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Microsoft Announces New 360 Bundle Packs
Starting at the end of this month, you'll be able to get a little more for your dollar when buying a new Xbox 360. Gamasutra is reporting that Micrsoft has unveiled bundle pack versions of the Elite and standard consoles. The $449.99 Xbox 360 Elite and the standard $349.99 Xbox will now both come with packed-in game titles: Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance. "Microsoft says both bundles will be available by the end of October and throughout the holidays. The retail packaging bears the company's new model-specific slogans, with the Elite tagged 'Go Big', and the standard 'Go Pro'. On October 3rd, various now-deleted online retail listings showed the existence of a third pack, the $279.99 'Arcade' bundle, which bore all similar markings as the new models, and was tagged 'Go Play' ... As yet, Microsoft has not officially announced the bundle, but all signs point to its imminent arrival."
Go buy one or two spare 360s today, so you'll have a system around when the other one bricks! Remember, they're disposable!
Seriously, it has a known, fatal design flaw.
Well, there are two things here. First, "fatal design flaws" rarely seem to stop people from purchasing electronics. As an example, see the iPhone. Secondly, what is the known, fatal design flaw anyway? I know my brother's 360 locked up a couple of days after he bought it, but he got it the first day they came out and they shipped him a replacement immediately. Mine has never so much as hiccuped, maybe I'm just lucky.
I stole this sig from a more creative user.
It's because there are three different versions of Halo 3, and so by not bundling the game, the customer can choose which version of Halo 3 he wants.
And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
I don't know where you're getting your figures but I haven't seen any stats regarding console sales sales figures post Halo 3 with the exception of Australia... which saw a 55% increase in hardware sales for the week it went on sale and September saw a 158% increase in sales over august in the same region http://www.itwire.com/content/view/14759/532/
So I'd say that both the price drop AND Halo 3 are quite a substantial catalyst for the 360. taking it a step further and bundling two games with the already reduced price hardware (and I should note that Forza 2 is still a full priced game, and a AAA 1st party franchise no less) will probably push sales even further for them.
Collector's Edition
I don't think it sounds silly at all. Stores that sell the Xbox 360 also sell Halo 3. There's no reason why a person can't pick up both at the same time, and at that time you can choose which version of Halo 3 you want.
And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality... closer to the heart