Report: UK retailers increasing price of Xbox 360 Arcade, accessories

UK-based gaming site Eurogamer is reporting that retailers will be jacking up the price of the Xbox 360 Arcade unit, from its current price of £129.99 to the thanks-it's-more-expensive price of £159.99. In fact, even more value is lost when you remove the five free XBLA games that came bundled in the Arcade package; these retailers are stating they will no longer be included.

Before you start lighting your torches and taking to the (quaint, cobblestone) streets, keep in mind that this isn't being done because Microsoft just wants more of your colorful money (which we're sure it does). It's due to the poor exchange rate of the pound compared to the Euro, which will also drive Microsoft to raise the price of Xbox accessories £1 to £2 a piece. See how we softened the blow of that last bit of news there? We're finally getting some mileage out of that How to Break Bad News the Good Way training course!