So we had our price cut earlier this year, the EU also got their cut this year. The US is rumoured to be getting one soon as well and now it seems that Australia didn’t want to be left out.
Microsoft Australia has just announced that the RP for the 360 Arcade is now $349 (R2600)… so we are still way cheaper.
Microsoft say the cut was possible due to cheaper manufacturing costs and a better exchange rate. However that isn’t what EBGames believes.
Apparently they believe the price cut was implemented to try and save the 360 from flagging sales and a very distinct last place finish.
According to Shane Stockwell, merchandising director of EBGames, the Wii is the clear winner with the PS3 coming second and the 360 far behind.
However, while I don’t doubt he knows the Australian industry better than me, I have to say it doesn’t look that way when going around the shops. The Wii is the obvious winner but then the 360 seems to have the better marketing and space allocation in shops. Also his claim that it’s difficult to keep stock of PS3’s is also a little eyebrow raising as I have not seen a single EBGames or GameTraders having any stock issues.
The one thing I did notice is that during the last EBGames sales the PS3 had very very few games on sale, this could have been because they all got snapped up though…
Hopefully in a couple more months I will be able to get some real stats from the land of Oz….
Digital Life – console, PC and video game news and articles
[Thanks to doobiwan for the tip]Last Updated: July 2, 2008
Lupus
July 2, 2008 at 11:42
At that price no wonder, I mean R2600 is a bit much for the Arcade.
doobiwan
July 3, 2008 at 15:59
If you track VGChartz the Xbox is very strong in Australia, but they do get the short end of the pricing stick in pretty much everything. Games are typically R650-R800 as well, and remember those prices EXCLUDE TAX.
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