Xbox One's UK average selling price has fallen by nearly five times as much as PS4

The Xbox One's price has dropped by nearly £140 over the course of the year. According to GAME's recent financial report (via MCV), the average price of an Xbox One bundle has dropped from £454 in January 2014 to £316 in January 2015.
The average price of the PS4 has fallen by roughly £30 during the same period.

[MightyNoX]

All according to plan?

[Abash]

The UK was like the next largest territory for Xbox after the US, so it's surprising hearing this. The PS4 is just damn tough to compete with

[chrismichaels04]

Its amazing that the PS4 has been able to maintain its sales lead in the UK (as well as the rest of the European market) without having to drop in price. The worldwide demand for the PS4 has been pretty impressive.

[darthv72]

The cheaper the systems get, the easier it is to attain the ones you passed up. Multiple console owners know the routine.

[MRMagoo123]

The only way the xbone can match the ps4 in sales now is by giving an xbone away with each ps4 sold. The price drops aren't helping.

[Timesplitter14]

MIND GAMES

[SoapShoes]

And yet PS4 outsold Xbox One during the holiday months(Nov + Dec) there. Incredible. PS4 is a beast.

[tinynuggins]

not true.
http://www.trustedreviews.c...

[SoapShoes]

Bro I'm talking months with an S! What ground PS4 lost in November was wiped away in December.

[Christopher]

Was it Microsoft's plan to match the price of a Wii U in record time?

[MasterCornholio]

Now that's just mean....................

[Bigpappy]

Is this good news or bad news? As a gamer, I think lower prices is good new. But that's just me.

[curtis92]

Good news for gamers on a budget. Bad news in the sense that it's struggling to keep up with PS4, hence the constant 'deals' and price cuts.

[WelkinCole]

How things work in business you see is that if a product has to reduce in price constantly normally means it is not doing too well as oppose to keeping your price constant because it does not need to be reduced too often.

This is normally the case when you have competition because you have to compete and you have to slash your price to compete IF you are not doing too well.

When your product is not doing too well compare to competition then support for it from 3rd parties will also suffer and long term viability will also comes into question.

So do you see now why it is not that much of good news for the respective gamer?.

[Why o why]

Pro tip big p

As a consumer there is virtually no reason lower prices are a bad thing bar buying one prior to the price drop.

What this probably indicates is that ms didn't want to lose more ground in one of its top regions. Demand wasn't high enough so cuts were made to stimulate sales. No headstart meant ms had to face the stronger brand head on.

[MRMagoo123]

It's bad news for the majority of gamers because the ps4 price isn't moving and that's the console they want.

[Bigpappy]

@WelkinCole: Actually you are wrong. You have good points in there, but M$ dropping the price is not bad new for gamers, be cause the drop in price is there to counter those faults you mention. Its a win/win for gamers. based on your points. More gamers buying consoles because of lower price = better possibility of developer support (not a problem for M$ outside of Japan at the moment by the way).

curtis92: I don't know why you take the fact that the console, seen as weaker by most, not selling as well as the console seen a the most powerful to be bad news. I would think that is what you would expect. Because I decided to buy X1 does not mean I don't understand why most opted for the PS4. Reason for buying a console just happens to be different from most.

The only people who I believe should be seeing lower prices as bad, is M$ them selves. And I and not sure that is the case, because I have no idea how must their are loosing, if they are in fact loosing anything, or what their plans are for the near future to try and regain share. But that is definitely not my concern as a gamer. That's their problem.

@MRMagoo123: you make as much or as little since as you always do.

@Why o why: Good that we agree this is good for gamers. Early adopters know that the price they are paying is premium and expect the price to drop. I haven't heard anyone crying that it is not fair that the price has dropped and they had to pay more. In theory you would be correct but reality is quite different here.

As for way it indicates: that's a different topic. And everyone should be aware by this point that the PS4 is way ahead because gamers are seeing a power difference in favour of PS4. It means less profit for M$, but I am sure they can afford not to make big profit on console hardware and even throw in some giveaways.

M$ is doing exactly what they need to do, and because consumers see value in that, they are still in the game. To see this as a negative would reduce one to a brand loyal cheerleader who see the competition between these companies as a sport. One that is more important to them than having the actual consoles to play their games of choice.

[FITgamer]

I agree. Hoping for $199 XB1 by the time Gears launches next year.

[rainslacker]

I would say it's good for the consumers who can't afford the higher price and really want a next gen system, and for those that want an X1.

I don't know how it affects MS financially, but I can't imagine that they like having to be so reactionary all the time to the momentum of their closest competition. I don't think they're used to such things over at MS, and even last gen I can't say that they had to react as much outside the normal price drops. Now it seems that everything they do is in response to Sony(on the hardware front at least), as opposed to just forging their own way ahead like they did last gen.

In the meantime Sony is simply riding it's momentum for who knows how long, and still have plenty left with which they could counter any move MS may make, despite not really having to for the foreseeable future.

[RocketScienceLvlStuf]

No Doubt it has. The uk was one the xbox's strongholds which has now fallen by the wayside to the mighty PS4.

Xbone was actually outsold by PS4 for November and December combined last year in the UK. Despite the very cheap price of the xbone.

The xbone is getting dominated world wide including the US. PS4 is the superior product. This is a fact.

[Automatic79]

And yet, there was an article indicating both had sold 3 million by January, 2015. Amazing the amount of negative theories out there indicating Xbox One is not doing good in UK. Lol

Note last September PS4 sold a million and in November Xbox One did the same. Lol I call that solid sales for both.

[chrismichaels04]

@MichaelLito

"The PS4 hit the 1 million milestone in September, and the Xbox One followed in November; that makes for 2 million out of 3 million; we aren’t told how the other 1 million is split, though considering that the PS4 is more popular in the UK than the Xbox One, it’s not a stretch to assume it is slanted in Sony’s console’s favor." - Quote from article

http://gamingbolt.com/ps4-a...

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk...

You are confused. I think you need to go back and read the article again. The first article reported the PS4 and Xone sold 3 million consoles *combined* in the UK (not each) with the PS4 already having the sales lead reaching 1 million units 2 months before Xbox did.

Also, no one is saying the Xbox is "not doing good" in the UK. This article is simply saying Xbox had to reduce the price of the Xbox to try and catch up to PS4 sales, while the PS4 is still selling at regular price.

[Chevalier]

You mean how Xbone sold 1 million in 13 countries whereas PS4 sold 1 million in just 2 countries?! Yeah clearly PS4 destroyed its competion and still is. When is the last time we heard Xbone numbers?

Doing so well we have no announcement of numbers and as soon as price increased they fell behind. Now we have a permanent price change and that's due to 'value'

[miyamoto]

Its called "justice".
The good will always triumph in the end no matter what happens along the way.
PlayStation 4 will end all disputes.

[IGiveHugs2NakedWomen]

That can't be good for business (Microsoft) can it?

[tinynuggins]

It can only be good for business if the lower price means more adopters that buy games and purchase subscriptions for xbox live. I'm curious if MS is still making a profit on the xbox one at $349.99.

[MasterCornholio]

There´s always the risk of creating deal prone consumers and that's never a good thing.

[xer0]

They can't be making a profit..

The article clearly says the average selling price has fallen by £140 - within a year! If Xbox was a company not supported by Microsoft... they would go bust for selling at such a heavy loss.

Traditionally console manufactures have sold at a loss, but Microsoft is taking loss making to another level.

Only a fan boy would tell you otherwise.
There's good business... and there's bad. Microsoft are clearly using desperation tactics, by selling at a huge loss.., yet the adoption rate keeps falling.

Go figure :/

PS4 is unstoppable.

[LexHazard79]

Definitely not good. They probably lose close to $50 on each console sold.

Edit: kinectless sku

[tinynuggins]

If they were making $28.00 off each console at $499 (with kinect) and if reports of kinect costing well over $100 to manufacture I don't think it's unreasonable to think that MS is at least breaking even on a $349.99 sku. if not still making a few bucks.

http://www.theregister.co.u...

[Chevalier]

In Canada they are definitely taking a loss. The price here dropped to match the American price. So the kinectless unit is $350 Canadian, that's $278 American and the kinect bundle is $450 Canadian, that's $358 American. Even with this price it is still being outsold by PS4 by a large margin.

[Neonridr]

oh well. Means you can get a really good deal for an Xbox One I guess.

[GameDev1]

Which isnt all bad cause of I have dilemma of getting a WII U, Xbox One, or PS3 during the holidays. The Xbox One is at the fore front at the moment and a price deal might seal it for me

[Emrage]

I would get a wii u and if you don't have a 3ds try thinking of the 3ds and the wii u

[LexHazard79]

Get yourself Xbox One its gonna be on fire this holiday. Maybe a Halo 5 bundle but whatever you decide your guaranteed great gaming.

[LexHazard79]

I guess the part where I say whatever you decide you will be good..didnt register.

N4G says no.......ok then. So your choice is a last gen console or a system with minimal third party software. You didnt say PS4, so I assumed you have one.

N4G never changes always hating on Xbox One or anyone who like it.

[rainslacker]

I think the WiiU has more unique software that you won't get anywhere else. Since I assume by your comment you already have a PS4 since it doesn't cost much more than the X1 and can't see why you'd exclude it over such a small amount, I can only assume you are looking for a 2nd console.

X1 isn't a bad system, but 99% of the software is going to be be the same, and of that 99%, most of it is going to run better on the PS4. So unless you're really into MS exclusives titles, I would opt for the one that has the most unique stuff.

OTOH, it's hard to say what Nintendo will do for the next few years as they move onto the NX, and they are known to drop their last gen systems pretty quick. With the lack of current 3rd party dev support on the WiiU, it might not be a good long term investment.

Same is true for the PS3, as I feel that the dev support is going to go away quicker than it did for the PS2, but the PS3 has a huge catalog of games to choose from.

Price shouldn't be the only deciding factor when choosing a system. Sometimes it's best to look at long term benefits. Paying a little bit more up front can give you much more use out of it.

On that note, if this is your only system, then don't buy it on impulse because of BakPAin's reasoning's. Being "on fire" this holiday doesn't really mean much if there is not much beyond the first couple months to interest you, which means until the flames flare back up, it leaves you with a dust magnet.

[GameDev1]

@BakPain

Yes, I do have a PS4 and just need another system as its buddy

[xer0]

I reckon, we'll find Xbox Ones on store shelves at £200/£250 by this Christmas.

[Haru]

Even at 200 it wont be able to outsell PS4

[ThinkThink]

That would be amazing! I would love to pick up another one for the bedroom. The cheaper the price, the more people can afford it.

[MasterCornholio]

Dang now thats surprising.

:I

[Malice-Flare]

this can't be good for the ROI on XB1...

[Foehammer]

Another troll article trying to pass off a new SKU as a price drop, lol

[OrangePowerz]

It's data released by Game UK. Also you think they would have removed Kinect if they would have had great sales? Yes they made a SKU without Kinect, but there is only one reason why, to reduce the price so it can be seen as a price reduction.

[ThinkThink]

That's not really how price reduction works though and I think you know that. When you go to buy a car and there are premium packages and you choose the lesser grade option, you didn't get the car on a price drop, you didn't get the car on sale. The introduction of a new sku is not a price drop, never has been, not sure why we're trying to call it one now. Sales are not "price drops" either, they are sales and they happen all the time for MANY reasons. Taking the base sku of the xbox one from $399.99 to $349.99 MSRP IS a price drop.

[rainslacker]

MS wanted a price point at the same level as the PS4, so they dropped the Kinect to get that. That's a price reduction. You get less of a product at that price, but the perception of the buyer is that it's the same price as the PS4, and not $100 more. People didn't value the Kinect at $100 more, and it was causing Sony to have runaway momentum, which MS simply couldn't afford early in the generation.

Last gen, Sony reduced it's price on the PS3 by taking out features like hardware BC, and no one argued the semantics of if it was a actual price drop or a new SKU. When they did so, the price of the fully BC SKU stayed the same at first until it was finally discontinued. It was, and always will be, both.

[Acquiescence]

Must give day one purchasers of the Xbox One a lot of faith when it comes to Microsoft's next console.

[Neonridr]

anyone who purchases anything day one has to be prepared to face potential price drops and/or bundles. Even the PS4 had bundles which made the system itself work out to be cheaper.

[Fro_xoxo]

I love how you're all concerned with how XO is doing ehehe.

Whatever the business is, MS can deal with that.

Their job is to make sure we gamers are satisfied.

The line up this year on XO speaks volume.. I wouldn't worry at all..

[kingbain90]

People still saying the kinectless version is a price drop? If that's the case you could say it when up in price with the extra controller and gold bundle (see the problem?)

[Spotie]

Cutting Kinect meant you could acquire the XB1 at a lower price. That was permanent.

Adding in an extra controller didn't erase the lowest available price.

Besides, who in the hell would consider that a price increase? That would only enter into people's heads if the lowest price they could buy the console for had gone up.

It's not de facto price cut, but it IS that, in the eyes of the consumer. And, as is said frequently, if it weren't needed, it wouldn't have happened.

[kingbain90]

How does removing an optional add on equal price decrease to the basic standard package? the Xbox one has decreased $50 to date simple as that. Saying it dropped $150 is false. It launched with kinect at $500 its $450 now, the basic one was $400 it's $350 now. So where did they decrease the kinect bundle or basic package $150? Where is the $350 kinect bundle and $200 ads at?

[rainslacker]

When Sony removed hardware BC to drop the price $100, was it not considered a price drop? Was it not marketed as a price drop? Hasn't MS been advertised the X1 without Kinect as a price drop(Now only $399).

Why is a price drop a bad thing for some Xbox fans? It's not a bad thing for consumers. Arguments can be made on why it's showing MS not being where they want to be, but price drops have never been a bad thing except in console war BS.

[TheGreatGamer]

Both consoles are selling better than same point last gen and great games are being released on both... nothing else matters

[MaximusPrime_]

Didn't know Xbox ONE still exist. Virtually unheard of in this part of London

[WESKER2015]

im crying right now, thanks digital spy!, but seriously MS will always need to be on top form now, until they can catch up, sony will always be the most loved, and MS will always be treated as the underdog by the people and the media, and i can see the xbox one being MS last console, they might just develop and publish games in the future for their OS, sony have too much of a grasp on the gaming market, sony could sell people ebola and the consumers would lap it up, they can do no wrong

[dansdooz]

Click bait headline, the kinect has been removed and the xbox was brought in line with the ps4 pricing, both consoles are selling at very similar pricepoints now, better deals from xbox as they are playing catch up. I thought digitalspy was a reputable site, stories like this serve no purpose but to entice fanboy wars. Pathetic

[ThePresentIsAgift]

PS4 sells in volume fact1, fact2 anyone here not gushing with unlimited love for Sony every post immediately loses bubbles.

How many balanced and intelligent posters above have only one or two bubbles, the topic as per usual is one dimensional. Little point in having a forum at all when only one rhetoric is allowed to exist.

So Sony is amaze-balls and that's it, period, nothing to add then until PS5. Maybe the site should close down until then.

[kenwonobi]

Its incredible. I guess Europeans cant be duped into buying the weaker console off of hype.