RUMOR CONFIRMED: XBOX 360 HD-DVD DRIVE NOW $49.99

While no one at Microsoft is shouting this one from the rafters, if you take a look at the product page for the Xbox 360 HD-DVD Player over at Xbox.com, you'll notice that the official MSRP is now $49.99.

I'm guessing the lack of any kind of fanfare over this second price drop centers around the fact that Microsoft has officially discontinued the drive and would probably like nothing better than to never hear the words HD-DVD again. Regardless of the reason, if you've been considering grabbing one for either the cheap movies or collectible reasons, now may be the best time to grab one.

(Once again, just in case you aren't aware, Toshiba has officially abandoned the format, and Microsoft has announced they are discontinuing the drive. You have been warned.)

• Xbox 360 HD-DVD Player –  Xbox.com 

XBOX 360 HD-DVD DRIVE NOW $49.99 NEW AT AMAZON

Well, I was planning on hitting the sack, but then I made one last stop in at Amazon.com to check on the Xbox 360 HD-DVD player and, as was the rumor this weekend, the drive is being sold (at least at Amazon right now) for $49.99 brand new. While I haven't seen the price drop at other retailers as of yet, I can't imagine Amazon will be the only one.

(Just in case you aren't aware, Toshiba has officially abandoned the format, and Microsoft has announced they are discontinuing the drive. You have been warned.) 

• Xbox 360 HD-DVD Player – Xbox.com
• Xbox 360 HD-DVD Player $49.99 – Amazon.com
• HD-DVD Statement Issued – Gamescore Blog

UPDATE: 10:42AM – 2/25/08: It looks like the drive is now sold-out at Amazon.

NORTH AMERICAN 60GB PLAYSTATION 3 TO BE DISCONTINUED?

So much for a long term price cut… GamesIndustry.Biz (by way of Kotaku) is reporting that in an interview with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves, Reeves answered the question of why Europe was not seeing a price cut by announcing that once Sony expends all it’s existing stock of the 60GB PlayStation 3 in the United States, the company will only supply 80GB models to the region;

"GamesIndustry.Biz: How concerned are you about possible criticisms that you should have given European consumers what SCEA has given US consumers, i.e. the option to pay a lower price?

David Reeves: Well, they’re not really are they, because what the US are offering from the 1st of August is a USD 599 version with one game. All they’re doing is taking their stock in trade that they’ve got at the moment of the 60GB model, marking the price down and it will all be gone by the end of July.

GamesIndustry.Biz: So once the 60GB is gone, that will be the end of the 60GB then?

David Reeves: In America, yes." – GamesIndustry.Biz interview with David Reeves

Now, either Reeves is just trying to cover for the lack of a European price drop or Sony really does plan on shooting itself in the foot yet again. What a public relations nightmare this one is going to be. Leave it to Sony to take the one positive piece of press they’ve gotten recently and totally screw it in a matter of days.

• E3: David Reeves Talks PS3 – GamesIndustry.Biz
• 60GB PS3 Being Taken Out To Pasture – Kotaku

SNK TO END SUPPORT FOR NEO GEO CONSOLES

I remember the first time I saw a Neo Geo AES at retail. It was back in 1992 or 1993 – I was in my local Software Etc looking for some new games to purchase and I noticed that large black Neo Geo box on the wall. Now, I had heard about SNK’s system, but until that day I had never actually seen one out in the wild. I recall looking over the packaging and being really impressed by the quality of the arcade style controllers as well as being intrigued by the idea of a console that could provide the exact same experience one would get in the arcade.

Ultimately, two things stopped me from buying the AES that day… the fact that SNK didn’t exactly have the deepest catalog of games and more importantly, the fact that each game for the system cost $199.99 apiece. Needless to say, I never purchased an AES, though I search Ebay listings for a deal on them from time to time.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the AES is just how long SNK has continued to support the console. Call it loyalty, or maybe the fact that the cartridges were pretty much the same as the ones they used in the arcade, virtually eliminating conversion costs, but since the AES’ inception, most of SNK”s arcade releases though 2004 were brought over to the console – including ones sold directly by SNK following the console’s discontinuation in 1997. In addition, the company still offers repair and maintenance services on the console as well as all the other systems and accessories in the Neo Geo line (such as the Neo Geo CD, Neo Geo Pocket, etc.) – or at least they will until the end of August.

According to Insert Credit, a notice on SNK Playmore’s Japanese website has announced that effective August 31st, 2007 they will cease all support for the Neo Geo line of consoles, handhelds and accessories. Apparently it’s becoming harder and harder for the company to obtain replacement parts for the consoles and as such, they’ve decided to finally end all support for the consoles.

• SNK Playmore – Official U.S. website
• Neo Geo (Console) – Wikipedia entry
• SNK Playmore to stop maintenance support for Neo Geo – Insert Credit