Rumor: XBOX 360 Getting $100 Kinect Bundle With Two-Year Contract. Microsoft Goes Mobile Phone.

Here’s a rumor for you. Microsoft is going to roll out an Xbox 360 Kinect bundle for $100. It’s got a catch though, you also have to sign a contract for monthly payments. Wowzers!, that’s commitment to the console.

Joystiq:

Microsoft is preparing to take a page from the cell phone carrier playbook by offering the Xbox 360 at a substantial initial discount, followed by a two year subscription service, according to  The Verge. The bundle, which would cost $100 up front and $15 a month afterwards, includes a Kinect, Xbox Live Gold service, a two-year warranty and possibly various types of streaming content. The package deal may go on sale as early as next week at Microsoft’s various retail locations across the country.

Also like modern cell phone plans, an early termination fee would be associated with the service contract and levied against those who wish to leave their commitments early. Those who ride the entire contract out would end up paying roughly $460 for the bundle and its associated years of service. We’ve reached out to Microsoft for comment and will update as this story develops.

Update:  Microsoft issued Joystiq the following statement: “We haven’t made any announcements and we don’t comment on rumor or speculation.”

Commenter on Joystiq:  BenAddme

$200 (4GB Xbox 360) + $100 (Kinect) + $120 (Subscribe to Xbox Live Gold for 2 years) = $420

Here’s what it looks like if you buy and Xbox 360 and Kinect, but then buy Xbox Live Gold membership cards off Amazon instead of a monthly subscription:

$200 (4GB Xbox 360) + $100 (Kinect) + $100 (Two Xbox Live Gold cards) = $400

And finally, here’s what this new “$99” bundle works out to:

$100 (4GB Xbox 360 and Kinect) + $360 (For $15 per-month Xbox Live Gold) = $460

TL;DR

RIP-OFF

Don’t do it! Though I’m sure they’ll hook suckers in, because the tagline looks so sexy to some people.