Microsoft adding free games to Xbox 360 bundles

by Justin McElroy on Oct 9th 2008 4:29PM

Microsoft has fired yet another salvo in the battle for casual cred, including free, family-friendly titles with every Xbox 360 purchased this holiday season. Beginning some time this month, those who purchase the $199 "Arcade Holiday Bundle" will get SEGA Superstars Tennis and five unidentified XBLA games. Or, pick up the the Xbox 360 ($299) or Xbox 360 Elite ($399) Holiday Bundles and get LEGO Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda gratis.

Third party publishers get to empty out their warehouses and the 360 looks even more adorable to soccer moms and your grandma. Everybody wins!

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Tags: bundles, microsoft, xbox-360

Reader Comments (47)

Gratis =p

Great, now my cousin will definitely buy a 360 Elite.

I'd probably get just to get that damn Netflix account but LEgo batman is pretty good....Lets see Premium $299 check, Gears Of War 2 Check....Yep I got money on Microsoft this Christmas Any takers?

More desperate times for Microsoft, massive price cuts, bundling games. They must be REALLY worried about the 360 sales drying up overnight...

@Digdug

They must have been desperate last X-mas season when they did the exact same thing...

Sweet, I'll just buy an Arcade unit to replace my dead 360. I was wondering whether to pay for it to get fixed or just buy a new one. Free games have done the convincing!

And if I'd have to put my money anywhere, it'd be on Nintendo. Microsoft and Sony are still trying to recoup they're losses. But I gotta say, between those two I think the holidays are looking better for Sony. I really think LBP will be a game to push console sales. Oh and I got into the beta just by pure luck... it's friggin sweet. I'm gonna be comatose and 100 lbs fatter this winter.

@ExMcCloud - If you haven't yet, do some research on the Netflix thing just to make sure that they offer the types of movies you like.

LOL "shooting*" at children isnt nice.

(Lego's and Back-flip-Kicking Panda's)*

hope this drives some of my friends to buy the system now. will help fill the rooms in call of duty faster =P

I am going out on a limb here...

Xbox 360 Arcade is going to be VERY popular with the Moms this holiday season.

In fact, I think the 360 may be "neck and neck" with the Wii this holiday season.

GOW2, NXE, $199 Arcade, Bundled Games, wow...

Only because 1/2 of the world population already owns a Wii, so they're running out of people to sell them too ;)

Exhibit One Gallery is giving away one of these new bundles (core) via an online drawing - to promote their Pixels and Pages exhibition (think "I am 8-bit", but with comics too). http://www.xonegallery.com/pixelsandpages

Some people seem to be getting pissed that I'm passing on details about this for some reason - apparently they aren't interested in trying to win a free 360. Also, joystiq seems to ignoring tips I've sent in about the show - it's like if it's not the I am 8-bit show they don't want to have anything to do with it or something.

Someone please remind me that $200 is a reasonable price for a console after 3 years.

A few months ago you had to pay that much for a PS2 her in england, so I'd say it's very reasonable.

Being a PC gamer I have no real reason to get a 360, but I can appreciate that this is going to sell like the bomb. In many ways I reckon they'll outsell Wii's since Nintendo keeps the supply low intentionally in order to keep prices and public interest high.

Sega Superstars Tennis is the one game that I play purely for the characters. Seriously, all my favourite characters in one tennis game (I like Sega guys way better than Nintendo guys)... and it's kinda fun.
LEGO Indiana Jones is an awesome game... as are all LEGO games :D

Except Link! If he was in any tennis game, it would be the best ever!

I hear Link has a mean slice.

That was a pretty backhanded comment.

_____________________
www.easydebtfreesuccess.com

He just got served!

Joystiq - "Serving up tennis puns since 2008"

I'm glad the one I bought came with ultimate alliance and forza 2. I played lego Indiana Jones and thought the game was teribad.

I thought ultimate alliance was god awful to be honest, so I guess there are games for differing tastes being bundled.

Honestly, I find more appealing this bundle than the Marvel and Forza (the one I bought).

I don't like racing simulators and Ultimate Alliance was good for about 1 hour, then it gets extremely repetitive and easy.

In my opinion this is a better bundle, both games to play with the family or with my wife. Altough, it would be better Sega Tennis instead of Kung Fu Panda.

Yea I can see the other bundle better for families. Forza I cannot say if I like or not since I never played it yet, but Ultimate alliance I really enjoyed, but I like to grind out the exp.

They should have multiple bundles. No kid much older than 12 is going to want the xbox with the cheesy kid games in the box. I'm sure a bundle with COD4 or Halo3 would also sell quite well.

I don't think you understand why those particular games were bundled in.

I wish Sega Superstars Tennis was in the Elite, I need to upgrade since I don't have HDMI slot on my old school 360 and I wanted an Elite...

MS: We're going deep and we're going hard this holiday.
Nintendo: Surely, you can't be serious?
MS: I'm serious. And don't call me Shirley.

[+5] For the Leslie Nielson quote.

You have no idea how many weeks went by before my friends stopped using that quote.

+1 good sir.

Gaming Calendar: 2008 - Year of the Bundles..

But the arcade bundle (i don't need more), get those game, trade em for in store credit in bookmans get a couple of better games

Nice, but not getting a 360 right now, need more games exclusive on this console to make me want one

In th'yeaaaar Two Thouuuusaaaaaaaand!...

People named CJLopez will visit us from an alternate universe, where Atari is #1. And if you dont own a *Jaguar, you are considered.
"Out of the Loop".

In the yeaaaaaaar two thouuuusaaaand!....

Care to explain yer troll, as i didn't do a thing for me, or I just couldn't get it.

dude 360 has an ASSLOAD of Exclusives....

I mean hell I dont have one yet........but Gears of War 2 and Fable 2 are making me finally get one........dont really see much else on there I really want to play

Sure Mr...

How many more exclusives do you need?

Unless you've had the system and sold/traded/given it away. (excluding the many exclusive titles of the past).

Exclusives that takes my attention

Rumble Roses XX
Ninja Gaiden 2
Infinite Undiscover
GoW2
Dead Rising

5 games aren't just enough games to take my attention on buying another game console. Also, i don't look forward to upcoming titles on the 360, and many of them are multiplatform. Try 20 games, that I find attractive, not you, but Mii!!!!

Oh, sorry, forgot to add Fable 2. Loved the Lost Chapter, and this one is amazing, but still, 6 games aren't just enough to convince me. Also, i have quite some friend who has a 360, and i can play some of this games at their house

Well thats cool CJ, i wasnt insinuating that you "must" buy a 360. But in having more "exclusive's" based on your tastes, its not possible. Lets not forget XBL "arcade" (Braid)...

I could go on but dont think i should dig my memory banks or the internets for an opinion.
The year 2 thousand bit is just me, bored at work and goofy. Can only draw but so much...
(wasnt an attack)

Rumble Roses XX?

What the fuck is wrong with you?

Hey, i liked it on PS2, and playing this game with HD must pretty fun too

specially when yer mother comes to you room, asking about the game and the first thing you do is show her Candy Cane Humiliation Move.

Maaaan, that was awesome!!!!!

That is awful..... when I got my Elite I got Ultimate Alliance (great game I had beaten and traded in and wanted more of it) and Forza 2. Now you get shitty titles no one wants to play haha.

so RROD or jasper on this one? jasper its still a myth?

Hmm...

Certainly a shot in the arm. Doubtful that it will break into Wii-like levels of sales, just because of the "image" that Xbox 360 has constructed for itself

I could be wrong, however. It's down in the impulse buy zone, but the test is whether it can break beyond that into the "must have" zone. The excellent versions of Rock Band and Guitar Hero could help

Wow, dell home has the 360 arcade bundled with Madden 2009 for $174, and also has Elites for $291 (all brand new).

Crazy.

Um.. The in the $199 HDD less model, it's the same other games as the current Arcade includes.. Pacman CE, Uno, etc..

Microsoft already introduced Xbox version.But when i imagine XBox 360 it's going to be amazing thrill while playing on it.So i am going to buy this.
------------
siva

Sreevysh Corp

wow that is worse then puking up diarrhea from a monkeys anus i would rather get regurgitation donkey shit shoved up my butt than play those two fucking games why couldn't they do good games like Forza and ultimate alliance again

Microsoft adding free games to Xbox 360 bundles

Reader Comments (47)

Posted: Oct 9th 2008 4:34PM FernandoRocker said

Posted: Oct 9th 2008 4:57PM ExMcCloud said

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