Yeah, the supposed price drop in March to $279 (see my sign) or like most people thought, $299, for the X360 Pro. Why didn't MS drop the price (in USA/NA, in Europe they dropped as was expected)? it's only a few days til GTA4 is out.

MS dropped the ball already (and are just happy to come a profitable third in this gen)?

Is it about the weak Dollar? (1:1,5 against the Euro) They can't afford a lower price in NA? 

Can someone sum up the speculations about this topic on VGC lately.

This sucks.

I vote for weak dollar.

People were also expecting a price drop before Halo 3, and it turned out none was needed. Just saying, maybe Microsoft is pretty sure they'll beat the PS3 in America without a price cut, so they'll focus on profitability. However, I admit that I was expecting a price cut too.

Look at the microsoft profits for last quarter. 89 mil...they could offer a 10 dollar price cut without taking a loss :)

How dod they drop the ball when they never said they were going to drop the price. The price drop was only the opinion of many posters on this forum.

I thought they would drop the price too. I think they are missing out on a big opportunity here to gain ground on the PS3.

Yes, the price drop need is our opinion. But it's a well based argument - if the PS3 doubled it's WW sales in 2008 compared to last year MS has to do something drastic, because at this sales rate the PS3 will catch up and pass the X360 well before the end of this gen.

Slimebeast: Why does it matter of the PS3 pass it the end of this gen? Its more important that Microsoft continues to be profitable and reduce the losses from the xbox.

You have a point, but profitability is not as important for me as is winning the war. Well, if I knew MS was a company like Sony, that by tradition is dependant of it's gaming division to make profits as a company, I would care more for the profitability of X360 and MS's Entertainment division. But like everyone knows MS makes so much profits from PC software that the X360 being profitable or not shouldn't really matter very much.

Maybe I'll get a cheap PS3 one day, but I'll still be a Sony-hater (strong word.. lets say "dislike").

Simply, I want Xbox to beat Playstation.

It's quite easy. The biggest game of the year is about to launch.
Why on earth would they lower the price? People are going to buy a 360 anyway.

Of course some people will say that it would have decreased the share of PS3's sold, but Microsofts businessplan says nothing about beating PS3, it says something about making a profit. It just so happens that GTA4 will generate a lot of profit, a profit that is higher when the console price is higher.

EDIT: The weak dollar has no impact whatsoever on an American company selling products in America. Maybe a little if inflation rises. It is true that it is of course easier for Microsoft to lower the European prices and still earn the same amount of dollars.