While Microsoft’s Xbox One has been a successful seller since its release on the market last November, the question of whether it could sell even better without the inclusion of the Kinect motion device was definitely making the rounds. Microsoft answered this query last month by releasing a new bundle without the device for $399, and, as a result, sales have picked up tremendously.
“Over the past month, we’ve seen a strong spike in interest in our Xbox One console options, including the new $399 offering, and the amazing lineup of games announced during E3,” said Microsoft.
“Since the new Xbox One offering launched on June 9, we’ve seen sales of Xbox One more than double in the US, compared to sales in May, and solid growth in Xbox 360 sales.”
The statement is based on Microsoft’s “internal data based on retail calendar and sold through numbers,” but crucially didn’t give away any actual numbers.
The decrease in price for the system is no doubt a driving factor, as the bundle previously sold for $499 back in November with the Kinect included – which caused several gamers to turn to the PlayStation 4 instead, which was selling for $100 less at $399.
Now, however, Microsoft has managed to even the playing field, so to speak, by offering a next-gen console for a similar price. For those who prefer the motion device, or want to take advantage of games that support it (such as Kinect Sports Rivals and the forthcoming Fantasia: Music Evolved), the regular $499 bundle is still available, and the company has promised that the Kinect will be available for separate sale as well.
This news is likely to get better for Microsoft leading into this holiday season, especially with big hits like Sunset Overdrive and Halo: The Master Chief Collection set for release later in the year. However, one has to wonder if development on Kinect-oriented games will be affected by the move.
Source: TechCrunch
