Source: A report on Xbox Family, citing an e-mail supposedly sent to buyers for GameStop and Blockbuster.

　　What we heard: The Xbox Family report includes a number of assertions as to Microsoft's upcoming Xbox 360 plans, all of which are derived from a leaked e-mail supposedly sent to employees at GameStop and Blockbuster.

　　According to the e-mail, there's a new Xbox 360 Pro package set for release this month that will include a 60GB hard drive. Then in late October or early November, Microsoft will release a stand-alone 60GB hard drive accessory for $99.99 that will replace the current 20GB option on store shelves. It will also come with a three-month Xbox Live subscription, a wired headset, and an Xbox 360 Ethernet cable. As for the 120GB accessory that currently sells for $179.99 (on Amazon.com anyway, as GameStop.com doesn't appear to carry it at all as of this writing), the e-mail says the hard drive will also receive a price drop in September to $149.99.

　　Everything in the story is plausible. Between the ever-increasing size of Xbox Live Arcade games, the abundance of demos, downloadable content like Rock Band song libraries, and high-definition movie rentals, the standard 20GB hard drive has seemed restrictive for some time now. At the same time, the price point of the 120GB upgrade as it is now probably scares off a good number of customers, partly because a drive with the same amount of storage for a PC or the PlayStation 3 can be purchased for one-third as much.

　　However, there are some lingering questions. Why doesn't the 60GB hard drive come with a data transfer cable like the 120GB drive? Surely some 20GB owners would be interested in upgrading and want to carry all their data over. And why would Microsoft roll these changes out gradually, with a 60GB-equipped Xbox 360 console arriving this month (and not advertised in sales fliers that suggest a price drop next week), the 120GB price dropping in September, and then a month or so later, the introduction of the stand-alone 60GB hard drive accessory?

　　The official story: As is our policy, we don't comment on rumors and speculation.--A Microsoft representative.

　　Bogus or not bogus?: Microsoft needs to offer gamers more storage space for less money. Hopefully not bogus.