As foretold by hints in recent retailer advertisements, Microsoft today announced a new decrease in the price of the Xbox. Starting tomorrow, March 30, the console will cost $149.99 in the United States. That's a decrease of $30, following the May 2003 drop from $199 to $179.

The U.S. price drop was echoed by similar decreases in Canada and Mexico, where the Xbox price will drop to 199 Canadian dollars ($152) and 1,999 pesos ($179), respectively.

Microsoft also plans to immediately lower the price of several key software titles to make them more attractive to new console owners. Starting tomorrow, the following first-party titles will be available for the indicated lower prices:

Project Gotham Racing 2: $29.99 Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge: $29.99 Counter-Strike: $29.99 Voodoo Vince: $19.99 Grabbed by the Ghoulies: $19.99 Xbox Music Mixer: $19.99

Microsoft also plans to add several more third-party titles to its Platinum Family Hits line of all-ages games in the coming months, which will join Finding Nemo and EA's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

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Copyright © 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.