Microsoft Confirms 250GB Xbox 360 Kinect Bundle

Microsoft on Wednesday confirmed a 250GB "Special Edition" Xbox 360 Kinect bundle that comes with the body-tracking camera, the console itself and Kinect Adventures, going on sale in early November in the West. The previously-rumored bundle will cost $399 in the U.S. and launch on November 4. It'll hit European stores November 10, with a UK price tag of £299. The announcement of a higher-capacity Kinect hardware bundle comes after the July announcement of a lower-tier $299 (£249.99 in the UK) bundle, which instead of a 250GB console includes an Xbox 360 with 4GB of flash memory. Currently, Microsoft sells 250GB wi-fi-ready Xbox 360s for $299 in the U.S. The company revamped the form factor in June this year. Kinect and the pack-in game Kinect Adventures will be sold independently of Xbox 360 hardware for $149 in the U.S (£129.99 in the UK). Kinect will also have 15 games available at launch, including Kinectimals, Kinect Sports, Kinect Joy Ride and Harmonix's Dance Central. Microsoft said it will be showing off Kinect and its games at Tokyo Game Show next week. The camera and Kinect Adventures will launch in Japan on November 20, Microsoft confirmed Wednesday, at a price of ¥14,800 ($176). Additionally, two hardware bundles will arrive on the same day in the region, the 4GB Xbox 360 bundled with the camera for ¥29,800 ($355), and a premium 250GB console/Kinect bundle priced at ¥39,800 ($475). The confirmation of the higher-tier Kinect bundle comes a few weeks before Sony launches its own motion control solution, the PlayStation Move, which arrives in the U.S. and Europe later this month, and in Japan this October. At launch, Sony will be selling a $399 Move PlayStation 3 bundle that includes the wand-like motion controller, a PlayStation Eye camera, the game Sports Champions and a 320GB PS3. Sony's standalone wand controller will launch in the U.S. for $49, alongside Wii nunchuck-like wireless "navigation controller" that separately costs $29. The Move system, which utilizes buttons along with a tracking system, also requires a PlayStation Eye camera, which costs $39. However, Sony is also offering the Sports Champions bundle, which includes the sports-themed pack-in, a camera and the Move wand for $99. Sony marketing has taken jabs at Microsoft's decision to not include a new button-based controller with the Kinect system, through VP of Fake PlayStation Divisions Kevin Butler and also a website at YayButtons.com.