While we've ridiculed many of Microsoft's decisions in the past, we have to admit that they've made some choices this year that will make many consumers happy. They've upped the XBLA size limit, begun to revamp the pathetic GFW-LIVE (while offering refunds!) and offered some pretty significant price cuts on the Xbox 360.
Now, in an attempt to make the New Xbox Experience available to everyone, they're doing the unthinkable -- Microsoft is offering Xbox 360 hard drives at a reasonable price.
When reports surfaced Thursday that the New Xbox Experience would require a 256MB memory card, some began to smell a snafu, but Microsoft's Major Nelson quickly defused the situation with news that "storage solutions" were on the way. Those solutions arrived much quicker than we had anticipated.
Today, Gamasutra reports that Microsoft is offering a new memory upgrade program at www.xboxstorageupgrade.com/. If you have an eligible Xbox 360 Core or Arcade system, you can get a free 512MB memory card, a refurbished 20GB hard drive for $20, or a hard drive and three months of Xbox Live Gold for $30.
Certainly, this is a great way to upgrade an existing console, but the prospect for new buyers is perhaps even more exciting. We take it all back -- today, the $200 Xbox 360 Arcade is indeed the very best deal out there if you want a shiny new next-gen video system.
Just be sure to jump on this one fast -- though we don't see one on the official website, this deal is just begging for a "while supplies last" disclaimer.
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
It IS on the main website, it just seems kinda hidden away. I was automatically forwarded to the page after I signed up.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/hardware/memoryupdate/default.htm
I can't wait!