Forget about a $99 PS2! How about an Xbox 360 for $278? Cheapo from CheapOzGamer has let us know that Big W is currently selling the console for this low, low price. Heck, at $278, it's in close competition with the Wii!

Other sweet Big W deals include a 12-month Live kit (headset, 200 MS points) for ~$70 and Battle of the Bands for ~$40. More beyond the link.

Big W Delivers - So much stuff [CheapOzGamer] [Pic]

With Capcom hard at work on Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD and Street Fighter IV, your standard Xbox 360 controller might not be enough to handle the sheer fighting goodness your console will eventually be struggling to keep contained. Enter Arcade-In-A-Box, who have just announced the availability of their new, customisable arcade controller for the Xbox 360. You can choose button styles and colors, upgrade the joystick from the standard to a Magstick Plus or Sanwa JLF, and even choose to have a custom graphic overlay added to the controller. Of course custom controllers aren't cheap, and the base unit will run you $US 149.00, with $US 30 more for a graphic and $US 15 for a headset jack. There's even a two-player version for $US 299.00. Pricey, sure, but when you take into account the fact that as a USB controller it also works on your PC... it's still pretty pricey. In the alternate reality where I am independently wealthy I own three of these.

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Microsoft Australia just sent word (yeah, they work late) that there'll be two Xbox 360 bundles available down here this Christmas. One is the Xbox Pro bundle, which will launch on November 1 and includes a 360 Premium pack, Forza 2 and Viva Pinata for $580. The other bundle will be the Arcade Pack, which will launch on November 15 for $400. Snazzy price-point, that, since it's exactly what a Wii costs down here. Press release follows.

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The Arcade Pack's not just for North America. It's for Europe, too, where it'll be launching this Friday (October 26) for £200/€279. Same pack, same games, same deal, just...European. PAL-compliant, even. Press release follows.

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Not the Arcade Pack. It's aimed at kids, yes, but they can't snuggle up to it and dream sweetly like they can with this. The work of kickass-peanut, and posted up over on her deviantART page, it's entirely hand-stitched and has got eyes, a wired controller, memory card and even some sweet, sweet cheeks. I'm getting sleepy just looking at it. Nice work, peanut.
Xbox 360 Plushie [kickass-peanut @ deviantART]

Finally! After this and this, Microsoft officially announced a new bundle today directed directly at families. Starting today, the Xbox 360 Arcade System comes with a wireless controller, HDMI interface, 256MB storage card and five "family friendly" arcade games: PAC-MAN Championship Edition, Uno, Luxor 2, Boom Boom Rocket and Feeding Frenzy. Says corporate VP Jeff Bell:

In addition to offering an incredible all-in-one package for families to get right into the fun, the Xbox 360 Arcade system features the industry-leading Family Settings, which allow parents to control what their kids are watching and playing — and we know how important that control is to families around the world.

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It sounds like, if you read between the lines of the attached press release, that Microsoft might finally be officially rolling out the Xbox 360 Arcade edition next Tuesday... or maybe not.

The press release, found on the Hispanic PR Wire, is really more about the importance of giving Xbox 360s to your family, regardless of your background. That's right, even poor people can play games. Thanks for clarifying Microsoft.

To be fair Microsoft is donating two of the 360 Arcade consoles to each Para Los Ninos centre on Skid Row in LA and throughout Southern California. I hear the Elites are all going to those Beverly Hills' children centers.

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Microsoft still haven't gotten around to announcing the 360 Arcade Pack, which we've been hearing about for months now. Guess they're busy! The Arcade Pack will replace the existing Core pack, and will include a 256MB memory card, five arcade games and a wireless controller, all for the price of $279 (same as the Core is now). That pic above, obtained by GameSpot, shows a promo standee for the bundle that turned up at a mysterious, unnamed retailer in the US. So that official announcement can't be too far off, what with the bundles apparently due in the next two weeks. Maybe their press release team are away on holidays...

Arcade 360 displays popping up at retail [GameSpot]