Limited Beatles 360s auctioned for charity

By Oli Welsh Published 9 September, 2009

Console is "platform for social change" - MS.

In honour of the launch of The Beatles: Rock Band today, Microsoft is auctioning a series of special edition Xbox 360s, customised with artwork from the game.

Proceeds from the sales will go to the Doctors Without Borders charity, better known as Médecins Sans Frontières. The first of the numbered consoles - Microsoft doesn't say how many will be produced - is currently for up for auction on eBay and, at time of writing, going for $3400.

Humanitarian charity Médecins Sans Frontières will also benefit from sales of the 360-exclusive downloadable song for the game, All You Need Is Love. The track costs 160 Microsoft Points (£1.36 / €1.92), and also enters purchasers in a prize draw for one of the limited edition consoles and a Rickenbacker guitar controller.

All You Need Is Love is a coup for Xbox Live - it's the first time a Beatles tune has ever been made available for digital download. (However, Sky News reported yesterday that Yoko Ono had let slip the Beatles catalogue would make a long-delayed, surprise appearance on iTunes today, in tandem with the game and the digitally remastered CD albums.)

Swelled with pride at its good works, Microsoft says All You Need is Love means Xbox 360 is now "providing families a platform for social change" and giving Xbox Live members a chance to "support the Beatles' eternal message of peace and love".

Away from the hyperbole (well, not that far away), you can also find plenty of Beatles video content to download on Live today: the classic documentary Imagine: John Lennon, music videos and more.

Although Microsoft would prefer you to forget it, The Beatles: Rock Band is also available for Wii and PS3. And it's fab.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (19) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • siro #1 3 years ago

    It's a shame a title like All You Need is Love needs to be DLC considering the horrendous price of the full game.

  • Doctor_What #2 3 years ago

    "Microsoft says All You Need is Love means Xbox 360 is now "providing families a platform for social change""

    Hahahaahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    *wipes tear from eye*

  • PlugMonkey #3 3 years ago

    Why is the full game horrendously priced?

  • jonbwfc #4 3 years ago

    "providing families a platform for social change"
    Dear God. Do you really have to reproduce this bullshit? I pity you.

    Edited by jonbwfc at 09/09/09 @ 09:50

  • Ninja_Tino #5 3 years ago

    Oh deal with it!

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #6 3 years ago

    jonbwfc, no I don't have to, I just thought it was funny.
    Edited by Oli at 09/09/09 @ 09:55

  • Shadders #7 3 years ago

    "also enters purchasers in a prize draw for one of the limited edition consoles and a Rickenbacker guitar controller."

    Nice.

    *Crosses fingers*

  • Fred_Titmus #8 3 years ago

    All You Need is Cash.

    When are they going to do a Rutles Rock Band?

  • HermitArcader #9 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • Xerx3s #10 3 years ago

    "its at pity he said it pushes the love and peace message though, as all lives most popular games are violent shooters "

    The violence is just a virtual tool. It has no meaning, it is merely a means to an end: playing together with mates or people who you've never met before. The goal (killing, capping the flag, etc.) is just a sparkplug for social interaction.

  • dither #11 3 years ago

    Yeah Xerx3s, that 'interaction' is shooting somebody in the face.

  • OldK1ngCole #12 3 years ago

    "also enters purchasers in a prize draw for one of the limited edition consoles and a Rickenbacker guitar controller."

    Nice.

    *Crosses fingers*

    Just read the small print at the bottom of the eBay listing, bidding and prize draw entry is only open to residents of the US & A.

  • Ignatius_Cheese #13 3 years ago

    Best limited edition console EVA! Looks amazing.

    Now, if only I had a spare $10,000...

    As for the naysayers regarding All You Need is Love being DLC (siro, I'm looking at you...), all profits go to charity which can hardly be sniffed at...

  • SeesThroughAll #14 3 years ago

    As for the naysayers regarding All You Need is Love being DLC (siro, I'm looking at you...), all profits go to charity which can hardly be sniffed at...

    Read the article more carefully, it's the customized XBoxes that are going to fund Doctors Without Borders, not the DLC.

    The DLC is just supposed to support an "eternal message of peace and love" AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

  • kinky_mong #15 3 years ago

    @SeeThroughAll: I suggest you read the article more carefully, particularly the part which says...

    "Humanitarian charity Médecins Sans Frontières will also benefit from sales of the 360-exclusive downloadable song for the game, All You Need Is Love."

  • Fab4 #16 3 years ago

    So in reality All You Need is Volunteer Doctors.

  • SeesThroughAll #17 3 years ago

    My mistake then.

    Social change ahoy!

  • Skurmedel #18 3 years ago

    How about just sending a check to them... I'm all for the charity 360s, but the DLC sounds like something that would give them a penny for each sale.

  • davisorle #19 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 20:44:35 16-04-2012