ie8 fix

Microsoft to include free games with new Xbox 360s?

Microsoft has announced that all new Xbox 360s and Xbox 360 Elites will now ship with Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance.

by Will Greenwald

[Update: Microsoft has now officially confirmed the pack-in games. The bundled systems ship at the end of the month, and will run at least through the holiday season.]

The Xbox 360 price cut wasn't enough for Microsoft, so now it's adding free games to the mix. According to Kotaku, Microsoft will start bundling Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance with all new Xbox 360 and Xbox 360 Elite systems.

While they're not Halo 3 or Bioshock and are a few months to a year old, the two pack-in games present extremely solid plays. GameSpot gave Marvel Ultimate Alliance an 8.3 and Forza Motorsport 2 an impressive 9.2, so you can be confident that these aren't simply throwaway titles. Combined with the $50 price cut for the Xbox 360, these two games make the system very tempting as we near the holiday season.

Microsoft hasn't made any official announcements about these pack-in games yet, the bundles previously spotted on Best Buy's web site have since disappeared. If these reports are true, though, we'll probably start seeing game-bundled Xbox 360s by next month.

Don't Miss

CNET Conversations
Driving into the future at VW's Electronics Research Lab
CNET editor at large Brian Cooley goes behind the scenes with Peter Oel, director of Volkswagen Electronics Research Lab, to show you how Silicon Valley is changing the way we drive, from the latest in infotainment systems to new 3D technologies being used for design.
Play Video
  • Recently Viewed Products
  • My Lists
  • My Software Updates
  • Promo
  • Log In | Join CNET