Amazon.com on Sat. began offering the Xbox 360 Messenger Kit for Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 at $19.99 in the latest round of video game retail discounts.

The Xbox 360 Messenger Kit, released in Sept. 2007, typically carries an MSRP of $29.99. The peripheral allows users to text message Xbox Live members online.

Amazon has previously held discounts to spur select video game sales. The retailer discounted the Halo 3 Legendary Edition to $79.99 on Black Friday, the annual shopping day after Thanksgiving.

Microsoft in Aug. 2007 price cut all Xbox 360 models by $20 to $50 to spur hardware sales at retail.

Microsoft in Nov. 2007 reported sales of 310,000 Xbox 360 units during Thanksgiving week.

The Xbox 360 ranked No. 3 in overall video game hardware sales during the month of Nov. according to NPD Group Inc.