Halo 3 Xbox 360 console priced and dated for Australia

The special-edition Halo 3 console, which Microsoft first unveiled with much pizzazz at this year's E3 conference, has finally been confirmed for Australia. The green-and-gold-coloured Xbox 360 will arrive on September 20--five days before Halo 3's launch--and will retail for A$679.95.

The Halo 3 console doesn't actually come with the game, but it does include matching Halo 3 accessories such as a wireless controller, a wired headset, and a 20GB hard drive. The console also features an HDMI port, but only ships with component cables. Other items included are an Ethernet cable, a Play & Charge Kit, a one-month Gold subscription to Xbox Live, and Halo 3 gamer pics and themes.

The announcement of the special edition's release comes just days after Microsoft lowered the price of the Core and Pro Xbox 360 systems in Australia. Core systems are now A$399.95, while Pro consoles retail for A$579.95.