Sony slashes the price of its PlayStation2
Published: 06 Jun 2001 11:15 BST
Sony has cut the price of its PlayStation2 (PS2) console by ten percent, to £269, with immediate effect.
The consumer electronics company told Gamespot UK on Tuesday that it was slashing £30 off the retail price of the PS2 in order to bring Britain in line with the rest of Europe -- where exchange rates have seen gamers getting a far better deal. In France, a PS2 costs 2990 francs (£275), and in Germany the console retails at 869 deutschemarks (£270).
Electronics Boutique and several other major chains have already adopted the new price tag, but it may take several days for prices to adjust across the country.
Sony faced heavy criticism when it launched the PS2 in Britain last November with a price tag of £299. The Consumers' Association claimed that it was ripping off UK consumers, pointing out that the PS2 only cost $299 (around £200) in America. Sony denied the claims, insisting that import tax, VAT and higher transport costs were to blame.
Industry watchers have been expecting Sony to cut the price of the PS2 in an attempt to fight off Microsoft's forthcoming Xbox console. The Xbox, which will go on sale in Spring 2002, is widely predicted to retail at £299 -- and there have been rumours that Sony could cut the price of a PS2 to as low as £200.
See Gamespot UK's PlayStation2 channel for the latest news.
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