From this coming Friday, March 14th, the Xbox 360 is having it's price trimmed. The entry level arcade system will have a new estimated retail price of just £159.99 a forty pounds cut putting it right into the same price bracket as the Wii.

The more popular standard system which comes with a 20gb hard drive will now cost a penny under £200, a fifty quid price cut whilst the black elite system also has a forty pounds price cut to £259.99

"Xbox 360 is now mass market in Europe," said Chris Lewis, Vice President, Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business Europe. "We have reached and surpassed several key milestones that form part of our long term strategic plan to achieve critical mass in Europe; and our portfolio now offers the kind of mainstream entertainment experiences that secure wider appeal for Xbox 360. These factors allow us to execute on our strategy to widen the market for Xbox 360, as planned.

"We continue to offer intense, immersive gaming experiences for gamers – but now we’re priced in a way that will allow new consumers to find out for themselves why Xbox 360 is the ultimate in high-definition entertainment." said Lewis. "History shows that £159.99 is the price point where a console’s audience begins to expand, and with these new ERPs in place we’re ready to bring more consumers into the Xbox 360 world."