Microsoft has announced plans to slash the asking price of the Xbox One for a limited time in North America beginning November 2nd.
The promotion means the console has been marked down by a full $50 — taking the price down to $349 and, more importantly, reaching parity with the PlayStation 4. Microsoft confirmed that this offer will extend all the way through the holiday season, ending on January 3rd, 2015.
In a post over on Xbox Wire, the publisher also stated that the reduction will apply to the system’s various Kinect-free bundles — namely the Assassin’s Creed: Unity and Sunset Overdrive packages. Elsewhere, the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare bundle will be priced at $449 considering that it offers a 1TB hard drive along with a variety of game-related extras.
Currently, the holiday promotion only extends to those in North America, though Microsoft hinted that it could bring the offer to other territories in the near future. Here’s what the Redmond-based publisher has to say to Eurogamer.
“Decisions about promotional and pricing strategies are made at a local level and based on market context,” a Microsoft spokesperson said. “We have nothing more to announce at this time.”
Even if this offer remains on this side of the pond for the time being, the holiday season provides an opportune time for Microsoft to gain momentum for Xbox One in the sales department. After all, according to figures published by NPD, this is a console that has been outsold in the States for nine straight months.
But, with notable exclusives right around the corner that include the likes of Sunset Overdrive and Halo: The Master Chief Collection, the Xbox One and Microsoft as a whole are certainly poised to have an important end to 2014.
What do you think, though, do you foresee the NPD figures telling a different story in the early stages of 2015? Let us know below.