Rumor Control: Xbox price cut and LucasArts dissing GameCube

RUMOR #1: Microsoft will drop the Xbox's price to $149 on Tuesday, March 30, 2004.

Source: GameSpot's sister site News.com.

The official story: "That's rumor and speculation." -- An Xbox spokesperson.

What we heard: According to News.com, word of the price cut stems from a single source: Piper Jaffray game analyst Tony Gikas. "We had been expecting the $129 price point to drive hardware and ultimately software sales during the next 12 months," said Gikas, adding, "We doubt a $149 price point will be enough to drive [2004] hardware unit sales above 2003 levels." As for the reason for the less-than-dramatic price cut, Gikas pointed to "pressure to limit losses on [the] Xbox hardware system" from Microsoft's highest executives. However, Gikas gave no indication how he learned the cut was coming, only that it he doubted "a $149 price point [would] be enough to drive [2004] hardware unit sales above 2003 levels."

Bogus or not bogus?: We'll find out soon enough, won't we?

RUMOR #2: LucasArts is ceasing development for the GameCube.

Source: GameSpot's very own and ever-active forums.

The official story: "I have not heard anything of that nature." -- LucasArts spokesperson.

What we heard: Spurred by lengthy forum feedback, we tracked this rumor to its original source, a recent GamesIndustry.biz piece. The article talked about the general decline of support for the 'Cube among third-party publishers outside of Japan. LucasArts was singled out because of the success of its Rogue Squadron series, one of the few successful adult-oriented, nonsports franchises for the Cube. However, a look at LucasArts' game roster does indeed show a dearth of GameCube titles in the works, even though upcoming PlayStation 2 and Xbox games like Mercenaries and Star Wars: Republic Commando are listed.

Bogus or not bogus?: Officially not bogus. The company line reveals that LucasArts still supports the GameCube. But what good is an official endorsement if there are no products in the pipeline?

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