Xbox One price cut is permanent, gets new 1TB model

Yep, it comes with Halo

After an Amazon leak confirmed the existence of an Xbox One model with a 1TB hard drive, Microsoft has officially announced both the new SKU and a price drop for the 500GB model, along with the new Xbox One controller. The controller is almost exactly the same as its predecessor, apart from the addition of a 3.5 mm headphone jack and improved shoulder bumpers.

Starting today, the standard 500GB Xbox One model will be permanently available for $349. The Xbox Wire press release makes no mention of the Assassin’s Creed or Halo bundles, but several retailers such as Target, GameStop, Wal-Mart, and Toys”R”Us all list the various 500GB bundles as being on sale for $349. Target, in particular, notes the $349 price as a “temp price cut.”

The 1TB model will have a matte black finish (for those of you who dig that sort of thing) and come packaged with both a download code for Halo: The Master Chief Collection and the new Xbox One controller, all for $399. The console will ship to retailers on June 16, one day after Amazon’s supposed pre-order date of June 15.

All future Xbox One bundles, including the 500GB model, will be packaged with the new Xbox One controller. Should you want to use this new controller with your PC, Microsoft will also release a wireless adapter for Xbox One controllers for $24.99 (Windows 10 only), or $79.95 in a controller bundle. There’s currently no release date set for either the adapter or the controller, but it’s safe to assume they’ll roll out alongside the new Xbox model.