One of my Microsoft Belgium sources has just sent me an email with some news about a future Xbox 360 rebranding revealed at a press event in Francorchamps, Belgium hours ago. (Earlier today? Late last night? Timezones confuse me.) According to him:
"The embargo just lifted on some news I got earlier. At an as of yet unknown date, the Core will be completely phased out and repackaged as the 'Xbox Arcade: Just Play' pack. It will come with 5 games (I assume Uno and Pac-Man are two since I believe I saw them on the box art shown), a 256 mb memory card, and will be priced at 279. I'm not 100% sure about this part, but my notes say it will have an HDMI exit, but no cable in the box."
I'm not sure if the price he gave is in Euros, dollars or some imaginary money I've never heard of, or if this will make it stateside at all, but I'm sure once we get towards more normal hours more information will start to trickle out. He's also going to send us the slides from the presentation in a short while, so we'll see if I can manage to be awake when those get here.
*UPDATE*
As promised, here's an image from the slideshow showcasing the new Xbox Arcade, as well as the already-announced price cuts.
According to my source, they did mention that this "new" model would be a global thing, and with the recent changes of Xbox 360 prices in Europe, it wouldn't be a shocker at all if this went for 279 in both Europe and the US.
In the meantime, who wants to let Microsoft Belgium know that they don't need to make all of their presentation slides using MSPaint?
Microsoft today announced an estimated retail price drop for its Xbox 360 family of consoles in Europe and the Middle East, and welcomed a new member of the family - Xbox 360 Elite. With a product to suit every interest and budget plus the best line up of games of any console, the Xbox 360 range is poised to bring amazing gaming and entertainment experiences to even more consumers this Christmas. The lower cost opens the door to Xbox 360 for more people, helping to broaden the market for gaming and enabling more people to enjoy titles like Halo 3 (Bungie), Scene It? (Microsoft Game Studios), Bioshock (2k Games), Project Gotham Racing 4 (Bizarre Creations), Mass Effect (BioWare), Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (Bandai/Namco), Naruto (Ubisoft), Blue Dragon (Mistwalker/Artoon Co. Ltd) and more - all only on Xbox 360.
From Friday, 24th August 2007, new estimated retail pricing will come into effect for Xbox 360 in Europe. The Xbox 360, which includes a 20GB hard drive and one wireless controller, will be reduced by €50/£30/AED300 to carry an estimated retail price of €349.99/£249.99/AED1499. The entry-level Xbox 360 Core console, perfect for those wishing to make their first foray into the gaming and entertainment world of Xbox, will be reduced by €20/£20 to carry an estimated retail price of €279.99/£179.99.
Xbox 360 Elite will carry an estimated retail price of €449.99/£299.99/AED1950 when it launches in Europe this Friday, 24th August. It comes with a massive 120GB hard drive, enabling consumers to store huge quantities of content downloaded from Xbox Live Marketplace as well as their own music. The inclusion of a high-definition multimedia interface port (HDMI) is designed for the expanding groups of consumers with HD TVs and HDMI - it offers an alternative method for getting the incredible high-definition gaming and entertainment experiences that Xbox 360 has pioneered. A premium black finish marks the Xbox 360 Elite as the ultimate in entertainment devices and the 'luxury' option for seasoned gamers.
"We're pleased to be able to offer Xbox 360 at a new, lower estimated retail price," said Chris Lewis, Regional Vice President, Microsoft E&D Europe. "We pioneered the successful concept of multiple products for multiple categories of consumer. First-timers will love the Xbox 360 Core system, which offers an affordable entry into high-definition gaming. The Xbox 360, with its large hard drive and wireless controller, will appeal to casual and experienced gamers and families. The Xbox 360 opens up whole new avenues of entertainment for those who seek the ultimate gaming and entertainment experience.
"Whether it's our lead in console sales, record-setting games and accessory attach rates or our leading online service, evidence is everywhere that Xbox is thriving," continued Lewis. ."When you combine that momentum with these great-value offerings with our unbeatable Christmas game line-up, it's clear that Xbox 360 is uniquely placed to take Europe by storm this Christmas."
For the past year, Xbox 360 has been the number one console in EMEA, having obtained more than 30 percent of the market in terms of overall revenue (more than 45 percent in the UK, Netherlands and Sweden*). Xbox 360 continues to enjoy the highest software attach rate of any game console in Europe with more than 5.5 games sold per console since launch (PS2: 3.8; GC: 5.2; Xbox: 4.3 after 17 months on the market*).
As well as the Xbox 360 Elite console, a range of accessories with a matching sleek black finish will be made available including:
- Xbox 360 120GB hard drive: The massive 120GB detachable hard drive allows gamers to not only save their games but also store video, music, pictures, trailers, levels, demos and other content available from Xbox Live Marketplace. It is designed for Xbox 360 owners who wish to upgrade to higher storage capacity. Estimated retail price €179.99/£129.99/AED799
- Xbox 360 Wireless Controller: This award-winning, high-performance wireless controller, features the Xbox® Guide Button for quick, in-game access to friends and music. It has a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of 30 hours on two AA batteries. Estimated retail price €44.99/£32.99/AED199
- Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit. Complete with a charging cable and a black rechargeable battery pack, the Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit allows gamers to recharge their Xbox 360 Wireless Controller without interrupting their gameplay. It is available for an estimated retail price of €19.99/£14.99/AED199
- Xbox 360 rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery pack provides more than 25 hours of gameplay per charge. It is available for an estimated retail price of €14.99/£9.99/AED89
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