Xbox Live holiday sale launches with half-price Bastion

Microsoft has kicked off its holiday sale on the Xbox Live Marketplace with a so-so selection of big savings. You can get 3 months of Live Gold membership for $9.99, while there's 50% off XBLA games including Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet and Renegade Ops, and rotating daily deals starting with Bastion for 600 Microsoft Points ($7.50).

Whether you're currently a Gold or Silver member on Live, you can pick up 3 months of gold for $9.99, with a saving of 60%. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be available worldwide.

The daily deal is this-a-way, while the following offers will run until January 2, 2012:

• After Burner Climax - 400 MSP (50% off)

• BloodRayne Betrayal - 600 MSP (50% off)

• Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet - 600 MSP (50% off)

• L.A. Noire - Rockstar Pass DLC - 480 MSP (50% off)

• Peggle - 400 MSP (50% off)

• Peggle Nights - 200 MSP (50% off)

• Plants vs. Zombies - 600 MSP (50% off)

• Portal: Still Alive - 600 MSP (50% off)

• Renegade Ops - 600 MSP (50% off)

A number of Avatar items are also on sale, if that's your bag.