Late adopters can now get Microsoft's Xbox 360 for $99, but only if they get it from Microsoft's stores and subscribe to a two-year payment plan under the Xbox Live Gold program.

The $99 Xbox 360 console, which comes with a Kinect and a 4Gb hard-drive, entails a monthly fee of $15 and it is subject to a cancellation fee that ranges from $12 to $250 depending on when subscribers opt to cancel.

Doing a simple math multiplying $15 by 24 months and adding the upfront payment of $99 will show you the entire package effectively costs $459, whereas the typical cost for the 4-gigabyte Xbox plus the Kinect is at $300, more or less. Then again, the $459 is spread over two years, while the $300 is upfront payment. So now the potential buyers are weighing in on whether the payment plan makes sense for them.

Some gaming enthusiasts would rather pay upfront for a standalone package and get the financials over with, but there are others who see the wisdom in spreading payments over a period of time, even if it does cost more.

Is Xbox 360 at $99 really a good deal?

For those who are looking forward to holding the Xbox 720 in 2013, it probably is not practical to get the 360 now. Come to think of it, Microsoft is probably enticing a new market with its payment plan. Those who were reluctant to spend $300 for their children's or their own gaming consoles would think twice now, seeing that the purchase will not so much affect the monthly budget anyway, and the $99 does not hurt much.

Some gamers are betting that Microsoft will later announce perks for the subscribers at extra cost, which will make the soon-to-be dated console more expensive. Then again, does the target market for this payment plan include the enthusiastic early adopters of Microsoft consoles? Probably not. The gamers who will subscribe to the payment plan for Xbox 360 will most likely not care if a newer model comes out next year.

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