Xbox 360 Price Cut Starts Today

Today is the start of the $299 Xbox 360 Premium systems with the 20 Gig Harddrive. This $50 price cut is for the U.S. and Canada and will only last long enough for Microsoft to unload all their 20 Gig versions. The new Premium version will be $349 and have a 60 Gig Harddrive. It will be available starting in early August.

I personally like the quote from the press release: "We know consumers need more and more space to store the amazing digital content Xbox 360 offers, and we're giving it to them at no extra charge," said Albert Penello, Xbox director of product management at Microsoft.

That quotes a lot different than back in the day when gamers were begging for a bigger harddrive and Microsoft's response was a polite "Go screw."

Current Xbox 360 SKUs Discontinued?

There have been internet rumblings for a while now. Rumors that Microsoft is planning a new SKU or merging its SKUs. Some rumors said that the current Xbox 360 shortage on store shelves isn't because of sales of said systems but that Microsoft wasn't making them anymore. Now it's come to light that Amazon.com has listed the Xbox 360 Premium and Elite as discontinued.

There are not currently any Premiums or Elites available directly from Amazon. They are still selling the Xbox 360 Arcade.

The actual wording from Amazon is:
"Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes"

I'm curious, though, if this discontinuation refers to the console itself or the bundles. Many people are expecting Microsoft to make some sort of announcement this week at the GDC.

Xbox 360 Arcade Released

Just when you thought Microsoft had released all the Xbox 360 SKUs they possibly could, they go and release another. Welcome the Xbox 360 Arcade.

The Xbox 360 Arcade has been getting a lot of slack by gaming sites. And to be honest, I probably won't be much kinder.

The Xbox 360 Arcade costs just $279.99 and comes with a 256 MB memory card, a wireless controller, HDMI outputs, and 5 Xbox Live Arcade games (Boom Boom Rocket, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Pac-Man Championship Edition and Uno).

Obviously, it's better than the original Xbox Core system. So what's with all the complaining?

Look at this picture.



If you didn't know any better, you would think it came with 5 real games instead of 5 Arcade games.

A 256 MB memory card? That will fill up in no time. Can that even fit all the Arcade games on it?

The Xbox 360 Arcade is simply Microsoft trying to lure casual gamers into the Xbox world. The price is compatible with the Nintendo Wii. Once players get hooked, they'll have to upgrade to a harddrive to do any real gaming. Not to mention Xbox Live.

I know casual gamers are all the rage right now, but I say screw the casual gamer. Either you're a gamer or you're not, and in my book, casual gamers are not.