MS announced their yearly holiday 360 bundles

Link. (No dvader it isn't a smiley, I double checked this time)

Microsoft today announced three new Xbox 360 Holiday Value Bundles that will begin to populate at retailers around the world shortly.

All bundles include one month of Xbox Live Gold, as well as various pack-in games. More details are available at theXbox website.

250GB Kinect ($400) - Includes Kinect Sports: Season Two, Kinect Adventures, and Forza Horizon.

4GB Kinect ($300) - Includes Kinect Sports: Season Two and Kinect Adventures.

250GB Standard ($300) - Includes Halo 4 and Tomb Raider.

The Xbox 360 Holiday Value Bundles will be available at retailers worldwide. United States retailers are holding a special price promotion where shoppers will get $50 off each bundle October 13, 2013 through January 4, 2014.

Even with the extra $50 at some retailers in the US, that top bundle is uncomfortably close to the cost of an Xbone. I mean, why pay $400 for the old system, and the old Kinect, and an old Forza game,when for just a measly one hundred dollars more you could get the new hotness system, the improved Kinect, and the newest Forza? The 250GB standard bundle with $50 is much more appealing, although it would still be a tough sale. For not much more you can get a 500 GB PS3 with GTA5.

I'm still not a fan of the 360 pricing scheme. They should have a $99 360 by now.

Even with three games packed, $400 is a complete joke at this point for a 360. We're roughly just a month away from the X1 launch and Microsoft still hasn't significantly cut the price of the 360... ridiculous.

As I commented in the article expensive, especially for a holiday bundle. For christmas through an online purchase I will be getting the GTA ps3, an extra game and the tv style remote for netflix and such, and its still only 298 before shipping and handling.

While Sony can certainly do better, their packages tend to make the 360 options just look shameful by comparison. It's hard to believe they have the balls to still go with 250GB HDDs for most packaged when 500GB has nearly become a standard for PS3. That GTA5 PS3 bundle is an amazingly good value. Too bad it comes with model three, I hate that model.

Nothing new here... Microsoft has been doing this for three years now. They sell less than they did each year prior, but then gloat about how rad they're doing. I have no idea how they expect to sell an ancient machine whose successor will be on shelves for a hundred dollars more. Matter of fact, are there even any noteworthy exclusives coming out for the 360 this holiday? I can't think of any off the top of my head.

NOPE. As a matter of fact, they have NOTHING this holiday for a machine they're still selling at a premium:

http://www.gamefly.com/rent-games/Browse/?pf=1070&cat=ComingSoon#.UliyHyhEAqd

Microsoft claims they will support the system for two to three more years despite the harsh reality of their holiday 360 lineup, or lack thereof, that you just pointed out, Shame-us. Not sure how that's gonna go, not well, I imagine.

Wow, $100 less than the cost of their actual brand new system. That is some brilliant marketing right there.