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Arcade 360 displays popping up at retail

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted Oct 10, 2007 1:47 pm PT

Photos surface of standees promoting long-rumored replacement for entry-level Microsoft console equipped with wireless controller and 256MB card.

The 360 Arcade standee in the wild.

On Monday, Microsoft officially announced that it was bundling the two higher-end models of the Xbox 360, the $349 Pro and $449 Elite, with two free games--Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and Forza Motorsport 2. However, the company made no mention of the lowest-end model of the $279 Core Xbox 360, which has been dogged by discontinuation rumors for weeks.

Now comes further evidence that the Core's days are indeed numbered. Photos obtained by GameSpot show that retailers are already erecting displays touting the Core's long-rumored replacement, the Xbox 360 Arcade SKU. As previously speculated, the display shows the console will come bundled with a wireless controller, a 256MB memory card, and five arcade games. Microsoft declined to offer comment on the photo of the console.

Two items of information are not revealed by the standee. First is the system's price, which is purported to be the same $279 cost as the Core. Also missing is the list of the arcade games bundled with the system, presumably included to counter the best-selling $249 Wii console/Wii Sports combo. Though various configurations have been discussed, the most commonly mentioned lineup is Boom-Boom Rocket, Uno, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, and Pac-Man.

80 Comments

  • someguyintexas

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 10:23 pm PT

    "Just fix your product and the all to popular RROD that is where you are loosing gamers. Here we go I had 360 for 8 months broke 2 times no system for close to 2 months. I was not given anything for my lose of the system, they give 2 months of live that was the time you kept my 360. Enough already fix it right if it is broke then you ship out a brand new updated and enhanced XBOX. Elite , Core, Pro bull it is a gimick fix it MICROSOFT '' --- bigpimppapa

    is it just me or does this person need less 360 and more reading time....i can barely read and comprehend this comment. i think a retarded meerkat wrote it. microsoft did u a favor buddy....

  • Augm3ntal

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 10:40 am PT

    parents wont get confused theyll just buy the cheaper one

  • Warlock89

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 10:21 am PT

    I have a 360 that broke. And I don't have a warrenty. So I am going to pick this 360 up, get 5 free xbox live arcade games. Get a wireless controller. A 256MB memory card. And then just plug in my Harddrive from my old 360 onto it, all for $270. Awesome deal.

  • xmg0

    Posted Oct 20, 2007 7:46 am PT

    so this replaces the core?
    not bad

  • Death_Masta187

    Posted Oct 18, 2007 6:10 pm PT

    dslite887

    this is a core system, so there is no hdmi port right?
    ---------------------------------------
    lol this isnt the ps3

  • dslite887

    Posted Oct 18, 2007 4:38 pm PT

    this is a core system, so there is no hdmi port right?

  • darkride66

    Posted Oct 18, 2007 2:18 pm PT

    Oh! Now I can download and play game demo's! Oh, wait, not enough room. But I can play Oblivion Expansion packs! Oh, nope. Can't do that either. But, surely I can at least add my old Halo 2 map packs. Nope! But can I play Pacman? Alllll RIGHT!
    Seriously, in the long run I can't see why you'd do this. I can only see it if you were short on cash and could add the harddrive later.

  • Slayer420

    Posted Oct 18, 2007 1:03 pm PT

    "vr2L_grafx

    If your looking for a good deal without losing some options Its all about the shopping! I bought the core at its 299 price. I used a circuit city giftcard I had for $50. Circuit city was also offering a free MS wireless controller with any xbox 360 purchase. I bought a hard drive off of ebay for $20!!! Non MS branded component cables for $15 at the local gamestop and the headset that came with the $50 gold subscription package. I know there isn't HDMI but that doesn't concern me (with component on my phillips LCD it looks awesome). It still came out cheaper than the other systems without xbox live and a second controller. I'm pretty much just saying that if people want to save money it takes a little work but its well worth it to have different options. Some people just want it all-in-one and don't mind paying the higher price for it. "

    I got my 360 Pro at MicroCenter last year during the Thanksgiving weekend rush for $299 after a $100 rebate. While I am annoyed to see quality freebies added that I can't take advantage of.. I got my pro for the price of the core and really can't complain.

  • TranClan

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 7:14 pm PT

    @ JohnnyNeat Microsoft said that they are never going to put in HD-DVD play back because it would raise the prices if it was integrated and whats the point of one if you aren't going to use HD movies

  • Onenottoforget

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 11:56 am PT

    I still think that adding on more and more SKU's is just going to confuse first time buyers espically for the parents that are buying one for their children.

  • mrkame16

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 10:22 am PT

    DigitalBullets :
    "Heh, And I bought an elite 2 weeks ago to replace my pro. What luck..."
    Me too, had i known, i would have waited and got 2 free games...

  • Jimbo9981

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 10:09 am PT

    JohnnyNeat, where did you hear about a "360 Ultimate"?

  • Cobalt_Strike

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 9:44 am PT

    So there just renaming the Core package by adding the memory card and a wireless controller? Not bad, even if they keep it at the going rate, your still getting more. Although I would have left in the wired controller, its an added plus that you can use it on pc's as well.

    Aside from maybe an occasional cosmetic SE like the halo one, MS is smart by leaving it at three. And as long as they aren't making any changes to the physical hardware between packages, they have a decent gameplan going.

  • vr2L_grafx

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 9:41 am PT

    If your looking for a good deal without losing some options Its all about the shopping! I bought the core at its 299 price. I used a circuit city giftcard I had for $50. Circuit city was also offering a free MS wireless controller with any xbox 360 purchase. I bought a hard drive off of ebay for $20!!! Non MS branded component cables for $15 at the local gamestop and the headset that came with the $50 gold subscription package. I know there isn't HDMI but that doesn't concern me (with component on my phillips LCD it looks awesome). It still came out cheaper than the other systems without xbox live and a second controller. I'm pretty much just saying that if people want to save money it takes a little work but its well worth it to have different options. Some people just want it all-in-one and don't mind paying the higher price for it.

  • JohnnyNeat

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 8:35 am PT

    The real question should be when are they (Microsoft) going to finally be rid of these older rehashed systems before they finally mention and announce a drop date for the rumored and long in the works, "360 Ultimate" which is expected to have a HD-DVD play back built in, HDMI (up to 1080p) and a cooler running system overall?

  • ebookerd1

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 7:00 am PT

    c_smithii and MrSickVisionz, there is a big problem with you idea, they barely make no money off the systems. The reason the Wii is so cheap is because it has 5 year old technolgy in it. It is really the same hardware as the Xbox / PS2 with Wireless remotes. Too many price cuts hurts revenue. This is still a business. if it cost them $100 after purchase to move a system. it is take 3-4 games to make up the revenu. It is not cost effective. Even though I am probably talking to someone that could careless if a company is in business as long as they get what they want (no Offense, I just have to call it how everyone sees it). It just has to be economic from a business stand point. I know Devil Advocate, But i work in the bussiness world, let alone the software world and I have to be realistic. (Damn me!!!!!!.... Damn me TO HELLLLL!!!!!!! being realistic on a game Board)

  • Yuck_Too

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 6:47 am PT

    --SoupNatsi --
    "They need to just drop this bull@#$%, even with a memory card only a fool would by this thing thanks to how expensive the HD cables are, I hope retailers refuse to stock it."
    ~~~~~~~~
    I own two 360's and the 2nd is a Core system I got for the cottage.

    And that is the perfect system for it. I don't have highspeed internet, nor do I have a HDTV much less do I need wi/fi there.

    So why in the world should I pay $100's more for stuff I do not need and will not use?

    That is exactly why people have bought that "foolish core system".

  • MrSickVisionz

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 5:32 am PT

    "Its still a scam, but not so much as before. Giving people the ability to save games is nice but people still have to buy a $40 component cable to play on an HDTV"

    Good deal. Most of the world (including the US) has no HDTVs and those with them all know that they do accept VGA and analog inputs. Don't let these fools convince you that 1080p/i over analog/vga looks like 320i compared to the same signal sent over HDMI.

    Before, $279 bought you a system that could play games, but not save them, pretty much forcing everyone to go buy a memory $40 memory card which makes the "real" price $319. Now for $279 you can actually get a system that gives you total gaming. Not bad.

    $249 would be a perfect price though. HDD and 2 games (Forza is the only one I want though) for $100 more makes it an easy decision to make based on what you're looking for. All that for only $60 makes you hesitate. Basically for the price of one game you can get 2 games and a 20gb hard drive. But then again, if you just want to play games and you don't like those 2 games, I suppose the Core is still what you'd go with.

  • c_smithii

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 5:14 am PT

    osxgp, they should only drop the Core/Arcade to $199, if and only if Nintendo prices their Wii system at $199. Otherwise the price would be too low and Microsoft would be selling themselves short.

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