Microsoft announces Xbox One bundlefor $499

Microsoft announces Xbox One bundlefor $499

The Xbox One is only a few months old at this point but that isn’t stopping Microsoft from issuing the console’s first price cut. Well, sort of. Gamers around the world will soon be able to purchase the next generation system for $499.99 with a free game in an effort to better compete with Sony’s more affordable PlayStation 4.

Microsoft will be bundling Titanfall with the $499.99 Xbox One. The special edition bundle includes a digital copy of the game and a one month Xbox Live Gold membership in addition to the standard issue console, Kinect, wireless controller and chat headset. It's still more expensive than the PS4 but you're basically getting a free game now.

Harvey Eagle, Xbox's marketing director in the UK, said the reason they were doing this is because they are committed to giving gamers the best value possible. He added that we are only a few months into a generation of consoles that are going to last for many years to come and now just feels like the right time to make the adjustment on the price.

Despite the fact that the Xbox One has enjoyed record-breaking success and has outsold the Xbox 360 by a wide margin during the same time period, the truth of the matter is that Microsoft’s machine is lagging far behind in sales compared to the PS4. According to at least one report, sales of Sony’s console were nearly double those of the Xbox One in January.