This week, the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo was held in Los Angeles, and plenty of new games were unveiled, release dates named, and new hardware revealed. Of the most immediate interest to this column, however, is the news that Microsoft has already begun shipping a new model of Xbox 360 that will retail at the same price as the current models. With that said, it is expected that the current hardware will see a price reduction to make way for the newer inventory. Will that take effect at our local Toronto retailers, such as EB Games/GameStop, Zellers, Toys R Us, Future Shop, and Best Buy? Let’s see if their ads tell us anything, in addition to the regular round-up of promotions and deals.
At EB Games/GameStop, their top item is the promise of access to the Medal of Honor beta if you pre-order the game ($69.99 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99 for PC) before July 18th. The game itself is scheduled for an October 12th release this year.
A new PlayStation 3 bundle has surfaced for Father’s Day, featuring a 250GB PlayStation 3, Killzone 2, and God of War Collection for $349.99. In addition, they are running an online-only Father’s Day special in which the purchase of a game priced at $44.99 or above will allow you to get a “select” game for 50 percent off, plus free standard shipping. The games linked to this promotion can be found here, and include such titles as Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Madden NFL 09, blur, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. While the ad illustrates the PlayStation 3 version for those four titles, the full lineup features games for other systems as well.
Finally, EB Games/GameStop is accepting pre-orders for the July 6th release of Crackdown 2 for the Xbox 360. The game will be $69.99, and pre-orders get four downloadable suits of “Agency-Issued armor.”
Zellers is running a special on the Nintendo DSi XL: not only is the handheld $219.99 ($20 off), but it also comes with both Brain Age and Brain Age 2. Aside from that, not much else to note.
Toys R Us is also offering a deal on the Nintendo DSi XL, where the purchase of Brain Age 2 will allow you to purchase the system for $189.99. In addition, you can save $5 on the following titles: Personal Trainer: Math, CrossworDS, Big Brain Academy, Picross 3D, Mystery Case Files: Million Heir, Brain Age, and Club House Games. After the discount, the price for each is $14.97.
At Future Shop, the $200 PlayStation 3/Bravia HDTV deal is still in effect. Or, you can opt for their exclusive Father’s Day bundle, which features a 250GB PS3 console, God of War Collection, and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue for $349.99.
Those interested in a Nintendo DSi can trade in five eligible games or pay $179.99 to get a bundle which includes the handheld and a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks ($39.99 value). You can also get a copy of Transformers: War for Cybertron: Autobots or Decepticons for $34.99 and get a free “Cybertron” stylus.
For Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 owners, DJ Hero is $99.99 and comes with a free copy of Eminem’s CD, Recovery, a $12 value.
Transformers: War for Cybertron (aka “Cybertron Adventures” on the Wii) comes out this Tuesday, and costs $59.99 for the PS3 and 360, or $49.99 for the Wii. Or, you can trade in two eligible games to get it for free. And if that wasn’t enough, they are offering a free copy of Transformers: The Movie with the 360/PS3 versions.
Other deals in place include an Xbox LIVE 12-month Messenger Gold Pack for $59.99 ($20 off), or in exchange for two game trade-ins. The Xbox wireless headset is also marked down by $20 to $39.99, but with no trade-in offer.
Tekken 6 and Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City on Xbox 360 and PS3 are both $29.99 this week, with $10 and $20 off, respectively. Splinter Cell Conviction for the 360 is also $20 off, bringing the price down to $44.99, while both 360 and PS3 versions of Green Day Rock Band are $59.99, but come with a free AC/DC track pack, a $19.99 value. The Beatles Rock Band is also marked down to $119.99 for the 360 and PS3 versions, a savings of $20.
Finally, Future Shop is also advertising a big sale on Xbox 360 titles, with “over 50 to choose from.” Call of Duty: World at War, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Halo 3: ODST are $19.99 each, a savings of $30 per title.
More $19.99 games are Assassin’s Creed II, Darksiders, MX vs. ATV Reflex, and WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010; those are $20 off, while Wet, Halo 3, and Halo Wars are $15 off. Avatar: The Game and Rogue Warrior round out the $19.99 games, and are $10 off.
Finally, The Bourne Conspiracy and Crackdown are each $9.99, with the latter reduced by $20.
Of course, that only accounts for $14 titles; you’ll have to see what else is marked down by checking in with your local Future Shop.
And last, but not least, we have Best Buy. They will also have Transformers: War for Cybertron this Tuesday, and you can trade in two eligible games to get it free here as well. Plus, a purchase from Best Buy will allow you to get a code for their exclusive downloadable character, the Autobot Jazz.
For PlayStation 3, they don’t appear to have a Father’s Day bundle, but are pitching a 250GB PS3 bundle with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for $349.99. They are also advertising headphones that are compatible with the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360: the Triton Precision Audio Headphones are $59.99 ($20 off), while the Triton Gaming Audio Headphones are $139.99 ($30 off).
In pre-orders, Best Buy is offering $5 gift cards with the pre-order of the following titles: StarCraft II (available July 27th), LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (June 29th), Crackdown 2 (July 6th), and Halo: Reach (September 14th).
For Nintendo fans, they have the DSi for $179.99 with one free game from a choice of three: Legendary Starfy, Fossil Fighters, and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorer of Sky. “Brain games” are two for $30, including Brain Age, Brain Age 2, CrossworDS, and Picross 3D.
This isn’t so much a deal, but a new item is a “DS Mario Character Kit,” which includes a Mario or Luigi case for a Nintendo DS Lite or DSi, and a matching stylus with figure. The ad has it as $19.99, but the website shows it as $14.99.
For the Wii, Cabela’s Monster Buck Hunter with gun accessory is $39.99, a savings of $10.
LEGO games are priced at $19.99 each, and the ad shows LEGO Batman, LEGO Indiana Jones, and LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Trilogy, with the first two for Wii and Star Wars for PS3. Other versions may apply as well.
And finally, the PlayStation Portable has a similar deal to the DSi. For $169.99 ($199.99 if you elect to go with the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Entertainment Pack), you can get one of four PSP Greatest Hits titles for free. The choices are: Resistance: Retribution, Gran Turismo, LittleBigPlanet, and Secret Agent Clank.
If you would rather have a PSPgo, those are $219.99 ($30 off), and include three free games via download: Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, LittleBigPlanet, and SOCOM Fire Team Bravo 3.
And that does it for another week. Despite no ads mentioning a price cut on older model Xbox 360s, or the newer model for that matter, it may still be worth checking in with your local store of choice. They may have marked it down still. Of course, here in Canada, retailers don’t always do as their American counterparts may, so don’t get too hopeful. But if you’re interested, then definitely check around.
All the relevant pages from today’s ads can be found in the slideshow below, save for Toys R Us. You can also find them in the online fliers linked above (including Toys R Us).
