Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) made an announcement that it will bring down the price of the 500GB Xbox one to $349. The company also hinted that it will be bringing a new version with a 1TB hard drive.
The price drop is a strategy to sway more people to purchase the console while at the same time it competes for the market with Sony’s PlayStation 4. The larger version of the Xbox one is expected to debut with a price list of $399.
The new edition of the console will also feature a new controller that has a 3.5mm headphone jack. The console will also have a matte finish, in contrast with the original gloss casing. There is some more good news for gamers as Microsoft promised to bundle the release with the Halo Master Chief collection. The collection will be available for free.
The software and technology company has not forgotten about PC gamers. The new Xbox one controller will also be compatible with a dongle that will allow PC gamers to pair the controller with their PCs. The dongle will be sold separately at $24.99. It will also be available on Windows 10 PCs that will be released later o this year.
The existence of the new TB edition was confirmed accidentally a week ago when it featured briefly on Amazon. Sales for the 1TB version will commence on June 16 though the price drop is already in effect.
Microsoft has not revealed further details with regards to shipping. With the recent rebranding of former Nokia Stores into the Microsoft brand, many Xbox and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) enthusiasts expect the company to include the console in these stores. If it does indeed happen, it will be very advantageous for many gamers as they will benefit from more affordable prices.
Previously, most dealers in foreign markets have taken advantage by hiking the process almost to double its base amount. Extra benefits from the new Microsoft retail stores include speedy access.
