Microsoft is planning its assault on the Holiday season with the obvious intent to compete on price, thanks to a brand-new Xbox Series S Starter Bundle announced today.
The bundle, announced on Xbox Wire, is perhaps the most natural evolution of Microsoft's philosophy, including an Xbox Series S, a wireless controller, and three months of Game Pass Ultimate, priced at $299.99, which is the current MSRP of the Series S on its own.
The new bundle will be released worldwide on October 31, right in time for the Holiday season.
This new move basically removes the friction of having to buy games when purchasing a new console, as Xbox Game Pass provides access to hundreds of them, including the recently released Starfield and Forza Motorsport, on top of the whole EA Play catalogue.
Of course, Microsoft isn't doing this entirely out of the goodness of their heart, as the initial three months are a good incentive to entice new customers to become regular Xbox Game Pass subscribers.
Microsoft may also be keen on exploiting the fact that the cheapest PS5 console on the American market will become $50 pricier starting in November. With the most affordable entry point into the competing ecosystem costing a $150 with no games on the menu, the house of Xbox has a clear marketing talking point to its advantage.
Of course, Sony retains a clear lead in terms of installed base, and that's not a small hill to climb for Microsoft.
Incidentally, those who want to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 at launch will have to buy it separately, as Microsoft and Activision have no plans to provide it to Game Pass subscribers at least until next year.
It'll be interestinto to see how the market will respond to the new bundle. We'll likely know more Across November and December.
