According to unspecified employees of Walmart, a retail network in the U.S., Microsoft’s highly-anticipated Xbox 360 game console will cost $299 at launch in November, 2005, whereas at least one of the first game will be available for $59, according to the same source.

“Unconfirmed reports stemming from Walmart employees have today suggested a North American retail price for the Xbox 360 and its launch titles, allegedly set to arrive in shop stores on November 4^th. […] The $299.99 price point hardly appears to be out of the bounds of possibility and suggests a pound/dollar equation when Microsoft's next-gen format is launched upon UK shores later in the month,” TotalVideoGames.com web-site reported.

Microsoft Xbox 360 console is based around microprocessor developed by IBM, high-definition visual processing unit designed by ATI Technologies, I/O controller engineered by SiS and some other key components. Additionally, the console will be bundled with an HDD as well as wireless controller. The gaming machine will feature optional wireless network connectivity and will provide a broad set of multimedia capabilities, it is projected.

According to the same report, games for the Xbox 360, at least at the launch of the gaming machine, appear to be slightly more expensive compared to anticipations of the masses: Perfect Dark Zero and Project Gotham Racing 3 will sell at $59, the news-story suggests.

$300 price-point for Xbox 360 is not a surprise, as in mid-April, 2005, some analysts predicted such level of pricing. Goldman Sachs projected that Microsoft’s next Xbox console will go on sale in October or November, 2005, and claimed that the software giant may ship 3 million units already this year.