Microsoft announced that, beginning September 5, Xbox 360 Arcade will retail for the estimated retail price of $199.99, the Xbox 360 console for $299.99 and Xbox 360 Elite for $399.99.
"We are thrilled to be the first next-generation console on the market to reach $199, a price that invites everyone to enjoy Xbox 360," said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "Xbox 360 delivers amazing performance at an extraordinary value with the leading online service and best lineup of games, downloadable movies and TV shows available from a console. The majority of consumers make the decision to buy consoles once the price falls to this mark, making this an important milestone for consumers and the industry."
As Microsoft pointed out a few months ago, history shows that more than 75 percent of all console sales happen after the price falls below the $200 mark. The new price point makes the hard diskless Xbox 360 arcade SKU cheaper than Nintendo's Wii.
