Will there be console price drops at E3?

[GrandAmChandler]

I know that sometimes Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft have been doing price drops around the E3 time of year. Sometimes they even do bundles (I.e Gran Turismo 3 Bundle) I know Nintendo's GameCube is low priced already, but I am more intrigued about Sony / Microsoft dropping to the $129.99 price point... Any thoughts? Rumors? Anything?

EDIT: What about the handhelds too? New bundles maybe?

[zmweasel]

I know that sometimes Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft have been doing price drops around the E3 time of year. Sometimes they even do bundles (I.e Gran Turismo 3 Bundle) I know Nintendo's GameCube is low priced already, but I am more intrigued about Sony / Microsoft dropping to the $129.99 price point... Any thoughts? Rumors? Anything?

EDIT: What about the handhelds too? New bundles maybe?

The PS2 and Xbox are both selling as quickly as Sony and Microsoft can crank 'em out. No chance of price drops this year (unless Microsoft really does launch the Xbox 360 this Christmas, of which I'm still not convinced, and positions the Xbox as an entry-level console).

-- Z.

[Querjek]

Not necessarily considered a price drop, but PSPs may be announced as to be sold for $XXX.XX as the console alone, not as a value pack.

[hezeuschrist]

I know that sometimes Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft have been doing price drops around the E3 time of year. Sometimes they even do bundles (I.e Gran Turismo 3 Bundle) I know Nintendo's GameCube is low priced already, but I am more intrigued about Sony / Microsoft dropping to the $129.99 price point... Any thoughts? Rumors? Anything?

EDIT: What about the handhelds too? New bundles maybe?

The PS2 and Xbox are both selling as quickly as Sony and Microsoft can crank 'em out. No chance of price drops this year (unless Microsoft really does launch the Xbox 360 this Christmas, of which I'm still not convinced, and positions the Xbox as an entry-level console).

-- Z.

Can we please stop calling it the Xbox 360? It will never be called that, ever. I'll stop posting here for eternity if Microsoft actually decides to name their next system -- and subsequently their last -- Xbox 360.

[Flack]

I hate "me too" posts, but I have to agree with Zachie-poo here. Usually price drops are done to increase sales or dump stock, neither of which Microsoft or Sony need to do at the moment. As for the Gamecube, who knows. The drop to $99 last year temporarily put them in 2nd place, but Nintendo can only do that so many times. Used (but complete) GCN systems go for $50 all over town around here.

[crazyjackcsa]

The Gamecube won't go any lower. Even at the 99.99 Price point it makes it look like an also ran. Ie These two consoles are this price, how come this one is so cheap? What's wrong with it?

[Marc4242]

With the amount of used DS systems sitting at my local gamestops, and the reported 500,000 PSP's sold in two days, I would be shocked not to see the DS at $99.00. I honestly haven't touched my DS since the PSP came out. Too many things to do with the PSP. Not enough new games for the DS.

Microsoft isn't going to be making many more xbox systems, so I can't see the xbox price drop; and with the fairly new PS2 redesign, I don't think it will either. The gamecube is bargain priced already, so that's not going to happen.

[Lothars]

I would completely be shocked if there wasn't a price drop a month or so after e3 because they will probaly be announcing the next gen systems and normally every year we get a price drop

But it's all good, so im hoping I want the price to drop for a I can pick up my first smaller ps2 since i love my big one but want the built in network adapter of the smaller one. and another xbox

[zmweasel]

Can we please stop calling it the Xbox 360? It will never be called that, ever. I'll stop posting here for eternity if Microsoft actually decides to name their next system -- and subsequently their last -- Xbox 360.

I'm just using what the majority of industry peeps claim the name is gonna be. Do you really think Xenon is any better?

-- Z.

[NintendoMan]

Not necessarily considered a price drop, but PSPs may be announced as to be sold for $XXX.XX as the console alone, not as a value pack.

If the psp did have a little price drop so soon, i would then be forced to buy one. I want to play TM so bad it hurts!

[MegaDrive20XX]

My theory would have to be, sometime around this Fall.

Xbox and PS2 could see a $129.99 before the Christmas season

GBA SP may drop again I think.

PSP, probably after it's reached 1.5 Million units sold or if they offered the public a different bundle package. Since the Spider-Man 2 UMD offer is for a limited time from what Sony originally claimed.

As for GameCube, that's a big maybe, but I don't see it happening.

DS, another big maybe. If GBA SP follows, then DS may

[GrandAmChandler]

I have an xbox and a cube... pondering on what to get next, or just keep adding to my ever growing XBOX / CUBE collection... I mean I can't play san andreas, turismo, ape escape, etc.. but is it worth $150 when I already have the other two?

My brother got a DS, and its sweet, but there isnt enough software out to make me drop 150 dollars... Same with PSP, I just cant justify throwing down that much cash on something that will only get casual play...

My point is, I need a price drop on the DS, PSP, or PS2 for me to buy another system

[felix]

I think the ps2 is well worth the 150.. if you look at the slew of games they have and how many good classics they have, its well worth it.. In fact, I sold my xbox and got a new slim ps2 and about 6 games..

[Super Mario Fan]

I think for the current generation of consoles, there are no more price drops. That is, of course, until the new round of consoles are released, and even then, it won't be much. It would be stores clearing out their inventories.

[GrandAmChandler]

I think for the current generation of consoles, there are no more price drops. That is, of course, until the new round of consoles are released, and even then, it won't be much. It would be stores clearing out their inventories.

I disagree, wasnt N64 & PS1 dropped pretty low before Gamecube and PS2 came out?

[PS2Hawk]

PS2 & xbox will drop to 129.99 US

GC will drop to 99 CDN again. It went up to 129.99 CDN from 99 CDN

[Necromutant]

I expect that we will see a price drop for the DS and the SP. If so I just might pick up a second SP (the NES style one). :) But this E3 is going to be all about the new system announcements, not price cut announcements...

[mitmoe]

I expect that we will see a price drop for the DS and the SP. If so I just might pick up a second SP (the NES style one). :) But this E3 is going to be all about the new system announcements, not price cut announcements...

I would love to see a price drop on the SP. I would pick up another one. :D

[hezeuschrist]

I'm just using what the majority of industry peeps claim the name is gonna be. Do you really think Xenon is any better?

-- Z.

It's better, but not by much. Xbox 360 insinuates that it's the exact same thing as the Xbox. It comes full circle to go in the exact same direction, and I know most people won't think of it like that but it just reeks of stupidity to me.

Unless the system has some type of gimmick involving a sphere or a circle then it's marketing suicide.

[Dobie]

I would love to see a price drop on the slim PS2, but I don't think it'll happen at E3. Perhaps by Chrstmas.

[Slipdeath]

I think all three companies will be to busy announcing the specs for their new systems. The concentration for the current systems will be the upcoming big name titles. As for the DS, I wouldn't be surprised if some kind of announcment was made to bring up the sales wheter a price drop, bundle or whatever. The PSP is still doing good with the Value Pack so there will probably be no new bundles there.

[zmweasel]

Since someone dug up my old post about Jeff Minter, I thought I'd spread the love with a dig-up of my own:


Can we please stop calling it the Xbox 360? It will never be called that, ever. I'll stop posting here for eternity if Microsoft actually decides to name their next system -- and subsequently their last -- Xbox 360.

I don't expect HC to stop posting, but I'm curious if he still believes the Xbox 360 will flop because of its name. It certainly didn't seem to bug anyone at E3.

-- Z.

[felix]

Having a little background in marketing and looking at the trends, I dont see much changing soon pricewise. I think that a few current gen systems will bundle more with their system to make it more of a value to purchase their system, but I doubt a pricedrop will happen.

Heres my predictions for christmas 2005 prices..

-Nintendo GC: No drop, will bundle a game.
-PS2: Nothing.. MAYBE a game bundle or a coupon/discount.
-XBOX: 2 game bundle (like they do every year).
-DS: Best chance for a pricedrop, Im guessing $125.00 with a bundled game.
-PSP: Trixy one.. will sell like hotcakes reguardless this season.. Sony knows they have a hot system in their hands and nobody is going to catch up by xmas. Im leaning more tward NO due to the high demand and the lack of competition.
-Advance SP: Nothing. It has reached its final drop.. nintendo wants to sell their DS system.. not the SP. If they drop the price it will take DS customers away from their target system.