Out of the blue, Microsoft announced quite the news for fans and gamers alike. Starting on June 9th, you will be able to pick up the Xbox One w/o a Kinect for only $399. Unfortunately, those who get the $400 option wont have access to a Kinect until the Fall when the standalone sensor goes on sale. For many of us who saw the writing on the wall, this was not a surprise.
This is definitely a reactionary move to the PS4’s sales figures.
But they’re not done. Earlier today a report came out saying that the Live Gold membership would no longer be required to access entertainment apps like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, etc. Microsoft made that official as well. Also in June this will be possible. This applies to both the Xbox 360 + Xbox One. So say goodbye to the paywall to enjoy streaming apps on your Xbox.
Hopefully by removing the $100 price difference between the One and the PS4, now the 2 can be more competitive. There are many 360 owners like myself who are waiting for a solution to bring/access 360 games on the Xbox One. Then there will be a huge spike in sales for the One.
Until then, the console wars between Microsoft and Sony continue.
