Microsoft says no Xbox 360 "price drop" in the UK Region-by-region basis and Blighty misses out this time

4 September 2008 11:35 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Microsoft has said that it won't be passing on the price cuts in the US to its Xbox 360 console to the UK, Pocket-lint has learnt.

In what is another case of Rip-off Britain Microsoft has said that it has nothing to announce in the UK.

"Pricing is handled on a region-by-region basis. We do not have a price drop in this region to announce", was the official word.

The news means that the Xbox 360 Arcade official price is now £48 more expensive in the UK than the US.

Earlier in the year retailers keen to encourage sales of the console lowered the price without the approval of Microsoft, but there is no word as to whether they will be doing the same this time around.

We will keep you posted.

Comments

what a suprise... Posted by Matt, Wales, UK
Obviously us Brit's are still stupid enough to be buying the plastic piles of crap they call an Xbox 360. I have had 9 brand new units to get two working. Once these two fail that'll be my lot with MS. No more consoles from them!
I don't buy games for it anymore I buy them for the PS3 instead, not because the games are better in any way but because the PS3 starts everytime, it's quieter and doesn't break down! Posted by NAGRALI63, UK
ps3 worked for me 3 days then it broke. then i bought new cheap xbox 360, it's been running without prob, i play same game as you play in ps3, if my xbox 360 breaks down i'll change it, nothing perfect in this world, so i just stop crying about it. Posted by Talha, india
Microsoft Japan is already actually paying people to take the machines, with little success."We hope more people will be able to enjoy Xbox 360," said marketing marketer Takashi Sensui, "and we can stop enjoying quite so many of them. We also have this fine pile of HD-DVD drives ... Wait! Come back!" http://notnews.today.com/?p=63 Posted by David Gerard, UK
Actually no they aren't Gerard although it is outselling the Wii in Japan and the US. Posted by Pete Rooke, UK
UK already had a price drop. This is the US and Japan having there's Posted by Jazza, UK
This read likes the BBC's have your say page. If you don't even know how to use an apostrophe, you don't deserve your cheap Xboxes. You shame me, countrymen. Posted by di'sgu'sted, England
Why do we consistently pay more then our Asian and North American counterparts? Whether it be £10 or £40... we still pay more for both software or hardware! Dont even argue with me on this one, I have already lived in North America! Posted by Tim, UK
The only reason they have dropped the price elsewhere is competition from sony and nintendo is more intense.
If M$$$$$$$$ ever get the monopoly they crave in the gaming world there will be the same situation as there is in pc land massive costs for everything. Posted by knows 6the score, uk
The fact is that BOTH Microsoft & Sony charge more for their game systems in the UK than in the US and they don't hide it. With the internet you can look at websites around the World and compare prices. Amazon.com has the XBOX 360 Arcade @ $199 (£117.02) - UK price £159.99 (£42.97 difference), Playstation 3 80GB @ $399 (£234.64) - UK price £294.98 (£60.34 difference), Nintendo Wii @ $296 (£174.07) - UK PRICE £179.98 (£5.91 difference). It is another case of rip-off Britian and I am disappointed that Microsoft (and Sony) hasn't announced a price drop in the UK but before anyone starts a "fanboy" rant at M$, just stop an think about Sony's over priced Blu-ray player.

References: Post office website for the GBP/USD exchange rates, Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk for the prices. Posted by Bob the postman, UK
As others have said, if we didn't buy any Xbox's in the UK then they'd "have" to drop the price, but as a country we just moan a lot and cough up the money. I've had a DVD drive fail within 9 months and another one overheat. Don't forget that if your unit overheats "red ring of death" style within 3 years Microsoft will fix it for free

Anyway I notice today that Xbox Elite's are available from Game.co.uk with Force Unleashed for £229.99 so there has been a price drop of £30 per unit it would seem Posted by Steve, England