Cheaper 360 Within Striking Distance of Wii

Microsoft exec Robbie Bach confirms the existence of the Xbox 360 Arcade.

Christmas is just about here and the hardware makers are readying their big guns. Sony already announced price drops and new models for the PlayStation 3 around the world and now Microsoft is aiming low too, revealing a new Xbox 360 for the US.

The Xbox 360 Arcade has been making the rounds, unannounced, over the last month or so, but Microsoft's Robbie Bach went on the record with the Financial Times this week, giving fresh info on the cheaper-than-ever version of the system.

Bach told the FT that Microsoft is aiming the console straight at casual gamers.

"Arcade becomes [for us] the ability to bring in a new set of audiences. They're probably a little bit more casually focused, they're looking for a new family experience or they're more price focused," he said.

Priced at $279 (around £140), the Xbox 360 Arcade is within spitting distance of the market-leading Wii, which sells for $250. In the US, the Wii has outsold both the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 for most of this year.

According to previous reports, the Xbox 360 Arcade essentially replaces the Core version now on sale. It won't come with a hard drive but it will include a memory card. The FT said that the Xbox 360 Arcade would come with Xbox Live Arcade games Pac-Man, Uno and Luxor 2 and a wireless Xbox 360 controller too.

Microsoft's European arm has, for the most part, shadowed the moves of the US firm, suggesting the Xbox 360 Arcade will be coming to Europe too, but the company has yet to formally make any announcements.

Microsoft ignored requests to comment on this story.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo