Dreamcast Price Drop Off to Slow Start

Though Sega's three-point campaign to aggressively market the Dreamcast at its new price of US$149.99 is still in its infancy, retail managers at Electronics Boutique, Funcoland, Toys "R" Us, and Wal-Mart locations told GameSpot News that the reduction hasn't noticeably affected sales thus far. Sega representatives commented that the company believes significant numbers won't appear until the reduction has been in effect for at least two weeks.

As previously reported, the Dreamcast is currently available retail for $149.99, and starting tomorrow, September 7, the company will offer a full rebate to Dreamcast purchasers who commit to an 18-month contract with Sega's new gaming ISP, SegaNet. Players will have the option to pay a monthly rate of $21.95 instead of paying the 18-month total up front. Those who sign up will also receive a free Dreamcast keyboard and 50 hours of free online service.

GameSpot will be putting SegaNet to the test later this week. Be sure to come back for full coverage.