Video Game Buttons Blog

March 28, 2007

Microsoft has confirmed the April 29th U.S. debut of the Xbox 360 Elite, the new model that will include a 120GB hard drive, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, a high-definition cable, and a premium black finish for the console, wireless controller, and Xbox Live headset for $479.   A one-month Xbox Live Gold account will also come bundled with the Elite.

The new 120GB hard drive will also be sold as a stand-alone accessory for $179, “to give current Xbox 360 owners greater choice and flexibility in their games and entertainment experience,” according to an official company statement.  

 

Additional Xbox 360 Elite accessories, such as the black Xbox 360 Wireless Controller ($49.99), Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit ($19.99), and the Xbox 360 rechargeable battery ($11.99) will be available separately from the April 29th date onwards.

 

“Today’s games and entertainment enthusiast has an insatiable appetite for digital high-definition content,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “Xbox 360 Elite’s larger hard drive and premium accessories will allow our community to enjoy all that the next generation of entertainment has to offer.”
Microsoft officials have also announced the support of a raft of new video content providers for Xbox Live, including Paramount, Warner Bros., A&E Network, ADV Films, National Geographic, and TotalVid.com.

 

Paramount Pictures will also offer content on Xbox Live for the first time, with move titles such as Braveheart, Team America: World Police, World Trade Center, and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release direct-to-video movies exclusively in high definition on Xbox Live; Sublime and Babylon 5: The Lost Tales are confirmed.

 

A&E Network will offer “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” “King of Cars,” “Gene Simmons Family Jewels,” “Driving Force,” and “Criss Angel Mindfreak.” National Geographic will offer television series such as “Is It Real?,” “Taboo,” “21 Days to Baghdad,” and “Air Force One.”

 

Specific titles from ADV Films and TotalVid.com have not yet been announced, although the former is one of the major producers and distributors of Japanese anime in the West. TotalVid.com specializes in extreme sports such as skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, motocross, surfing and mountain biking.

 

Microsoft claim that the new partners will add more than 1,500 hours of downloadable content to that already available on Xbox Live. The downloading of movies and TV shows is currently limited to North America, with no specifically announced timetable for a similar service, which would require different licensing deals in other parts of the world.