This rumor comes to us from the VGChartz forums. According to the source, Microsoft will be releasing the “New XBOX Experience” they talked so much at last years E3. This release will result in Microsoft completely revamping their service–a virtual re-release of their XBOX 360 console. According to the source, Microsoft is also on running a giant marketing campaign–buying up 5 hours of prime-time scheduling on G4TV supposedly.

Rumors Include:

• Live streaming Sirius Radio, for a fee of course.
• A new paid, or possibly free, music service
• A new channel called “Lib”–No more information about lib is known at this time
• GTAIV: Episode One Preview, Free Halo 3 Map Pack, Mass Effect Expansion Pack, and Portal: Still Alive, all in the Marketplace
• 6 Original XBOX Games available on the service, Halo (1) being a free teaser for certain members who meet set requirements

These alleged claims in this rumor will start on September 25 at 7PM Eastern time.

Valve, in all their awesomeness, has been trying to release all new TF2 content to the consoles free of charge, unfortunately Microsoft doesn’t feel the same way. Valve Founder, Gabe Newell says the console gaming model is getting in the way. “The big concern I have right now is our ability to provide updates. On the PC side, we’ve done as many as four updates in a day, and that’s great: we can respond very quickly.” says Newell at GC08 to videogaming247.

If Nvidia puts out a new graphics driver and it changes some way about how texture management works, then before our customers know there’s any issue then the problem has gone away. Or we can do the Pyro updates, and the Medic updates [and so on].
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There have been several rumors about a potential price drop for the xbox 360 arcade system.. who really cares? The xbox 360 arcade version is just a glorified coin-slot operated arcade machine — who is going to spend $200 on a next-gen console that comes with Pac-man and Uno? I know I’m not. Not to mention it still not that great of a deal: the xbox 360 arcade system only comes with a 256mb HDD, whereas the pro version comes with a 60GB HDD. Buying that HDD separately will cost you $99. The arcade version also lacks backwards compatibility with the original xbox (unless you drop $99 for the HDD), a headset, and networking cables.

It’s a step in the right direction, but the arcade system is pretty much worthless to any self-respecting gamer.

@Microsoft: Want to compete with the PS2 and Wii? Drop the cost of all versions of the xbox 360 by at least $50 (or more in the Arcade version’s case) and then we’ll talk.