Microsoft is planning to launch a $99 Xbox console package with a monthly subscription as early as next week, according to our sources. The software giant will offer the 4GB console with a Kinect sensor at its range of Microsoft Stores in the US, subsidized with a monthly cost of $15. We're told that the two-year subscription will provide access to the Xbox Live Gold service and possibly some additional streaming content from cable providers or sports package providers. Customers who sign-up for the deal will also be covered under a two-year warranty.
20°
10°
20°
20°
Ad 
10°
http://n4g.com/news/982623/...
"MS KEEPS getting their XBL revenue from existing XBL members and newcomers have a great incentive to buy a 360."
?????
How is it free? Your PAYING for the 360.
OT: Even though it is more expensive to do it this way, you're stretching it out over a long period of time, which, to some, actually makes it cheaper for them.
okay let's see. "I think bundling a one year XBL Gold subscription in every new 360 would make more sense." you selectively disregarded that portion of your comment from 12 days ago. you did say it's it's free. I suggest you read your comments again Nostradamus.
mods been helping you, i see.
I have just noticed that myself, when I was asking him a question about 11 hours ago in another topic he had 3, now 5, how? Iv been stuck on two for like a year now but he can get two in half a day, disgusting
look at his comment that says "Well Said." It was marked for trolling and then changed to "Well Said." Clearly a mod thought otherwise and gave him 2 bubbles. I've never seen something like this. from 3 to 5. He had 4 prior to this morning and clearly trolled and yet he gets rewarded. pretty funny.
That's crazy, his first comment, the one I replyed to, was marked for trolling and then changed too, quess he has some friends, either that or he's a mod
subscription: 12 months * $15 = $180
Kinect: included
For one year (not on option): $99 + $180 = $279
For two years: $99 + $180 + $180 = $459
vs
xbox: $199 for xbox 4 gig
subscription: $60 per year for gold subscription
Kinect: $150
For one year: $199 + $60 + $150 = $409
For two years: $199 + $60 + $60 + $150 = $469
You save $10. If you buy kinect separately you can usually get it for more than $10 off the $150 suggested price now.
However, if you don't want kinect that it costs you an additional $140.
* edited to include kinect price *
PS3
ps3: $250
yearly subscription fee: $0
One year price: $250 + $0 = $250
Two year price: $250 + $0 + $0 = $250
And your prediction was completely wrong logic, you said free live as part of the price, that's not what they are saying here.
From article:
"We're told that the two-year subscription will provide access to the Xbox Live Gold service and possibly some additional streaming content from cable providers or sports package providers."
It sounds like it does include XBox Live Gold to me.
I should have pointed out that you can get a gold subscription for a discount as well but I can't edit the comment anymore.
Also your ps3 calculations do not include Move. . .then again, who buys Move anyway right??
* Buy Xbox 4Gb + Kinect = 99$
* Hack console, log in to xbox live, get console banned = 0$
* Terminate monthly payments because Microsoft banned your console and therefore ended the contract (not a breach of contract) = 0$
* Sell useless Kinect peripheral to a casual mom = -100$ ("I know I said 99$ ma'am, but I have no change)
Total costs: 99$ - 100$ = -1$
you just got payed 1$ for a (banned) Xbox 360 console which you now own! Repeat indefinitely for $$$!
* For additional $$$ get a router and make the biggest Halo 4 lan party ever! Charge people at the entrance.
Why not just buy a 4GB 360 for $150 (many suppliers have offered $50 GCs at the current $200 console price) and get two years of XBL on sale for $35 each? You skip the worthless Kinect and come to a total of $220 (or $270 + $50 GC).
I don't know the full details, but I can't see the additional content (along with a Kinect) being worth $240.
It's all about impulse a lot of people are just going to be seeing $15 a month and thinking how cheap that is they won't realize that in two years it would be cheaper to just buy it but like I said this is all about those impulse buyers.
M$ traps people on the old box so they can squeeze a few more bucks out of it. They basically are assured revenue for 2 years.
The average American is so dumb they won't know they got shafted until its already to late.
Yes its not to everyone but they could offer the console at full price and you can opt to sign up for a month rolling contract to this content.
To me I would love to have 1 device under my tv that will do everything I want rather than 3 of 4 different devices.
So you have a choice as to with which company you want to get locked into a contract.
It would be cheaper just to buy everything out-right.
This is not bad depending on how you look at it.
Normal Price: $299 or less
XBL Gold 12 Month: $60 (usually $30-$35 through buy.com)
Total: $420 MAX
Small Price: $99
Contract: $15 x 24 months = $360
Total: $460 Guaranteed
Even if you buy retail items for XBL Gold and the console you would still be overpaying by $40.
@below
I guess you can't see the logic, which I clearly explained.
There is no "definite plus" in paying more when you don't have to.
It trying to be a HD cable box, you might get Fios or Xfinity with it(The $15 a month might come from that also). For along time MS was trying to work out deals with cable providers.
Thank you. Someone with some common since.
Read the small print people.
You could easily just search around and get everything so much cheaper. Little thing called saving up your money a lot better than paying monthly payments.
Next Xbox can be $600 at retail and sold for like $200-$300 through contracts.Nobody would complain.
It's just like a mobile carrier subsidizing a smart phone. Sony should have done this with the 3G Vita.