Xbox Live Ultimate Game Sale Slashes Prices To The Bone

[Earnest Cavalli]

Xbox Live Ultimate Game Sale Slashes Prices To The Bone

Today marks the debut of Microsoft's Xbox Live Ultimate Game Sale. The discounts are many and often very significant, so if you own an Xbox 360 this may be your lucky day.

Ah, summer! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the local itinerant population smells even worse than usual. It's a lovely time, and making it even more lovely are all of the big videogame sales that occur each year around this time. Sony's got one that we'll talk about a bit later today, but this particular news piece is dedicated to Microsoft's Xbox Live Ultimate Game Sale, a promotional offer which began this morning.

Here's how things work: Microsoft currently has four triple-A games on offer with discounts of greater than 50-percent off their normal retail price. Each day between now and Friday, July 5 this list of games will disappear, only to be replaced by another list of games with similarly impressive discounts.

Now that you're up to speed on how things work, let's get right to the list of titles on offer. Today the four titles you have to choose from include Borderlands 2, Far Cry 3, Max Payne 3 and Assassin's Creed III. Borderlands 2 and Max Payne 3 have seen the biggest discounts of the lot (both have been reduced by 75-percent) and can be downloaded to your console for a mere $10. Assassin's Creed 3 and Far Cry 3 received only 63- and 67-percent discounts respectively, and the former can be purchased for $15, while the latter is momentarily priced at $20.

If you hope to keep an eye on which new games might appear over the next few days, your best bet is to keep tabs on Xbox division figurehead Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb. You can do this either by checking his man on Twitter [http://majornelson.com/2013/07/01/xbox-live-ultimate-game-sale-starts-today-2/].

Source: Major Nelson [http://majornelson.com/2013/07/01/xbox-live-ultimate-game-sale-starts-today-2/]

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[josemlopes]

At least here in Portugal both borderlands 2 and Far cry 3 are at 9,99? or 840microbucks (dont know why its more expensive with points though)

 

[Jenny Jones]

Sweet, now I can buy some of the best games for this generation digitally without actually owning a solid copy of them which can ONLY be played on a soon to be unsupported console ^.^

 

[idarkphoenixi]

Not to rain on Microsoft's parade of finally learning how to do a sale but unless I'm mistaken these don't transfer over to the Xbone.

Just another reason why I like my PC so much. We are above such things as a console generation change.

 

[Josh123914]

It's nice that they're trying but everyone on the PC is waiting for the Steam sale.

I mean 75% off is great, but that's only 2 games, and they're all pretty popular, now if they backed these 4 with a couple lesser known games then maybe there'd be incentive for hardcore gamers to buy them, because as it stands anyone that wanted AC 3 would have already bought it by now.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

This is a nice show of goodwill on Microsoft's part. However, if this is U.S. only and they have no plans of doing it elsewhere, I will hold it against them a little...

 

[Irridium]

Seems they've FINALLY somewhat matched Steam's sales.

Just a shame that absolutely none of this will carry over to the Xbone. While any game you buy on Steam will work with future PC hardware one way or another.

But seriously, snark aside, these are good deals. Hopefully MS keeps up these kinds of sales for the Xbone.

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

Not to rain on Microsoft's parade of finally learning how to do a sale but unless I'm mistaken these don't transfer over to the Xbone.

Just a shame that absolutely none of this will carry over to the Xbone.

Why would anybody who chooses to buy an Xbone willingly sell their Xbox 360 to obtain one, after 7+ years of investing time, money, and potato chips into the thing?

That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

OT: Haters going to hate?

Far Cry 3 is on sale. You have my interest, Microsoft. Please be gentle.

 

[Irridium]

Not to rain on Microsoft's parade of finally learning how to do a sale but unless I'm mistaken these don't transfer over to the Xbone.

Just a shame that absolutely none of this will carry over to the Xbone.

Why would anybody who chooses to buy an Xbone willingly sell their Xbox 360 to obtain one, after 7+ years of investing time, money, and potato chips into the thing?

That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

OT: Haters going to hate?

Far Cry 3 is on sale. You have my interest, Microsoft. Please be gentle.

Because $500 is a big chunk of change and trading in a 360 towards it would help lower the price? Also in my case because my console space is already a hilariously big fire hazard what with a PS2, PS3, 360, Xbox, Wii, and Dreamcast all in close proximity. I really don't want to add anymore consoles to this madhouse.

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

Because $500 is a big chunk of change and trading in a 360 towards it would help lower the price? Also in my case because my console space is already a hilariously big fire hazard what with a PS2, PS3, 360, Xbox, Wii, and Dreamcast all in close proximity. I really don't want to add anymore consoles to this madhouse.

I have sunk far more than $500 into my Xbox 360 that I will never get back. That includes retail games, DLC, and XBLA titles. No, to trade in all of that stored on the 360 only to get the new "shiny" Xbone would be far worse than merely buying an Xbone in tandem, hypothetically of course.

In your case I understand your reasoning, though.

 

[TiberiusEsuriens]

Already have these, but I'm still tempted to get B2 for Xbox due to couch co-op. If they had mustered in DLC it woulda been a must buy.

To those who are crapping on Microsoft, keep in mind that the more money this sale rakes in, the more and better sales Xbox will have. A step in the right direction is a step in the right direction. Compared to their normal baby steps backwards this is a giant leap forwards and we should say, "Good job, now keep going!" instead of, "Boo, you're such a dick. It's not enough."

 

[Irridium]

Because $500 is a big chunk of change and trading in a 360 towards it would help lower the price? Also in my case because my console space is already a hilariously big fire hazard what with a PS2, PS3, 360, Xbox, Wii, and Dreamcast all in close proximity. I really don't want to add anymore consoles to this madhouse.

I have sunk far more than $500 into my Xbox 360 that I will never get back. That includes retail games, DLC, and XBLA titles. No, to trade in all of that stored on the 360 only to get the new "shiny" Xbone would be far worse than merely buying an Xbone in tandem, hypothetically of course.

In your case I understand your reasoning, though.

And I can certainly understand your reasoning. Of course, all this would not be a problem if the Xbone (and PS4) had backwards compatibility.

 

[Zeckt]

Now is the time they try to rack in good pr knowing they are about to turn away and not look back at the 360. They don't care about the content anymore. Whatever they do, they can never change the fact that my 360 had the rrod out of warranty due to THEIR Faulty hardware!! it's their fault!

Enjoy buying your dlc games on a system that will break down and be unsupported after 2 years, therefore losing them forever. Enjoy!

 

[Xdeser2]

Everyone may be complaining, but I dont care.

Im just glad I waited this long to pick up Borderlands 2. If M$ wants to try to compensate for bad press, It may not work, but I'll take their discounts anyway.

 

[JokerboyJordan]

Now that you're up to speed on how things work, let's get right to the list of titles on offer. Today the four titles you have to choose from include Borderlands 2, Far Cry 3, Max Payne 3 and Assassin's Creed III. Borderlands 2 and Max Payne 3 have seen the biggest discounts of the lot (both have been reduced by 75-percent) and can be downloaded to your console for a mere $10. Assassin's Creed 3 and Far Cry 3 received only 63- and 67-percent discounts respectively, and the former can be purchased for $15, while the latter is momentarily priced at $20.

That's strange, they're all the same price here in the UK, £8.99. Don't know why that is.

Anywho, as everybody has most likely said, anybody who wanted these games would have already got them by now, and in the case of Borderlands 2 the inevitable GOTY edition will most likely be better value for money.

 

[Norix596]

Hmm... not gonna jump on any of these but I'll keep looking at the new offers this week.

 

[Something Amyss]

It's nice that they're trying but everyone on the PC is waiting for the Steam sale.

I mean 75% off is great, but that's only 2 games, and they're all pretty popular, now if they backed these 4 with a couple lesser known games then maybe there'd be incentive for hardcore gamers to buy them, because as it stands anyone that wanted AC 3 would have already bought it by now.

Even just comparing it to other consoles, Sony has sales like this routinely. None are as good as Steam sales, but compared to Microsoft, they're awesome.

Microsoft always half-asses this stuff.

EDIT in fact, wasn't AC3 the same price in the last PS sale?

 

[Pinkamena]

Surprisingly low prices! Good for MS.

 

[Weaver]

Why did they only discount things most people already own by now if they wanted to play it?