This week there are three rumors making the rounds about the Xbox360.  Only one is really big, but three is a bigger number, so there.

The first one is that Microsoft is making a specialized controller for First Person Shooter junkies.  The most striking feature of this new controller is supposedly its “improved and more precise right analog stick.”  That sounds pretty underwhelming.  Why not just make all Xbox 360 controllers “improved and more precise”?

The next is that a rumor courtesy of HardOCP about the Xbox360 getting a “media jukebox” much like Windows Media Center PCs have.  I don’t see why this wouldn’t happen, but Microsoft has yet to comment on it.

The last one is the doozy.  Two websites have begun reporting without confirmation from Microsoft that the HD-DVD drive for the Xbox360 will sell for $199.  Even websites that acknowledge that this is simply a rumor mention that it’s at least a good estimate, considering that if it was any more expensive, the HD DVD drive and Xbox360 premium package would be more expensive than a PS3.  And that’s why this is a big deal - the PS3, which has caught a lot of flak for its price point, may really be no more expensive than the Xbox360 with essentially the same functionality.  Also, this HD DVD drive supposedly won’t ship with 1080p support (high end video resolution, which the PS3 supports), though a cable will be sold separately at some other time.

Microsoft has yet to confirm or deny any of these, but if they are rumors, many agree that they’re relatively safe bets.