Microsoft quiet on Xbox 360 price cut, waiting for old stock to disappear?

I fully expected Microsoft to follow Sony‘s PS3 price cut announcement with one of their own for the Xbox 360 Elite. Some rumors about an Elite price drop have been floating around for a while now, but we heard nothing of the sort during Microsoft’s GamesCom conference. A new report suggests that it has to do with the current stock of Arcades and Elites out on the market right now.

I fully expected Microsoft to follow Sony‘s PS3 price cut announcement with one of their own for the Xbox 360 Elite. Some rumors about an Elite price drop have been floating around for a while now, but we heard nothing of the sort during Microsoft’s GamesCom conference.

According to a report from MCV, Microsoft has considered delaying the price cut announcement while they wait for “unusually high stock levels” of the Arcade and Elite models to fly off retail shelves. Microsoft has also apparently told retailers about a new SKU, although it’s not clear if this is the price-slashed Elite or another SKU altogether.

This supposedly comes from a national electronics retailer in the UK, so things might be different in the US, where some print ads about the price cut have already been seen.

Another possibility — this is just idle speculation, mind you — is that Microsoft is confident enough that its current pricing scheme will keep it from losing ground to Sony in terms of market share.

Any thoughts, guys?

• HDMI cables no longer bundled with new Xbox 360 Elite models
• Xbox 360 Elite getting US$ 100 price cut?

Via MCV