Xbox 360 price cut and family friendly title releases

Since Microsoft launched the Xbox 360, it faced challenge from the Playstation and Nintendo and when Nintendo released it Wii console, Xbox had to keep up with the competition.

According to the figures in 2008, Wii was the market leader in the UK with 3.7 million consoles shipped against 2.5 million for the Xbox 360 and 1.5 million for the PS3. It was thought that a fifth of Wii customers have never bought a console before.

Microsoft, to get back as a market leader announced a price cut in the UK as it tries to reposition the console as a mass market competitor to the Wii.

The £30 price cut means that the standard 60 GB model will be sold for £169.99 which is the same price as the Nintendo Wii. These price cuts will do more sales for the Xbox 360 and make Xbox 360 the cheapest console in the market.

The lower spec arcade console without a hard drive will sell for £129 while the Xbox 360 elite which are aimed at hardcore gamers will cost £229.99. This price cut followed similar moves in America and Japan.

Microsoft targeted male customers for Xbox 360 and provided first person shooter titles like Halo 3 which attracts the male target market. But Wii targeted family friendly audience and gave titles like Rockband and it was because of these family friendly titles that Wii took the lead over Xbox 360.

After this incident, Microsoft also wanted to release family friendly titles to be in competition with the Wii. In the hope to grab some of the Nintendo’s casual audience, Microsoft announced that it will release titles like Rockband and guitar hero which will attract family audience. These titles for Xbox 360 will attract family friendly audience and these titles can be played at family gathering and with family and friends and these titles will attract audience from the Nintendo Wii and the Xbox 360 will have a new target market. Microsoft also announced the release of its own karaoke game called LIPS. 

With addition to the price cuts, the Xbox menu system will also get a new look designed to appeal to mainstream gamers.

After the price reduction, Microsoft said that the sales doubled in the USA in the weekend after the cut, with some retailers reporting a six fold increase. 

REFERENCES:

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/newsbeat/newsid_7618000/7618515.stm (accessed on 20/05/2013)

http://www.videogamesblogger.com/interstitial.html?return_url=http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2008/07/12/first-pictures-of-xbox-360-karaoke-game-lips.htm (accessed on 20/05/2013)