Xbox One priced for Japan; Kinect-less model matches PS4

Microsoft has announced its pricing plans for the Xbox One in Japan, revealing that its Kinect-less model will retail for the same price as the PlayStation 4 in the region. When the Xbox One launches in Japan on September 4, it'll be available either with Kinect for ¥49,980 (approximately $490/£290) or without Kinect for ¥39,980 (approximately $392/£232). The latter price, of course, being on par with the PS4.

When the Xbox One was first released in November 2013 a Kinect was automatically bundled with it. It wasn't until recently that Microsoft introduced a Kinect-less SKU which will lowered the price to $399, also the same price as the PS4. Though the standalone Xbox One model won't actually release until June 9, retailer GameStop has already noticed "stronger demand" for the new console. That's certainly good news for Microsoft as the company has seen its Xbox One get outsold by the PS4 for four straight months.

Japan isn't typically a major market for the Xbox, but with a competitive price who knows what could happen. We've seen stranger things happen before.