Microsoft launches US Xbox bundle
Effectively another price cut.
In a sign of things to come, Microsoft in the US has launched a Christmas Xbox bundle, consisting of a console, a two-month subscription to Xbox Live (Complete with Gamertag et al) and copies of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Tetris Worlds. The package will be available for $179.99 (£110 / €160) from some retailers as early as tomorrow, September 17th, but will appear in a specially packaged bundle from October 15th.
As keen-eyed observers will note, this represents another price cut for the Microsoft console in the US, where it had previously sunk to a standalone price of $179.99 on May 14th this year along with Sony's PS2. However Sony has not immediately responded this time.
Microsoft in Europe is today flying a host of media people (Including EG and GI.biz editors) to the South of France for its annual shindig, X03, where it is expected to announce a price drop to from £129.99 to £99.99 or thereabouts, new games in the shape of RalliSport Challenge 2 and Phantom Dust (presumably amongst others) and various Xbox Live offers. You can read more in Xbox Plans Revealed.
As with previous years, we're anticipating press releases for the big X03 announcements coming out here before the boozed-up hacks in France get anywhere near them, and will be bringing you the latest news as soon as we have it.