Should you be in the market for a new Xbox One S this time of year, it"s always important to do some research before heading out to a local retailer and picking one up. Why? Because Microsoft has always pressed hard for added value during holidays and that means you can get free accessories or games thrown into your purchase.
Xbox"s Larry Hryb published a full list of all the available holiday bundles that potential buyers will be able to purchase over the next few months. Each of the following bundles offers you a game, most of them new and highly-rated, at no extra cost. Several bundles include a unique look for the Xbox One S console and controller.
Here are the bundles you"ll be able to choose from when shopping for an Xbox One S for the remainder of the year:
- Xbox One S Gears of War 4 Limited Edition Bundle (2TB): If you"re looking to make a statement with your console purchase, this is by far the most obvious choice. This is the most expensive bundle on the list because it has a limited edition paint job on both the console and the included controller. It also sports a 2TB internal drive, negating the need for an external hard drive for quite some time if you"re just starting out. Lastly, you get the Gears of War 4: Ultimate Edition download, which includes all of the DLC and, for a limited time, all four previous versions of Gears of War from the Xbox 360 as well.
- Xbox One S Gears of War 4 Bundle (1TB): This one is similar to the 2TB bundle, but instead of the custom paint job you get the standard white version of the console and 1TB internal storage instead of 2TB. You also get the standard version of Gears of War 4, but you"ll have to pay for the season pass or any standalone DLC if you"re wanting to keep up to date with the latest the game has to offer. You do get access to the previous Gears of War catalog as well, like the above bundle, for a limited time. This bundle comes in at $349.
- Xbox One S Gears of War 4 Special Edition Bundle (500GB): Yes, there"s a third bundle for Gears of War 4. This one also comes with the standard Gears of War 4 version of the game, but it"s a physical disc instead of a digital download code. You"ll also get a different console that is colored, "deep blue", instead of the traditional white. This bundle is set to release on 11/1/2016 and is now available for preorder. Just remember that, with the limited size of the internal hard drive, you may need an external drive if you plan to keep numerous games all at once.
- Xbox One S Minecraft Favorites Bundle (500GB): This bundle was announced recently and is available for purchase now. Minecraft Favorites includes the Minecraft Builder"s Pack on top of the complete version of Minecraft. This bundle comes with the standard white colored console and will run you $299.
- Xbox One S Battlefield 1 Special Edition Bundle (1TB): With the purchase of this bundle, you"ll get a custom "military green" color console and controller on top of the Battlefield 1 Early Enlister Deluxe Edition game download and a 1-month subscription code for EA Access. Though the game has already launched, you"ll still be treated to some extras via "Battlepacks" for multiplayer and a few other appearance packages that aren"t available from the standard game. This bundle costs $349.
- Xbox One S Battlefield 1 Special Edition Bundle (500GB): Just like the Gears of War 4 bundles, there are multiple options for the Battlefield 1 bundles. This 500GB bundle comes with the standard Battlefield 1 game download, a "storm grey" color console and controller, and one month of EA Access. If storm grey isn"t your color, a white console version is also available for purchase. Both are priced at $299 but the storm grey version won"t be launched until 11/1/2016.
- Xbox One S FIFA 17 Bundle (1TB): Hooray for something other than shooters! The well-established FIFA franchise gets its own bundle. The bundle includes the standard white version of the console and controller plus a digital download code for FIFA 17. With this bundle you"ll also get three FIFA Ultimate Team Loaned Legends, an Xbox exclusive, plus one Rare Player Pack and one month of EA Access. Like the Battlefield 1 bundles, this one also has a secondary option in the form of a 500GB bundle. The 1TB bundle retails for $349 while the 500GB version retails for $299.
All of these bundles also include a 14-day trial of Xbox Live Gold and certain bundles currently have exclusive offers, like a free three month Xbox Live Gold membership, a free game, or $20 off Gears of War 4. At the lower section of these listings, look for "Exclusive offers" if those deals interest you.