Microsoft slashes prices on Xbox 360 consoles

Coinciding with the launch of EA Sports' eagerly anticipated Madden NFL 08 – one of the biggest-selling video-game franchises over the past decade – Microsoft has just announced a $100 price drop for its Xbox 360 console (all figures Canadian).
Effective immediately, the Xbox 360 is now $399.99 for the premium bundle (which includes the 20GB machine, wireless controller, headset and game), while the black Xbox 360 Elite (120GB hard drive and HDMI audio/video output for 1080p resolution) has dropped down to $499.99 from $549.99. The entry-level core system (no hard drive, wired controller and composite A/V cables) is now $299.99 as opposed to $399.99.
Um, confused yet? Wait, there's more.
Next month you can also buy the Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition Console for $449.99, featuring a green-and-gold finish and matching Xbox 360 wireless controller, along with a 20GB hard drive, headset and more. Oddly enough, however, this "Halo 3 Special Edition" Xbox 360 console does not ship with a copy of Halo 3, which will cost you an additional $69.99, $79.99 or $149.99, depending on the version you want.
BEST OF E3 ANNOUNCED: The results for the "Best of E3 2007" were announced last week by the Game Critics Awards, a consortium of 36 journalists and editors who specialize in interactive entertainment (including yours truly).
For the tenth year in a row, the panel of judges spent some thumb-numbing hands-on time with tomorrow's video games at the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), which recently wrapped up in Santa Monica.
Leading the pack of winners is Rock Band (Harmonix/MTV Games/Electronic Arts), a hotly anticipated music game due out this fall for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, that lets players jam along with hit rock songs by playing on guitar-, bass- and drum-shaped controllers, or by singing into a microphone. Players are graded on pitch and rhythm.
The game, which allows up to four band mates to play together in front of the television or over the Internet, won the coveted Best of Show nod, as well as Best Hardware/Peripheral and Best Social/Casual/Puzzle game.
Microsoft Game Studios' Mass Effect, an ambitious sci-fi thriller for the Xbox 360, earned two awards, including Best Console Game. Speaking of the Xbox 360, Microsoft's console was the leading platform with 11 wins, followed by eight wins for games playable on the PlayStation 3.
In terms of publishers, Electronic Arts won the most awards with six in total, followed by Microsoft with three.
For a complete list of all the categories and winners, visit gamecriticsawards.com.
P.S., while I'm not a "I told you so" kind of person, The Game Guy already told you the best games at E3 (published in the Sunday Star on July 15). My top two picks were Rock Band and Mass Effect.
Am I on top of my game or what?