Microsoft on Monday announced the new lower price for its entire Xbox 360 family of consoles in South Africa, with the estimated retail price (ERP) now beginning at R1799.99.

From today, the Xbox 360, which includes a 60GB hard drive and one wireless controller, will have an ERP of R2699.99. The Xbox 360 Elite, which comes with a 120GB hard drive, will have an ERP of R3499.99. The Xbox 360 Arcade console, perfect for those wishing to make their first foray into the gaming and entertainment world of Xbox, will have an ERP of R1799.99.

To date the Xbox 360 has broken through the six million mark in Europe since the lower ERPs were recently announced abroad.

"We're proud to be expanding the reach of Xbox as the first next-generation console to break the R2000 barrier, making the platform significantly more affordable than competitors" said Marc Batten, Head of Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business South Africa.

"History shows that the majority of console sales happen after this price point has been breached, and we're well positioned to take advantage of this mass market pricing. We're passing on the benefits of being the first console to sell over 20 million units worldwide ... to consumers."

"In addition, with shoppers tightening their belts and feeling the pinch of prices on the rise, staying in is becoming a more viable form of sociable entertainment. In the line up for Christmas, you can expect over 90 new games launching including some really innovative entertainment experiences. Together with these groundbreaking new price points we hope to continue to enjoy fantastic momentum in South Africa," adds Batten.