Andre Yoskowitz
4 Feb 2008 15:59
Microsoft has announced that beginning on March 6th it will begin selling a cheaper Xbox 360 model in Japan.
The new model will have identical specifications to the Xbox 360 Arcade model which was released in the US late last year. It will include an HDMI output, a wireless controller, and a 256MB memory card instead of a HDD.
Microsoft says the new model will retail for JPY 27,800, about $260 USD, which is one-fifth less than the current lowest priced model.
Since its launch in 2005, the company has sold 17.7 million consoles worldwide but has declined to give a regional breakdown. Regardless, analysts have continually shown that the 360 continues to struggle in Japan, selling as little as 300,000 consoles last year in Japan while the rival Sony PlayStation 3 sold 1.2 million consoles and the market leader Nintendo Wii sold 3.6 million units in the area.