Xbox 360 Slim Now Officially Shipped to North American Stores

Following rumors that popped up yesterday, Microsoft officially announced that the new Xbox 360 Slim is real and that, in a somewhat surprising move, it was already headed for North American brick and mortar stores where players would be able to pick it up shortly. The same hardware package will also be offered to European gamers on June 26. The price is set at 299 dollars.

Don Mattrick, the senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment division at Microsoft, claims that the new hardware package, black, is “completely redesigned for the future of entertainment.”

The Xbox 360 will get a 250 GB hard drive as standard, will have built-in WiFi, using the 802.11n protocol, and will be fully prepared to support the upcoming Kinect motion tracking system when it comes out in the fall.

The fresh console integrates more functionality in a smaller package and, with the price being the same as that of the previous version, will certainly draw in quite a lot of buyers. The company claims the package allows the Xbox 360 to make less sound than ever, enabling gamers to enjoy their experience without actually disturbing those around them.

Rumors about a Slim version of the Microsoft made home console have been swirling around for some time but the company refused to acknowledge them. Some users are worried that the smaller form factor of the Slim and the quieter running could lead to overheating and to a Red Ring of Death epidemic.

Sony was the first engaged in the console sales battle to reduce the size of its gaming gadget, launching the PlayStation 3 Slim in August 2009, but the Japanese manufacturer has also cut the price of its device in an effort to spur sales. It will be interesting to see what impact the launch of the Xbox 360 Slim will have on sales figures in a month or two.