Xbox 360 sales climb 43% in UK

Sales of the Xbox 360 Elite jumped 43 per cent during the bank holiday weekend in the UK, GamesIndustry.biz can reveal.

Microsoft dropped the price of the Elite to GBP 199 in the UK on Friday, undercutting its bitter rival Sony's PlayStation 3 by GBP 50 in the region.

"Sales of Xbox 360 are up 43 per cent," a representative for GfK Chart-Track told GamesIndustry.biz. "Essentially, looking at the price, obviously it's the Elite that's done the business with those sales."

The rep added that "it's an early start" for the Xbox 360, which dropped in price just days before Sony's slim PlayStation 3 hits retail shelves this week. "It's quite a big deal for Sony next week," added Chart-Track.

Although a GBP 50 difference looks impressive on store shelves, Microsoft has stopped including a HDMI cable as standard in the package. The company also raised the price of its Arcade unit from GBP 129 to 159, and is phasing out the GBP 179 Premium SKU.

Speaking following the price drop last week, Microsoft's Euro Xbox boss Chris Lewis said that the new price is designed to help the company maintain its lead of Sony in the Christmas period and into 2010.

"We know that when we get to price points that are logical and sweet – and EUR 249 / GBP 199 is certainly one of those – we know that we see exponential growth rates," said Lewis.

"The holiday phase will give us seasonal growth of course, but we have a very bullish plan this year, we have bullish plans every year. Our appetite to continue to win, and to hold our lead and grow our lead over the competition is very central to what we have planned in and budgeted in for the year."