Well I'm glad. The rash was beginning to annoy me, so maybe buying one of these babies will cure it all away.

Not to play monday morning quarterback here, but I had a feeling this was going to happen back when I heard that images of the 360 got leaked out. Microsoft was going to treat this just like everything else they make.

1. Release something only partially tested and that will become antiquated in a years time
2. Release 'fixes' (1 billion of them and counting)
3. Release service packs (Hardware upgrades in this case.)
4. just keep patching over problems until it's time to create the xbox 720

I suppose it's better than the Linux gaming console.
User: Uh hi I'd like to play FF21 now.
Linux machine: Got root?
User: What?

I'm sorry, but as someone who recently got a 360, this is bullshit. I'm tired of consoles being outdated after not even two months. What happened to releasing a console, then maybe releasing one aesthetic redesign down the line?

@ Jerkbutt47

Nintendo doesn't add features with their revisions, though, so there's no pressing need to get a redesign. DS Lite does everything the DS does.

@ Aberrant Thought

The difference is that you're describing a software release, which is patchable, while I'd have to buy a totally new unit to get these upgrades.

@ Necros

I totally get you and I agree it's crap. Just sayin' it's how Microsoft rolls

so its a ps3?

considering this is probably going to cost $600, the wireless is crappy and laggy, and I don't need an hddvd drive I don't feel bad about getting a first run elite. I swear.

I got my 360 from winning it at my highschool after prom party raffle from playing tons of blackjack. I guess it's time for me to go back.

Fuckers.

Fuck, enough with the revisions. Maybe they should focus on fixing the current sku's so they stop overheating, and having drive failures, and being fucking loud as hell! Don't bring out another flawed sku, and sell the shit out of it. Fix your shit! And stop taking forever to fix 360's that get sent for repair!

@Necros: I just feel that Microsoft will only announce an Ultimate when they're close to bringing it to market, the same way both Sony and Microsoft have denied console price cuts up until retailers started leaking ads.

We haven't heard one reliable hardware manufacturer leak by HDD or HD-DVD manufacturers (and those guys always spill the beans early for advertising purposes); no IPTV leaks have sprung either, which would be amazing considering this would be the biggest IPTV development to land so far.

So the Ultimate may well be coming down the pipe, but I don't think it will be announced at CES or launch in the near future.

"Hey Riser! When are you getting a 360?"

"Come on, man. Get a 360 already."

"Riser, did you get a 360 yet?!"

"Can you afford a 360 yet?"

"Hurry up and get a 360, man!

I win.

The Fall? HD-DVD is going to be beyond saving at that point.

Why don't they just wait so they can put out a 360 with a Blu-ray drive? :p

One more thing (I should have written a blog...) -- to explain why I don't think MS would announce now, launch later, there are 2 options:

1. Don't announce launch specifics like price and launch window. If MS does this, people will hold off on buying 360s until they know more. They might also expect a price drop on older models, and hold off even if HD-DVD is not a priority. Not good for MS when they are a distant 3rd in Japan and may well slide to third place in Europe in 2008.

2. Do announce launch specifics. If the Ultimate is much more expensive than current models, people interested in HD-DVD will go buy a $399 40GB PS3 instead of waiting. Sony also has time to delay a price cut until it would most undermine the Ultimate launch. If the Ultimate is a comparative bargain, say goodbye to the sales of the Pro and Elite. And again, Sony will have first mover adantage on price. Any last minute price drop by MS to counter Sony will be seen as weakness.

lol, gay.

I'm sorry, there is already an ultimate object in existance, and his name is Ultimate Warrior. Unless this 360 model can defeat Hulk Hogan, it's nothing but plastic holding inside it the parts and chipsets of failure.

I just got a premium system for Christmas, am I pissed? Not at all. Would it be nice if my system had all of those things? Sure it would, but it would have come with a bigger price tag. Most of the extra features (wifi, hd-dvd player) can be bought separately. Having them built into the console will just boost the price comparable to a PS3. I can't imagine someone being pissed at having an option to either buy the hd-dvd drive separately with a premium system or buying it built into the system.

Jump through the hoop! - whores.

I'm gonna call bullshit on this rumor. Just because I'm laughing right now if this turns out to be true I need more laughs later when its announced. Someone said it earlier, THIS IS HOW MICROSOFT ROLLS.

1. Release a product thats full of "bugs" forcing people to upgrade for years
2. Market it to everyone so you have a big customer base.
3. Release a "new" or "updated" version of same said product maybe in a shinier wrapper or 1 added feature that people wanted when it was first released.
4. Profit

I can't remember what publication but I could have sworn that Vista was named one of the biggest blunders of 2007. And this, while a nice option for those considering a new gaming console, is really 2 years behind where it needed to be released.

Damnit I didn't mean stand alone drives as in stand alone, I meant the add on, you know.......damnit why can't we edit our comments?

I don't think that making this type of a hardware revision would benefit them at all, sure there would be a few more features and what-not, but if it has to go up in price again, not many people will buy it. It will just cause more confusion. What's the point in putting HDDVD in it anyway?

And what ever happened to the motion control rumor?

If this turns out to be true, we'll have every Xbox fan who bitched about the PS3 price and "forcing" features on users going to the store and happily drop the 600$. Not only is 600$ "overpriced" for a console with so many features, this is also at least the second time you'll be buying a 360 in 2 years. Enjoy.

Me, I'll stick to my Premium. I didn't bother with the Elite and I won't bother with this. I won't go for a 360 upgrade until they actually make one that works.

im going to wait until the xbox ultimate is old, mega is old and pick myself up the xbox supreme.

it's going to kick ass compared to this shit.

FOR FUCKS SAKE STOP RELEASING SO MANY GODDAM SKU'S!!!!!!!

indeed STOP WITH THE SKU'S. this better be a rumor

I wanted to buy a Elite after the holidays. Now I can't because of this news. if indeed this is true. then fuck it. I'm buying a PS3

see what you did there MS?