The Xbox One's pricing has softened of late, with the console currently retailing at around £349.99. That said, it wasn't so long ago when it was a very different picture for Microsoft.
When the console's pricing was first announced during last year's E3, the Xbox One came packed with a Kinect and cost a king's ransom (that being $499.99 or £429.99).
It turns out that Sony, with their lower price point ($399 / £349), were very happy with Microsoft's opening gambit, with the Head of Worldwide Studios America, Scott Rohde, recently admitting that the original announcement made by their competitor actually brought great joy to the PlayStation team.
"I'm not gonna lie. I remember exactly where I was," Rohde said in an interview with Arstechnica. "We were in press conference rehearsals last year. We had a feeling they were going to come in at $499, but we weren't sure. So yeah, we were dancing in the aisles and high-fiving. It was great. Anyone that came in on an interview, it didn't matter what the question was, I could always just answer it with $399. It was the answer to every question."
Rohde also offered a comment to Microsoft's recent decision to ditch the Kinect: "I think that, to be truthful, we always assumed that eventually they'd have to release a SKU without a camera," he added. "So we were waiting for it to a degree, and we were ready for it."