Having thoroughly pushed the productivity angle for the Surface Pro 2, Microsoft is now turning to gamers with a new bundle.
The Surface Pro 2 Geek and Sundry bundle includes an Xbox 360 Wireless Controller for Windows, a downloadable copy of Farming Simulator 2013, and downloadable content for the free-to-play game War Thunder. The bundle costs the same as the Surface Pro 2 by itself, starting at $899 for the 64GB model.
Microsoft says this is a limited-time offer, good through May 1 or while supplies last. The bundle is tied to the web series Geek and Sundry, whose new show Unplugged has some Surface Pro 2 product placements. (The first episode, for instance, has two contestants playing League of Legends against each other on Microsoft’s hybrid.)
Although Farming Simulator and War Thunder aren’t the most exciting giveaways, it’s still interesting to see Microsoft pitch the Surface Pro 2 as a gaming machine—and it’s not a major stretch if you keep your expectations in check. While the integrated Intel HD graphics can’t handle the latest shooters, it’s good enough for massive multiplayer games such as Guild Wars 2, RPGs such as Diablo III and even some older shooters such as Fallout: New Vegas. Plugging in a controller and propping up the Surface on your lap can make for a surprisingly pleasant experience.
Ideally Microsoft would offer a bundled gaming controller that didn’t require a separate dongle for wireless use. We’re still waiting to see whether Microsoft’s Xbox One controller will offer that capability when it get PC support later this year.