Xbox 360 price cut in South Africa

For those that haven’t heard the good news yet, there was a rather awesome bit of news out of Microsoft today. No Xbox LIVE isn’t officially available in South Africa yet, rather the Xbox 360 product range got a cool R600 to R700 price drop depending on the model. This finally brings the bottom of the range Xbox Arcade into under R2000 which will make a huge difference when the average consumer is in the store about to buy a new console.

This price drop follows the price drop announcement for Europe and is clearly going to boost the local sales. Hopefully the market will grow significantly so that Microsoft’s next major announcement will be Xbox LIVE available in South Africa. Well officially that is.

The official local press release follows:

SOUTH AFRICA – Monday 10^th March, 2008– Microsoft today announced that it is lowering the estimated retail price (ERP) for its Xbox 360 family of consoles in Europe and South Africa.  Now with an entry-level ERP of R1999.00, Xbox 360 is a mass market entertainment proposition with something to offer for every interest and budget.

From Friday, 14^th March, Xbox 360 Pro, which includes a 20GB hard drive and one wireless controller, will have an ERP of R2999.00, a saving of R700.00 on the current ERP.  The Xbox 360 Elite, which comes with a massive 120GB hard drive enabling consumers to store huge quantities of content, such as their own music, will have an ERP of R3999.00, a saving of R600.00.  The Xbox 360 Arcade console, perfect for those wishing to make their first foray into the gaming and entertainment world of Xbox, will have an ERP of R1999.00, a saving of R700.00.

Xbox 360 is the number one next-gen console in EMEA, owning 42% of the market in terms of life-to-date revenue.  Xbox 360 continues to enjoy the highest software attach rate of any game console in Europe with more than 7.0 games sold per console (PS3: 3.8; Wii 3.5) after 26 months on the market.

The new ERPs are part of Microsoft’s ongoing strategy to open up the ultimate in high-definition gaming and entertainment to an even wider audience, with an offering for everyone:

Best Choice for Families:

• Xbox 360 grows as your family does, offering games and entertainment for every member of the family – from movies to games to music videos
• With over 150 3+ rated games and unparalleled parental controls, parents can feel good about their kids playing Xbox 360

Most Diverse Entertainment:

• Xbox 360 offers great choice in high-definition entertainment
• It’s easy to view and enjoy video and photos on Xbox 360 as well as connect wirelessly to share content with a Windows Media Center PC

The Best Games:

• There will be over 1,000 games available on Xbox 360 by the end of the year, with something for every skill level, interest and taste
• Blockbuster franchises like Grand Theft Auto IV and Rock Band
• Xbox 360 exclusives for 2008 include Fable 2, Gears of War 2 and Too Human, setting new standards for next-generation gaming

“Xbox 360 is now mass market in Europe and South Africa,” said Chris Lewis, Vice President, Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business in EMEA.  “We have reached and surpassed several key milestones that form part of our long term strategic plan to achieve critical mass in Europe and South Africa; and our portfolio now offers the kind of mainstream entertainment experiences that secure wider appeal for Xbox 360. These factors allow us to execute on our strategy to widen the market for Xbox 360, as planned. 

“We continue to offer intense, immersive gaming experiences for gamers – but now we’re priced in a way that will allow new consumers to find out for themselves why Xbox 360 is the ultimate in high-definition entertainment.” said Lewis.  “History shows that R1999.00 is the price point where a console’s audience begins to expand, and with these new ERPs in place we’re ready to bring more consumers into the Xbox 360 world.”

[tags]Xbox 360,South Africa,price cut,press release[/tags]