Ubisoft Announces Far Cry 2 for Xbox 360

Following today's announcement of the delay of three games, one of which is Far Cry 2, Ubisoft announced that the game is also being developed for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3.

More than just a visual and technological achievement, Far Cry 2 immerses players in an entirely new kind of gaming experience, featuring a custom-made video game engine built from the ground up. Players will discover a true open world gameplay set in one of the most beautiful environments in the world, Africa, brought to life by high-definition next-gen technology.

Far Cry 2 is scheduled to ship fiscal 2008–2009.

GDC: Are Microsoft, Epic Getting Their Gears Turning?

A quick look at the floorplans of the 2008 Game Developer Conference reveals that Microsoft and Epic have secured the two biggest floor spaces.

With the largest exhibit at the event, taking up 4,800 square ft of space, Microsoft will certainly have a bigger presence than in previous years, when Sony and Nintendo got the biggest areas to utilize this professionals-only game industry conference as a pre-E3 event.

Only second in size to Microsoft’s space, Epic Games’ presence at the event isn’t surprising at all, since the developer always uses GDC to show the latest Unreal Engine technology.

Furthermore, both companies’ spaces are in front of each other in the first level of the Moscone West Hall. This last detail wouldn’t matter if wasn’t for the fact that the two companies worked closely on Gears of War.

After the listing of Gears of War 2 on Amazon.com and today’s unveiling of "Gears of War: The Pendulum Wars", we are starting to believe that the size and location of Microsoft and Epic Games’ areas at GDC are not just a mere coincidence.

We contacted Epic Games to ask about the recent Gears of War fuss, as well as its area size and proximity to Microsoft in the Moscone Center. Mark Rein limited his response to the company’s presence at the event to support Epic’s engine business.

Gears of War Novel Update. Movie Script Confirmed

Back in June, we brought you the first details of a Gears of War novelization and comic book. Today, thanks to Amazon, we have learned the full title of the book and, as a result, the timeline in which the book is set.

As the title implies, "Gears of War: The Pendulum Wars" takes place during the seventy-nine year war that humanity fought on Sera before Emergence Day. Furthermore, while that’s the title that appears on the book’s cover, which you can see below, Amazon lists the 352-page book with a longer title: Gears of War Pendulum Wars The Battle of Aspho Fields.

Gears of War fans know this is the last battle of the Pendulum Wars, mentioned at the beginning of the second level of the game, when Carmine asks “Are you the Marcus Fenix, the one who fought at Aspho Fields?”

Last year, LatinoReview got access to a 22-page draft of the Gears of War movie script penned by Stuart Beattie. The online publication claimed the movie kicks off during the last battle of the Pendulum Wars, and now, the title of the novel and its record on Amazon confirm the leaked movie plot was indeed the real thing.

BIG IN 2008 – Xbox Ultimate ?

already had the Xbox 360 Premium and Elite. Both are, of course, fine gaming machines with the best games catalogue in the next-gen field. But come autumn 2008, we reckon both will be rendered obsolete by the Ultimate.

This PS3-killer will benefit from almost three years of Xbox development, featuring 1080p HDMI output, built-in Wi-Fi, hi-def audio output, cooler 65nm hardware architecture and a near-silent fan.

It’ll also have the ability to make the most of the by-then established Xbox IPTV service, which will mean recording TV shows to its vast 320GB hard disk and watching live TV shows via your broadband provider.

But the piece de resistance? It’ll have a built-in HD DVD drive. Let Round 12 with the PS3 commence...

Starcraft 2 coming for Xbox 360?

Here at Altgn, we received an interesting piece of information from a regular poster on our boards. He was taking quizzes through the Microsoft Retail Zone, which is a website interface used to further educate employees of electronic retail stores. While taking the quiz for “Universe at War”, he stumbled upon a cool little gem that might come to pass.

6. Which of the following are defining features of Universe at War?

1. The first ever Xbox 360/PC cross-platform RTS
2. Tactical dynamics create the best RTS until Starcraft 2.
3. Truly unique factions and customization
4. Free one-month Games for Windows LIVE Gold subscription
5. All of the above
6. None of the above

Could this be an unintentional sign given by Microsoft that the long awaited Starcraft 2 will be coming to Xbox 360? As some might remember, Blizzard allowed ports of Starcraft to both the Nintendo 64 and the Playstation. Ports of recent PC RTCs have come to 360 such as Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth 2, and Command and Conquer 3. Both have been received well by console gamers because of their impressive control schemes, previously a massive hurdle to jump for previous RTS console ports. Whether this is simply a misunderstanding or not, this is an exciting rumor nonetheless.

CES 2008: Bill Gates to Make a Big Xbox Announcement?

Seattle Times staff columnist Brier Dudley published an editorial earlier this week in which he speculates the announcements Bill Gates could make in his last CES keynote as chairman of Microsoft. Dudley said the following regarding the Xbox:

Saving the best for last, Gates could end his CES run with a bang by making a blockbuster Xbox announcement.

I've speculated on my blog that Microsoft may be preparing to license the Xbox gaming platform to consumer-electronics companies.

In particular, Microsoft could work with Toshiba to develop a digital video recorder with a hard-drive, high-definition HD-DVD drive and Xbox gaming capabilities. They're already allied against Sony and other backers of the Blu-ray DVD format, and Toshiba could help Xbox finally penetrate the Japanese market.

Microsoft could also make a splash by announcing plans to give the Xbox 360 an internal HD-DVD drive, putting it on par with Sony's PlayStation 3 that has a built-in Blu-ray drive.

But then again, Gates may want to keep everyone in suspense about the next Xbox, in case he decides to return to CES after all.

By: César A. Berardini - "Cesar"

360’s UT3 Closer To Completion Than Originally Thought?

One of the most entertaining topics we have covered over the past few months- in my opinion- was Epic Games’ Mark Rein’s statement that they had not even started development on the Xbox 360 version of Unreal Tournament 3- and wouldn’t until TBD 2008. Mark originally stated that Microsoft not allowing the “mod” aspect of the title on Live was the main source of the huge delay and lack of production so far, only to come back correct his mis-statement with “What I probably should have said was we’ll start working on it again.”

Now, a German gaming magazine claims that they can “confirm” - a big claim- that Unreal Tournament on the 360 is roughly 90% finished, and nearly ready to go, for a Spring (April) 2008 launch date. Recalling Sony’s ‘epic claim‘ that UT3 was exclusive for 2007, that would mean this “confirmed” date would be trailing on the 6 month exclusivity window commonly used. Good news for UT fans I presume, but judging on folk’s reaction to the game so far on consoles, I don’t see the title doing exceptionally well, but it should definitely fair better in Live’s community, that’s for damn sure, if we can dodge any further blackouts. It sure would be a good way for gamers that are sick of “the Haloz” to start 2008, though.~

GameTrailers Game of the Year Awards 2007 best first person shooter

GameTrailers Game of the Year Awards 2007 best story

GameTrailers Game of the Year Awards 2007 best roleplaying game

GameTrailers Game of the Year Awards 2007 best racing game

GameTrailers Game of the Year Awards 2007 best sofware line up

GameTrailers Game of the Year Awards 2007 best multiplayer

GameTrailers Game of the Year Awards 2007

too human berserker video 40 secs

360 Holiday Sales Wreak Havoc on Xbox LIVE Servers - Seriously

All I want for Christmas is to play online, but Microsoft won’t let me

As of Wednesday the 26th, my experience with Xbox LIVE could best be described as “inconsistent”. I am randomly and sporadically kicked off of the service, and by that, I mean any time I try to do something — anything.

To make sure this wasn’t an isolated case of shitty broadband service on the part of my cable provider, or a local “malfunction”, I rang up some friends in various parts of the country to see if they were having similar issues — they were.

Around noon today, my annoyance got the best of me, and I called up 1-800-4my-xbox. I was greeted, as always, by the never-helpful automated super-dork — Max.

I’ve been down this road before, so I know to skip past his bullshit by spouting off “Agent” a hundred times until he finally gets the hint.





Anyhow, long story short, the agent tells me that the Xbox LIVE servers are having difficulty dealing with the massive influx of users that apparently got a 360 for Christmas. “Seriously?” I asked. “Yes, seriously” he responded.

In fact, it’s such a problem, that they have temporarily disabled the ability to create a new LIVE account. I went ahead and tried to create an account (out of curiosity) and I wasn’t able to.

I am unsure if this is the “official” Microsoft stance regarding the issue, but it does seem logical, and it did come straight from the mouth of a Microsoft employee — Tier 3 even! His Thetan levels must be off the chart.


The agent estimated that the problems will be fixed by the end of the weekend, if not by the end of the night. So I guess I just want to say “thank you” to Microsoft for making such a killer system. If it weren’t so awesome, I might actually be able to sign into the Chromehounds servers and, you know, play some freaking games.

by Dan Landis on December 28, 2007

Jade Empire 2 is coming

By Dean Takahashi
Here’s an opportunity for BioWare to get it right and for all of you fans out there to rejoice. Rumors have been swirling about the possibility of a sequel to BioWare’s Xbox hit, “Jade Empire.” For years, people have predicted it would come and Ray Muzyka, co-CEO of BioWare, even spilled the beans of something coming back in 2005. But I talked with someone who saw code for Jade Empire 2. It’s coming for the Xbox 360, and it’s real. It’s not much as far as scoops go, but I’m on vacation. What do you expect? Happy New Year.Jade Empire was BioWare’s second big game for the Xbox, following the exclusive Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic title in 2003. It will be interesting to see if Jade Empire 2 will remain an exclusive for the Xbox 360, now that Electronic Arts has agreed to acquire BioWare/Pandemic.

Jade Empire launched in spring 2005 on the Xbox. That means the team that created it has probably had a couple of years to work on it. During that time, I would guess that Microsoft secured it as an exclusive and they developed the game for that platform. But there is no law that says such games can’t be ported to the PS 3. And we all know how EA loves to do cross-platform games to maximize profits from a single property.

The original game was an action role-playing game with core martial-arts fighting game play. You play an orphan who is trained in martial arts and on whose shoulders lies the fate of the mystical Asian land, the Jade Empire. The possibilities for the sequel are very interesting given where BioWare took the conversation and RPG system with Mass Effect. Would this be the Xbox 360’s answer to Heavenly Sword on the PlayStation 3? Probably not, given it is an RPG and not a fighting game first.

Is This The Gears of War 2 UK Release Date?

Amazon.com have already given an indication of when Gears of War 2 should be hitting store shelves in the US when it started taking pre-orders for the new game and set a release date of the 15th of Nov. 2008.

Now the UK have been given the same treatment and Gears of War 2 is now available to pre-order and Amazon have set the british release date for the 30th of December 2008.



Now of course this is in no way official and publishers don't usually release games that soon after christmas, but even so it is a good indication of when the gaming world expects this new title to hit the United Kingdom.

Why Konami’s Metal Gear Solid 4 Should Be Multiplatform

So the wishful thinking begins again. You don’t have to wonder why so many Xbox 360 gamers would love Metal Gear Solid 4 to go multiplatform. The series has had a huge success on many platforms from MSX to the Xbox. Konami has made millions of dollars on this franchise but for some bullheaded reason, will not go multiplatform with it’s latest triple A title. Is Hideo Kojima just a Sony fanboy in disguise?

We’ve seen the numbers and not even Kaz Hirai can deny that the Xbox 360 attach rate is dumbfounding. Even on that tiny island called Japan where about 8,000 Xbox 360’s are sold a week, the attach rate is still higher than the hotter selling PS3. So the question here is, what attracts 3rd party developers to consoles? If a console sells well but 3rd party titles collect dust(think Wii), there’s obviously no motivation to spend millions of development dollars on a longshot. In the case of the Xbox 360, pretty much everything sells from 1st to 3rd party. Xbox 360 has 29 games that have sold over 1 million copies worldwide. The Playstation 3 has 4 games that have sold over 1 million copies. 2 of those games are mulitplatform. The Wii has 15 games that have sold over 1 million and half of those are first party titles.

So I ask a question to all of you readers out there: if you became a 3rd party developer today, what systems would you release your first game on? You’d be a fool to say PS3 only, even if you are a fanboy. There is too much money to be made on both platforms; moreso on the Xbox 360. This brings us back to our original issue; what is Konami thinking?

MGS4 has been in development for many years. It’s setup to be the biggest game of 2008 along with Final Fantasy XIII. Konami has spent millions on the game and hopes to move 1 million copies in it’s first week. Looking at the numbers, how do they expect to move 1 million copies when the best PS3 title to date, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, has only been able to move 552,000 copies worldwide? Now 552k is a good number for a 3rd party after six weeks, but MGS4 needs bigger numbers. If the masses of PS3 owners who like 3D action games bought 552,000 copies of Uncharted, where are the other 448,000 that are supposed to buy MGS4 but didn’t buy Uncharted?

I’ve read interviews and postings about Kojima that has stated that it’s PS3 exclusive several times. Is that smart business? I can bet that if it also came out on the 360, they could move a million units in less than a month. That’s in addition to whatever they sell on the PS3. By going exclusive with a game like this, they are basically throwing millions of dollars down the drain.

3rd party exclusives are a thing of the past. 3rd party developers need to look out for their best interest. Whatever happened to making the game available to as many gamers as possible? Capcom, From Software, Sega and Namco all went multiplatform and are reaping the rewards. What’s stopping Konami from doing the same? Is it Kojima’s arrogance or Konami’s allegiance to Sony? Only time will tell and as we near the end of 2007, time seems to be running out.

Ninja Gaiden 2 to feature 4 difficulty levels

This time around they don't want to make the battle areas so restricted. They don't want to make it like those other games where you can't exit an area until you defeat all of the appearing enemies. In most instances, if you can outsmart your opponents you should be able to run away. Although of course if you're really skilled at fighting, you may do that as well and find it easier to do. Basically they're giving you options.

When you receive damage from enemies, there are parts that can't be healed through auto healing. This is called the necrosis system. You can only hold 6 items this time around. One bad aspect about the last game is that there were too many healing items made available to use.

Certain damaged areas can only be healed through items.You can only hold 6 items this time around. One bad aspect about the last game is that there were too many healing items made available to use. They basically went back to its roots of life management for the game so that you can't overheal against bosses. Also, they're going make you think more about using potions. For example, do you use a healing item that recovers 50% life when you're only down 30? You can't really waste your healing items as much in this game.

This time when you try to use items with the d-pad, the game will pause momentarily so that you can think about which item(s) to use wisely, since you can only carry 6 this time. This time you can't waste your game over-recovery talisman. You can't do what you did in the last game and just use it up and then reset the game. Basically, the talisman will come with strings attached to prevent that.

There will be 4 difficulty levels. Level 2 will be recommended for those who cleared the first game. Level 3 for those pretty skilled and huge fans. Level 4 is made to be really hard. They're thinking about possibly altering how much damage you take and how many items you can carry depending on the difficulty. Those who have played the last game may find the lowest difficulty (shinobi no michi) [Ninja Dog] a little disappointing. In the last game I mean. But this time around it'll be more enjoyable and interesting [funnier] than the last game's "ninja dog".

Amazing demo seen with graphics not thought possible on 360"

http://www.gameguru.in/features/2007/29/rumor-101-microsofts-metal-gear-for-the-xbox-360/

It seems absolutely impossible to notice that Microsoft is unfazed by Metal Gear Solid 4, the titan of all games released during the year on the PS3. Splinter Cell: Conviction might not be powerful enough to scratch our beloved Solid Snake, so Microsoft has decided to bring something as brilliant as the game on the 360.Word has it that the company is in collaboration with a highly talented studio that can give their 360 something way better than Snake

Ninja Gaiden 2 box art

Microsoft Cooking Up an Enhanced Xbox 360 Controller?

By: César A. Berardini - "Cesar" Share This ArticleDec. 28th, 2007 12:02 am I should not have been talking about this until next year, but a story of a motion sensing add-on for the Xbox 360 controller forced me to interrupt my holiday break. First, let me tell you that the image floating around with supposed prototypes of a motion sensing Xbox 360 controller is FAKE.

The image in question, which you can see below, was taken from a Gizmodo article that showed the many prototypes Gyration and Bridge Design pitched to Nintendo in 2001; prototypes that eventually gave birth to the Wii controller.

TeamXbox.com can confirm that Microsoft has been researching alternative input technologies for the last two years, including vision-based recognition such as the one used on Xbox Live Vision, as well as motion sensing technologies similar to those seen in the Microsoft Freestyle Pro and the PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS.

Particularly, Microsoft has looked at ways to improve the right analog stick input and you’ll hear more about those efforts soon.



In the long run, there’s more than a first-party tilt mod in the works and TeamXbox.com will bring you a real list of next-generation Xbox controller prototypes soon.

Xbox LIVE Status

You may have noticed that the LIVE service has been having a few issues over the past few days. This includes things like signing in, matchmaking and account recovery. Not everyone has had problems, but I know some of you have and I wanted to give you and update. While the service was never completely offline, problems like this are not acceptable. The entire LIVE team has been working day and night to ensure that you can have a great LIVE experience. While we’re not done yet, I wanted to let you know that things are getting better each hour and that no one on the team is going anywhere until the job is done. Thanks for your patience.

Next week on Arcade: Metal Slug 3

Kick off the New Year with Metal Slug 3 on Xbox LIVE Arcade. It will be available Wednesday, January 2, 2008 for 800 points.