Microsoft reveals $299 Xbox One Black Friday deal

In the battle to rule the holiday console-buying landscape, Microsoft has struck first with a not-too-surprising $50 price drop on its Xbox One console.

The deal won't go live until Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. and then it only lasts until the end of Cyber Monday on Nov. 30. Console rival Sony is expected to announce a similar deal for its PlayStation 4: $299 for the console. Some reports say it may include a game bundle. In fact, there were some early deals that included Uncharted, but they only lasted for a day.

While the $299 Xbox One deal is attractive, the Xbox Black Friday deal that may ultimately pay bigger dividends is the $1 upgrade from the free Xbox Live Membership to Xbox Gold, which usually costs $59.99 for a year. No word on if Sony will offer a similar deal for its $49.99-a-year PlayStation Plus membership. Those who are already Xbox Gold members will, starting November 23, gain early access to a variety of game deals. Read more...