Hey, remember when Microsoft announced that super weird $99 Xbox 360 deal that required purchasers to sign up for a two-year contract with a $14.99 monthly fee, like you were buying some kind of gigantic cell phone? And then they made the deal only available through one of the handful of existing Microsoft branded stores? If you don't remember what I'm talking about, I probably sound like a lunatic right now. But I assure you, it happened.
Now, Microsoft has brought that same deal to participating GameStop and Best Buy locations. According to Major Nelson, the deal officially launches at those retailers today, so if you want to get up on this right now, you theoretically could.
As I've mentioned before, however, the math doesn't necessarily work out in your favor on this one. The contract includes a 4GB Xbox 360, Kinect, and two years of Xbox Live Gold. With the $99 up front and the $14.99 monthly charge, that equates to about $460 total spent over the two years. You can get all that same equipment and two years of Xbox Live for roughly $399 nowadays. Of course, the idea here is to give those who can't afford the up-front investment a way to enjoy a new Xbox, but if you're the sort who enjoys not paying more money for things than they're worth, maybe skip this whole deal.