Microsoft have announced the pricing structure for the launch of the Xbox 360 (expected sometime before Christmas). The Xbox 360 Core System (the basic set) will cost £209 ($299 in the US) which is a welcome break from the habit of charging the same pound price as in dollars.
Both packs have the console itself, a controller, a faceplate, Xbox Live Silver (which doesn’t let you play games), and AV cables.
If you pay the extra £70/$100 (not so good on the exchange rate front) for the full pack, you get a wireless controller (instead of the wired one), high-definition AV cables, a wireless headset, an ethernet cable , and (for a limited time) a remote control (for DVDs etc.).
The expanded pack is actually surprisingly good value. Yes, 20Gb is not a wonderful hard disc size, but for all the stuff you’re getting in that pack (wireless controller, headset etc.) it’s probably worthwhile even if (like most of the UK) you don’t have a high-definition TV to get the benefit of the better AV cables. Especially when you look at the prices MS will be charging to buy the items separately (see Gamespot article I’ve linked to).
Oh, and one more thing: all you eurozone folks are getting well and truly shafted. The price in dollars and euros is the same!
[EDIT 1] It turns out that the ‘core system’ will not be backwards compatible out of the box, because the removable hard drive is required for backwards compatibility (presumably because the Xbox had one, and the games are therefore designed to rely on it)[/EDIT 1]
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