Drum roll, please! After endless speculation, musings and fanboy bitching, Microsoft has finally coughed up the North American and European pricing for its next-generation console, Xbox 360. You might want to sit down for this one.

Last-minute rumors from the analyst crowd have actually turned out true; there will be two different hardware models at launch: Xbox 360 Core System priced at $299.99 (299.99 Euros / 209.99 pounds) and the Xbox 360 for $399.99 (399.99 Euros / 279.99 pounds). Scroll down further for all the juicy pricing information for the hefty list of launch-slated Xbox 360 accessories. Start savin' those pennies now, kids.

Yes, this announcement means the hard drive (once the centerpiece of the Xbox platform) is no longer an all-inclusive factor for Xbox 360, but, no, we still don't have a specific launch date. Microsoft continues towing the line that Xbox 360 will launch in North America, Europe and Japan this holiday season - with more details on the Japanese launch to be released at next month's Tokyo Game Show.

You will, however, need that hard drive if you're hankering for some backwards compatibility, says Microsoft representative Mitch Koch.

Want more? Then go to 1UP.com's coverage of the pricing announcement at "Xbox 360 Price, Specs Announced"

Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in ExtremeTech.