Seems like a good way to counter the Destiny bundle. Too bad the writer of this doesn't seem to grasp that idea...
per the article from the Daily News:
System Update: Microsoft to offer free game with Xbox One purchase next week
Madden 15, Destin and Need for Speed Rivals are among the popular titles offered up for gamers in Microsoft's bid to counter the ultra popular PlayStation 4.
MicrosoftExtra Boost! Microsoft is offering free game with next gen console Xbox One purchase next weekNow that's more like it.
For the last several months, Sony's PlayStation 4 has dominated sales numbers, outpacing Microsoft's next-gen Xbox One. But for at least one week, the Xbox One just might be the sales king.
Next week, from Sept. 7-13, Microsoft will offer a free game with the purchase of any new Xbox One console.
It's an impressive no-strings-attached deal. Often, deals like this have you selecting from a small pool of games, but not this time. Microsoft will let you choose any Xbox One game, from Tuesday's big new release, Destiny, to hot-selling Madden 15 to an older game, such as Battlefield 4 or Need for Speed Rivals. The lone limitation of the deal is that it's available at only certain retailers, a list headlined by GameStop, Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy, among others.
The deal is good on Xbox One bundles, too, so you could easily pick up the Madden 15 bundle and an extra game, essentially starting your Xbox One collection with two titles.
Kudos to Xbox on giving back to consumers just a little bit. After some well-publicized hiccups before the launch of the Xbox One (can anyone forget how Microsoft initially planned to force users to play with an internet connection?) the company has quietly worked hard to grow more consumer friendly.
For several months, it's run a Games With Gold program that offers regular free games for download for anyone who has paid for the Xbox Live Gold online service. The company has also been working continually to expand some of its more underrated offerings, increasing the library of workouts in Xbox Fitness. Months ago, Microsoft began offering the Xbox One without the Kinect, cutting the price by $100 to $399.
Suddenly, at least for a week, the Xbox One appears to be a much better value than the hot-selling, buzzy PlayStation 4. And remember, folks: This whole console war is once again all about value. By and large, the games on both machines are largely the same (yes, Destiny will be on both consoles). Visually, the PS4 seems slightly more powerful, but the Xbox One isn't last-gen by any means. Both consoles have very similar libraries of titles, too; sure, the Xbox One has TitanFall and Sony has Killzone, but neither title is a true dealbreaker.
I find myself using both machines regularly. The Xbox's cable TV integration is an impressive family feature, even if its ideas of "Snapping" two screens onto your big-screen TV have been somewhat less useful than I'd hoped. But the PS4's sharing capabilities are far more user-friendly than anything Microsoft has delivered thus far. And in first-party games, Sony has the slightest of edges, with The Last of Us: Remastered, the spectacular MLB: The Show and a pair of inFamous games drawing my attention.
But for at least one week, the Xbox One will come at a tremendous comparative value. Nice move, Microsoft.
Source : http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/system-update-microsoft-offer-free-game-xbox-purchase-week-article-1.1929109
It is near the end of the end....
