With the PS3’s recent slimming down both in terms of price and appearance, you couldn’t just expect Microsoft to sit and take it. Despite being priced far above the 360, the PS3 has sold considerably well and probably far stronger than people might have you believe. So with a new price point, below that of Microsoft’s premium package, who knows how the “console war” could have gone. Though if a recent leaked Walmart catalogue is to be believed, the Xbox 360 Elite is about to fall from $399 to $299 putting it right back alongside the PS3 in terms of US pricing.

The catalogue was due to hit on August 30th and further fuels rumours that the current Pro model of the system will be disappearing soon as it is this model which currently occupies the $299 slot. Should this be true, I wouldn’t expect it to arrive in the UK as Microsoft appear to be brining their aggressive UK pricing to a close by increasing the price of the Arcade model. Perhaps we’ll see some sort of drop, but the current Elite model is already twenty notes cheaper than the PS3 and as the American drop seems to be there in an effort to match the PS3, such a move would be pointless over here.
Source: Joystiq
Gamoc | 24/08/2009 08:19
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I’m actually getting a 360 today, too. But in the UK. Those crafty American buggers.
TheCreditCrunch | 24/08/2009 08:29
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its comming down over here
*edited*
Not sure why you resorted to name-calling, but don’t
benny boy | 24/08/2009 09:26
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What?
cc_star | 24/08/2009 08:19
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I agree, as the Elite is already cheaper than the PS3 over here, i’d say this would be just making it cheaper In in the US, we may even see the £20 rise in the UK putting the Elite up to £250, and the much rumoured £30 rise in the price of the Arcade due to low valuation of Sterling (thanks to a lack of confidence globally in the ability of Brown, Darling & Mandleson)
We shall see over the coming week or so I suppose
TheCreditCrunch | 24/08/2009 08:31
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hahaha cheaper no its not unless you want to play offline or have a huge cable sticking out of the back its an extra £40-£50 for a wifi adaptor and more for online
nofi | 24/08/2009 08:33
Wants a custom tag.
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The Elite is cheaper than the PS3 – that’s a fact. Accessories aside.
cc_star | 24/08/2009 08:44
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For the £229 you also generally get a couple of games, a pretty good deal.
jimmy-google | 24/08/2009 09:21
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Actually Gamestation are selling the ps3 for £230 and also offer 10% student dicount which would knock it down to £207 for some. If you’re looking for bundles at HMV you can get it for £250 with Virtua Tennis 2009 and either Infamous or Killzone 2. which is a decent offer. The wii price has just gone up to £200 or £220 with game in game now. All three consoles are looking just about in line with each other price wise. Price really isn’t an arguement for why you chose one over another now.
coolgr33k | 24/08/2009 11:52
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yeh, the £40 online a year will eventually mean people paying for XBL will soon pay more than ps3. But it has got private & cross game joining & more. But still its not justified compared to PSN.
jacklum | 24/08/2009 13:27
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The ‘new’ Elite doesn’t come with a HDMI cable ($50 for Microsoft’s proprietary cable) and won’t have any games pre-installed on it unlike the previous $399 deal.
Erroneus | 24/08/2009 08:20
Wanted "Trophy Hunter" but was too late.
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To weak priced IMO, when comprising with PS3 Slim, should have been around 250-260$. Let’s hope the elite models from now on are Jaspers though, anything else would be a shame.
Raen | 24/08/2009 09:23
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Agreed, it needs to stay cheaper, even if it’s not by any significant amount.
coolgr33k | 24/08/2009 11:54
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They should make an xbox360 slim just to annoy sony lol.
Erroneus | 24/08/2009 11:55
Wanted "Trophy Hunter" but was too late.
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If they do, I will buy one. I don’t want that huge brick of a 360 at my tv, make a smarter, cooler, more stable slim model and I’m there.
Raen | 24/08/2009 12:05
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You know it’s smaller than the PS3 right? I agree with the brick comment a little though
jimmy-google | 24/08/2009 13:08
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looks too much like a dell desktop pc. I actually prefer the original ps3 to the ps3 slim or the 360 – though the elite is a lot better looking the the other models. The wii is small but ugly as hell. To be honest consoles have never looked that good – the psone (the redesign) and n64 are probably the only ones that I can think of that were pleasing on the eye.
Erroneus | 24/08/2009 15:11
Wanted "Trophy Hunter" but was too late.
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Yeah i know, but at least the PS3 is sexy
Also getting the PS3 slim now, I like the smaller models
a inferior race | 24/08/2009 15:28
I'm special
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This does not mean that Microsoft are lowering the price. Wal-mart could of just decided that they will be able to make more money by selling a rival console to the slim for the same price. As the PS3 slim may sell-out and as such parents will be looking for a game-console for the child.