Blitz calls for 360 and Wii price cuts

Nintendo and Microsoft should follow Sony’s lead and cut the retail prices of their consoles, says Philip Oliver, CEO of UK indie developer Blitz Games.

During Sony’s Gamescom press conference this week, the company announced that its flagship home console will sell for £249 in the UK and $299 (£180) across America.

Oliver is eager to see the PS3’s lower RRP help stimulate the games market – which has seen its share of pessimism in recent months – but believes that the industry would ultimately benefit from a round of cross-console price cuts.

“The whole industry is hoping PS3 sales will increase and grow more of a market to sell games,” he told UK newspaper Birmingham Post.

“We hope companies like Microsoft and Nintendo will follow suit and drop the costs of their machines.”

As hardware and software sales continue to look poor in comparison to last year’s GTAIV/Mario Kart/Smash Bros-powered summer selling spree, a growing number of analysts and commentators are hoping mid-cycle price cuts will reignite industry growth.