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So far this year, the Nintendo Wii is kicking some serious butt. If you were to deconstruct the not-so-secret ingredients to the Nintendo Wii's success, two compounds would bubble to the top: unique, motion sensitive controls and a considerably low price tag. Although it lags behind both Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3 in graphics and media features, the Wii is both innovative and cheap. While Microsoft's console may not have fancy "Wiimote" controllers, recent rumors have suggested the company is considering a significant price drop of the Xbox 360.
The first such report on the topic came from the financial gurus at Bloomberg. To them, a potential price drop wasn't necessarily meant to woo the twenty year old gamer (in the United States, the Xbox 360 has largely already won the hardcore player) but his Mom, instead. (Source: bloomberg.com) Your Mom! Much of the Wii's success has come in attracting casual, or even rare gamers. Moms, Dads, grandparents, and anyone else who hasn't played a game since Pong (if at all) have responded to the media buzz and a low price. Microsoft Xbox product management director David Hufford agrees, stating: "Wii costs $250 and makes a 'strong value proposition'...when Mom walks into a store and sees she can get a console and a game for $250, she sees it as a $300 value. They've done a good job." (Source: bloomberg.com) Hufford's talk sparked Internet rumors that Microsoft was considering a similar drop, perhaps even as low as $199. In the wake of such speculation, Microsoft is hurrying to clarify itself. No price drops are on the way, any day soon. Granted, it seems they certainly aren't out of the question, but at the moment it makes very little sense. Many traditional, hardcore gamers see the Wii's success as a passing phase, given its dated graphics and somewhat shallow game library. With Halo 3, Bioshock, and a few other epic releases coming up before the holiday season, Microsoft can expect its software to sell its hardware. Xbox 360 price drop? You'll have to ask Santa in December. (Source: itwire.com)
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