Microsoft Yank Xbox 360 Elite Bundled HD Cables

Someone needs to take Microsoft aside and tell them that sometimes the obvious penny savings still aren't the ones to make.  According to several GameStop employees, Microsoft have not only changed the packaging of the Xbox 360 Elite, but yanked the HDMI cables out of there too.  In fact, they've made changes to the included accessories that – out of the box at least – limit new users to SD resolution graphics.

That's because not only has the HDMI cable been pulled, but the component cables as well.  All that's left to hook up your TV, apparently, is a set of SD composite cables, with buyers expected to pick up their own HD cabling – at their own expense – if they want to make the most of the 360's graphical prowess.

Of course, the few cents Microsoft will save on each cable will certainly add up over the number of Elite consoles they sell, but we still have a sour taste in our mouths about the whole thing.  Factor in that buyers will likely be pushed to pick up whatever HDMI cable the retailer has in stock – and it's unlikely to be a cheap $3 lead you'd find online – and you could be looking at a fair chunk extra.  Gamestop themselves, for instance, sell two new HDMI cables – their own and Microsoft's – for a whopping $39.99 and $49.99 respectively.