Microsoft has announced through Xbox Live's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb that beginning next week the Xbox Store will feature its all-time biggest sale. The Countdown sale will begin on December 22, Tuesday and end on January 7. It will include price cuts on hundreds of Xbox games (including exclusive, non-exclusive, and backward compatibility titles), movies, television shows, and mobile apps.
The sale will include some of Xbox One's mega-hits including Forza Motorsport 6, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Halo 5: Guardians, and Rise of the Tomb Raider. Discounted games will also include non-Xbox-exclusive titles including Assassin's Creed Syndicate, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, and Fallout 4.
The "Countdown" sale refers to daily and weekly specials that count down to the New Year. They will then continue through the first week of 2016.
Microsoft has not released any details about the price points, although the prices of Xbox One and Xbox 360 games will be slashed by 40 to 60 percent, according to Gamezone. Xbox LIVE Gold members will get an extra 10 percent mark down.
Various Xbox One console bundles starting at $299 are also available with a $50 discount until December 26, Saturday. They include games such as FIFA 16, Madden NFL 16, and The LEGO Movie Videogame.
Microsoft has mostly trailed Sony PlayStation 4 based on monthly sales. However, it has increased demand for Xbox One by discounting prices, adding bundles with free games, and launching other promotions.
The OS giant has also made a major effort to add blockbuster titles, which has been one of the major criticisms of Xbox One, according to CNET. Many of them are featured in the Countdown sale.
The company co-founded by Bill Gates has also addressed the disparagement of its gaming consoles lacking backward compatibility. It has converted 100 classic Xbox 360 games and will add over 10 titles for the Countdown sale.