European Amazon Stores Start to List Xbox One with €599

From X-bit Labs: Amazon stores around the world have started to list Microsoft Corp.’s next-generation video game consoles on their web-sites with proposals to notify once Xbox One becomes available. Moreover, Amazon stores in Germany and France have actually started to take pre-orders on the systems with guaranteed price of whopping €599.

Amazon.de and Amazon.fr currently offer to order the Microsoft Xbox One game console at pre-order price guarantee of €599, which means that in case the system ends up being more expensive than €599, the stores will charge the pre-order price; in case Microsoft Xbox One will be less expensive, Amazon will charge the lowest price. While the price currently serves as a place-holder, usually Amazon’s guaranteed prices are not too far off from the official prices.

While the price of €599, which will likely transform into $599 in the U.S., for Xbox One seems to be too high, it may actually seem realistic. The new Xbox is a state-of-the-art PC with cloud and online services, premium controller and very advanced second-generation Kinect motion sensor. Given the fact that Microsoft wants to position Xbox One as the only box needed in the living room, the price of €599/$599 may be real.

Still, at present it is too early to think about pricing of Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4. Both companies are going to learn about actual manufacturing costs of consoles in mass production as well as yields of chips and mainboards in the coming weeks, crucial information that will influence their decisions about the retail prices. In addition, both companies will look at each other’s prices and will attempt to make a more valuable offering to customers. Previous rumours already suggested that both PS4 and Xbox One will end up at $499 or higher.

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