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

Software piracy?

[spitzak]

Just want to be the first to point out that if "software piracy" is the problem, lowering the Xbox price has nothing to do with it! Seems like Microsoft wanted to get that in there so everybody keeps hearing about "piracy". Sure software piracy is a problem, but it cannot possibly explain lowered Xbox sales. In fact if everybody stole Xbox software (and say were prevented from stealing Playstation software) then the Xbox itself would be more popular!

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.

Microsoft still doesn't get it

[cloudless.net]

I live in Hong Kong and I don't think the reducing the price of the Xbox unit would attract new buyers. We need good games! Like many other game players in Asia, I care very little about Xbox's flagship 3d shooter Halo. Instead I want a good RPG like the Final Fantasy series, I want innovative games like Dance Dance Revolution. Show me some great games and I will buy the console for double the current price.

Not a bargain

[ubikkibu]

$179 is still way too much. It's as if they don't want to sell them.

Some good games would help, too.

Quickest way for X-Box to sell over in Japan

[Anonymous Coward]

Rename it to MEGA HAPPY HELLO KITTY BOX. They wouldn't be able to keep the shelves stocked.

Re:Umm..

[jnguy]

I as an American still prefer Japanese goods, especially over the chinese goods, even though I'm Chinese and slightly more than American products. The Japanese make good products, there is no doubt about that. If I was Japanese I would probably be intrested in getting good from Japan. Japanese cars sell well in the United States, so well that we need to impose tarifs on imported cars to protect our car industry. The Japanese create very good quality and innovative products.

Problem I see with the Xbox

[leifm]

is that they have a whole shitload of games that don't belong on a console. You can't play a FPS properly without a mouse. If MS would spend more time getting more games on the thing that lended themselves to consoles, they might do better.