Microsoft pulls trigger on 360 price drops

Newspaper ads prove accurate as cost of Core, Premium, Elite packages will fall in varying amounts on August 8; Halo-branded system to sell for $399.

Word of a price drop for the Xbox 360 has been buzzing since before last month's E3 Media & Business Summit. The rumors got even louder recently as the Hollywood Reporter cited retail sources in detailing a $50 price drop set for August 8. That was soon corroborated by a pair of leaked retailer newspaper ads for Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us that was set to run in the following Sunday's paper. Those were closely followed by a Circuit City flier that specified a $50 price drop for the Premium Xbox 360 bundle, a $30 drop for the Elite, and a $20 cut for the Core.

Microsoft on Monday night confirmed all those rumors. Starting August 8, the Xbox 360 Premium bundle (apparently now referred to simply as the Xbox 360 in the company's vernacular) will retail for $349.99. The Xbox 360 Core system will sell for $279.99, and the Elite package will sell for $449.99. The company said the price drop timing is scheduled to coincide with the August 14 release of Electronic Arts' Madden NFL 08.

Finally, Microsoft revealed the pricing of the fourth Xbox 360 bundle: the Halo 3 Special Edition console. Arriving in September with a Spartan green-and-gold color scheme, the system will sell for $399.99. It will include an HDMI-capable system, a wireless controller, a headset, a 20GB hard drive, and a play-and-charge kit. Halo 3 will be sold separately.

As for other nations, there's no word yet on if and when the price drop will arrive. A Microsoft Australia spokesman declined to give a time frame on when any cut would arrive down under.

1282 Comments

  • joegio13

    Posted Jun 27, 2008 7:24 am PT

    @Wolfie600

    They fix your 360 for free and it is only a 2 week wait. you will only get about $80 dollars trade in at gamestop, so your better off getting M$ to fix the system. I know it sucks to get RROD, but your jumping the gun man.

  • mrkame16

    Posted Oct 1, 2007 7:28 am PT

    @nerkle01
    why would M$ drop the price of the x360 before the second year. the system is selling way more than the crap station 3.

  • Wolfie600

    Posted Sep 27, 2007 4:00 pm PT

    I **** hate MS now... i got red rings of death and im soo pissed cuz i just bought halo 3 .... this is serious **** can someone tell me how much they give me if i sell my core console in gamestop or EB?

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 2:19 pm PT

    I might pick it up now, but mainly for Halo 3.

  • Nerkle01

    Posted Sep 8, 2007 4:32 pm PT

    Man, Microsoft is frickin slow compared to Sony. PS3 has been out 4 less than 1 year and it already got a price cut on the PS3 (60 gig). Xbox 360 has been out for 2 years and it finally got a price cut. Wow Microsoft IS cheap as a company.

  • Deadwalker_135

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 10:58 am PT

    teslatrooper16 SHUT THE HELL UP----------------------------------------------- and i agree on everything with BlakkSteel he is totally rite about ps3.

  • poe94

    Posted Aug 18, 2007 5:59 pm PT

    For sure i will get one

  • solidusScott

    Posted Aug 17, 2007 6:20 pm PT

    COOL BEANS!!!! ...too bad i already spent $400 dollars on one.

  • Alastes

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 2:06 pm PT

    **** I called my local Toys R Us and before I even said the word Bioshock the guy started laughing and said that it wouldn't be out until next week. Sounds like corporate sent out a notice to all the stores or something.

  • Great_Ragnarok

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 10:10 am PT

    BlakkSteel hates the controller?? why?? I too preferd the old xbox s controller, but thats prolly coz im used to it.

  • Ninja99

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 3:52 am PT

    Good thing I waited. I shall now dance.

  • packernation31

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 11:42 pm PT

    Too bad I already bought one!

  • BlakkSteel

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 9:16 pm PT

    Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't really see any "XBOX 360 vs. PS3" talk here. What I see, are a bunch of emotions on the 360 price drop. As a NON-XBOX anything owner, I find it to be good for Microsoft fans. As a PS3 owner, I'm not here to sell anyone on the system, because I've been more than honest on my feelings for the system (it seems like the game designers DON'T want to make the games for the PS3). However, I will say this: anyone that has SPENT THEIR OWN MONEY on the 360 will agree, that for the almost $500 spent on the system, there should've NEVER been a "3 red ring" ANYTHING!! The only people that won't/don't care, are the people that did NOT come out of pocket for it!!! Only the folks w/ a chord in their mouth, & a 360 controller up their @$$ will disagree w/ that statement, IF they spent THEIR OWN money on it. I'm an XBOX 360 fan from a spectator's point of view (like to watch; still hate the controller). So, I'm somewhat interested to see what they do.

  • flackstone

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 6:04 pm PT

    dude RED RINGS DONT PLAUGE NEW XBOX360 are u stupid seriously find a new excuse to try and convince people that ps3 is att all a decent station

  • kave-man007

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 4:21 pm PT

    this gives me hope of getting a next gen console

  • OnlyTbone

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 10:21 pm PT

    awesome, price drop. I should by a new one sometime since its so awesome!!! So many choices for a person, how awesome. not enough money, core, just want the system, regular 360, extreme hardcore, elite, HALO LOVERS, Halo themed system! So great I chose xbox in this console war. In a couple years I may get a wii and then eventually ps3

  • masterchief1994

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 5:50 pm PT

    This is pretty cool

  • teslatrooper16

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 3:55 pm PT

    Go 360. Beat the cra*p out of PS3.

  • Evanrocknuma

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 9:07 am PT

    Yeah just went to gamestop yesterday to reserve halo 3 and saw the price drops... too bad microsoft isn't spending all that money on fixing the ring of death problum. I already had that once and they had to send me a replacement 360, but I guess the 30 air flo cooler by pelican will do just fine.

  • alidanwer posted Aug 12, 2007 5:02 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    alidanwer

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 5:02 am PT (hide)

    Stupid MICROSOFT they are just assembling scrap in the box what they call XBOX haha REDLIGHT three lights of death blah blah ppl got **** cuz these stupids working in mS

  • rockutd

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 1:02 am PT

    All right, turns out just the way i expected.Now if only they added blu-ray specifications, bundle it up with some cool games and add in another $100 cut...
    Well just my imagination=)

  • alscott33

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 6:44 pm PT

    I just got my 360 four days ago X( X( X(

  • JimBurber

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 11:13 am PT

    I think I might buy an elite and give my launch console to my bro...

  • andrew_ribbons

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 7:55 pm PT

    Oh well, since i'm a PCGamer i'll just get a Pre-owned 360. There's only a select couple of games (Mass Effect, Halo 3) i want on the system. The 360 rules, but PCGaming rules so much more!

  • The_AI

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 3:34 pm PT

    Emperorsupreme, you must be joking. The 360 only started outselling the GBA recently.

  • The_AI

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 3:30 pm PT

    I'm so glad that I held off on getting a 360.

  • GohanSSJZ

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 2:30 pm PT

    "Price drops are always a screw for loyal knuckleheads (like me) who pony up for a system as soon as it comes out... How about giving us a break for once too?"

    What is it really that you expect? Everyone knows that things will get cheaper, there are very few products that won't cost less later on, consoles ALWAYS drop in price. Besides it's not like with Sony here in Europe where some people bought a PS3 a few months ago, and now you get for the same price 2 games and a controller extra.

    If you had it since the release then you've had it for nearly 2 years, a 50 dollar price drop after nearly 2 years isn't bad.

  • coreyq

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 1:55 pm PT

    I would like to get my hands on Killzone,and MGS4 ,and TEKKEN, if they are making one!

  • ModBox369

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 10:55 am PT

    cool ill buy another 360 now YAY

  • KingBobCat

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 7:55 am PT

    Price drops are always a screw for loyal knuckleheads (like me) who pony up for a system as soon as it comes out... How about giving us a break for once too?

  • Kman117

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 7:49 am PT

    lomar07
    it still has a 3 year warranty. there are still too few good games on the ps3 to make it #1.

  • Sigil-otaku

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 2:36 am PT

    I hope the price cuts come to other regions too. Nice for the Americans though.

  • GreyAtom

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 9:27 pm PT

    Nice. Core refurbs at GameStop are now $189.99. Throw in a used memory card and you've got a 360 for around $210.

  • PrinceUchiha

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 9:13 pm PT

    I'm glad I waited 2 buy 1, my nephew has 1 so I didn't miss out. Now with this price drop I might consider getting 1 of my own.

  • saznmutt786

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 6:49 pm PT

    bwa hahaha! i got my 360 during a Christmas sale, 300 dollars for premium at micro center

  • Cody5569_basic

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 6:36 pm PT

    Got mine yesterday... took me 2 years to get one, but I finally got it. But I need more games than just Gears of War haha.. going to get Forza 2 tomorrow.

  • BlakkSteel

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 6:10 pm PT

    Wow . . . ok . . . CQ, you yanked me into this 1! LOL The price drop seems more of ploy to compete w/ Wii sales. Each system is doin' what it does. I'm a PS3 owner, & won't lie: to a certain degree, I feel shorted by the game makers. They don't utilize the PS3's full potential for graphics & the like. The 360 is a great game for XBOX fans. The graphics are the sharpest for next-gen systems; but, it still doesn't offer their fans much, & they continue to nickel-&-dime their people (costs for hard drives, dvd consoles, etc.), & has alienated their previous system's owners. Since I was never interested in the 360, I was not aware of the "3 Red Rings of Death" 'til the the end of last year. I'm lost as to why they didn't do the recall & repair last year, as opposed to tryin' to salvage the '07 image. That would make me leary of that upfront money for this, no matter how many times they have to fix it, pro bono. However, I'm still waitin' on PS3 to live up to its hype!! Even tho they have a few more games that became worth my dollars, the fact is I still feel somewhat graphically shorted.

  • sykodude4523

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 5:08 pm PT

    Yea now if they can make it not suck,

  • AngelsongCA

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 4:09 pm PT

    Price drops, HDMI additions, One Million Halo 3 Preorders, Worldwide Marketing Campaign, Bioshock coming out soon, Madden 08 coming out sooner. September looming closer. It's good.

  • xspawn69

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 3:33 pm PT

    By the way... Amazon's having a sale... $329.99 premium

  • lamprey263

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 3:16 pm PT

    the light that burns twice as bright burns half as long; and you have burned so very, very brightly, my X360 on that note, my PS3 and Wii will burn forever, in a really gloomy way

  • Zacek1000

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 2:57 pm PT

    The longer you wait, the best you get in this console war... I can wait until end of year, meanwhile I´ll be playing with my old PS2.

  • Benshki

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 1:24 pm PT

    Talk about milking micrsoft. And yes i own a 360 so please little childish flamers, step away from the keyboard. But seriously this has to be milking a game for all tis worth surely? O.k. Halo is a great game, my honest opinion, and its a seller for the 360 no doubt, but if you carry on ramming peoples face with this mediocre garbage of a console then expect a backlash.

    3 Different versions of the same game? Why not make the extra content downloadable live so EVERYONE can see it? This is pure milking, Microsoft knows it, we know it.

  • Billipop

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 12:12 pm PT

    Not impressive at all coming from the pimp Microsoft.

  • jordanmurphy007

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 11:36 am PT

    a halo 3 special edition pack without the actual game in it that sounds kind of stupid to me XD

  • Bloodhawk_DX

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 10:52 am PT

    hyphyxxl obviously has no clue what's going on in the gaming world. MS is fixing the overheating problems with the expanded warranty and the new chip.

  • bcolter

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 10:51 am PT

    Just ordered my Elite... It arrives on Monday!!!

  • hyphyxxl

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 10:10 am PT

    fix the overheating problems or dont buy a 360 no matter wut

  • DoctorFu

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 2:47 am PT

    I already own a 360 but I might just pick up a special edition controller and headset, but that's it. All those undecided should keep this in mind.

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