Xbox 360 Arcade unboxed

Thanks to Emanuel, an intrepid tipster who went above and beyond the call of duty, we managed to get a full unboxing of the Xbox 360 Arcade before Microsoft has even been able to send out a press release about the thing. Whenever the console officially lands, you can expect to pick up the hard drive free console for around $299.99 (Amazon said $279.99), which includes a 256MB Memory Card, a Wireless controller, an HDMI port minus the cable, and a disc that includes copies demos of Xbox LIVE Arcade games Boom Boom Rocket, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Pac-Man Championship, and Uno. Check out the full gallery below.

Update: We added some more shots from before the unboxing, including one for the eagle-eyed that shows the all important manufacture date: September 4th, 2007.

[Thanks again, Emanuel E.!]

Gallery: Xbox 360 Arcade unboxed

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[rossel_21 @ Oct 14th 2007 8:04PM]

Does anyone know if this is the Falcon series?

Thanks

[MRCUR @ Oct 14th 2007 9:33PM]

It would've been nice to at least see the manufacture date on the console.

It would be even better if the owner could check if the console was Falcon...

[JDizzle @ Oct 14th 2007 9:51PM]

In response to whoever said that the 256mb will only be enough to save on like 5 games, my PS2 memory card is only 8mb and that can save a good amount of games. What makes Xbox 360 games need so much more space just to save?

[Mike @ Oct 14th 2007 10:41PM]

JDizzle -

They were probably talking about ~50MB Live Arcade downloads, not game saves.

[MRCUR @ Oct 15th 2007 4:24PM]

I would definitely say no, this console isn't Falcon. The manufacture date is around when Falcon has been put in other consoles (non-H3), but the team is CSON. There haven't been any reported CSON Falcon consoles from what I have read, only FDOU.

[shane williams @ Oct 19th 2007 5:25PM]

"In response to whoever said that the 256mb will only be enough to save on like 5 games, my PS2 memory card is only 8mb and that can save a good amount of games. What makes Xbox 360 games need so much more space just to save?"--- Its not for the games saves, its for the games you downlaod off xbox live arcade

[RS @ Oct 14th 2007 8:05PM]

Can someone explain to me what would be the advantages and disadvantages of buying this XBox versus the premium or Elite models? Thanks in advance!

[Fenway Beer Man @ Oct 14th 2007 8:11PM]

ummm... it's $70 CHEAPER?

[kev @ Oct 14th 2007 9:26PM]

The Premium has an extra 20GB hard drive, HDMI and ethernet cables, as well as a headset.
The arcade has only a 256mb memory card in it's place
The elite has a 120gb hard drive, HDMI and ethernet cables and headset.

[Michael @ Oct 14th 2007 8:30PM]

Yeah but what is the benefit of the hard drive?
Or in other words, what can't you do by not having the hard drive?
Can you get a cheaper hard drive elsewhere later on?

[Sneakz @ Oct 14th 2007 8:39PM]

Well I'm a get this. Free Component cable don't matter if I going to get a VGA (or HDMI) cable anyway. Who needs an ethernet cable? I have so many lying around in my house. Headset, I'll pick one up when I need one. 20GB HDD, Meh. Canadians don't have much downloadable content anyway.

[Grant @ Oct 14th 2007 8:39PM]

the hard drive allows you to download things off of live, and keep your game saves for more than like 5 games(The memory card is tinnnyyyy), and you can only play backwards compatible xbox1 games with it.
and no, you can't buy a cheap HDD later, MS hasn't dropped the price and only their peripheral HDD works.

To really take full advantage of what the 360 has to offer, you're gonna have to pony up for the hard drive eventually. You might as well buy it from the get go, cause it's cheaper, when all things are considered, when bought in the premium package than separate later. But if you really can't afford a premium system, this sounds a hell of alot better than the regular core. It comes with the arcade disc which has $30 worth of arcade games on it, and a wireless controller, instead of a wired one that comes with the core

[k-g @ Oct 14th 2007 9:06PM]

The elite is probably overkill if you there isn't a part of your brain saying "my life won't be complete until I download hi def movies/TV shows from MS that are fairly expensive and often have short usable lifetimes".

The 20 gb drive on the pro level 360 is likely good enough for more users...You can store a ton of game saves, download a more than few game demos (I'd say this is the biggest plus of the pro or the elite, being able to download free demo games to tried them out before you spend $60 to find out they are 'teh suck'...although not every game gets demoed on xbox live.) and if important to you, and the hard drive allows for backward compatibility with selected Xbox1 games as well. Also I believe you need a hard drive if you want to play many of the online multiplayer matches on xbox live as well

If you are casual gamer not interested on online gaming or playing Xbox1 games and are merely want to give the 360 a try on with some single player/home only multiplayer, then this package isn't the worst thing you could buy. If you feel the need for more down the road, you can always spend the $100 for HD down the road. Given the free games, the memory unit and the wireless controller, the arcade back is a definite step up in value and usefulness over the pervious core/tard pack.

[Super_Trey_Bros @ Oct 15th 2007 10:01AM]

One advantage is if you have a launch 360 that isn't RRoD, but not functioning properly and you didn't get the extended warranty, and you crave an XBOX 360, but don't have the money for an Elite, the Arcade pack's low price becomes tempting.

Or, it's better than getting a Wii, in the long run.

[Chris @ Oct 14th 2007 8:08PM]

Now, I know it can play Doom, but why isn't it included?

[Chuck Yoder @ Oct 14th 2007 9:22PM]

The hard drive... and a component cable though if your TV has an open HDMI port, a $4 purchase from Monoprice fixes that up.

[J. Evans Turner @ Oct 16th 2007 12:55PM]

Because the rating on the box would no longer be "E" for "Everyone".

[Sefius @ Oct 14th 2007 8:16PM]

so...i dont own a 360. But im wondering whats the difference between this and the regular one? its cheaper so its called arcade?

[Chuck Yoder @ Oct 14th 2007 8:21PM]

It's a renamed Core (now with HDMI) with a wireless controller instead of a wired one and a disc with 5 games on it.

[Donode @ Oct 15th 2007 11:47AM]

Thanks, chuck - that's what I was wondering; just exactly what are differences between this and the core!

Good sum up.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Oct 14th 2007 8:16PM]

"AHHHHH" I said when the engadget homepage loaded and I saw the first headline...

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Oct 14th 2007 8:22PM]

Also, we haven't found out about thhe lego star wars and harry potter pictures we saw on the previous arcade post.

[Unnamedjoe @ Oct 15th 2007 12:09PM]

they are on the back of the box. The pictures are also on the back of the new premium package and the new elite package.

[GoreTEX @ Oct 14th 2007 8:23PM]

This one has no backwards compatibility if playing original xbox games are important to you.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Oct 14th 2007 8:26PM]

Xbox games are barely available except for Halo anymore. It's probably OK to most.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Oct 14th 2007 8:24PM]

Engadget, make a giveaway contest when the arcade is available.

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Oct 14th 2007 8:29PM]

Emmanuel's a true American Hero.

[Michael @ Oct 14th 2007 8:31PM]

Does the 360 with the HDMI port do upscaling to HD 1080 with DVD playback?
If so how well does it do it?

[Cody S. @ Oct 14th 2007 9:06PM]

Pretty sure the 360 does NOT upscale DVD's. I'm positive it doesn't upscale through component, although HDMI could potentially be different.

[MRCUR @ Oct 14th 2007 9:29PM]

Yes, the 360 will upscale DVDs over HDMI and VGA.

[Sir.Byrd @ Oct 14th 2007 8:32PM]

What's the point?

[Sir.Byrd @ Oct 15th 2007 12:01AM]

But seriously, 70 bucks more and you get a hard drive. I don't know.

[h0mi @ Oct 15th 2007 2:43PM]

Get a hard drive, a headset and component cables but you lose the bundled games and a memory card. Those games are $35 (45 if pac man is not a demo).

Course, the premiums (and elites) are bundled with Forza 2 and Marvel UA. Depends on which games you prefer.

[Sefius @ Oct 14th 2007 8:36PM]

oh wow... that's pretty good i actually might get a 360 then. does the hard drive really have any important use anyways? or its just something you can live without?

[MRCUR @ Oct 14th 2007 9:30PM]

If you are going to have LIVE, then you should really get a HD.

[sinh truong @ Oct 14th 2007 8:41PM]

hmmm... does it have optical out?

[James @ Oct 14th 2007 8:47PM]

The Xbox 360 *component* cable includes an optical-out jack. The jack is in the cable, which I believe the "Arcade" does not include.

[Arno @ Oct 14th 2007 8:45PM]

I thought these are full versions of the arcade games mentioned, why does the box say it comes with "Five Trial Games"?

[Ruben @ Oct 14th 2007 9:21PM]

that is on top of the 5 full games you get in the disk. Since the card holds very little, downloading the trial versions of those games would kill most of its space, so they are included as well.

[Arno @ Oct 14th 2007 9:22PM]

Ah, gotcha. Ok good to know, thanks.

[Mrfreezie @ Oct 14th 2007 8:51PM]

Wow, Emanuel is my hero.

[Andrew @ Oct 14th 2007 9:04PM]

Not a bad deal, but I'd still fork over the extra $70 for a Premium. The HDD itself goes for about that online.

[pencap @ Oct 14th 2007 9:11PM]

just wondering if you can save games via the usb port in the back with say a usb thumb drive or usb HDD. Ive read that you can hook up HDD's but every article i read makes it rather unclear on whether or not i can save games with it or if its only for playing media on the 360. I have a decent enough pc that i havent had any desire to buy a 360 to play new games, but if i can score one for around 250 i just may reconsider, but not if i have to shell out $$$ for a over priced HDD. come on $180 for a 120gb hard drive??? you can nearly buy a terabyte HDD for that much these day M$.

[Andrew @ Oct 14th 2007 9:16PM]

You cannot save to anything but an Xbox 360 Memory Card or HardDrive.

[Elliot @ Oct 14th 2007 9:19PM]

A terabyte 2.5" harddrive? No..

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Oct 14th 2007 9:12PM]

You could even buy a harddrive off of amazon anyways if you want one so much. It's only 89.99 with free shipping.

[hn333 @ Oct 14th 2007 9:16PM]

Will this piece of junk overheat on me?

[jarrodjob @ Oct 14th 2007 9:34PM]

Microsoft. Continuing to confuse and dupe mothers into thinking they got their child the correct holiday toy. Making kids "disbelievers" one Xbox at a time.

[dj-kenpo @ Oct 14th 2007 9:43PM]

and you would suggest ..what instead? a ps3?

dad I want to play. shush, I'm watching my blu-ray on it.

;)

[jarrodjob @ Oct 14th 2007 9:53PM]

Simply wanted to poke at Microsoft's bid at attracting attention to parents at your local game store to inquire what the hell the xbox arcade is.

Kid wants Xbox. Puts it on holiday list.

Then mom takes list to store. Get Xbox. Hmm. Ill take the cheapest one. Plus, wow it comes with 5 games.

(MSFT) Xbox wants parents to think that this is a great deal, when in fact its a repackaged Core.

The point I am trying to make is that it is confusing and complicated to purchase systems w/ multiple configs.

Especially seeing the sticker on the front that precludes a good deal that you are getting five full titles. Seeing pac-man on the cover will definitely draw questions from the prudent customer, wondering....well why spend 349 when I can get this one for 279 and it comes with 5 games. Then asks clerk to help out. Then customer gets confused or buys it thinking its a good deal, takes it home, and kid is disappointed as they probably wanted a more expensive config / hard-drive.

It would be as if Apple put a sticker on the outside of an iPod promoting Brick Breaker and Parachute. Gotta be a better deal. Gotta get one.