hope Microsoft ushers the Core the way of Sony's 20GB PS3. Rest in peace in advance, old friend.

The Elite still looks like a typical retail bundle. You know, one of those reprehensible packages certain evil retailers who-must-not-be-named use to weasel extra cash out of your wallet for right to first dibs. Last time I did one of those for a PSP, I ended up with several crappy plastic game holders, an even crappier carrying case, and at least one game I didn't want in the first place.

But I digress. I know I'm barking in a vacuum, but the Elite really needed both integrated wireless and HD DVD to find its audience. Jack up the price another $200, I don't care, but make it, you know, actually Elite. Otherwise -- and I'm speaking as someone who loves tech toys more than the average bear -- you're trying to sell me a functionally superfluous vanity piece.

So that leaves the Premium as my Compromise Pick (one thumb up, two thumbs halfway, etc.) if Microsoft's lineup turns your eye more than Sony's or Nintendo's.

Road to GCDC Update: So Germany, what's new in northwestern Germany... I never thought I'd say this, but I actually miss my 360. I was having a rip finishing Overlord right before I left and only set it aside reluctantly, but hauling a 115v NTSC 360 through customs to twiddle a 220v PAL standard would almost certainly not have boded well (besides, I'm using a loaner unit thanks to the incredibly kind folks at Microsoft). Unless I can finagle some play time at GCDC with 2K Games and Southpeak, I'm going to chew off my fingernails missing the console debuts of BioShock and Two Worlds, with Blue Dragon showing up just a day after I'm back home passed out and decompressing. With Halo 3 on September's doorstep, all I can say is, you better not fail me a third time, oh Green Ring of Hopefully-Not-Clinging-Tenaciously-To-Life."

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[DJ_WHiteout]

they are doing that to get rid of thier buggy systems. i can feel it. iv had mine since the day it came out and iv never had a problem with it. Unfortunatly i wont be getting a new one with a quiet fan like the rest of evreyone.