I think a price cut could come as early as Febuary with Crackdown on the 360...Who knows though. However, I DO believe that MS could easily drop the price at any given point. In Nov-Dec, retailers had huge bundle deals on 360s with upto $100 in gift cards with a purchase of the 360. That tells me MS (atleast during Christmas/Thanksgiving) has the ability to lower the price. Now, if MS actually does it or not is the question. IMHO, MS needs to drop the price of both systems ASAP by $100. Get the core to $200, and your going to see HUGE sales. Heck, I'd just get rid of the premium, offer HDMI on the core, add the wireless controller, and then just offer the HDs separate - since that's all a premium really has on it anymore. The most important factor is price - Having a 360 with the huge library of games @ $200 is SIGNIFICANT. Look at Japan - With the rather large price drops and pack-ins with Lost Planet and Blue Dragon, the 360 has gone on to sell over 100k units in December and in it's FIRST WEEK in January already outsold the 360 in its first TWO MONTHS in January....Do the same worldwide and offer the core for 199/299 euros or even less (How about 169/269 euros?). The sooner MS lowers the prices, and should none of the compeditors lower their prices, the 360 will easily win the generation (atleast everywhere but Japan). As for Nintendo: I think the price is fine. Nintendo is making a KILLING on each Wii, and will only make more....Keep the price and drop it at Christmas to $150USD w/o a game packin. For Sony, a price drop will help somewhere in the year - preferably right after they switch to 65nm. I believe that will reduce the costs of the PS3 significantly. That should enable them to drop the price $100 and possibly lose less money per console. I think the schedule SHOULD look like this: Xbox 360: $199/$299, 169/269 euros, 25,000y/35,000y (or less) in Febuary with Crackdown in the US/Europe, and then the J-drop as soon as IdolM@ster comes out later in January. PS3: $399/$499 ect ect for other regions in October with GTAIV. Big boost to sales. Wii: $175, 17,500y, 149 euros just before thanksgiving...Maybe even include a coupon for $10 off the next Super Smash Brothers iteneration.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
