Walmart is gearing up for a pre-Black Friday sale of sorts this weekend, which will offer a significant discount on Microsoft's Xbox 360 Arcade. The console package, which sells for $199, will be accompanied by a free $100 gift card, effectively cutting the 360's price to $99. The Arcade unit comes with a wireless controller, 512MB of memory, and an HDMI port (no cable, though).

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It is great of course to live down here in New zealand but we do have to pay premium prices for our electronic goods. Oh to have a Walmart type store in my town, or anywhere in the country,never mind we get there in the end !

Why can't my country have discounts like this ? Greedy bastards ;DDD

A pre-Black Friday sale huh? Why do stores need some sort of "reason" for sales when there obviously isn't any.

Just do a sale, why do you have to call it something especially if it's a "pre-" sale.

Wow 99 bucks for a xbox?? Damn that's nice, asuming you normaly shop at wallmart and make use of the 100 dollar gift card

@Colonel Lance: I don't think Walmart is officially calling it the "pre-Black Friday sale" heh.

can i switch xbox for PS3? :D

Great price on the XBox. Pre sales sales though...an interesting concept.

Nice low price for an HP laptop. The processor seems to be the only drawback for me. What kind of performance can I expect from a celeron 900 with this system configuration?

So it's really $199 not $99, as the gift card (no doubt) will have to be used at Wally's-Mart. You're really buying a $199 gift card and using $99 of it on an XBox.

I mean it's a good deal if you were planning on shopping at WalMart and wanting an Xbox too, but really just clever marketing. ;)

@TomSEA: I'd argue that their tactics aren't exactly hidden. It's pretty obvious that they're just locking you into more Walmart purchases. *But* the fact is, you'll have to buy certain items anyway, and Walmart is likely to carry those products. Even if you just use the $100 on food or Xbox 360 accessories -- you will find a use for it.

Walmart certainly does benefit from the sale, and if they didn't, they wouldn't host it. That said, it's not like the consumer is losing out.

I hope other stores put out some good deals similar to this. I really don't like supporting Walmart.

First off, it says its accompanied by a FREE $100 card, which means yes, you have to use it. But it is $99 total. I would consider it if I didn't just blow a ton of money on other stuff... I need a HDMI capable 360 lol.

tengeta - no, it's not "free." You must still pay $199. Ain't nothing free about that. ;)

And Matthew, I agree - they're not hiding anything and you will get something with the gift card that you wouldn't elsewhere. But the fact remains that if you're shopping for an Xbox 360, then you're going to have to pay $199 for it just like everywhere else. Just my 2 bits... :)

In terms of the $100 gift card, you think it would be possible to turn around and use it on your current purchase? (the xbox?) I did that before once when I got a free gift card. That would be the ideal situation!

Interesting that they start a deal like this. I can't wait for other stores to do so too.

The thing about a black Friday sales is the lack of quantity of the stuff ! I what a reasonably chance if I am going to have to shop with elbows up at some crazy sale.

I guess i'll just have my little cry that I aint got a Wallmart near by... :'o(

Nice sale though, $99 for an x-box is nice, could get one of those 42" sharps with that gift vouture for $398 too...okay it's a sharp, but nice package for just under $500.

Damn it, as some say back there why can't this offers reach my country =/

So is it easily possible to upgrade this version with a harddrive and if so, is it picky about which harddrive you have to use? I have seen articles on upgrading an arcade xbox 360 but are all of them upgradeable or only certain models? Any info would be appreciated guys!