Microsoft's getting aggressive this holiday season by temporarily cutting the price of Xbox One to $349. The deal begins on November 2 and runs through January 3, when the price will return to $399.

The company is also offering a number of special edition bundles benefiting from the price drop, which the company outlined on its blog. There's a Sunset Overdrive bundle featuring a white console and a copy of the game for $349. Assassin's Creed fans can grab a separate bundle with Assassin's Creed: Unity and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag for $349 (or $449 with Kinect). Finally, a Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare bundle sports a customized Xbox One console, a copy of the game, and a 1TB hard drive for $449.

still going to go with ps4 for advanced warfare, all my friends already bought it so I dont want to be the lone defector

That's a good price, Sunset Overdrive is looking good too.

Is this America only? I just considered buying one again.

That's cool.

But why is there no Master Chief Collection bundle? As a PC/PS owner, that's the one game/franchise that would make me buy an Xbox One this year. $349 is still a fair price for a new console though.

Everyone who actually thinks that this is just "for the holidays" raise your hand.

Nobody? Good.

I can pretty much promise that if Microsoft doesn't make one, Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, or someone will for Black Friday.

The forza horizon 2 box becomes a bit more desirable...

$350 for a bundle that includes a $60 game is pretty crazy.

Waiting for the price to drop to them paying me $200. That will be my time to strike!

I think the time for me to place an Xbox one next to the PS4 has come. Early reviews of Sunset Overdrive are looking positive, Forza Horizon 2 looks fantastic and Alexis and Drews' halo marathon has gotten me excited for the master chief collection. Now to decide which bundle makes the most sense.

Yep, as soon as Sunset bundles are in transit for everyone, then they announce a price drop.

But still not worth it ;-)

(in my opinion that is.)

They can lower the prize, now can they shrink the VHS sized xone?

At that price I'm definitely getting one. Does anyone know if the first version of KI is still free?

With the Halo Collection coming out, there's enough good games on the console for me to buy it this holiday.

This also reminds me how ps4 has essentially nothing when it comes to first party. Besides FH2 there's killer instinct, master chief collection, Sunset overdrive, dead rising 3.

I know this reeks of desperation but to me the xbone just seems more desirable game wise, for the moment. Ps4 WILL have bloodborne, i'll give em that...

The desperation is real

That's a good move. Can't wait to play Sunset Overdrive tonight.

Yeah, as someone who only has a PS4, I'm just pretending this holiday season doesn't exist and I'm waiting for February for Bloodborne, The Order (I think it looks cool), and Witcher 3.

This is a great move by Microsoft though, there's no denying that.

Ohh that's some aggressive pricing. Kinda temping but I think I would rather spend that 350 on other gaming related stuff.

The Unity deal is pretty good, Black Flag is probably still the best game on new consoles despite Mordor being out. Obviously that's probably going to change in February.

Desperate, they´re literally losing money in order to sell more consoles. Still, this means I´ll be getting an Xbox One sooner rather than later to go with my PS4. But yes, they´re desperate.

wuh wuh wuh wuuut

god job MS too bad it is only in the US

Hope it helps them, we need fiercer competition. I'm a bit disappointed in Sony so far and they won't be forced to improve if everyone else flops.

Not cheap enough for me unfortunately. I have all the other systems and I'd only buy an Xbox for the exclusives. I hope we see the magical 299 next year, it always manages to convince me.

Ars Technica thinks the PS4 may be outselling the Bone by 2-to-1, so it makes sense Microsoft is getting desperate.

@plasticpals: Wasn't it like 15-5 a few months ago (total consoles sold)?

One of the fantastic things about Xbox is when you get the chance to play a new IP, a new game

What a feature.

Tempting... But I just bought a new computer and I don't think I could justify buying this to my girlfriend

Man, that's reallllllll tempting. I don't really want a white console though, as much as I'd like Sunset Overdrive. I guess the AC one is black, but I'm gonna get the PS4 version of that for co-op with PS4 friends.

Oh well.

Now if they offer a Halo Master Chief bundle at that price they got me.

Nope...still not interested. Nice try, though.

Nice try, Microsoft, but I'm still buying a PlayStation 4 this holiday.

If that thing wasn't the size of a VCR I might be in

That, folks is what I call desperation.

Oh and I still want to kick myself in the head for picking that stupid thing up at launch.

Curious what the Black Friday sales are gonna be now. If the SKU with the Kinect drops to or gets below $399 I'm getting it. Also really surprised there's no bundle for the Master Chief Collection yet.

I think Xbox One is a perfect compliment to any PC gamer. The price is right with a game bundled in, it is enough for PC gamers to satiate their appetite for console game action outside of their main interest in PC gaming.

Stupid of them to put the price back. They should lower it permenantly. I am not buying either console until it is around €200-250. I have never paid more than €250 for a console and I am not about to atart now. What I have paid so far.

PS3 €200

360 €200 (akthough it was the core edition so I ended up buying a harddrive later)

PS2 €100

Gamecube €160

XBOX €250

Dreamcast €250

PS1 €180

Master System €50

NES €80

@ripelivejam: I really feel like both companies aren't doing an amazing job with games, at this point I'm not interested in buying either one of the consoles.

I think this will probably pan out to work for Microsoft but what if it doesn't? I mean a $150 price drop in a year and a free game. What do they do if this doesn't move consoles like they hope? I know the company is sitting on a mountain of billions in cash, but it is fascinating watching what may become another Dreamcast. (I say may not will)

@nomin: Not sure about that, PS4 will probably have more exclusives that will never have a PC version. Then again Xbox One comes with a (pricey) controller that works without hacks on a PC.

...I'll probably still pick up the Sunset bundle tomorrow.

Man, you guys have some really odd criteria for purchasing a console. I didn't realize color, size, and whether or not you think it's a "desperate" move by Microsoft to discount it for the holiday season were deciding factors.

I was gonna hold out for the inevitable Halo xbox one but damn...

Whenever I look into getting a new graphics card, I think about the price difference between that single component and a complete console. That being said, I think I prefer my PC for now... but the prices of these consoles is intriguing to me and I'll probably pick one up at some point.

How is this desperate? You people have no idea what you're talking about, as per usual.

@superfriend: I think it's called a holiday discount. It's usually viewed as something positive, but -ah, now I see, it's Microsoft offering a discount so it's inherently bad, were still upset with them for murdering all those babies.

It's kind of astonishing that this system hasn't even been out for a year yet, and they feel they have to be this aggressive with pricing.