Toys R Us drops Canadian Xbox 360 price

by Kyle Orland { Feb 20th 2008 at 8:15PM }

What was just a rumor as recently as this morning has apparently already become reality -- the Canadian Toys R Us web site is showing $50 reductions in price for the Xbox 360 Pro (now $349.99) and Halo Edition - (now $399.99). An informant at a Canadian Toys R Us has also told us that the Xbox 360 Arcade has been reduced $20 (to $279.99) and the Elite has come down $50 (to $449.99 -- all prices are in Canadian dollars, eh?)

Ironically enough, FutureShop, where this morning's rumor first originated, has not lowered their web site prices as of press time. Perhaps they're waiting until Friday to unleash that Turok Elite bundle on an unsuspecting public?

Does this surprise move mean an American price drop is in the cards? Probably not -- much like the previous Microsoft Canada price drop, the adjustment seems designed to bring prices up North in line with the weakening American dollar.

Update: Apologies for the inadvertent act of bad foreign relations. No offense was meant, Canada. Are we still cool?

[Thanks Stephen]

Tags: Arcade, BreakingNews, canada, Elite, Halo, price drop, PriceDrop, pricing, Pro, retail, Toys R Us, ToysRUs

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

The_Black_Circle @ Feb 20th 2008 8:23PM

Ummm, the Canadian flag upside down is EXTREMELY offensive. I get the idea behind it..but really, find something else.

Attila @ Feb 20th 2008 8:25PM

At least they're not burning it!

lucky644 @ Feb 20th 2008 8:31PM

I have to agree, putting the flag upside down is basically a slap in the face, and I'm not even that patriotic, but that's pretty offensive.

Chintz @ Feb 20th 2008 8:44PM

Agreed.

Mr.ESC @ Feb 20th 2008 8:42PM

I'm not Canadian but in Sonic words that’s No good.

It's your Country flag and no one has the right to put it upside down if you don't want them to. So what do you do? First you say "WTF is this Joystiq?" then you up vote me,t hen you get out of there.

Most important you gotta tell someone you trust like your parents, your teacher, a police officer or the Prime Minister.

AirIntake @ Feb 20th 2008 10:11PM

Oh bloody hell. Don't be a bunch of fucking pussies. I've very Canadian and I don't even consider that remotely offensive. It's so damn windy where I live that the flag I can see from my house is upside down half the damn time, and torn and tattered the rest of it. Only insecure people take offense to immaterial things like this. And yes, I'm aware of the traditional meaning of an upside down flag, meh.

MarMar @ Feb 20th 2008 10:25PM

wa-wa-wa-wa my vagina hurts!

Kyle Orland @ Feb 20th 2008 11:14PM

Just wanted to say that no disrespect was meant by the original upside-down flag... I just thought it was a cute way to show that (a) the story related to Canada and (b) the prices were going down (y'see, the maple leaf points down when the flag is like that...)

Again, no disrespect intended and sorry to anyone who was offended.

AirIntake @ Feb 21st 2008 12:41AM

No need to apologize man. Me and the rest of Canada that has a sense of humour (which I would hope would be the majority) was fine with it. It's all about context, and in this context, you'd have to be an idiot to be offended.

ThornedVenom (Ludwig Defense Force) @ Feb 21st 2008 2:45AM

Maybe sometime in the future, when I'll get to be a dictator, I shall design a flag with some symmetry to avoid this conflict.

generic @ Feb 21st 2008 7:08AM

No problem Kyle. You guys have been providing level-headed, responsible information since day one, and I know you wouldn't intentionally offend. Actually, I can really respect the visual problem solving that led you to use the original graphic. It's just the end result that was the problem really.

And to AirIntake and MarMar... tell that to a WWII vet, and see how long you go without either getting your face caved in, or making someone cry. Use your common sense for crying out loud. People have died for what that flag represents.

lucky644 @ Feb 21st 2008 10:44AM

You could always steal theirs ;)

http://kotaku.com/assets/resources/2008/02/canada_360.jpg

AirIntake @ Feb 21st 2008 1:06PM

@generic
Not a single WWII vet fought for that flag buddy. The Canadian flag wasn't adopted until 1965. With knowledge of history such as yours, are you even a Canadian, or are you just getting offended because you think Canadians would be? WWII vets would care more about the Canadian Red Ensign flag, because that is the flag they fought under. Don't you dare generalize and presume to know what WWII vets would think about a video game site innocently posting a picture of an upside down flag, you certainly don't speak for them. My father-in-law fought the damn Nazi's, and I doubt he'd care about something so unimportant as flag orientation in this context. When you've seen your friends slaughtered, you gain perspective about what really matters in life. Also, to be a technical prick, it is offensive to FLY a flag upside down, not to post an upside down jpeg.

AirIntake @ Feb 21st 2008 1:08PM

I meant to say grandfather-in-law, as my father-in-law isn't quite old enough to have fought in WWII :)

generic @ Feb 21st 2008 8:24PM

I'm having a really shitty day, so I'll keep this short.

Pretty much any historian worth his salt would agree that Canada's involvement in WWII cemented our identity as an independent nation, leading to the final form of Canada, and the adoption of our current flag. I never said the vets fought for our flag. You put that in my mouth. That flag embodies the history, experiences, and mindset of a whole people, including the memories of those who fought and died in the war, and that is what the vets in WWII fought to defend. If it weren't for them, there never would have been a flag.

I've worked with WWII vets in the past myself, and you can damn well bet they'd be offended by the canadian flag being portrayed upside-down. I've seen a man with more medals than his uniform could support, enraged over the World Series incident in '92. Out of context or not, it's a sign of disrespect for what they fought to protect and establish.

Show a little compassion and think twice next time before calling someone an idiot for feeling the way they feel.

The_Black_Circle @ Feb 20th 2008 8:24PM

Also, I might add, Future Shop wouldn't change the prices until Saturday when the flyer comes into effect.

Kspraydad @ Feb 20th 2008 8:33PM

About time that MS did this. Sony did it months back.

And yes...please change the upside down flag...though we don't pledge allegiance most still respect it.

DVersion @ Feb 20th 2008 8:39PM

Yeah, hey guys. I know you didn't mean anything by it but mind finding a different graphic for this? A lot of us are uncomfortable with it.
Thanks.

generic @ Feb 20th 2008 8:41PM

Seriously now... I'm not even a fan of the IDEA of flags to begin with, but that just makes me all kinds of uncomfortable. I know you guys wouldn't intentionally offend, but please change the graphic.

Tamago @ Feb 20th 2008 8:44PM

Hey, mind not being a douche and putting the flag atleast right side up

Yardarm51 @ Feb 20th 2008 8:45PM

I too would like to see the graphic changed. Traditionally a signal of distress or surrended the inverted flag doesn't really apply here. I understand that no malicious intent was intended. Unlike the 1992 World Series when the US Marines in the colour party raised the flag upside down in game 2 in Atlanta.

generic @ Feb 20th 2008 8:49PM

Wow, I'm surprised anyone remembered that. Hats off to you!

Rask @ Feb 20th 2008 8:46PM

Waitaminute... Cause of the weakening US dollar?

Last I check we were at parity with the US.

This price drop means that Canadians are paying 50$ less than our US
counterparts for the xbox.

Frankly, I with MS adjusted the proce of MS Points for the stronger
canadian dollar to at least match the american proces. We're getting
raped over with that one.

BTW - The upside down flag is a pretty fucking classless move.

INotI @ Feb 20th 2008 9:09PM

Um, no. Previously, the Canadian price for the 360 Elite was $499, while the American one was $449. This was because the Canadian dollar used to be significantly weaker than the American one.

Now, with this price drop, they are priced the same at $449, because the currencies are at parity.

Rask @ Feb 20th 2008 9:20PM

The Elite is on par, but aren't we getting the Pro for 50$ cheaper and the arcade for 20$ cheaper?

INotI @ Feb 20th 2008 11:22PM

Bestbuy.com and Wikipedia both list the Arcade at $279.99 USD, and the Pro at $349.99 USD, same as the above-quoted new Canadian prices. This price drop equalizes the Canadian and US prices.

luckycharms711 @ Feb 21st 2008 2:11AM

it is not a real flag it is a graphic, however they could have tried to make some sort of CANADA but spell it like Toys R Us does instead of having the flag upside down. I personally do not get how all of you are offended by this however they should respect your opinions and take this down. O does anyone remember that seinfeld episode where they burn and stomp on the Mexican Flag?!? not that is kind of messed up

ipsum @ Feb 21st 2008 7:41AM

Talk about disrespect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Puerto_Rican_Day

Mexican? No buddy, it was the Puerto Rican flag. Puerto Rico != Mexico. Thanks.

SACHIN.HIngoo @ Feb 20th 2008 9:01PM

What's interesting is that because of Future Shop's pricematching policy in which they have to beat any advertised price by 10%, you can actually get an even better deal.

Bluebrake @ Feb 20th 2008 9:12PM

It's about freaking time. Microsoft has been screwing us on this for ages. Sony was surprisingly good about it.

And are people really offended about this flag thing? I find that hard to believe. Are you sure you're not all trying to wind yourselves up so you can pretend you care about stupid shit like this just like the Americans?

Kspraydad @ Feb 20th 2008 9:51PM

Yes.

Showing respect to your own country's flag and those of other countries does not make you 'American' (though you seem to say that with some distaste).

Falelorn @ Feb 20th 2008 9:18PM

Not cool with the flag...

The_Black_Circle @ Feb 20th 2008 9:18PM

Thx for fixing the flag guys.
On the actual article at hand now, I'd really like to have some figures on hardware sales in Canada, unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a source, but I have a sinking suspicion this price drop is because of poor sales during last month.
Hardware shortages aren't really an issue north of the border, it appears to be mainly occurring in dense urban areas and cities throughout the US.

Jerkface @ Feb 20th 2008 9:27PM

Thanks for fixing the flag, but now its BACKWARDS!!!

The red is supposed to be on the left side, while the other red is supposed to be on the right side!! As we say in Canada, OY VEY!!!

Also, MS needs to fix its Live subscription price. SOON!

Falelorn @ Feb 20th 2008 10:04PM

Thanks for fixing.. the mob with the burning torches will return to the village

Kspraydad @ Feb 20th 2008 11:00PM

Nah...I've crossed into the US already and claim Massena as Canadian soil.

Dudes...you need to build a wall up north too.

XGM @ Feb 20th 2008 9:56PM

As for that killer Turok combo..... and btw your guys are now off my cool list. Just because our main export is maple syrup, poutine is the most popular meal and that i live in a igloo with electricity... Nah im kidding you guys, and especially the podcast, are still cool up here in Canada.

thx for fixing it tho