XBOX360²

Microsoft announced XBOX 360 pricing at the German Games Conference in Leipzig and, true to form, they're going to make things hazy and indistinct, especially for wary parents who have to figure it all out without the benefit of their less technically challenged offspring.

Initially, XBOX 360 will be available in two configurations; for $299.99, you get a scaled down, barebones XBOX with one wired controller and no hard drive and that's about it. If you're willing to spend an extra $100.00, you'll get an XBOX 360 with a wireless controller, a 20GB hard drive, a remote control to use the system's built-in multimedia interface easily, a headset for online interaction and all the connectors to set up its HiDef capabilities with your HiDef TV, assuming you already have one.

You can buy the "cheap" version now and add on all the other bells and whistles later, but the complete set-up bought piecemeal will run you almost $500.