15 game Xbox 360 bundle cheaper than PS3

If Microsoft's Xbox 360 price cuts have caught your eye but you're still unsure over which console offers better value gaming for your money, then VideoGamer.com are here to help. By combing some of the best deals on hardware and games across the internet they've put together a stunning bundle consisting of an Xbox 360 Arcade, two wireless controllers, a 256MB Memory unit, 10 retail games, five Xbox LIVE Arcade games and an HDMI cable for HD video output. All this for £296.90, less than the £299.99 RRP of the PlayStation 3.

[HighDefinition]

it`s the arcade version.

[sonarus]

as long as there is no blu ray, it still has lesser value

[THAMMER1]

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/h...

Only a hand full of games req. the HDD for online MP. If your not into that which most casual gamers are not the core is not a bad option.

Why do you people act like you can just completely avoid the truth. This is the internet age. You make uneducated comments that can easily be dismissed as lies and false because of your bias.

Click the link if you want the truth about the 360 arcade.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Many 360 games don't need a hard drive to play and will play on this just fine. It just doesn't support BC, which last time I checked ether does the 40gb PS3.

[mikeslemonade]

And I suppose you can fit the expansions of Oblivion and GTA4 along with your other stuff on that 256mb unit. You do get a deal here but in a year your going to want to upgrade to better stuff. PS3 you are all set with a $20 bluetooth headset and a $5 HDMI cable. As a buyer why do I want to buy all the old games. I want to play the latest and greatest games coming in 2008.

[ceedubya9]

"a console is hardly complete without online MP."

This is not true.....yet. The PS2 wasn't known much for online play, and it is basically still kicking the crap out of every console out there. Online play is a good bonus though.

[sonarus]

YES but it still doesn't support blu ray which makes it off lesser value.

[poopface1]

most gamers buy consoles to play games. This comes with 10 real games and 5 arcade games. for the same price ps3 comes with no games, but home is free so in a few months I guess they can hang out in their virtual house while for the same price they can buy a game console to play their 10 games(crappy games?) compared to NO GAMES for a similiar priced ps3. If you dont think this is a good deal then your bind. And no, the thing comes with a memory card so you can play games online, just cant download abunch of content thats all.

[Mr Playboy]

Last time I checked, Playstation and Xbox were meant to be video game consoles not movie players

Yeah one more thing,I didn't see any advantage the blu-ray got over the DVD (in games only)

[AuburnTiger]

too funny

[Feihc Retsam]

That says it all for me.
If you like games, and aren't worried about Blu Ray movies, it's a no brainer.
10 retail games!
There aren't even 10 retail games worth playing on the PS3 yet.

[jmare]

Please, please, for the love of God, LEARN TO READ! This is not an actual bundle! This is a simple slamming together of various finds of the lowest prices found for random items on the internet. You cannot go to a store or single site and purchase this "bundle". This is getting really annoying, that people are commenting on how great this "bundle" is when it's not even a bundle.

[ColdWinter]

actually the 40Gb ps3 has BC it can play ps1 games lol

[dantesparda]

I see that the "THAMMER1" has reared his ugly head. Along with one of his stooges (Jason360). But you two managed to completely miss Hatchetforce's point. He wasnt saying that you cant get on the internet with it, but rather that, you have to pay $50 for it, therefore add another $50 bucks to that price. Man you two are sharp!

And to fiehc retsam (Master Chief) with a name like that, what else would i expect you to say? Bias much?

[wow4u]

@mikeslemonade

"fit the expansions of Oblivion and GTA4"

What is *REALLY* funny, is that those two things arent even available on the PS3.

[redwingsrock]

@ Jason 360

Either Does the arcade version for BC you need a hard drive to play original Xbox games, at least I can play ps1 games on the 40 GB lets me go back to the days of playing FF7 & 8 oh yeah!!!

[cherrypie]

Xbox 360 Arcade is the best value in gaming.

[cherrypie]

@1.8

Its amazing that you're arguing the Xbox 360 Arcade isnt any good because games require online play.

Why? Because the Xbox 360 LIVE makes the PS3's PSN look like shiat.

So, yeah, online play is really really important. And, you can play online with the Xbox 360 Arcade. And, the Xbox 360's online play is VASTLY superior to PSN.

Its just a laugh riot that you're trying to say "Buy a PS3 for online play".

I lol @ YOU.

[foodbox]

@1.15

"you have to pay $50 for it, therefore add another $50 bucks to that price. Man you two are sharp"

Wow. None of those (great) games need to get online.

Halo 3, PGR4, Foraz 2, Oblivion, Dead Rising, PacMan CE, Stuntman, Prey -- none need online play.

Now, you do need to pay $30-35 to "Buy" something useful for the BluRay drive dont you? What good is the PS3 as a movie play unless you pay for the movies?

Im trying to keep my cool in this forum at the moment, I own all the boxes, and I'm not overly concerned with paying $50 or $100 for my favorite hobby here and there, but there are many many N4G users who are tripping over themselves and being incredibly dishonest.

[dantesparda]

You're another one that's not to bright. Once again, you completely missed the point and jumped to inaccurate conclusions. The point is not that you need online for those games, but rather that you need online period for this generation in order to get the full experience out of it. You dont need to buy any Blu ray movies in order to get the full PS3 game experience! You wanna talk about people being dishonest!? Yet here you are being intellectually dishonest. And im a 360 owner by the way, not a PS3 one.

p.s. you need to get better reading comprehension and not let your emotions get the best of you. HA! you need to buy movies for the PS3 in order to get the full game experience

[LaChance]

that arcade bundle is hot.
I dont see how a casual gamer or a normal gamer who isnt a fanboy (90% of gamers) would pick the ps3 with no rumble and no games (bundled) over this package.
Ok there is no blu ray but a a casual gamer wont care about blu ray until blu ray is absolutely neccesary (when dvd is going to die).
No HDD : casual gamers dont play online , why do you think online is almost inexistant on Wii ?
Moreover most of those games are great.

[captainpwn]

Maybe you should try telling that to the millions of Europeans and Japanese folks who see PS3 as a better value and are purchasing it much more than the 360. In fact, didn't you see January's NPD numbers? Even North Americans are buying PS3s more than 360's now. You can deny it as much as you want, but the 360 = an incomplete experience.

Everybody is getting Bluray in the future- even the xbots. Why not have it bundled into 1 machine. Everybody is moving towards wifi, if they haven't already. Would you want it built in, or pay $100 for an external adapter? And, one of the most compelling reasons to jump in the next gen or consoles is online. Charging $50 a year/$8 a month + money for dam wallpapers and avatars is a rip off when PSN offers it for free. Especially when Home and in-game XMB release later this Spring, XBOX LIVE will have no merit.

It's pretty clear many consumers can identify the difference between value and rip offs. Just ask the millions of PS3 owners worldwide. All consumers, casual or core, can realize the difference between the 2 machines. PS3 just has more to offer.

[kevoncox]

Thsi site is the most pro Sony site ever.
I get banned from the gamerzone while all the Pro Sony arses run around there spwing garbage.

[jmare]

learn to read the whole article. Or even the description. This is not a bundle. This is internet bargain hunting.

[Pain]

"This site is the most pro Sony site ever."

Only Since 08 rolled in. that when Most of the xbots Changed sides or ran for the hills.

[PopEmUp]

How ya doing?

[NO_PUDding]

@Kev

Yes, well it was hardly easy being a Sony fanboy last year. You deserve this. :P

[kenjix]

Someone bought a 360 for my birthday and I traded it in for a psp.

[Mr Playboy]

you traded your 360 for PSP ??

I'm sure your brain is worthless like an empty bottle

[TheMART]

Ofcourse you did.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

LOL you just got slapped down like the dirty street ho you are.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

I play my PSP a lot, guys...

It has good online play, great portable features, and a freakin' awesome lineup right now. GOW is great...and Crisis Core is coming out soon.

I'd suggest you do the same as this lad.

Then again...you can't play Gears of War 2 on it...

I guess waiting for one game...isn't so bad, right?

[mighty_douche]

Why are they pushing the arcade so much? It's just going to result in bad publicity when people start complaining they can't play "x" game or use "y" feature.

It's like selling a keyboard with a few button's missing, you might get away with it now, but sooner or later your gonna need that button!

[The Lazy One]

Selling a keyboard with all it's buttons or selling a media keyboard with all the standard buttons plus others to control other functions on your computer.

Not everyone needs a HDD, and if M$ released a really cheap small HDD it wouldn't be as bad at all.

Summary: some people just don't need the extra features, and 15 games/2 controllers/HDMI would probably take up enough time for you to save up for a HDD.

[wow4u]

You're out of your mind.

There are *MANY* people who would prefer this 15-Game Bundle.

What is wrong with you? Its *CHOICE*. For those who prefer the HD, he can just buy the Pro or Elite.

You're just a little bitter about all this arent you? Its okay. Its okay to make mistakes. You can still buy an Xbox 360, its okay to own both.

[HadeShade]

N4user3,

Oblivion expansion is available for PS3 both DLC or in store.

[kenjix]

Someone bought me a 360 for my birthday and I traded it in for a PSP.

[tudors]

Anyone who argues that this is not a good deal is off there rocker.

[devilhunterx]

to the Right side of Gaming :P

[P4KY B]

and that person who bought it for you won't buy you anything nice again!

[poopface1]

if not thats sad. I cant understand cause I guess I only play games infront of my tv and not everywhere, but ohh well, good luck with that.

[gamekiller]

Why does it say you cant play hi-def movies on the arcade?, Are they just saying you cant download them of live because of the lack of hard drive or is there some hardware missing on the arcade compared to the premium ect.

[nirwanda]

perfectly on an xbox arcade system but you either have to stream them from a PC or burn them onto a DVD my mate has an arcade and watches HD movies all the time thanks to the torrent sites why bother with blu ray when dual layer dvds do a fine job at a high bit rate and the right encoding but sometimes you need 2 disks though.

Yes its just for the movie downloads from the market place.

[humble_gamer]

is that a nipple i see??

[Relcom]

Just what every kid wants. A arcade 360.....

[jiinn]

Yes. An Xbox 360 and 15 Games. Exactly.

[THAMMER1]

If your a gamer looking for a great value there you have it. You only need the HDD if your a content nut. The core has a HDMI port so if you need HD a decent HDMI cable is around $10.00. If you just care about games and want to get them where they shine this is the best way to go.

[LastDance]

If your a gamer looking for a great value there you have it. You only need the HDD if your a content nut

or the rest of your baseball game ;P

[devilhunterx]

who plays games ATLEAST 2 hours each day and play online sometimes, XB2 is a terrible choice of console.

Not going to pay for online or sit and wait to see it die, and then take 2 weeks to respawn.

[THAMMER1]

That all you have right Bro!? Your comment belongs in the open zone. This is a good deal no matter how you slant it.

[wow4u]

@7.2

The Xbox 360 heat issues were resolved with a motherboard design mid-2007.

You're FUD is stale son.

Like it or not, the Xbox 360 is going to continue to lead the industry for some time to come.

[TheMART]

Arcade, don't know about that. But still...

10 Games in the same quality, or even better then on the PS3 version, and with the memory card one can also go online...

TEN GAMES that equals 600 Euro/Dollar.

Two controllers WITH rumble
An HDMI cable comes with the package instead of a composite one (right Sony, for HD gaming :P)

[THWIP]

With the new Premium/Pro pricedrop, you could just add an extra $50 to that, and have the most badass bundle ever created. o_O

[JoelR]

Pretty amazing deal actually.
even with having to buy the HDD it's still good

To bad I will never deal with Microsoft Consoles again.

[wow4u]

Funny, i said that after my 2nd PS2 died. My 3rd PS2 is now broken in the closet too.

Why? Because gamers go where the games are. And, the Xbox 360 is DOMINATING the industry in sales and quality.

[Skynetone]

all they need to do know is add a working 360 to that bundle

[Grassroots]

Are they starting to just try to give the system away in europe, and japan to gain more market share??

[fallfast]

arent the same as giving something away.

Heck, I didnt get rumble or MGS4 when I bought my PS3 for $600+tx.

[Delive]

Take out the 10 games and add an HDD instead.

[JoelR]

the game selection they give is actually a very good selection. Usually they just dump shovelware into sets like this but some of the best X360 games are in the list:
PGR4, Dead Rising, Elder Scrolls 4, Forza 2, Viva Pinata, Halo3

you'd probably buy 80% of them anyway so the savings is pretty impressive. The HDD is worth less then 5 of the games so might as well buy this edition and buy the HDD seperately (painful though it may be)

[The Lazy One]

Just buy the premium and all those games :-p. If you're going to buy an HDD anyway, it's better to get the same bundle, but just get a premium instead. I think it comes out cheaper than if you add an HDD to that one.

[Delive]

Great deal. Go fo it.

[jiinn]

Or not.

Thats the great thing about choice. YOU pick.

The price enables you to make choices. Wonderful isnt it. Do you think you'll want the HD? Get it. More games? Get those.

Choice is a wonderful thing. And, if you change your mind, you didnt miss out on anything.

That is NOT true of the PS3. If you buy a PS3 *WITHOUT* PS2 Backwards Compatibility -- then you can NEVER have it. Sorry, your screwed.

That is the BAD choice to make.

[DARK WITNESS]

well, i still love my 360, but i do agree they should not be promoting the arcade, infact they should do away with it.

The hard drive needs to become standard, it just seems so backwards.

even if they put a 5 gig drive on or something it would be better. Then lower the price of the 20 drivers so people who already have core can get a hard drive and not feel left out.

The devs will be happy cos they can make the games they want, the gamers will be happy cos we will be getting much better gaming experience from the devs.

[mighty_douche]

Every SKU should be able to play that console's entire library of game's from the very first to the very last, and without dropping any feature's, all of it!

It's fine to sell/push peripherals, but you cant remove an essential part of the machine to lower cost/RRP only to force these people to have to buy it at a later date at inflated price's.

It make's me an angry Douche to think that a company would think so little of the people who made that company what it is today! Stinking Rich!

[DARK WITNESS]

dont get me wrong, i totally agree with you. thats why i said it was backwards of them to do that....

but, the point is that it's a mistake they have already made and there is simply no way round it with out screwing someone over.

it only makes if feel like you are being more screwed when you look at the price they are selling the hard drives for.
thats why i think they should have a 5gig drive or some sort of driver that they can sell for next to nothing to people who don't have a drive.

People are already being F£cked by this as it is because there are already games that " require " the HD to be played or access content.

its not fair, its a shame, but its the situation as it is, when is needed is a solution. its harsh, but no harsher then not being able to play a game cos you don't have a HD.

by the way, that was not me who disagreed on your post.

[jiinn]

Yeah. It would be nice if every PS3 came with a Rumble Controller and Backwards compatibility.

So, when Ken Kutaragi Said:

"...the PS3 will feature backwards compatibility with PS and PS2 games from day one. I'm emphasizing this because, from what I hear, there are some platforms that haven't been able to completely do this. It's costly in terms of hardware, but we'd rather [invest] firmly on compatibility from the beginning, rather than to have issues later on."

He was a liar and an idiot.

Oh, and you can always *BUY* a HD now or later -- your choice. If you buy a PS3 without BC, you *NEVER* have it.

[fallfast]

"Every SKU should be able to play that console's entire library of game's from the very first to the very last, and without dropping any feature's, all of it!"

Yeah, and why dont all the PS3s have Backwards Compatibility, multi-memory card port or the 4 USB ports?

"It's fine to sell/push peripherals, but you cant remove an essential part of the machine to lower cost/RRP only to force these people to have to buy it at a later date at inflated price's. "

Yeah, I'll remember that Mighty Douce when I'm replacing my useless controllers for the Rumble units at $50 each.

sheesh. I like my ps3 and all, but give your head a shake man. You sound like a fcuking idiot.

[HalfFireWater]

Every game should be playable on the console, like Final Fantasy 11 is playable on the PS2 slim right, oh no sorry no hard-drive port on that one either. So there goes your theory. Nuff Said

[ceedubya9]

The only reason the Arcade is even thought of is because it is closest thing they have that can be cheaper than the Wii. If not for that, then it wouldn't even matter.

All of us know that the Premium is the best choice (or the Elite if you can afford it), but everyone doesn't have the cash/time/need for the other models. The Arcade is fine for what its intended, an entry level console. We should look more at what its for and less at what it lacks.

I believe that the Arcade can be even more valuable if Microsoft can drop the prices on their HDDs. They need to be priced competitively with others on the market. I'm sure they can do that. For some reason they just refuse to.

[jmare]

I hope people are actually reading the article instead of just the title and description. Even though it seems people are skipping ove the description as well. This isn't a bundle, this is simply research of the internet to find the cheapest price on items. I'm willing to bet this doesn't include shipping or whatever they call it across the pond, or sales tax (again, I'm not sure what they call it or even if there is sales tax in the UK, but one can make reasonable assumptions). The point I'm trying to make is that if you take the time to do research, you can usually find pretty good deals. In other obvious bits of info: the sky is blue. People have known for a while that researching prices on the internet saves you money, but it takes work. It's not like this is an actual bundle in stores or a single offer from a known site like Amazon. This is basically a gee whiz article that does nothing but say "lookie what I found wit mah computer". At least it's categorized correctly. No offense meant TNS.

[THAMMER1]

This site is about as bad as ONE FLEW OVER THE COO COO NEST at times.

[Silellak]

Jesus, N4G is just FULL of bias fanboy crap articles today.

So far I've read:

1. Some guy whining in his blog about the episodic content for GTA4 not being on PS3.
2. An article about a complete douche who decided it'd be SUPER MEGA FUNEE to pull pranks when sending in his 360, because he apparently thought BILL GATES HIMSELF was going to see the box.
3. Someone trying to sell those worthless Arcade SKUs that exist soley to hold back the platform.

[The Lazy One]

I wouldn't call this article sony biased. Personally, that's a pretty damn good deal to the average consumer, despite me being against the HDDless arcade (TINY HDD PLZ).

[foodbox]

1) Agree.
2) Agree.
3) Take it to the Open Zone.

[klashawnd]

Is this guy serious? Why would you buy Halo 3 if you are not going to pay for a gold Live account to play the online multiplayer? This is like comparing apples to oranges. Although it does put the price of a PS3 in perspective.

[foodbox]

Why? Because the Campaign mode is stellar.

[BlackCountryBob]

Isn't value for money a subjective thing? You could buy 10 Ford Focus for the cost of 1 Ferrari 575 but if you are gunning for a fast car then that kind of logic doesn't enter the equation. In the same way, you can buy a 360 with loads of games for less than the cost of a PS3 but if what you really want is a bluray player and a cheap Linux PC, a PS3 is the way to go and is then excellent value, value is subjective as it is dependant upon an individuals personal wants.

What I am trying to say in a round about way is that when it comes to gaming, the common sense decisions of value are rarely considered because if they were not one person would ever buy a console or game on release day because they know eventually the cost will drop significantly. The 360 is now a very good deal but it wont have any effect on those people who are still finding everything they want from a console on the PS3.

[The Lazy One]

Maybe... if you paid double for all the ford focuses...

don't insult ferrari by even uttering that car in the same sentence.

[The Lazy One]

Do you disagree with ford focuses being POSes compared to ferraris?

[LaChance]

Yo are so right.
I git banned for two weeks because I mad a joke on the ps3.
Peole diss the 360 all day long in the gamer zone and they never get banned.
Moreover it wasnt even a diss , just a joke.
Im not going to say the mods are sonyfanboys , but its funny why they ban me and not the others.

@capitainpwn : why dont you ask the 18 million worlwide why did they buy the 360 and not the ps3.Oh yeah , its because games come first for them.You say 50 dollars a month is alot but you rush out to pay 50 dollars for a demo (gt5) when on xbox live ALL demos are free no matter the size.
Paying 50 dollars for a demo then 60 dollars for the game , now that is what I call a rip off.
What about you ?

You are one of those funny "gamers" who prefer a bluray drive rather than 15 great games to play on your console.
I dont know alot of gamers like you who prefers whatching films rather than than playin great AAA games.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

I disagree...

I dissed the 360.

I'm here now.

Wanna keep talking?

[kevoncox]

it's shame man.

[butterfinger]

I got banned for cracking on the 360, so I'm guessing the mods are all Sony fanboys. Part of the reason that more people own 360 could possibly be the fact that it was out a full year in advance. If this trend towards casual games is what M$ is trying to capitalize on then your AAA titles are pretty much irrelevant. GT5 Prologue does not say demo anywhere in the title and also costs $39.99 not $50 as you incorrectly stated. You show me a demo on XBL that is the size of GT5 Prologue. And btw, how can you even believe that the demos you get on XBL are free? I believe you are the one paying monthly to even be able to access ANYTHING on XBL, while I can get my PS3 demos for free with no monthly charges.

[themyk]

can you name the 15 GREAT games for the 360. i'd like to know. in all honesty. not trying to be a fackazz of anything.

[BIGELLOW]

I can show an HD-DVD bundle that is cheaper than a stand-alone Blu-ray player. I can show a bundle of Hyundais that is cheaper than a single Corvette. There is no right or wrong answer, and price isn't the only factor. People will buy what they want to have, no matter how you try to re-word the sales pitch. I can show everyone that it is cheaper to live in Arizona than California, but you're not going to see a mass exodus of people moving from Carmel to Tucson.

[Phil Harrison Mk4]

Still wouldn't buy it!!! ;-D
+I got Banned to!!! :-/ +i didn't say anything bad???
+Most people on the Gamer Zone(Thats a joke name!!!if there gamers they should be playing games not being on this 24/7!!!)are being bad???
They Ban you for nothing. Free speech?Internet?Not this site!!! :-/
Ooooops!!!!!!!!!! im gonna get banned again!!! The Cops are knocking on my door!!! ;-D

[Phil Harrison Mk4]

...its da F.B.I!!!!!!!!!! ;-D

[Phil Harrison Mk4]

IT WASN'T ME!!!!!!!!!! ;-D

[Phil Harrison Mk4]

It was Phil Harrison Mk1 Officer!!! ;-D

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

When people ask about the Arcade bundle at Gamestop, we just laugh...

We say either get the pro or go for a PS3...

[feejo]

NOrmal it worth less.

[DJ]

Just know that it'll cost around $100~180 if you decide to get a 360 Hard Drive, and a good $50 a year to play your games online.

[cherrypie]

So, you want a HD? Buy a Pro. And a couple less games.

Signed,
Captain Obvious.

[Testo]

I have a few questions though!

Does the arcade really come with 2 free games now?! F2 and VP?
I'm sad cause my arcade just came with the 5 stupid games:

Uno
Packman Championship Edition
Boom Boom Rocket
Feeding Frenzy
Luxor 2

And only 1 controller!!!

Boo!

Other then that and a few games which should be replaced (Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Prey, Table Tennis and VP.) This is great!

Maybe they should take out these 4 + Stuntman Ignition and get something worth while like Mass Effect or BioS! Then it would be "10 game bundle cheaper then PS3" but it would kick@ss

[Marty8370]

Still would rather have a reliable PS3, with a hard drive & blu-ray drive.

P L A Y B 3 Y O N D

[etownone]

what is it with all this talk about NEEDING a HDD??

why?!?! what if you dont plan on going online??

some parents dont want their kids playing online.
some people are too cheap to pay for broadband service.
some people can't even get a broadband connection due to thier location!!

out of almost 18 million 360's sold, only about 11 million are on LIVE.
same with PSN, the article was just out yesterday on N4G saying only HALF of PS3 owners are connected online.

for the 360, EVERY game is made to be playable/campatible with or without a HDD. The arcade comes with a memory stick and thats all you need to save your games if you dont plan on going online.
If you want to download movies/demos/DLC, and you have broadband, than you can always upgrade and get a used HDD a gamestop for 40 bucks.

please stop with the BS people, Sony has brainwashed you into thinking you need a HDD, thats why you now have installs of over 40 minutes for games.

[Enigma_2099]

That's not a bad deal....

[HarryEtTubMan]

Xbox 360 is FLOPPING

[TheKungFool]

SO HERE'S WHAT YOU GET:

- fatally flawed hardware
- a bunch of add-ons you get with higher model 360s or PS3s
- 8 so-so games that are already available on the cheap
- 1 game of value (Halo3) that you'd buy regardless of this package
- 1 game of value (Oblivion) that has a superior version available
- 5 crappy "live arcade" games they give you free when your 360 bricks
- a memory card that probably won't satisfy any serious gamers

AND HERE'S WHAT YOU DON'T GET:

- Hard Drive
- HD movie support
- Online
- Motion sensing controller functions
- Reliability

AND HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL STILL NEED TO BUY:

- A hard drive once you realize the mem card is rubbish $50-$100
- Play'n'charge kits and battery packs for the controllers $30-$35
- Online account $40+ per year for the lifespan

.....Sorry, but I honestly don't see how that "deal" can even compete with the current 360 "premium" and "elite" systems, let alone compare to a PS3.

[foodbox]

I have all three machines. But you're clearly misinformed and really shouldnt be replying here.

I dont normally do this. But Your post is so misinformed and silly, I jus thave to respond.

- fatally flawed hardware
The equipment has been repaired. And, you get a 3 Year Warranty. People who buy this dont have to worry about

You really need to look into the changes that have been made in the last 27 months.

- 8 so-so games that are already available on the cheap
Get real man. Halo 3, Viva Pinata, Forza 2, PGR4, Oblivion, Dead Rising and others? Those games, if they were exclusive to PS3, would e be the best game available on the platform.

Really, your super-fan-ism is making you look super-foolish.

- 5 crappy "live arcade" games they give you free when your 360 bricks
Huh? Uno and Pac Man CE are awesome. Luxor is great. And, maybe Feeding Frenzy isnt your bag because you dont have children... maybe Boom Boom Rocket too because you dont want a simple party rhythm game. But over-all, that is a really good casual game starter pack.

- a memory card that probably won't satisfy any serious gamers
You can store hundreds of saves on that. Serious gamers will have no problem.

AND HERE'S WHAT YOU DON'T GET:

- Hard Drive
Buy a differnt self-constructed bundle. Get the HDD. And, not everyone can really make use of the HDD (dont have broadband maybe?) or dont want it (dont play online, dont want your children online).

- HD movie support
Games != movies. And Digital Download via Xbox LIVE Marketplace is a great service.

- Online
Silver is free. Not everone wants or needs Gold.

- Motion sensing controller functions
Interesting point. But, as Lair proved, trying to twist your controller around doesnt make a very good way to control a game.

- Reliability
3 Year Warranty. Problems fixed last year.

AND HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL STILL NEED TO BUY:

- A hard drive once you realize the mem card is rubbish $50-$100
No.

- Play'n'charge kits and battery packs for the controllers $30-$35
No.

- Online account $40+ per year for the lifespan
No.

Dont like this Deal? Make your own. There is no way to slice this, the better value is clearly on the Xbox 360.

I use my PS3 very infrequently, and I paid $600 at launch for it. Im a little burnt frankly that I'll need to buy two new controllers. But, Im not going to go crazy over the matter. I'll spend the $100 and not worry about it too much.

But your "analysis" of the situation is based on pure, unadulterated fiction.

[cherrypie]

Thank-you foodbox. I dont know where you get the patience.

[TheKungFool]

I agree with CHERRYPIE....I don't know where FOODBOX got the patience to type all that nonsense.

1)If people didn't need or want hard drives, the Arcade unit would already be the best selling bundle.
2)If people want those games, all of them except Halo3 are available dirt cheap at this point anyways.
3)If HD movies wasn't a great feature, then why did MS invest millions into HD-DVD?

Drone on all you want about not needing hard drives and the 360 being reliable now.....but I bet YOUR system has a hard drive, and I bet that if YOUR system bricks after that warranty is done, you won't enjoy forking over another $300.

[SlippyMadFrog]

Quit your crying. You can buy an arcade and IF you want a hard-drive (note that its not needed to play all the games), you can just get one.
Another thing you are forgetting is that the whole world doesnt consist of people like on N4G. Only hardcore gamers hang here. The Arcade versio0n is not for hardcore gamers so it's natural that there will be a bad oppinion about it on N4G.
If I where a PS3 owner, I would get the Xbox360 arcade version for cheap just to play all the great games like Halo, Gears, Bioshock, Lost Odysee, ect.

[reckoner]

It's an Arcade. Good luck spending $100+ for a proprietary HDD.

[cherrypie]

Or, if you buy a cheap PS3, you'll never have more USB ports or Backwards Compatibility.

The point is clear: For people who want to play games, they get the best deal with Xbox 360.

Halo 3, Forza 2, Oblivion, PGR4, Dead Rising - those are the best games of the generation thusfar.

The PS3 owners saying "oh! you need an HD!" and "Oh! you need Xbox LIVE!!1!" well, not everyone wants the same experience. Personally, I want choice.

And, not everyone is the same. Some people play only Racing Games. Or Sports games. Those guys are a *BIG* market, and (if you havent noticed) arent hanging around here talking about R&C, Uncharted, Mass Effect and the rest of the "nerd" games.

The market is bigger than the hardcore that hangs out @ N4G.

[TheKungFool]

"not everyone wants the same experience. Personally, I want choice"
-spoken by CHERRY PIE

I like choice too. And as someone who likes choice, I find it rather absurd that you feel your opinion is the authority on what games are the best this generation or what system gives anyone the best value.

You claim that its "clear that for people who want to play games they get the best deal with 360".......but if I like motion sensative gameplay, family friendly titles and party games doesn't the Wii offer me the most value? And what if my favorite game series are God of War, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid, Suikoden and Shin Megami Tensei?...Would you still suggest a 360?
Lets not forget that prefering a reliable system with more features or unique gameplay is also a valid "choice" aswell.

You claim you "want choice", but guess what? So does everyone else. And I'll just point out that since 2007 when the PS3 and Wii arrived, more people have chosen those than the 360, and that fact is definitely worth a slice of pie.

[le killer]

"if it does'nt include blu-ray, it's still not woth it"

lol, what about the people that own a hd-tv??? my panasonic hd is great, i love it infact. but i'm still not too fussed about blu-ray just yet. i can wait another 9 months. A GAMES CONSOLE AND 15 GAMES, TO A GAMER IS A MUCH BETTER DEAL!!!

[TheKungFool]

okay, but what if said "games console" was unreliable, lacked other valued features that I plan to use, and doesn't have the games I like? Then it isn't much of a deal is it?

[SlippyMadFrog]

Then don't buy it! Your tastes and needs represents not even 10% of the gaming population. Just because one eccentric gamer have "special needs" doesn't make it a bad deal. Just buy it, its cheap and you can play stellar games with it, I don't get what the fuss is?

[le killer]

unreliable...depends on who you speak to! my cousin is on his seventh lol 360. whilst my first premium is now over two years old( i don't own it anymore, i sold it to my mate) and my elite is going strong after 7 months....and believe me, they've both had a hard tour-of-duty. just not so hard anymore since i moved in with my girlfriend. that two years of living on my own was bliss.

anyway, what games are you refering too? mgs and gran tourismo? and ff? coz nearly everything else is multiplatform nowadays. and if mgs does'nt sell, then you can guarantee that it will be hitting the 360 next year. valued features i can only assume is wi-fi?! yeah i know what you mean, but call me old-fashioned, i do like to have my console connected to the router via a cable, it just seems better although it probably is'nt! and made my girl bring the router downstairs, and buy a wi-fi card for her computer.

but at the end of the day, like i said to you the other day when i replied to a post you made in another thread. it's all about choice! you just choose what ever makes you happy.

[SlippyMadFrog]

Good post, bubbles! Carefull saying MGS4 will hit the Xbox360, you don't want the whole sony defence force on your case listing you reasons why it won't.

[TheKungFool]

LE KILLER:
Much respect to you seriously, but I think the arguements you make could go both ways. I don't know how people can claim the PS3 "has no games" or that "its not a gamer's system".

What, do 360 supporters think PS3 owners aren't playing any of these:

OBLIVION, HL2:ORANGEBOX, GRAW2, R6VEGAS, ASSASSIN'S CREED, CoD4, DMC4, ROCKBAND, GUITAR HERO III, NINJA GAIDEN, DARKNESS, FEAR, LOST, BURNOUT PARADISE, KANE & LYNCH, THE CLUB, ARMY OF TWO, TUROK, DIRT, NHL2K8, VIRTUA FIGHTER 5, LEGO STAR WARS, ENCHANTED ARMS, ETERNAL SONATA, LOST PLANET.....

And granted, the 360 has some fantastic exclusives, but so does the PS3, and are the following not "gamer's games" aswell?

RATCHET&CLANK, UNCHARTED, FOLKLORE, WARHAWK, RESISTANCE FALL OF MAN,
HEAVENLY SWORD, FINAL FANTASY XIII, METAL GEAR SOLID 4, KILLZONE2, GRAN TURISMO 5, SUIKODEN VI, LITTLE BIG PLANET, HAZE, TEAM ICO PROJECT, SHIM MEGAMI TENSEI, GOD OF WAR III........

I'm just getting sick of this "the 360 is the gamer's system" crap.
Just because the PS3 offers more features, value, and reliability along with its game lineup doesn't make it any less of a "gamer's system".

[calgaryfan13]

What people are failing to see is that this "bundle" is not something that you can buy in any particular store or on any site. It's been created by lots of internet searching for the lowest prices on these items. All of these people saying, "OH LOOK WUT A DEAL FOR DA 360! DIS PROOVZ DAT ITS ABOUT TEH GAMES!!", are completely and utterly stupid. I'm absolutely certain that if this site did the same kind of searching for a PS3, games, and accessories, that it would ALSO equal to as much of a deal compared to a regular, in-store 360.

[le killer]

lol it's ok, i've checked, and the front door is locked tight...i should be safe.

@ calgary fan

obviously you're not from the uk?! so you probably don't know how much cheaper the 360 is compared to the ps3! as the price cut that's just happened in the eu is has not reached your shores just yet.

and the article is not comparing the games or penis size, just showing how much bang for your buck you can get if shop around... it just so happens that the bang for buck comparison is against the ps3.

[nsky171]

Since all of these pricing are from different online stores, they totally forgot to add in The cost of SHIPPING. it will cost alot more if you just buy one here and one there.

example, $6 Shipping per game, that's at least $60 extra for 10 games.

And did they forgot to add in the cost for the extra wireless controller?,

Well, either way, when you add up the numbers correctly, this so call Bundle is still not cheaper than a PS3. it's at least $80 more.

[themyk]

man could those stores be anymore pro 360. or is it just all of the ones by me. the ps3 games are in the back. no posters, no anything. out side the store is nothing but 360 sh!t. i don't mind but spread the love man.

[gololo]

....and i stopped reading when it say 360 arcade....

[JeepGamer]

Throwing together a package that includes a bunch of games and a low price strikes me as a little premature and desperate this point. Microsoft is not doing bad here, but this action certainly makes it look like they are.

[Vip3r]

Too bad it doesn't include a HDD, live subscription and a wireless adaptor.

[GCO Gamer]

Hope this comes to the US

[Noodlecup]

15 games!... 5 of them arcade games and 10 of the rest are sh!t.

Xbox console!... doesn't contain a hard drive, blu-ray player, controller charger or a live subscription

add on the fact that it'll most likely explode within 6 months and there you have the worst choice of console out of the 3.

The PS3 is a bargain regardless of what the fanboys say, it's common sense to choose anything BUT the 360.

[VirusE]

VERY misleading headline.