Microsoft announced during Tokyo Game Show today that the price of the Xbox Series S in Japan will be reduced by about $28.
Originally the Series S was announced at 32,980 yen (about $313 USD) plus tax. This is in contrast with the Series X, which was announced for Japan at 49,980 yen, which is about $474 USD – much more in line with the US price of $499. The new price of Series S in Japan is 29,980 yen plus tax, or about $284, which is closer to the US price of $299.
Xbox Series S価格改定 29,980円（税抜）
次世代ゲーム機を、より多くの皆さんにお求めやすく https://t.co/AXMUjPbEm9— Xbox Japan (@Xbox_JP) September 24, 2020
No reason was given for the price drop. PlayStation 5’s disc edition and digital edition are priced at 49,980 yen ($474) and 39,980 yen ($379) respectively, plus tax. Since the PS5 price was announced after Xbox Series X/S, it may be that Microsoft wanted to offer a more aggressive price difference between the cheaper models of the rival consoles.
Xbox has failed to break into the Japan market with past consoles, being beaten by a very wide margin by PlayStation and Nintendo with every generation. This time around, it is encouraging to see a more aggressive pricing strategy around the Series S, and indeed the Series X, which surprised gamers in Japan with its sub-50,000 yen price point.
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Tokyo Game Show 2020 marks Xbox’s first appearance at the show since TGS 2014. Tune in to IGN for a livestream of Xbox’s TGS showcase (Japanese only), which begins at 5am Pacific / 8am Eastern / 1pm UK / 10pm AEST today.
Preorders for Xbox Series X/S in Japan begin at midnight JST on 25 September, a few hours from now. Both units go on sale in Japan on November 10, the same date as in the United States.
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Daniel Robson is Chief Editor at IGN Japan, and he loves it when you follow him on Twitter.
Source: IGN.com Xbox Series S Price Already Reduced in Japan