Today at Leipzig, during the German Games Convention, Microsoft has decided to end the mystery around the Xbox 360 and has announced the price for its next generation console.
The surprise, if you can call it a surprise, confirmed the assumptions made by several analysts and the rumors that have been circulating for some time now: Microsoft is launching two Xbox 360 configurations, one of which will not include a HDD.

For $299, or €299, or £20, console gaming enthusiasts will benefit from a basic kit, which will include the console, one wired controller, a faceplate usable by the owners to personalize their console, an AV cable, and another one for connecting the device to the TV.

The crown's jewel, a sort of deluxe version of Xbox 360, will be accessible to those willing to pay $399.99, or €399.99 or £279. This version will include a detachable 20GB HDD, a wireless controller, a HD-AV cable for connecting the device to the HDTV TV sets and a Xbox Live Silver card. As a bonus, the future owners will also receive a Media Remote.

Users going for the cheaper version of Xbox 360 will have access to the same accessories and to many others for prices ranging $19 to $99 ($19 or €19 for the Xbox 360 Headset and $99 or €99 for the 30GB HDD).

Although Microsoft has announced all the prices, for both the console and the accessories, it didn't say a word about the exact launching date, the Redmond giant only mentioning that it will be available around the winter holiday season.

In September, Microsoft will also announce the Xbox 360's launching for the Japanese market, where it seems that it will apply a different price policy. Microsoft also took the opportunity to tease the competition, Play Station 3 that is, outlining that their console is launched a few months before Sony's.

With the price for Xbox 360 announced, we are curios to see Sony's reaction.