NEWS - Friday, February 27, 2004
UK Xbox Bundle Sees Price Drop
MICROSOFT has increased its pressure on the PS2 within the independent sector, unveiling a new limited edition Xbox pack – and retail has now called for counter measures from Sony. The move comes a week after SCEE president David Reeves insisted that no price drop on the PS2 is imminent – or necessary – and asserted that the company sees "no peak" for the console’s sales just yet (MCV 20/2). Microsoft, however, is essentially offering a price cut with its new hardware bundle, which includes Halo, Midtown Madness 3 and Ubisoft titles XIII and Rainbow Six 3 for £139.99. The package is on offer to those independents in the UK, and only for a limited period. Indies have welcomed the new bundle, but are now expecting Sony to react - with some mooting a £99 solus PS2. Paul Matley from The Games Centre in Scarborough wants a PS2 price reduction to bring the console in line with Microsoft’s increasingly aggressive offering: "A PS2 price drop is definitely needed. Microsoft is doing well in the catch-up race. It’s the right time for Sony to drop the price." Chips Sunderland’s Tony Chamal agreed: "We were expecting a price drop. If it was something like £99 we could be more exciting and generous with the games we put into bundles. The time is right, especially as this is the year we will see PSX."Source: http://www.mcvuk.com/
