Rumors were abound last week that Microsoft was planning some sort of insane-sounding $99 Xbox 360 deal that came encumbered with a two-year subscription contract, and now the console maker has announced exactly that. Those who purchase an Xbox 360 from Microsoft's own retail outlets will be able to buy a new console, complete with an Xbox Live Gold Membership and Kinect, for $99, provided they sign up for a two-year contract with the company.
The subscription fee for the contract is $14.99 per-month, which roughly amounts to just under a hundred dollars more than you'd pay for all of the included Xbox stuff up-front. There is also an undisclosed "termination fee" for those who want to break their contract early.
It's a cell phone model as-yet-unused in console gaming, but could be successful for the seven-year-old console, provided people can actually find a Microsoft Store to buy one of these things. The number of nationwide locations for Microsoft Stores is relatively low, though if you happen to live within relative driving distance of Scottsdale, Arizona's beautiful Scottsdale Fashion Square, or one of the two separate locations in New Jersey (wait, what?), then you're in luck.
Once you're done contemplating the irony of this deal for a device that relies heavily on digital content being exclusively available through hard to find brick-and-mortar retail outlets, you can find the complete list of Microsoft Store locations here.