UK denied Xbox Live console, but does get half-price games

Microsoft's celebrating 10 years of its money-sucking, free-time-draining Xbox Live service by making a select few Arcade titles half price, for one week only.

If you've been reticent until now about trying Castle Crashers, Fruit Ninja Kinect, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, Bastion, Peggle or, er, Full House Poker, you'll be glad to know those downloadable games have had their prices cut by 50 per cent.

Castle Crashers and Bastion normally cost 1,200 Microsoft points each (that's £10.28 in real money -- thanks Xbox points converter), but are reduced to 600 points (£5.14). Fruit Ninja, Peggle and Poker are reduced to 400 points, while Geometry Wars now only costs 200 points, which equates to £1.71. Bargain.

The discount deal lasts until 22 November, so you've got a few days to snap up the cheap titles.

Brits hoping for something more celebratory than some cheap games are out of luck, however. Eurogamer reports custom Xbox consoles and 12 months of free Xbox Live are being doled out to long-time Xbox fans in the States, but it's a US-only offer, and quotes a Microsoft UK spokesperson saying as much.

That free console has a special silvery pattern, as well as lime green and orange grilles at the top and bottom. I'm pretty sure those colours clash horribly, but I'm no fashion whizz.

Reading through Reddit comments, the special system seems to have been posted out to Xbox Live members who've been signed up to the service for a while, and possibly only those with high Gamerscores. I've asked Microsoft for confirmation on the status of this free console, and I'll let you know when I hear back.

How would you like to see Microsoft rewarding your loyalty? Tell me in the comments or on our Facebook wall.

Image credit: Eurogamer