Microsoft to Offer Lower
Bloomberg News
introduced a lower-priced option for its Xbox One gaming console with prices starting at $399 for a version without the Kinect motion-sensing camera.
The new version will be available on June 9 in all markets where Xbox One is available, the company said in a statement today.
The move goes back on a controversial decision by Microsoft to bundle Xbox One with Kinect, increasing the price of the console to $100 more than Sony Corp. (6758)'s PlayStation 4. Although Microsoft had insisted it needed Kinect to convince game developers to write software for the motion sensor, Sony's big lead is leading Microsoft to change its strategy.
Microsoft will also offer users of Xbox One and Xbox 360 more access to entertainment applications such as YouTube, Netflix and HBO GO.
Sony's PlayStation 4 has the lead in U.S. video-game unit sales, while the higher-priced console from Microsoft generated more revenue in February, researcher NPD Group said. The results point to tight competition as Microsoft and Sony battle each other with their first consoles in seven years and a shift toward social and mobile games.
To contact the reporter on this story: Dina Bass in Seattle at dbass2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Pui-Wing Tam at ptam13@bloomberg.net Reed Stevenson, Ari Levy
Post a Comment for "Microsoft to Offer Lower"