Xbox price drop not on the cards

Consumers hoping to see an Xbox 360 price cut to counter the recent drops on PS3 look to be in for some disappointing news.

When asked by VG247 if Microsoft is preparing a hardware price drop of its own, European interactive entertainment VP Chris Lewis responded: No.

As you can imagine, we plan for these scenarios all the time. For me to sit here and say that was a big surprise would be a lie. Respect for what they do, of course. I love the competition, actually: it keeps us on our toes, and consumers benefit ultimately.

We think we offer great value now. We have better service provision than anybody. We attach more effectively than anybody. I think Xbox Live’s enviable. What we’ve achieved with Kinect has given us growth that I think others would aspire to at this point in the lifecycle.

We’re happy with our position. While we’re not complacent about the competition, I wouldn’t trade places.”

Though the consoles can be had for a range of prices on the UK High Street at the moment, typically the entry-level 4GB machine can be had for between 130 and 150.

This increases to approximately 180-200 for the 250GB machine, 230-250 for the 4GB Kinect bundle and 270-300 for the top-of-the-range 250GB Kinect SKU.

By contrast, the entry-level 120GB PS3 now costs between 180-200 and the 320GB between 240-250.