When the Xbox 360 made its grand launch in North America last November, gamers who got hold of the hard-to-find premium pack were treated to a few extras. In addition to a 20GB hard drive, a wireless controller, and HD AV cables, early adopters got a limited-edition Xbox 360 Media Remote Control. Though chances of finding an Xbox 360 are remote, the chances of finding one with the bonus remote are even more…remote. The limited run of bonus Media Remote Controls is apparently over. A GameStop employee has confirmed to GameSpot that the bonus remotes have not been shipping with the Xbox 360 Premium Packs that have been trickling into their stores. This means that Xbox 360 preorders that still remain unfulfilled–and may very well have been placed months ago–won’t be getting the controller. GameSpot has received unconfirmed reports that the discontinuation has infuriated gamers who preordered the console long ago expecting the remote to be included.
All is not lost, though. Gamers looking to get a TV-style remote control to play DVDs and whatnot can still pony up for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote ($29.99) or Logitech’s Harmony Advanced Universal Remote for Xbox 360 ($129.99).
