$279 360 Arcade official

Microsoft exec confirms repackaged low-end console will include wireless controller, and at least Pac-Man, Uno, and Luxor 2.

Following photo evidence last week of Xbox 360 Arcade standees appearing at retail outlets, Microsoft today officially confirmed the repackaged console. Outlining the Arcade's appeal to the Financial Times, Microsoft president of entertainment and devices division Robbie Bach said the new configuration was intended to take on Nintendo's popular $249 Wii, which comes with the Wii Sports minigame compilation.

"Arcade becomes [for us] the ability to bring in a new set of audiences," Bach said. "They're probably a little bit more casually focused, they're looking for a new family experience, or they're more price focused."

The Financial Times and Microsoft were mum on when the Arcade will arrive at retail. However, the article did confirm that Microsoft's low-end SKU would maintain its $279 price point, include a wireless controller, and pack in at least three Xbox Live Arcade games: Pac-Man, Uno, and Luxor 2. (Leaked pictures of the boxes show the Pac-Man game included is actually Pac-Man Championship Edition.) Though no other games were mentioned in the FT article, numerous online reports say the game will come with five games in total, including Boom-Boom Rocket and Feeding Frenzy.

The timing of the confirmation isn't surprising. Earlier today, Sony announced it has dropped the price of its 80GB PlayStation 3 SKU in North America to $499. The console maker also plans on introducing a reduced-functionality 40GB model for $399 on November 2.

The parallel announcements of the Xbox 360 Arcade and cheaper PS3 are designed to shake up the next-gen console race. As of the end of August, the NPD Group estimates that, despite a year head start, only 6.3 million 360s have been sold in the US, compared to 4 million Wiis. Both platforms are far ahead of the PS3, which has only sold 1.75 million units in the US since its November 2006 debut.

319 Comments

  • Caem

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 7:54 am PT

    One of my friends has a Wii, and I have a 360. The experiences are so monumentally different, there is no way a repackaged Core system can "go after" the Wii. You're still sitting on the couch holding a controller. Doesn't matter if you're playing smaller, less intense games. Wii is something else altogether. I love my 360, but Microsoft is barking up the wrong tree on this one. The type of experience they're trying to make this new Core out to be, the Wii already is, and does five times better. This is going to be a big failure.

  • moogle214

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 3:29 pm PT

    this model comes with a hard drive right?

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 1:23 pm PT

    It's so cheap. But no substance.

  • XeroComplex

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 12:43 pm PT

    Um... OK anyway this is great because I may end up having to buy a new 360, and 20 dollars cheaper is fine with me. I don't understand the complaints... With a wireless controller thrown in, I'm happy.

    I can see that kids want a Wii, but I didn't know that there were shortages still, I guess that's something to complain about...

  • Cheeba_puff

    Posted Oct 27, 2007 10:02 pm PT

    Fore everyone who's pissing and moaning about this being unimportant non-news, get over it. The lot of you sound like bloodthirsty fanboys. That said, this IS news. Microsoft's filling the gap caused by the discontinuation of the 360 Core, and with a better product altogether. $280 for a 360 core with free arcade games? That's not a bad deal, considering the Wii's $250 price point and barren desert of worthwhile software.

    I love the Wii, it's a fantastic piece of hardware at a great price, but the games aren't there yet, and they're not gonna be until Nintendo builds up the system's software. Ask me what i think of the Wii after Mario Galaxy, Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii, and Manhunt come out. Speaking of Manhunt 2, where are the third-party games? Nintendo's still paying through the nose for treating their third parties like crap from 1985 through 2001, restricting licensees to 3 games a year with the NES, pulling the plug on Sony with the SNES, and forcing developers to stay with archaic and expensive cartridges during the N64 era. When are developers gonna get on the Wii's gravy train and start releasing compelling games, because i still don't care about friggin' Madden.

  • Monstromo

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 8:43 pm PT

    I just can't see this arcade-box actually competing with the Wii. First, the price point is just too high. Second, it is more likely going to be a collector's item for gaming fanatics that just have to have at least one of everything. Maybe, some stupid Dad will bring one home when he fails to get a Wii for the family for second Christmas in a row.

    You, Nintendo needs to get their shortage under control. It is so annoying to consumers to constantly fail to bring home the present of choice for their elementary school aged kids.

    Ninteno is like the grinch. I mean those kids don't want a PS3 or a 360, they want the Wii.

  • vmfstorm1

    Posted Oct 24, 2007 3:59 pm PT

    Actually Microsoft, in terms of game and console sales, almost sees the same profits as Nintendo, which is very good, Sony, on the other hand, despite having the 800 pound gorilla of the three systems is so obscenely overpriced that it takes the system far out of reach of casual gamers, and even hardcore gamers like myself who just refuse to spend a solid $8-900 dollars to get into the new Sony system. But really the only difference between the microsoft and nintendo systems as of right now is their slight price difference, and their target audience. I think we can all agree that Sony, for the moment anyway, is out of the picture after seeing only 23,000 units sold WORLDWIDE in september.

  • ALIENDGM

    Posted Oct 24, 2007 6:31 am PT

    Will this include the hard drive? If not, I think it's not even worth it to sell a Xbox 360 without the hard drive. That's where it's all at, the hard drive and xbox live.

  • wayofthesauce

    Posted Oct 24, 2007 6:13 am PT

    Vortec33 - Whatever, Bioshock , Halo3 and Mass Effect says HI, and reminds the "Big N" that there games are stunning compared another mario and metroid rehash.. Nintendo would have to wake up and apologize to Microsoft if they even DREAMED of making games like this among MANY others MS has all ready released.

    Super Mario Bros. would like to remind you who came first. Nintendo has a legacy of great games that some of microsoft's modern games can't even come close to touching. If Microsoft dreamed of halo's single player being better than metroid then they should be the ones apologizing. Plus, Microsoft should apologize to pretty much every pc online shooter cause yeah, it's just better there. Plus Bioshock came out for the computer and is better there too so yeah, that game doesn't really count. Oh and we have yet to see the wii price drop which I'm sure will make both microsoft and sony cry themselves to sleep that night.

    Besides, I love how fanboys derate nintendo when microsoft and sony are trying desperately to play catch up with them. Isn't that a sign that maybe they're doing something right? Maybe nintendo managed to find its groove again and deliver a solid 1-2 punch of the DS and now the wii much to the charigin of both MS and sony. Now maybe this is microsoft's attempt to learn from what nintendo did and try their own hand at it. I actually hope so because competition is what breeds better games. Nntendo got a little soft when they made the gamecube cause they were still riding high off of N64 and super nintendo but the 3 way race was a bit of a rude awakening. What did the competition do to them? Forced out the wii. In a way, without microsoft applying such rpessure in the previous console war, I don't think nintendo would've made the wii.

  • aznhayato7

    Posted Oct 23, 2007 7:02 pm PT

    i dont know why all u r complaining, cuz its not like the core/arcade got more expensive.they are giving us 3 games and a wireless controller for the SAME PRICE!! so be happy

  • Vortec33

    Posted Oct 23, 2007 3:57 pm PT

    "wii sets the bar and everyone tries to catch up. Which is nice for nintendo because both these companies started out the new console wars thinking people would just be ok with high prices on their stuff and we'd just take it and counting out the wii entirely. well to them i say HA, and double HA. serves you right you big jerks."

    Whatever, Bioshock , Halo3 and Mass Effect says HI, and reminds the "Big N" that there games are stunning compared another mario and metroid rehash.. Nintendo would have to wake up and apologize to Microsoft if they even DREAMED of making games like this among MANY others MS has all ready released.

  • larsinii

    Posted Oct 23, 2007 12:04 pm PT

    "Only? Isn't 6.3 more than 4?"
    As is the case with a lot of people, you only see what your eyes want to see...the key phrase there is "despite a year head start"...get it?

  • will477

    Posted Oct 23, 2007 10:19 am PT

    "As of the end of August, the NPD Group estimates that, despite a year head start, only 6.3 million 360s have been sold in the US, compared to 4 million Wiis."

    Only? Isn't 6.3 more than 4?

  • KamuiFei

    Posted Oct 23, 2007 8:47 am PT

    And people complain about the multiple SKUs Sony has...You people realize MS has 4 SKUs, in constant production, whereas Sony is only making 2 different ones currently, right?

    But whatever, my 360 is fine the way it is now. They can keep their Arcade, while I play Mass Effect

  • MrSickVisionz

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 9:49 pm PT

    "Why pay over 250 bucks to play arcade games?! Just get a Wii, at least you can play the big title games along with classics!"

    You do know that it come BUNDLED with arcade games but it CAN PLAY other games... right?

  • IGDetail

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 8:30 pm PT

    Why don't they create a Gamespot-Lite and move all this 'news' over there... I want more hard-core gaming news

  • bildo2020

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 7:53 pm PT

    dumb! Why pay over 250 bucks to play arcade games?! Just get a Wii, at least you can play the big title games along with classics!

  • mjax211

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 7:22 pm PT

    so dumb

  • wumpscutnut

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 7:13 pm PT

    This is retarded.

  • clawboy

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 4:56 pm PT

    If it doesn't have the much hype 65nm processor and heatsink then everyone who buys it will be overcome by heat and flashing red lights.

  • MacBrother

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 12:51 pm PT

    I like it how it doesn't even include Geometry Wars, the 360's crown jewel. This was a really bad plan to not have this come out BEFORE Halo 3 in my opinion, the hype for Halo 3 is over and those who would have picked up the 360 Arcade and Halo 3 do not desire it nearly as much. Now Nintendo is going to role out with Mario Galaxy and Smash Bros Brawl and just continue ranking in the sales.

  • rose_please

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 12:31 pm PT

    wiis arcade is weak

  • iuns

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 8:17 am PT

    Both platforms are far ahead of the PS3, which has only sold 1.75 million units in the US since its November 2006 debut. lolz

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 12:11 am PT

    ag1002 That's because NPD is an American service, and GameSpot is an American site.

  • towelie123

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 10:56 pm PT

    nice idea...but whats the hard drive goin to be?

  • ag1002

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 8:53 pm PT

    why is it that everytime they give us numbers on how many units have been sold, they only give it for the US. sony and nintendo arent american. i dunno if it makes a difference anyway

  • prototpe15

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 7:14 pm PT

    i have to agree also, the Xbox 360 arcade sounds like a pretty good idea.i am with them fully.The thought counts about being able to play an Xbox 360 game while also being able to play an old classic arcade games!Like being able to play a game like Gears of War and Street Fighter! I can't wait!The Xbox 360 Arcade will kick the PS3's ass!

  • HyperMetaDragon

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 5:44 pm PT

    I have to agree...Microsoft's SKUs were a good idea, but Sony butchered the idea with their 99 different kind of SKUs.

  • Aquachild

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 3:31 pm PT

    Real bloody original Microsoft.

  • Nosnitsttam

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 11:18 am PT

    they didn't say you can't still play the retail games. but they also didn't mention a hard drive so i still think it's a lame idea. TWO variations was too much and now there's THREE?

  • Little_GreenMan

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 9:42 am PT

    $279 to play what are essentially online Flash games? No thanks

  • Rayze78

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 6:40 am PT

    Or, you could save up a little extra money and just buy the console, and still play arcade, and all the retail games as well.

  • Khoo1992

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 4:53 am PT

    nah... I won't get it for a bunch of arcade games

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 7:38 pm PT

    LLLiidan - Of course it's for MS to get people to buy their products. DUH, they're a business.

  • Illidan311

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 4:00 pm PT

    why would this new budget 360 come with the wireless controller? I think this is just a scheme from Microsoft to cheap budget buyers into their products. Come on, if you own a 360 and are at wal-mart shopping one day, don't tell me you're not going to pick up Halo 3, Gears, and another game, along with a charger for your wireless controller and maybe even a hard drive. anyways, I love my 360 all the way.

  • jakndaxter7223

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 3:51 pm PT

    thats stupid

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 10:17 am PT

    Warlock - If it's anything like the previous Xbox Live Arcade disc, you'll probably just stick em on your memory card. Which is just fine, as the system actually HAS a memory card this time.

  • Warlock89

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 10:13 am PT

    Who cares if you have to go out and buy a memory card. You were going to do have to do that regardless if you got the 3 free xbox live arcade games anyways. Think before you type people.

  • JimBurber

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 9:46 am PT

    dear lord, I'm sick of the different variations of 360's and PS3's, they just make people complain!

  • nickythenewt21

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 8:52 am PT

    Uno?!?! Whoever buys this new Core is lucky! I love Uno, but have yet to buy it on Live because my DNS settings are apparently wrong!

  • ShamrockRovers

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 8:07 am PT

    no hard drive, no point!

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 7:56 am PT

    AtomicEdge - This is actually a very good observation. They're repacking the system, making it painfully obvious that they're going for the "one game every two years" crowd with a piece of hardware that profits on hardware and has a damn nice compilation disc. If MS is intelligent at all, they'll at least drop the price of the separate 20GB, move those with the system as well.

    Though honestly, I hope they release that compilation disc separately. I wants it.

  • Thigeic

    Posted Oct 19, 2007 7:37 pm PT

    This consol is selling here, And its $70 cheaper then the 360 Core was, and cheaper then the Wii.

  • lilkikerman4450

    Posted Oct 19, 2007 4:06 pm PT

    ok, y buy a core 360 for 280... when you can go to ecost.com and find the premium for like 292 bucks!?

  • MrSickVisionz

    Posted Oct 19, 2007 1:38 pm PT

    Is there a memory card? If you can't save games out of the box, its a scam. You can hold off on a HDD if you just want to play games, but if you can't save the real price is $279 +memory card.

  • Ra-Devil

    Posted Oct 19, 2007 1:03 pm PT

    It's a step forward. While M$ feels comfortable where it is on it's pricing, most of them won't change. If they start to feel pressured, then they'll begin slicing the prices, but as of now I believe they feel unthreatened.

    Also, this is more of a family variation of the console, the everyman version. Gamers don't understand it at all, but my father's co-workers all bought this version. I was astounded. They just wanted the system and a memory card, and that's it.

  • wiidominance

    Posted Oct 19, 2007 10:03 am PT

    You guys realize that this is not the actual price, right ? you "MUST" take into account a 20GB HD, some games (i heard of one) requires an HD to play ... so really, it isn't the OMG 279 price tag ....

  • wiidominance

    Posted Oct 19, 2007 9:59 am PT

    this is good .. these price drops have been forced by the success of the Wii, so we own Nintendo that, in addition, more pressure from PS3 and 360 means the hardcore games are still strong and kickin, which will make Nintendo reconsider these games, and start to give an equal emphasis on both casual and core games .. so we owe Microsoft and Sony that .. All in All, the success of all three is in the interest of the three companies and the gamers alike. End of story#

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