Microsoft Cuts Xbox Prices In Asia

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to a Bloomberg story discussing Microsoft's price drop to $179 for the Xbox console in Asia, excluding Japan (which is still retailing the console for 24,800 yen, or just over $200.) According to the article, "Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft is lowering the price of the Xbox to make it more competitive against Sony's PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Co.'s GameCube in Asia where it has struggled with low demand and software piracy." Some software is also being reduced in price, and the piece also quotes a Japanese analyst as suggesting: "The move may be aimed at getting ahead of PlayStation 2 before the game machine becomes fully popular in the region.. the Asian video-game market is still at an early stage and even PlayStation 2 sales are not that big yet."

Comments

Re:Software piracy?

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

The article states that the XBox division is struggling with sales because of piracy and low demand. The statement that you're citing isn't saying that this move is a solution to the piracy problem but is rather saying that the XBox has not met sales figures (for reason 1 and 2) and so Microsoft is making moves to make it more competitive.

This isn't like the RIAA going gestapo-style on people. Piracy in Asia of all sorts of copyrighted works runs rampant. It's a problem and I don't think citing it is Microsoft's attempt to scare consumers, as it appears you are suggesting.

So, in a nutshell - the text you referenced wasn't making a link between software piracy and disappointing hardware sales. It was merely summing up the problems Microsoft has faced in the Asian market.