See also: Launch price

Price cuts in video game system often result in better sales, but may be an indication of slowing demand or an aging system. It may also mean more efficient manufacturing processes. Most price cuts vary from $20 to $50, though $100 reductions have occurred.

When the PlayStation 2 price dropped in June 2002 to $199, sales skyrocketed to a then-record 690,000 units.[1] A price decrease in mid-October 2007, improved sales for the Playstation 3 from 30K and 40K in week 1 and 2 to 75K and 100K in weeks 3 and 4, respectively.[2] A further drop to $150 doubled sales again.[3] After a price cut in Europe for the Xbox 360, sales more than doubled.[4][5] An Xbox price cut had similar results when it dropped $30 to $150.[6]

Sony price cuts for various regions.[7]

Price cuts for the 8th generation [ edit | edit source ]

Wii U [ edit | edit source ]

Wii U price cuts Country Date Price (price change) Source United States 201211 November 2012 $299 for Basic 8GB / $349 for Deluxe 32GB (launch price) [8] United States 201309 September 2013 $299 on Deluxe model (-$50) [9] Japan 201212 December 2012 ¥26,250 for Basic 8GB / ¥31,500 for Premium 32GB (launch price) [10] United Kingdom 201211 November 2012 ??? Europe 201211 November 2012 ???

PlayStation 4 [ edit | edit source ]

Xbox One [ edit | edit source ]

Price cuts for the 7th generation [ edit | edit source ]

Todo: make graphs

Xbox 360 [ edit | edit source ]

Xbox 360 price cuts Country Date Price (price change) Source United States 200511 November 2005 $299 for Core / $399 for 20GB model United States 200704 April 2007 introduce 120GB Elite model for $479 United States 200708 August 2007 $279 on Core (-$20)

$349 on 20GB (-$50)

$449 on 120GB (-$20) United States 200710 October 2007 Replace Xbox 360 Core with Xbox 360 Arcade United States 200807 July 2008 $299 for 20GB model (-$50) (discontinued) United States 200808 August 2008 introduce 60GB model at $349 to replace 20GB model [8] United States 200809 September 2008 $199 for Xbox Arcade (-$80)

$299 for 60GB Premium (-$50)

$399 for 120GB Elite (-$50)

[9] United States 200908 August 2009 $249 for Xbox 360 Pro (-$50) (discontinued)

$299 for 120GB Elite (-$100) [10] Japan 200512 December 2005 ¥29,000 Core

¥39,795 for 20GB model Japan 200710 October 2007 ¥27,800 yen on Core (-¥1200)

¥34,800 on 20GB (-¥4995) [11] Japan 200809 September 2008 ¥19,800 on Core (-¥8000)

introduce 60GB model at ¥29,800 to replace 20GB

¥39,800 on 120GB Elite (-¥8000) [12] [13] United Kingdom 200512 December 2005 £209.99 Core / £279.99 for 20GB Premium model United Kingdom 200708 August 2007 £179 on Core (-£20)

£249 on 20GB (-£30)

introduce 120GB Elite model at £299

[14] United Kingdom 200803 March 2008 £159 for Arcade model (-£20)

£199 for 20GB (-£50)

£259 for 120GB Elite model (-£40) [15] United Kingdom 200808 August 2008 discontinue 20GB model

introduce 60GB model at £199 [16] United Kingdom 200809 September 2008 £129 for Arcade model (-£30)

£169 for 60GB model (-£30)

£229 for 120GB Elite model (-£30) [17] United Kingdom July 2010 Introduce Xbox 360 slim (250GB) at £199.99/149.99 (for 4GB) [18]

Microsoft has at least one Xbox 360 model that is cheaper than the Wii and the PlayStation 3 in all three major territories.

Miscellaneous price cuts: Australia

PlayStation 3 [ edit | edit source ]



PlayStation 3 price cuts Country Date Price (price change) Source United States 200611 November 2006 $499 20GB model (launch price) $599 60GB model United States 200704 April 2007 Discontinue 20GB model (only 60GB remains) United States 200707 July 2007 $499 on 60GB model (-$100) United States 200708 August 2007 Introduce 80GB model at $599 United States 200710 October 2007 Discontinue 60GB model (only 80GB remains) $499 on 80GB model (-$100) United States 200711 November 2007 introduce 40GB model at $399 United States 200809 September 2008 drop 40GB model $399 on 80GB model (-$100) [19] United States 200811 November 2008 introduce 160 GB model at $499 [20] United States 200908 August 2009 introduce PS3 Slim 120GB at $299

$299 on 80GB model (-$100)

$399 on 160GB model (-$100) [21] United States September and October 2012 introduce PS3 Super Slim

$269 for 250GB model (bundle launch price)

$299 for 500GB model (launch price) [22] Japan 200609 September 2006 ¥59,800 20GB (initial price, had price cut before launch) [23] Japan 200611 November 2006 ¥49,980 20GB (launch price) ¥59,980 60GB model [24] Japan 200710 October 2007 introduce 40GB white model at ¥39,980 ¥44,980 for 20GB model (-¥5,000)

¥54,980 for 60GB model (-¥5,000 [25] Japan 200810 October 2008 introduce 80GB model at ¥39,980 [26] Japan 200908 August 2009 introduce PS3 Slim 120GB at ¥29,980 [27] Japan 201210 October 2012 introduce PS3 Super Slim

¥24,980 for 250GB model (launch price)

¥29,980 for 500GB model (launch price) [28] United Kingdom 200703 March 2007 £425 60GB model only (launch price) [29] United Kingdom 200710 October 2007 introduce £299 40GB model £349 on 60GB model (-£75) (phasing out) [30] [31] United Kingdom 200808 August 2008 discontinue 40GB model introduce 80GB at £299 [32] United Kingdom 200908 August 2009 introduce PS3 Slim at £249/€299

£249/€299 on 80GB model (-£50) [33] [34] Europe 200703 March 2007 €599 60GB model(launch price) 71 Europe 200710 October 2007 Introduce 40GB model at €399 €499 on 60GB model (-€100)(phasing out) 72 Europe 200808 August 2008 Introduce 80GB model at €399 Discontinue 40GB model 73 Europe 200810 October 2008 Introduce fat 160GB model at €499 74 Europe 200908 August 2009 €299 on 80GB model (-€100)(phasing out) 81 Europe 200909 September 2009 Introduce slim 120GB model at €299 75 Europe 200910 October 2009 Indroduce slim 250GB model(only in bundle) at €350 76 Europe 201009 September 2010 Introduce slim 320GB model at €349 77 Europe 201010 October 2010 Introduce slim 160GB model at €299 78 Europe 201108 August 2011 €299 on slim 320GB model (-€50) €249 on slim 160GB model (-€50) 82 Europe 201209 September 2012 Introduce super slim 12GB model at €229.99 79 [35] Europe 201210 October 2012 Introduce super slim 500GB model at €299.99 80

Wii price cuts [ edit | edit source ]

Wii price cuts Country Date Price Source United States 200611 November 2006 $249 (launch price) United States 200909 September 2009 $199 (-$50) [36] Japan 200611 November 2006 ¥25,000 (launch price) Japan 200909 September 2009 ¥20,000 (-¥5,000) [37] United Kingdom 200611 November 2006 £179 (launch price) United Kingdom 200903 March 2009 £179 (-£0) (trade price increased about £16-20, retail price remained the same)

(Trade price dropped back in October) [38] [39][40] United Kingdom 200910 October 2009 £179 bundle with Wii Sports Resort, MotionPlus

Europe: €199 (-€50) [41] [42] United States 2011-05-15 $149 (-$50), bundle including Mario Kart Wii, Wii Wheel, and Wii Remote Plus [43] United Kingdom 2011-05-20 £120 (-£50), same bundle as US one immediately above [44]

Price cuts for the 6th generation [ edit | edit source ]

Interestingly, all 3 consoles in the sixth generation of video games dropped their prices in May 2002. Sony was the first with a $100 price cut for the PlayStation 2, followed by Microsoft's Xbox, and then GameCube to keep its price advantage.[45]

The first PS2 price cut for Japan was on June 29, 2001 (1 year and 2 months after launch) to 35,000 yen from 39,800 and then another when Nintendo's and Microsoft's systems arrived on November 26, 2001 to 29,800 yen ($240).[46] The Xbox dropped its initial price of 34,800 yen to 24,800 yen on May 15, 2002.[47] In the same month, Nintendo dropped the price of its Gamecube to 19,800 from 25,000 yen.[48]

In the United Kingdom, the Xbox price was slashed to 199 pounds five weeks after its release.[49] GameCube dropped its price almost two weeks before its release from 149 pounds to 129 pounds.[50][51]

PlayStation 2 price cuts [ edit | edit source ]

PlayStation 2 price cuts Country Date Price Source United States 200010 October 2000 $299 (launch price) United States 200205 May 2002 $199 (-$100) United States 200305 May 2003 $179 (-$20) United States 200405 May 2004 $149 (-$30) United States 200604 April 2006 $129 (-$20) United States 200904 April 2009 $99 (-$30) Japan 200003 March 2000 ¥39,800 (launch price) Japan 200106 June 2001 ¥35,000 (-¥4,800) [52] Japan 200111 November 2001 ¥29,800 (-¥5,200) [53] Japan May 2003 ¥25,000 (-¥4,800) [54] Japan November 2003 ¥19,800 (-¥5,200) [55] Japan 200609 September 2006 ¥16,000 (-¥3,800) [56] Europe

United Kingdom 200011 November 2000 £299.99 (launch price)

Xbox price cuts [ edit | edit source ]

Xbox price cuts Country Date Price Source United States 200111 November 2001 $299 (launch price) United States 200205 May 2002 $199 (-$100) United States 200305 May 2003 $179 (-$20) United States 200403 March 2004 $149 (-$30) Japan ? ? ? Europe

UK ? ? ?

Gamecube price cuts [ edit | edit source ]

Gamecube price cuts Country Date Price Source United States 200111 November 2001 $199 (launch price) United States 200205 May 2002 $149 (-$50) United States 200309 September 2003 $99 (-$50) [57] Japan 200109 September 2001 ¥25,000 (launch price) [58] Japan 200206 June 2002 ¥18,800 [59] Japan 200310 October 2003 ¥14,000 [60] Europe

UK ? ? ?

Dreamcast price cuts [ edit | edit source ]

Dreamcast price cuts Country Date Price Source United States September 9, 1999 $199 [59] United States August 31, 2000 $150 [60] United States February, 2001 $100 [61] United States December, 2001 $50 [61] Japan ? ? ? Europe

UK ? ? ?

Price cuts for the 5th generation [ edit | edit source ]

PlayStation 1 price cuts [ edit | edit source ]

PlayStation 1 price cuts Country Date Price Source United States 199509 September 1995 $299 (launch price) United States 199605 May 1996 $199 (-$100) United States 199703 March 1997 $149 (-$50) United States 199808 August 1998 $129 (-$20) [26] United States 199908 August 1999 $99 (-$30) [27] United States 200205 May 2002 $49 (-$50) [28] Japan December 1994 ¥39,800 (launch price) [62] Japan July 1995 ¥29,800 (-¥10,000) Japan March 1996 ¥24,800 (-¥5,000) Japan June 1996 ¥19,800 (-¥5,000) Japan November 1997 ¥18,000 (-¥1,800) Japan December 1998 ¥15,000 (-¥3,000) Japan September 2001 ¥9,980 (-¥5,020) Europe

UK ? ? ? France August 1998 790 Frs (-200 Frs) [63] France August 1999 590 Frs (-200 Frs) [64]

Nintendo 64 price cuts [ edit | edit source ]

Nintendo 64 price cuts Country Date Price Source United States September 1996 $199 (launch price) United States March 1997 $149 (-$50) United States August 1998 $129 (-$20) United States August 1999 $99 (-$30) UK March 1997 £250 (launch price) [29] UK May 1997 £150 (-100£) [30] Japan June 1996 ¥25,000 (launch price) [31] Europe ? ? ?

Note, in mid-early '98 the price situation is a bit fuzzy. During this time the PS1 Dual Shock system was released at $129, so the old models were marked down to $109. At this time Nintendo had a "limited time" $20 rebate on their $149 N64. Soon, though, the Dual Shock system was put to $129, and the non-Dual Shock systems had ceased production. Nintendo made $129 their standard price too.[32][33]

Sega Saturn price cuts [ edit | edit source ]

Sega Saturn price cuts Country Date Price Source United States May 11, 1995 $399 (launch price) console only

$449 bundled with Virtua Fighter and a FMV only disk of twenty Saturn games [69] United States May 17, 1996 $199 [70]

See also [ edit | edit source ]







