Microsoft's Xbox One just dropped in price in the UK, but will that mean anything in the US? GameSpot's editors explore the possibilities.

 

The Xbox One is getting a price drop effective this Friday in the UK, going from £430 to £400. But the rest of the world is getting a freebie as well--while supplies last, you'll be able to pick up an Xbox One bundle with a free Titanfall download code when the game launches on March 11. That deal encompasses the UK price drop as well, offering an even deeper discount on the Xbox One's price for lucky Brits who've held off on buying a console.


While Microsoft has said that the price cut doesn't mean their system is struggling, what does all this really mean for the Xbox's biggest potential market: the US? GameSpot's editors discuss.

 Let's not read too far into today's announcement. If you believe Microsoft (and I do), the battle they face against Sony in the console space is a long-haul effort. We're only months into a cycle that stands to potentially span a decade. Microsoft knew it had the more expensive console going into last holiday. The $100 premium over the PlayStation 4 is nothing new and it's not something Microsoft is wary of b

 Izzatullahrashdi (WorldAlltech News Editor): Let's not read too far into today's announcement. If you believe Microsoft (and I do), the battle they face against Sony in the console space is a long-haul effort. We're only months into a cycle that stands to potentially span a decade. Microsoft knew it had the more expensive console going into last holiday. The $100 premium over the PlayStation 4 is nothing new and it's not something Microsoft is wary of because, in Microsoft's words, they have the "better system."
 

And so, the fact that the UK price cut is not coming to North America tells me Microsoft remains confident in its ability to sell the Xbox One at $500. The UK price cut appears to be a one-off promotion aimed at capitalizing on the launch of Titanfall next month rather than a desperate move to gain ground against Sony. The PS4 is off to a hot start, for sure, but Sony's initial success does not necessarily mean Microsoft's demise.

It's up to Microsoft to prove to consumers that the Xbox One is worth $100 more than the PS4. I don't think they've done it sufficiently yet, but with a string of highly anticipated exclusives and ambitious digital initiatives in the pipeline, I'm optimistic about Microsoft's long-term plans.

 QudratullahRashdi (WorldAllTech Editor): Microsoft isn't stupid. Despite how much I and many others prefer solo adventuring, a large part of a console's success is determined by how well it can foster a community of competitive players. Grab hold of those who enjoy firing guns at their friends and enemies, and you've secured system loyalty for years down the line. That's why Microsoft shelled out money to keep Titanfall from appearing on any console bearing the Sony brand, and that's why you're seeing them make such a bold pricing move just three months after the console debuted. Do not overlook just how important Titanfall is for Microsoft.

 

 

If they can lure those who have pushed Gears of War, Halo, Call of Duty, and Battlefield toward the top of the retail charts for the past decade, then Microsoft has established the Xbox One as the definitive console for multiplayer conquests. Once you get a taste of that mech-on-mech action, you're going to tell your friends, and soon one purchase becomes too many to count. And, yes, this doesn't preclude people from buying a PlayStation 4 as well, but if Microsoft can convince people that Xbox One is the place for competition, then people will flock toward every upcoming shooter on the Xbox One because that's where all of their friends let out their day's stresses.

 2 days ago - Microsoft is set to lower the price of the Xbox One in its second largest market. Starting on February 28, UK gamers can pick up the Xbox One ...