Xbox 360 Launch Packages

So Microsoft has released the details on the 2 types of packages that the Xbox 360 will first be available, the Premium and Core editions.

You can find a great article on Team Xbox that goes into the details between the two here.

In a nut shell, the Premium Edition (pictured left) comes with Component Cables, a Hard Drive (20 GB), a wireless controller, and an Xbox Live Silver Membership for $100.00 more (US).

The Core Edition comes with a regular controller, and composite cables; that's about it.

For myself, I intend to wait a while and not pick up a 360 at launch, but if I had to decide tomorrow I would take the Premium Package simply because I want a hard disk and component cables. You can, of course, buy most of the Premium extras, well extra, but they cost more seperately.

One thing I don't understand though is the Xbox Live Silver Membership. Originally Microsoft said anyone with an Xbox 360 could log onto Live, create an account for free and have a Silver Membership. This would allow them to chat with other players, download patches, content, and demos for free. If they wanted to play games over Live with other players and compete in tournaments they'd have to pay for a Gold membership.

However there is no mention of the Silver Package for the Core system, so I don't know if Microsoft's done a 180 on their 360 (har, har) and if the Silver Package is free anymore. This unto itself would piss me off as really the Silver package should be free.

Oh well, we'll see what's ahead in the coming months as we get closer to the November launch.

Update: I found the official press release and Canadian pricing at Xbox.ca. You can view it here.

All I'm gonna say is Jebus! The pricing on this thing is nuts! The Premium Package is $499.99, while the Core Package is $399.99. Seeing as how the Hard Drive sold seperately is going to be $129.99, that alone would raise the Core system to roughly $30.00 more than the Premium Package.

For this kind of pricing, the 360 had better be the best damn console ever released, 'cause I can get a great PC that will simply do more and ultimately look prettier for similar costs.