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New 360s getting two-game bundle

Microsoft packing in Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance with new Pro and Elite systems.

223 Comments

Now that the Wii and PlayStation 3 have had a year to catch up to the Xbox 360's head start, Microsoft is pushing back hard. In August, it dropped the price of its consoles across the board. Last month, the company released its biggest system-seller of the year, Halo 3. Today Microsoft followed up on those moves by announcing two Xbox 360 bundles that will come with two games packed in.

Free toys inside!
Free toys inside!

This holiday season, gamers in the market for an Xbox 360 can get Pro and Elite models of the console with copies of Turn 10's Forza Motorsport 2 and Activision's Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. The bundles will sell for the standard Pro and Elite prices of $349 and $449, respectively, and Microsoft expects them to be readily available at retailers by the end of October.

If that price of admission is still too high, thrifty gamers might have some recourse on the way. Rumors have resurfaced recently that Microsoft is ditching its Xbox 360 Core package in favor of an Xbox 360 Arcade package. That system would supposedly have the same features as the Core Xbox 360, but come with a wireless controller, a 256MB memory card, and five Xbox Live Arcade games.

Microsoft is counting on this holiday season to provide the Xbox 360 with plenty of momentum to fend off Sony and Nintendo. The company has said it expects at least seven upcoming and recently released Xbox 360 games to break the million-unit sales mark, including Madden NFL 08, BioShock, Halo 3, Project Gotham Racing 4, Mass Effect, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

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Zerosumgame

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Wow, that makes me so want to go out and buy the new xbox 360! wait, I already got wii and PS3 right? hm ... maybe I will wait for a lil longer and see how things unfold.

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Maverick4Ever

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jeffrow925 maverick4ever the 65 nm chipsets are out already. been out for about a month now. You're serious? How come it hasn't been publicized at all? Are they also in the Elite models? How can I tell if the console has them or not?

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realistgamer

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hell yea i already have Forza 2 but Marvel Alliance sounds sweet!

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comthitnuong

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Those are great choices for a bundle. They appeal to a large crowd and will no doubt help boost sales for MS this season.

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xboxFan101

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so what happen to those 360's with the new cooling system that doesn't wont go through the 3 red rings of death wen do those hit stores because i want to sell my premium n get the elite with a cooling system i dont hav to worry about .

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lamprey263

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@Po77InAtOr I can't figure out why lots of things are more expensive in Canada :P

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Po77InAtOr

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What I can't figure out is why the 360 is still more expensive in Canada even though our dollar is stronger than the American dollar?

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Lum_Yatsura

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Amazing to see that the Sega GT / JSRF combo disc is so common, it tends to retail for like $2.99 used now. Stilll worthwhile nonetheless. I think the first PS2 version of MGS2 is dirt cheap too. Again, worth it.

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Jatt_Warrior

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360 is BALLIN!

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Sigil-otaku

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@gamepro345: I prefer wired controllers just so I don't have to pay more, I don't have to bother with recharging the dead batteries or buying new ones, I don't need a battery charger or whatever and I also don't get them cutting out during the middle of a game. I have a friend and 50% of the time when I go to his the pads are dead in 20 minutes (PS3 and 360) mostly because he almost always leaves them on but I'd prefer to not mess with it. A wire doesn't bother me at all cos it just sits on the floor, I'm not a wire-phobe. I saw one with Halo 3 and another game for the same price, stores will have more than just these titles on offer.

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X-RS

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somehow i see assassins creed under the halo 3/mass effect/bioshock reign, i means guitar hero/COD4/madden/PGR4 are games that will never change. its sad that they're what microsoft is counting on, course they will sell *sigh*

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gamepro345

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one quesion, seth why would you WANT a wired controller? and apart from this, i still think that the ghost recon/ XBLA unplugged combo of last year's holiday was better.

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Garygok

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I was about to go out and buy a 360, but since seeing this I have decided to wait. Hopefully consoles packed in this bundle will have the new hardware :)

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denaz

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Nice, good titles to put with the new consoles

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hackR2

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danm this is perfect, more games for me to get while i get the pro package

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Jordan Bisasky

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Could they have tried to pack in more exciting games? lol I guess Forza 2 is cool but Marvel's kind of blah imo

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Two400

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WHERE IS THE NEXT KOTOR?!?!?!?! That is the only way I'd ever buy an XBox

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seth1689

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Thinkin about that new core pack for myself and just buy a harddrive because the only reason i never wanted the core was the controller was wired. So that will be nice for my first 360 :P

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SteveBIRK

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o snap those r some good deals

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BlueDRAG0N

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Take it back, then buy a new one in 3 weeks when the bundle is out

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tclvis

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Of course they did...three weeks after I bought my 360. Crap.

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mwa

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360 will dominate the holidays

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alex20077

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looks like im definitely getting a 360 for christmas now especially since they have the newer and better 360s out now

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arc_salvo

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I got Bioshock for the PC, and will probably get COD 4 for the PC as well, but I'm definitely getting Mass Effect for the 360. I just hope that Knights of the Old Republic 3 comes out as wel.

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automattig

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those two games are a lot better than Wii Sports

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ibanezdropd

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well, i'll be helping them out . i plan on getting PGR4 and Guitar hero 3... i already have Bioshock.. go microsoft! wooo!

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mier2003

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This actually tempts me to go out and buy a new 360. Old one got busted and I swore of console gaming but with this new deal I might change my mind.

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jeffrow925

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maverick4ever the 65 nm chipsets are out already. been out for about a month now.

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nickythenewt21

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Another reason why I should've boughten a 360 THIS YEAR, not LAST YEAR! However, I already own Ultimate Alliance, and it's awesome! I highly recommend you pick it up if you already don't have it.

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GrimBee

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All developers will be happy with the 360 sales this christmas. It looks like yet another successful christmas for the 360. Last year - gears of war tipped the scales for the 360, without a doubt. This year - there are even MORE tripple A titles out for it. I mean.. just look at them! And with THREE very unique SKU's on the market, the choice is there too - and the arcade system will be evenly priced with the wii. Not a bad move there. but the wii is in a market of its own, so its alright. And hey barrett_rob, nice to see you on here :D This is great news for gamers, glad microsoft aren't competing against Sony to the point of removing their BC aswell ;) lol. Gamers, be glad that there are two companies that are giving you the games and the varied prices to be able to play them! And for including games in a console package -- and NOT movies -- you can easily see, as a gamer, which system will give you the games.

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puppiemaster

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love my 360, might pick one up for the daughter, think she is tired with the PS3 I let her use in her bedroom, it can gather dust in my games room again.

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barrett_rob

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nice one microsoft one up from those ratbags sony and their new package, you show them how it is done.

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felshs

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good deal but it wont last more than 2 years

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Lord__Darkstorn

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awesome, can't wait to get mine this holiday season

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jakob_187

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WOW! I work at a gaming center, and we're fixing to be moving into our new building at the end of this month. We're going to be going from 5 360 systems to 12, and since we haven't gotten any copies of Forza 2 yet, this will be a HUGE thing for us. Thank you, MIcrosoft.

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Cheesypoofs46

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Good. I was waiting for them to finally announce that.

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lamprey263

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This is good news for me, even though I own an X360 already, 'cause that just means more people might buy an X360, and if they do, Microsoft will build up a bigger base of console users, and developers/publishers will be more willing to make games for it... though, seeing all the incentives getting tossed around by Sony and Microsoft just makes me feel like I was cheated buying these early when they were expensive.

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Outlawlaw

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very nice microsoft.

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XanderZane

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Wow. $100 worth of games for FREE. That's an awesome deal. If they had backed in Halo 3 by itself, the holiday season would have been in the bag. Anyways, Forza 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance are also games and to get them for FREE when you buy an XBox 360 is a smart move on M$ part.

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poe94

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Forza looks pretty good, but a marvel game, who would want that. Very few I would say.

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RKSK

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i might wait for the upcoming ones with a better cooling system. Read more about it in OXM

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Maverick4Ever

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Until they come out with the 65nm chipsets, there is no deal they could come up with that would make me buy a 360. After that, there will be nothing on earth that could prevent me from getting a 360. I just wish Gamespot would focus more on reporting to us when the new chips will come out...

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Patriot298

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Wow! That's some awesome deals there :) Cows convert why you can lol

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Shwanman1

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who who cars about marvel game god

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8bit16bitsowhat

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DAMN! i just bought a 360pro like three weeks ago

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PacoL250

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Now that's a steal. Compared to when Microsoft released the Jet Set Radio Future/Sega GT 2002 bundle, this is way above and beyond that. Great choices in games too.

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Sr_Mateus

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I wonder if those games will come in their retail boxes just like that picture.

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chibi-acer

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Nice deal. Personally, I'd rather have Forza 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance than Motorstorm. I suppose it's not as big a deal if you already have MUA on another console.

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glhx2112

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Looks like it may be time for a second 360....I'm still using my launch system (gasp), so I know i'm on borrowed time, hehehe

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destrozz

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This is a great deal both MUA and Forza 2 are very good games i still play MUA has major replay value, so now 360 is cheaper, and comes with 2 great games. hard for people who have not decided on which next gen console the buy not to get a 360 this holiday season, PS3 still has no good games and don't give me that resisatance crap gears kills that game.

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