So I'm doing research for a blog entry about MW2 numbers (consoles, special editions) and dropped an e-mail to my MS contact.

This is from an e-mail I received asking about the Wal-Mart $100 gift card, which I already knew about, but decided to ask him.

Skillz: I am also doing some research on the Wal-Mart deal this past weekend – buy an Xbox 360 Arcade for $199 and get a $100 gift card. Do you know if MS played a role in this? I know last year, Wal-Mart did that with the PS3s.

Contact: As for the Wal-Mart thing, we didn’t really have anything to do with that… a lot of times it’s the retailer’s call if they want to run special sales and promotions. ...

This is the same contact that feeds me all of my MS info. Folks quick to say MS did it, but unless the contact is lying (he's been golden since I started working with him in 2006 and hasn't been wrong yet) or denying it - the retailer footed the bill, folks.

Spin it how you want, but MS isn't behind that deal. Blame WallyWorld.

Well either way I bagged me a 360 for 99 dollars!

Well it wouldn't surprise me. MS is probably doing them sort of favors that don't involve forking over cash. Wal-Mart makes a stupid amount of profit, and they are also putting $100 gift cards with all Blackberry activations next week and a rumored $100 gift card with the Wii (though it looks doubtful right now). It's a Wal-Mart ploy to get more people into their store and it worked pretty well as we sold a gazillion 360's in our store with it. Hell, even the MW2 elites are selling out.

I guess people were more willing to jump to that conclusion when they heard Amazon had the same type of deal.

Yeah Ms wouldn't do that, but Walmart is so generous.

Either way, why would people complain about this? If you own a 360 or not, you gotta admit it's a great deal. I should have just picked up another 360 for the hell of it LOL.

I don't get it

I definitely agree. It's $100 in Wal-Mart cash - you can't get a refund unless you bring the 360 AND the gift card back. I was tempted to use it to MW2, but got the Prestige one instead.

Hey Monsta - since you work at WallyWorld, can you shed some light on why the toy gift guide features the Wii, the 360 but no PS3? Is it regional or what? I didn't see anything about the PS3 or PSP in it. I saw 3 pages - one for the Wii, one for the DS and one for the 360.

Though I believe you this time... but isnt this the same contact that told you all about those 360 relaunch crap and made it out to be huge?

That's a good question and in reality I have no idea. I've been so busy with work (I'm a floor associate of sort) I haven't even seen the AD. We got a pallet of the 250GIG PS3s and quite a few Go's so I don't think Wal-Mart has anything against Sony, maybe they just figure the 360 and Wii will sell better?