In May, Microsoft announced it was offering a new Xbox 360 game console for sale for just $99 in its Microsoft Store locations. The catch? The console, which comes with the Kinect add-on and a 4 GB hard drive, also includes a mandatory two year subscription to Xbox Live Gold at $14.99 a month. Later, it was announced that this program would be expanded to Best Buy and GameStop locations.

Today, Microsoft announced yet another expansion of this program. Starting later this fall, it would offer three ways to get a cheap Xbox 360 console, all with a two year Xbox Live Gold at $14.99 a month. One of them includes the previously offered 4 GB version with the Kinect device at $99. For the same price, you can also get the 250 GB version without the Kinect hardware. For $149, you can have both the 250 GB console and the Kinect add-on.

In addition to Best Buy, GameStop and the Microsoft Store, Microsoft said that these new Xbox 360 contract products will be available at Walmart and Toys R Us retail stores. There's no word on when they will become available. Microsoft is calling this their "Entertainment for All" plans.

As we have pointed out before, people will end up spending $458.76 for the deal over two years for the $99 Xbox 360 plans. They will also pay $508.76 for the $149 Xbox 360 in this plan in 24 months. However, consumers can also choose to get the same Xbox 360 bundles for far less if they pay up front for the console as well as for two one-year Xbox Live Gold cards.

Posted: Oct 23, 2012 5:53 am
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-to-expand-99-xbox-360-program-later-this-fall