Europe new battle ground as Xbox 360 becomes cheaper than Wii

Mike Bantick
Tuesday, 11 March 2008 06:01

Your IT - Entertainment

In a surprise move, Microsoft has slashed Xbox 360 prices igniting a new price war with the Nintendo Wii upon European soil.

Microsoft has taken the big red marker pen to Xbox 360 prices staring this Friday in Europe.

Starting with the standard 20GB HDD model, Microsoft have cut the price by 23 percent down to 269.99 Euros.

The Elite 120GB HDD version of the Xbox 360 has dropped to 369.99 Euros and the feature reduced Xbox 360 Arcade model has dropped to 199.99 Euros.

The Arcade model has no Hard Drive but does come with a wireless controller, HDMI output and a 256 MB memory card.  It also comes with a disc of five relatively simple arcade games aimed directly at a family audience.

The price cut now means Microsoft’s Arcade Xbox 360 is now cheaper than the Nintendo Wii in the region, and boasting high definition connectivity as well as other technological muscles to flex, should have consumers truly mulling over purchase decisions.

"Xbox 360 is now mass market in Europe," Chris Lewis, vice president of Microsoft's interactive entertainment business in Europe, said in a statement.

Microsoft have fired the first salvos in a new console conflict, we await the response from both Sony and Nintendo next.

Nintendo may well be forced to, for the first time to consider a cut in retail price for the successful Wii, especially if Microsoft migrate these kind of price cuts world wide.