Hmm seems some people dont know how long term payment plans work for any business.

But more to te point, is it would seem VGC and some havent posted the whole news.

The rumour is that the final price of $460 paid over the 2 years is not just Live Gold. It possibly includes the 2 years of Zune Music which is around $200 for 2 years.

Other rumours suggest its not Zune but it includes 2 years Netflix.

Its not certain what is invloved in the 15/month payment from Live.

Even if its just Live Gold, only costing an extra $40 over the course of 2 years for being able to get all that for alot less on initial cost is a great offer and much better than any plan available in UK for example where APR would be added at a rediculous amount. Pretty much any company would have me paying like $600 by the 2 year end. Microsft are being very reasonable to the consumer in todays climate. Fantastic deal.

Ummm no buying a product knowing that at some point in the unknown future it will get a price cut or go on clearance, is not ignorant because you are not certain on the timing of the cut. (Like we are now for this years eventual cut)

Ignorance is willfully spending a lot of extra money for the same product. That is this bundle. There is no way this bundle will save anyone any money otherwise MS wouldn't be doing it. They are doing it to prolong the higher margin rate as well as dramatically increase their cash cow.. I mean Live subscription fees.

Buying crap like this and using credit cards on frivolous things is exactly why my country and many around the world are in the economic mess we're in now. People do idiotic purchases because they are impatient and willfully ignorant with their spending habits. I'm not immune to this same thing, but I won't make those mistakes again. Especially with a game console.

Again, smart buyers will recognize that a price cut is coming this year and its better to just start saving $20, $40, whatever they can out of each paycheck and just buy what they want when they have enough for it.

Credit should be reserved for emergencies, large purchases ($1,000s not $100s), and when its building your credit since you're carrying very low balance or paying off monthly.

Don't take this so personally, I'm not attacking you or anyone directly, just the overall logic and deal involved. I just think its stupid to waste money, unless you have so much coming in that it will never affect you. Until that happens, spending over $100 more on this bundle is not a good deal for anyone.

what the? you pay two years and then you buy a gold subscription if you wish to play live any longer

Granted, the value may increase with addons like Netflix where you'd pay 1/2 that monthly as it is, then if you were planning on buying that service anyways, you may get a good value out of this bundle.

However, the actual difference as it stands now is not $40 but $100 and frankly that is not a good deal... even if was is only $40.

No contract ever just ends like that. It will be as he said and will continue month to month at the $15 rate or MS might send you offers to sign a new contract based on some other percieved discount.

Read my reply before commenting. And you left out the second year of Xbox Live in one of your calculations. This is all still rumor. This $99 xbox most likely comes with games, and the subscription we STILL DO NOT KNOW WHAT ALL IT INCLUDES!

If it includes a good deal of extra content over standard Gold, it is a GREAT deal! $40 for 2 years of additional content that is regularly $10-15 per month? That saves you $150-300 right there!

Again, it is a good deal if the subscription offers are good and you want those features.

You can't generalize and say it is a horrible deal for EVERYONE.

... did read it wrong

no clue what you are talking about. i take this option and after two years i buy a gold subscription on amazon. where is the problem? i buy a smartphone with a 2 year subscription and after that my contract will end and the phone is mine.

Yes, I ignored the discussion regarding additional features than what Live currently offers.

I did not leave out a 2nd year of live membership in any of my calculations.

Regardless of all of that, as it stands right now based on what we know... its is a horrible deal costing people $100 more than what they could get by just saving up the money or buying now. Then adding in the fact that Xbox will get at least a $50 cut across the board before the year's over... its an even worse deal.

Now, if they give you at no additional cost Netflix and some big free music subscription... both of which you'd buy anyways... then sure its not a horrible deal. But, I'd still rather wait to see the full discount xbox will recieve later this year.

When you sign up to contracts like this, they don't just end like that. You'd have to willfully cancel the $15/mo membership and then get stand alone Live. Otherwise it would continue month to month at $15. That's how any subscription like this works.

Your phone analogy is sort of right, but you forget that after the two years, the plan stays as is and you continue to get charged the same monthly rate, which is my point. Now, this is not a big deal as cancelling is usually not an issue, but MS will likely try to get those people to sign a new contract based on some other upgrade or many people will just not think about it and keep paying even if they are not using the full set of services.

From a business perspective, its a great deal as they can lock in users. From a consumer perspective it is mostly likely not the best value in almost any situation.