The Xbox 360 today had its price reduced in Europe, paving the way for a North American price drop in the coming months, perhaps timed with the release of GTA IV.
From Friday, 14th March, Xbox 360, which includes a 20GB hard drive and one wireless controller, will have an ERP of 269.99 Euros/199.99 pounds, a savings of 80/50, respectively, off last week’s price. The Xbox 360 Elite, which comes with a 120GB hard drive, will have an ERP of 369.99 Euros/259.99 pounds, a savings of 80/40. And the Xbox 360 Arcade console will have an ERP of 199.99 Euros/159.99 pounds, a savings of 80/20.
The reason this European Xbox 360 price drop could indicate a North American price cut is simple: Xbox 360 is the top next-gen console in Europe, based on life-to-date revenue, as it owns 42 percent of the market. If the Xbox 360 is performing well in Europe, there’s no reason for Microsoft to not make a similar price drop in North America, particularly with GTA IV set to release in April.
The combination of GTA IV and an Xbox 360 price drop would be a huge shot in the arm to Microsoft, as it’s currently embroiled in a neck-and-neck battle with Sony for second place in the console war.
