Xbox 360's Four Secret Games: Gears of War 2, DOA5, Forza 3 and Halo: Chronicles. UK's best selling independent 360 magazine XboxWorld 360 has a scoop on what could be four big unannounced exclusive 360 games in their March issue.
Please take note that XboxWorld 360 is part of online gaming news website CVG.
The article is called "The secret is out"
The games in question are:
Gears of War 2
Dead or Alive 5
Forza 3
Halo: Chronicles
Of course these are only rumors but could these be the games Microsoft is going to announce at GDC 2008, XboxWorld 360 Certainly do.
Sunday, 3 February 2008
Eidos confirm Just Cause 2 is in development
Eidos have today officially announced that they will be releasing Just Cause 2.
The game will once again be developed by Avalanche Studios and will see players reprise the role of Rico Rodriquez, but this time he will be in the South East Asian islands of Panau.
With more stunts, vehicles and weapons than ever before and an incredible overhauled grappling hook, Rico returns to action in Panau, an incredibly detailed and vast 1000 sq km game world of different climates and ultra-realistic weather effects. Leap from your plane and skydive from 10,000 feet down into a tropical jungle, tear across an arid desert in a dune buggy or climb your way up a snowy mountain in a 4x4. The vast open-ended, unique gameplay is back, allowing you full freedom once again to free roam and explore the massive world of Panau and tackle your assignments however you want.
With a new and improved air, land and sea stunt system featuring Rico’s notorious parachute and grappling hook, taken to incredible new extremes and a massive array of new vehicles featuring an advanced driving model, players can now pull off some of the finest action stunts ever seen in a video game in a truly massive and beautifully rendered environment.
“Remember everything you loved about Just Cause, then take it to the next level: vehicles, stunts, weapons, freedom, grappling hook, action, everything,” said Alex Price, Brand Manager. “The game world is even more incredible in Just Cause 2 and Rico has done a bit of growing up, so expect quite a few new surprises up his sleeves.”
Just Cause 2 will be released on the Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3 sometime this year.
The game will once again be developed by Avalanche Studios and will see players reprise the role of Rico Rodriquez, but this time he will be in the South East Asian islands of Panau.
With more stunts, vehicles and weapons than ever before and an incredible overhauled grappling hook, Rico returns to action in Panau, an incredibly detailed and vast 1000 sq km game world of different climates and ultra-realistic weather effects. Leap from your plane and skydive from 10,000 feet down into a tropical jungle, tear across an arid desert in a dune buggy or climb your way up a snowy mountain in a 4x4. The vast open-ended, unique gameplay is back, allowing you full freedom once again to free roam and explore the massive world of Panau and tackle your assignments however you want.
With a new and improved air, land and sea stunt system featuring Rico’s notorious parachute and grappling hook, taken to incredible new extremes and a massive array of new vehicles featuring an advanced driving model, players can now pull off some of the finest action stunts ever seen in a video game in a truly massive and beautifully rendered environment.
“Remember everything you loved about Just Cause, then take it to the next level: vehicles, stunts, weapons, freedom, grappling hook, action, everything,” said Alex Price, Brand Manager. “The game world is even more incredible in Just Cause 2 and Rico has done a bit of growing up, so expect quite a few new surprises up his sleeves.”
Just Cause 2 will be released on the Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3 sometime this year.
Saturday, 2 February 2008
Rumour: Gears of War 2 now official?
By Mike Bowden - 01 Feb 08
Rumours, rumours and even more rumours: this is one that just won't go away however. Yes, Gears of War 2 speculation has reared it's ugly head again and this time it's because Gamepro magazine claims to have an exclusive (don't they all)?, and proudly emboss the Gears of War 2 logo on their front cover.
Whether or not this is all hokum remains to bee seen. I'm scans will be up all over the net once it comes out on the 12th February. However, while you wait, check out below...
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Saturday, 26 January 2008
Condemned 2: Bloodshot Multiplayer Revealed!
by: Evan Fecko
January 25, 2008
Taking the Condemned universe to a new and even more intense level, Condemned 2: Bloodshot will introduce a variety of bone-chilling online multiplayer modes for up to eight players including:
Crime Scene:
Crime Scene is an innovative round-based competition to find and protect valuable evidence within the Condemned universe. One team will use their forensic tools to track and scan the evidence while the opposing team will do everything in their power to keep the evidence hidden and protected.
Bum Rush:
Bum Rush is a team-based race against time. With three minutes before one team can safely be evacuated, players must hold off an onslaught of attacks by the other team until the timer runs out in order to stand a chance of survival.
Deathmatch:
Deathmatch is the classic free-for-all mode. Players can use every weapon they can find to dispatch enemies as quickly as possible in this melee battle royale. The player with the highest score at the end of the time limit wins.
Team Deathmatch:
Team Deathmatch is the team-based version of the classic free-for-all mode. Working together, players pick up weapons from the environment and fight off as many enemies as possible before the clock runs down. The team with the highest score after the time limit wins.
January 25, 2008
Taking the Condemned universe to a new and even more intense level, Condemned 2: Bloodshot will introduce a variety of bone-chilling online multiplayer modes for up to eight players including:
Crime Scene:
Crime Scene is an innovative round-based competition to find and protect valuable evidence within the Condemned universe. One team will use their forensic tools to track and scan the evidence while the opposing team will do everything in their power to keep the evidence hidden and protected.
Bum Rush:
Bum Rush is a team-based race against time. With three minutes before one team can safely be evacuated, players must hold off an onslaught of attacks by the other team until the timer runs out in order to stand a chance of survival.
Deathmatch:
Deathmatch is the classic free-for-all mode. Players can use every weapon they can find to dispatch enemies as quickly as possible in this melee battle royale. The player with the highest score at the end of the time limit wins.
Team Deathmatch:
Team Deathmatch is the team-based version of the classic free-for-all mode. Working together, players pick up weapons from the environment and fight off as many enemies as possible before the clock runs down. The team with the highest score after the time limit wins.
Thursday, 24 January 2008
GTA IV Hitting Streets Worldwide on April 29
Rockstar Games has announced that latest installment in its multi-million selling Grand Theft Auto series will be released worldwide for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on April 29.
Xbox Turns Q2 Profit
Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division is now officially halfway towards a full year of Xbox profitability
The Redmond, Wash.-based Xbox house said Thursday that for the second fiscal quarter ended December 31, the EDD’s operating income reached $357 million, up from a $302 million loss for the same period a year ago.
Operating income within the division increased during the quarter primarily due to increased revenue, decreased cost of revenue and decreased marketing and sales expenses.
Lower manufacturing costs for Xbox 360 hardware drove the cost of revenue down $523 million, or 22 percent during the quarter.
Total revenues for the EDD, which houses Xbox, PC games and Zune, among other businesses, were $3.06 billion, up from $3 billion for the same period a year prior.
Overall, Microsoft posted fiscal Q2 sales of $16.37 billion (up 30 percent year-on-year), operating income of $6.48 billion (up 87 percent) and earnings per share of 50 cents (up 92 percent).
Microsoft attributed EDD’s increased revenue to Xbox 360. Xbox 360 game sales, Xbox Live revenues and Xbox accessory sales partially offset lower Xbox 360 console sales, according to the company.
“We shipped 4.3 million and 6.1 million Xbox 360 consoles in the second quarter and first half of fiscal year 2008, respectively, as compared to 4.4 million and 5.4 million Xbox 360 consoles in the second quarter and first half of fiscal year 2007, respectively,” the firm said. Microsoft said in early January the Xbox 360 had sold 17.7 million units globally, life-to-date.
“…For the remainder of fiscal year 2008,we expect revenue to increase due to increased sales of Xbox 360 consoles and related games, accessories, and services.”
In 2007, Microsoft's EDD posted a Q1 profit of $165 million.
Prior to this fiscal year, Microsoft had pledged that the Xbox division would finally turn a profit for an entire year, a notable change for a division known as a money-loser.
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
Burnout Paradise: Xbox 360 Vs PlayStation 3
Burnout Paradise is the most anticipated game of January 2008 and rightfully so. Find out why we love it by heading over to our Burnout Paradise review, but read on for the definitive verdict on which version is the best. We're going to compare the two games in four key areas (Graphics, Sound, Gameplay and Multiplayer) so you know if you should buy the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 version
link below
http://www.videogamer.com/features/article/22-01-2008-267.html
uk console vg chart week ending jan 20th
UK:
DS: 59,337
Wii: 41,178
360: 16,635
PS3: 13,278
PSP: 9,383
PS2: 7,178
Virtua Fighter 5 Update Available
SEGA Europe Ltd. today announced it has released a new downloadable patch for Virtua Fighter 5,
by: Jason Solorzano
January 16, 2008
SEGA Europe Ltd. today announced it has released a new downloadable patch for Virtua Fighter 5, the critically acclaimed arcade fighting game now available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The patch will include a number of gameplay additions and enhancements including:
Some characters will now be able to select costume-specific pants in alternate costumes, for example equipping Costume A pants in Costume B.
Replays of online battles can now be saved.
One additional item per character (appear as "Downloaded item" in Costume settings/Item edit dialog).
Gamer pictures will now be shown in online battles.
After winning the World Tournament Final, it's now more likely that rivals you have not defeated will be playing in arcades.
When someone joins an online match, you can now see their connection quality.
Various fixes for minor bugs, including a texture bug.
Easier sorting of rankings.
Rematches in Online VS. Player Matches now possible even when the players haven't added their opponent to their friend list
The Xbox 360 version of Virtua Fighter 5 is based on the latest arcade version update and features both analog stick and D-pad control, as well as vibration support. The game also includes an improved Quest mode featuring more CPU rivals, items, and emblems for character customisation. The DOJO mode has added features including leaderboards, training move settings, improved throw escape training, and the option to change your opponent's position and recovery type. These all work to create a more refined DOJO mode where players can improve their fighting strategy.
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Analyst: PS3 Install Base Too Small, Blu-ray to Smash HD-DVD
The install base of the PlayStation 3 is too small for some key developers' tastes, say analysts with theSimExchange, and the PS3 being the lowest-selling game system during the 2007 holiday season isn't likely to help matters.
In October and November, the first-person shooter market -- which analyst Jesse Divnich says can only support two premier titles at once under normal circumstances-- was dominated by The Orange Box and Halo 3 on Xbox 360, while November and December were dominated by Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3. On the PS3, however, The Orange Box saw particularly low sales.
"Unfortunately, the PS3 has such a small install base it is unable to successfully support two first-person-shooters in the same month," said Divnich. "This theory will likely hold true for other great titles under the same genre, with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction cannibalizing each other's sales in December."
TheSimExchange is an online virtual stock market in which gamers, developers and investors trade stock to predict how games will sell.
Divnich did note that as the PS3 install base grows, Sony's console will be able to support more than one standout title per genre. That date may be a ways off, however, as theSimExchange shows PS3 sales being exceeded by every other current-gen gaming system, including the Nintendo DS (of course) and Sony's own PSP (PlayStation Portable).
The weaker-than-the-rest sales will have little effect on the Blu-ray format, however, as theSimExchange anticipates Blu-ray Disc as a format will handily defeat HD-DVD, particularly in light of Warner Bros.' announcement to publish its movies exclusively on Blu-ray effective June 1.
Not surprisingly, the defeat of HD-DVD is not predicted to effect sales of Xbox 360, whose HD-DVD player is strictly an add-on, not an internal drive.
In October and November, the first-person shooter market -- which analyst Jesse Divnich says can only support two premier titles at once under normal circumstances-- was dominated by The Orange Box and Halo 3 on Xbox 360, while November and December were dominated by Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3. On the PS3, however, The Orange Box saw particularly low sales.
"Unfortunately, the PS3 has such a small install base it is unable to successfully support two first-person-shooters in the same month," said Divnich. "This theory will likely hold true for other great titles under the same genre, with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction cannibalizing each other's sales in December."
TheSimExchange is an online virtual stock market in which gamers, developers and investors trade stock to predict how games will sell.
Divnich did note that as the PS3 install base grows, Sony's console will be able to support more than one standout title per genre. That date may be a ways off, however, as theSimExchange shows PS3 sales being exceeded by every other current-gen gaming system, including the Nintendo DS (of course) and Sony's own PSP (PlayStation Portable).
The weaker-than-the-rest sales will have little effect on the Blu-ray format, however, as theSimExchange anticipates Blu-ray Disc as a format will handily defeat HD-DVD, particularly in light of Warner Bros.' announcement to publish its movies exclusively on Blu-ray effective June 1.
Not surprisingly, the defeat of HD-DVD is not predicted to effect sales of Xbox 360, whose HD-DVD player is strictly an add-on, not an internal drive.
Turok Demo Available on Xbox Live Today
Turok is an epic, story-driven first-person shooter set on a dark, mysterious planet in the future. Players take on the role of Joseph Turok, a former black ops commando, now part of an elite special forces squad, known as Whiskey Company, which is on a mission to take down a war criminal – Turok’s former mentor, Roland Kane. While Whiskey Company is traveling to the genetically altered planet inhabited by Kane and his soldiers, Whiskey Company’s ship is shot down. Turok must use his elite military training to elude Kane’s well-trained army, known as Mendel-Gruman, and the ravenous, unpredictable dinosaurs, huge insects and other massive creatures that populate the dangerous environment. Turok’s mission? Survive at all costs.
Size: 1.17 GB
Size: 1.17 GB
Sunday, 13 January 2008
Samsung LE52F96BD 52in LED LCD TV REVIEW
With so many big screens with similar model names in its massive flat TV range these days, you could be forgiven for not even noticing that Samsung has now added the LE52F96BD to its big-screen offering. But this would be a mighty shame, for the reality is that this TV is anything but ‘more of the same' from the Korean mega-brand. In fact, it's arguably the most revolutionary LCD TV that's so far passed through our doors. Honestly; we're not just exaggerating in some desperate bid to keep you reading right to the end of the review (for a change?!). Its genuinely ground-breaking nature is just a simple fact, no more, no less.
Essentially, it's all about the backlight. Now when you put it like this, I'll grant you that this Samsung's ‘big feature' doesn't sound all that exciting. But maybe if we point out that normal LCD TVs' static, constantly on backlights are responsible for the vast majority of problems LCD technology has with showing video, then you might start to get an inkling of where we're headed.
Take, for instance, normal LCD technology's problems reproducing a convincing black level response. This is largely down to the fact that the need to keep a single backlight shining at all times means that even pixels that should be dark end up with a bit of the backlight creeping into them, resulting in the greying over effect we so commonly talk about in our reviews.
The always-on stationary backlight also has a negative impact on the presentation of motion. For the fact that the light can't ‘scan' like good old CRT technology means moving images are presented as a series of static frames rather than truly fluid, a situation that causes blur since your eye's natural response is to track the average motion from one frame to the next.
As you've probably started to suss from everything we've said so far, the big trick of the LE52F96BD is that it addresses such backlight-related issues head on, by completely doing away with the solitary, constant backlight approach. Instead it lights its pixels using an array of LED backlights, all individually controllable.
The advantages of this approach are immediately clear. For instance, black levels should be much deeper, since LED-driven screens can completely remove light from dark picture areas, stopping the potential for light seepage to cause unwanted greyness. In fact, Samsung claims the LED system allows the LE52F96BD to produce a jaw-dropping - or should that be eyebrow-raising! - contrast ratio of 500,000:1.
What's more, having an array of controllable lights opens up the possibility of recreating the scanning effect so key to CRT's immaculate handling of motion. And as a final ‘bonus' benefit, LED light sources tend to produce a noticeably wider, richer colour palette than standard lamp types.
Itching though we are to find out if all this fine theory has been turned into perfect practice at the first time of asking by the LE52F96BD, we've got a little more groundwork to go over first.
For instance, you really need to know how remarkably pretty this TV is for such a gargantuan effort - just in case you hadn't picked up on this from the pictures we're running.
It's also phenomenally well connected. Heading things up are three HDMIs all made to the V1.3 specification, which is to say they are compatible with such v1.3-exclusive features as automatic lip-synching and Deep Colour (the as yet unseen but theoretically great system for delivering richer colours from specially mastered HD sources).
Also unusual is a USB 2.0 jack via which the TV can play MP3 and JPEG file formats, with other key jacks including a D-Sub PC port and a component video input.
Inevitably given its cutting edge status the LE52F96BD is a full HD screen, complete with 1:1 pixel mapping mode for the purest possible portrayal of 1080-line HD sources and 1080p/24fps support.
The picture processing at the LE52F96BD's heart is Samsung's Digital Natural Image engine which, like most rival systems, focuses its attention on improving colour saturations/tones and fine detailing, as well as providing further boosts to black levels and motion control.
You also get Samsung's Movie Plus mode, with its bold but ultimately flawed (and therefore best switched off) attempt to make objects move across the screen more fluidly; and the equally problematic Edge Enhancer, with its tendency to over-stress rather than improve edges. Again, we'd suggest you turn this off.
There are still a few other picture tweaks at your disposal that we could mention, but frankly we've restrained ourselves for far too long already. It's time to see just what a difference LED makes. And the answer is: a lot. In fact, if I was still five year's old I might even say a very lot.
Take black levels, for instance. For once we have an LCD TV that really can produce a nearly true representation of black, with practically no trace of the misty greyness we're now so accustomed to seeing. This makes dark scenes like the opening shots of Ocean's Thirteen (on Blu-ray) look spectacularly dynamic and, for want of a better word, cinematic. Partly because the range between the screen's peak whites and deepest blacks is so prodigious, but also because the effortless darkness portrayed contains more subtle detailing than you can usually make out, and as such helps pictures look more full of depth.
We'd expect black levels this good to also help a TV's colours, and so it proves with the LE52F96BD. But that's only part of the story, since as well as enjoying more natural tones even during dark scenes because of the black response, the LED light source also seems to produce markedly richer colours than we're used to seeing from LCD TVs.
Turning next to the potential motion-handling benefit of LED technology, again the LE52F96BD doesn't disappoint. There's noticeably less blur over the swinging swords of King Leonidas' men during the HD DVD of 300 than we'd normally see, for instance.
It has to be said that LED technology doesn't suddenly make LCD motion completely perfect; there's still a sense that some resolution is lost where objects pass across the screen. But it's certainly a heck of an improvement.
It's pleasing to note, too, that nothing about the LED system appears to detract from the picture's general sharpness. The 52in screen revels in eking every last drip of fine detail from quality HD moments like, well, pretty much anything on the BBC's Planet Earth, as recorded onto a Sky HD box.
So how come, you're probably wondering, the score for picture at the top of this review only reads a 9, not a 10? There are a number of small reasons. First and worst, the LE52F96BD's picture doesn't bear viewing from much of an angle; from even as little as 30 degrees or so you'll start to notice pretty serious loss of black level.
The set is also rather uncomfortable with standard definition sources, tending to exaggerate any noise they may contain, and leaving skin looking a bit plasticky. Finally, just occasionally a slight greenish undertone creeps into dark scenes , seemingly without warning. But I actually found that I'd pretty much stopped noticing this by the end of my time (a few days) with the LE52F96BD.
Verdict
So the LE52F96BD's images aren't totally perfect. But they're remarkably close to it for what is, after all, a debut product based on a new technology. In fact, this has to be one of the finest technology debuts ever in this reviewer's humble opinion, raising the very real prospect that one day LED backlighting just might become the default system of choice for the LCD industry as a whole. So long as they can get the price down a bit, that is…
Reminder Samsung 500,000 contrast ratio
Kicking off proceedings is the new F9 series, consisting of two models - the 52in LE-52F96BD and 70in LE-70F96BD - offering full HD (1920 x 1080) and incorporating what Samsung terms LED SmartLighting.
By using multiple LEDs for the backlight instead of regular CCFLs - and thereby being able to better control the brightness - Samsung has, it says, been able to engineer a dynamic 500,000:1 contrast ratio, producing, from what we saw, an image with searing blacks and deep blues.
The contrast difference between this and a traditional set positioned alongside was immediately noticeable. A wider colour gamut also helps with finer colour reproduction.
Connections-wise, it's pretty standard fare, with three HDMI sockets and USB2.0 as well. LED backlit displays have taken time to come to market and Samsung will be charging somewhere in the region of £3,000 for the 52in model. No mention is made of 100Hz support, though.
Samsung is also officially launching its F8 LCD series, available in 40in and 46in panels and supporting 100Hz to reduce that most dreaded of LCD failings - motion blur. The F8 sets are 1080p-compatible and have claimed dynamic contrast ratios of 25,000:1.
That's what i call a blu ray player!
Denon's new high end Blu-ray Disc player
Denon recently announced their new high end Blu-ray Disc player, the DVD-3800BDCI. This monster is the first player to feature support for BD-ROM Version 1.1 which, among other things, allows for playback of picture-in-picture content. The DVD-3800BDCI also features the Silicon Optix Realta chipset, which provides enhanced video performance with upconversion and IP scaling to 1080p.
Denon Electronics, a world leader in high-performance home entertainment products, today announced the upcoming introduction of two groundbreaking DVD products, the new reference-standard DVD-3800BDCI BD-ROM Profile 1 version 1.1 Blu-ray Disc Player and the DVD-2500BTC BD-ROM Profile 1 version 1.1 Blu-ray Disc Transport.
The DVD-3800BDCI is the world's first BD-ROM Profile 1 version 1.1 Blu-ray Disc Player from a Blu-Ray Disc Association member featuring the acclaimed 10-bit Silicon Optix Realta chipset. It provides users with the highest resolution high-definition video available today via HDMI™ connection, as well as the ultimate in audio performance, including high-definition audio decoding and DDSC-HD audio output. The DVD-2500BTCI outputs audio and video signals and requires a connected audio/video receiver to do the decoding.
Microsoft's XBox 3 Could Give It Market Supremacy
The following is just speculative fun. But it is based firmly in reality.
The Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox 360 is very, very well designed. Part of this design genius is ease of manufacture and potential for cost reduction. So I see this console as having a ten year life. This should easily see it up to 2015.
This year Microsoft will use their manufacturing cost advantage to use the price mechanism to build market share in the face of Sony (SNE)’s AAA game releases. This will leave headroom in the market for them to introduce a new premium console giving them a two model range, just as Sony have had for a few years now. It will also make the 360 a cheap mass market machine which will have the effect of growing Xbox Live enormously. And this is the most important thing for Microsoft. It is the online platform which, ultimately, will be the main event.
The new premium console (Xbox 3) will feature a gesture interface and probably integration with a new handheld game console. Microsoft have a great incentive to go for this two model (plus handheld) strategy sooner rather than later because Sony are currently too weak to respond. So it would be a knockout blow that could give them market supremacy.
The new Microsoft handheld will be son of Zune, with iPhone and Nintendo (NTDOY.PK) DS features. This device looks pretty inevitable and will give access to Xbox Live anywhere and everywhere and with its integration to Xbox 3 it will bring a whole raft of new capabilities to the consumer.
Another factor to remember is that Nintendo will have to do something about the Wii. This machine is really Gamecube 1.5 with a gesture interface. Its old technology will find it out. So Wii2 cannot be too far away, and it is something that Microsoft must have an answer for.
So when will we see Xbox 3? The normal console cycle is for new models every 5 years. Which would put availabilty at the end of 2010. I can see Microsoft bringing this forward a year to 2009. The current year year is too soon as they still have to build the market position of the 360. So next year it is then! And rememeber that for just about every new product area that Microsoft has entered, it is their third generation of that product that gives them world domination.
The Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox 360 is very, very well designed. Part of this design genius is ease of manufacture and potential for cost reduction. So I see this console as having a ten year life. This should easily see it up to 2015.
This year Microsoft will use their manufacturing cost advantage to use the price mechanism to build market share in the face of Sony (SNE)’s AAA game releases. This will leave headroom in the market for them to introduce a new premium console giving them a two model range, just as Sony have had for a few years now. It will also make the 360 a cheap mass market machine which will have the effect of growing Xbox Live enormously. And this is the most important thing for Microsoft. It is the online platform which, ultimately, will be the main event.
The new premium console (Xbox 3) will feature a gesture interface and probably integration with a new handheld game console. Microsoft have a great incentive to go for this two model (plus handheld) strategy sooner rather than later because Sony are currently too weak to respond. So it would be a knockout blow that could give them market supremacy.
The new Microsoft handheld will be son of Zune, with iPhone and Nintendo (NTDOY.PK) DS features. This device looks pretty inevitable and will give access to Xbox Live anywhere and everywhere and with its integration to Xbox 3 it will bring a whole raft of new capabilities to the consumer.
Another factor to remember is that Nintendo will have to do something about the Wii. This machine is really Gamecube 1.5 with a gesture interface. Its old technology will find it out. So Wii2 cannot be too far away, and it is something that Microsoft must have an answer for.
So when will we see Xbox 3? The normal console cycle is for new models every 5 years. Which would put availabilty at the end of 2010. I can see Microsoft bringing this forward a year to 2009. The current year year is too soon as they still have to build the market position of the 360. So next year it is then! And rememeber that for just about every new product area that Microsoft has entered, it is their third generation of that product that gives them world domination.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
GOLDEN EYE ON XBLA LATER THIS YEAR
Rareware Is Revisiting 007
Xbox Evolved has many sources indicating that the classic N64 Rareware title “Goldeneye 007” will be coming to Xbox Live Arcade later this year, as well as many others.
Talking with very reliable sources, and seeing evidence ourselves, Xbox Evolved believes that Microsoft, Rareware, MGM Studios (studio that makes the James Bond 007 movies) and Activision (holds the license for James Bond 007 titles right now) have come to an agreement to bring the Rareware developed Goldeneye 007 out to Xbox Live Arcade shortly before the new game developed by Activision is released.
The title will feature updated graphics, and of course an all-new Xbox Live multiplayer. Not only that, but we have found evidence that Rareware is planning on releasing even more of their back catalog onto Xbox Live Arcade, specifically, Perfect Dark and the original Banjo-Kazooie. Expect more on at least Goldeneye 007 later this year.
by: John Olin
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
2008 Xbox 360 releases!
We take a look at what games are expected to come out this year for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console
February
NFL Tour (1st)
Devil May Cry 4 (8th)
Turok (8th)
Frontlines: Fuel Of War (15th)
Lost Planet Colonies (22nd)
A-Train HX (22nd)
Army of Two (29th)
Bully: Scholarship Edition (29th)
Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway (TBC)
Lost Odyssey (TBC)
Battlefield: Bad Company (TBC)
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (TBC)
Hei$t (TBC)
Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (TBC)
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty (TBC)
The Spiderwick Chronicles (TBC)
March
Dynasty Warriors 6 (7th)
Alan Wake (21st)
FIFA Street 3 (28th)
Midnight Club: Los Angeles (28th)
Viking: Battle for Asgard (28th)
Race Driver One (28th)
Conflict: Denied Ops (TBC)
Universe at War: Earth Assault (TBC)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction (TBC)
Unreal Tournament 3 (TBC)
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (TBC)
The Club (TBC)
Alone in the Dark 5 (TBC)
World In Conflict (TBC)
Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (TBC)
Mirror's Edge (TBC)
Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends (TBC)
Warhammer: Battle March (TBC)
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 (TBC)
Q1 2008 (Jan, Feb, Mar)
The Siege of Khe Sanh (TBC)
Lost: The Video Game (TBC)
Rock Band (TBC)
Too Human (TBC)
Dark Sector (TBC)
Left 4 Dead (TBC)
Hellboy: The Science of Evil (TBC)
Condemned 2: Bloodshot (TBC)
Tom Clancy's EndWar (TBC)
SEGA Superstar Tennis (TBC)
Q2 2008 (Apr, May, Jun)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (TBC)
Grand Theft Auto IV (TBC)
Huxley (TBC)
Fable 2 (TBC)
Destroy All Humans: Path Of The Furon (TBC)
2008
Mobile Ops: The One Year War (TBC)
Mafia II (TBC)
Cipher Complex (TBC)
Indiana Jones (TBC)
Theseis (TBC)
Elveon (TBC)
The Lord Of The Rings: The White Council (TBC)
Just Cause 2 (TBC)
Fracture (TBC)
Saints Row 2 (TBC)
Warhound (TBC)
Resident Evil 5 (TBC)
Shootout: Normandy (TBC)
Sacred 2 Fallen Angel (TBC)
Halo Wars (TBC)
Ghostbusters (TBC)
MX vs ATV: Untamed (TBC)
Prototype (TBC)
The Wheelman (TBC)
WET (TBC)
Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy (TBC)
Dead Space (TBC)
Note: these dates are subject to change and may not be final release dates!
February
NFL Tour (1st)
Devil May Cry 4 (8th)
Turok (8th)
Frontlines: Fuel Of War (15th)
Lost Planet Colonies (22nd)
A-Train HX (22nd)
Army of Two (29th)
Bully: Scholarship Edition (29th)
Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway (TBC)
Lost Odyssey (TBC)
Battlefield: Bad Company (TBC)
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (TBC)
Hei$t (TBC)
Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (TBC)
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty (TBC)
The Spiderwick Chronicles (TBC)
March
Dynasty Warriors 6 (7th)
Alan Wake (21st)
FIFA Street 3 (28th)
Midnight Club: Los Angeles (28th)
Viking: Battle for Asgard (28th)
Race Driver One (28th)
Conflict: Denied Ops (TBC)
Universe at War: Earth Assault (TBC)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction (TBC)
Unreal Tournament 3 (TBC)
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (TBC)
The Club (TBC)
Alone in the Dark 5 (TBC)
World In Conflict (TBC)
Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (TBC)
Mirror's Edge (TBC)
Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends (TBC)
Warhammer: Battle March (TBC)
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 (TBC)
Q1 2008 (Jan, Feb, Mar)
The Siege of Khe Sanh (TBC)
Lost: The Video Game (TBC)
Rock Band (TBC)
Too Human (TBC)
Dark Sector (TBC)
Left 4 Dead (TBC)
Hellboy: The Science of Evil (TBC)
Condemned 2: Bloodshot (TBC)
Tom Clancy's EndWar (TBC)
SEGA Superstar Tennis (TBC)
Q2 2008 (Apr, May, Jun)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (TBC)
Grand Theft Auto IV (TBC)
Huxley (TBC)
Fable 2 (TBC)
Destroy All Humans: Path Of The Furon (TBC)
2008
Mobile Ops: The One Year War (TBC)
Mafia II (TBC)
Cipher Complex (TBC)
Indiana Jones (TBC)
Theseis (TBC)
Elveon (TBC)
The Lord Of The Rings: The White Council (TBC)
Just Cause 2 (TBC)
Fracture (TBC)
Saints Row 2 (TBC)
Warhound (TBC)
Resident Evil 5 (TBC)
Shootout: Normandy (TBC)
Sacred 2 Fallen Angel (TBC)
Halo Wars (TBC)
Ghostbusters (TBC)
MX vs ATV: Untamed (TBC)
Prototype (TBC)
The Wheelman (TBC)
WET (TBC)
Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy (TBC)
Dead Space (TBC)
Note: these dates are subject to change and may not be final release dates!
Microsoft to give away free Arcade game
By Neil Vaughan -
Microsoft are to offer a free Xbox Live Arcade game for download to all Xbox Live members after the recent problems with the Xbox Live service.
The Xbox Live GM, Mark Whitten posted the following message about the Live outage over the Christmas period.
Dear Xbox LIVE Members:
During this past holiday season you helped us break a number of Xbox LIVE records. This included our largest sign-up of new members to Xbox LIVE in our 5 year history and just yesterday you broke the record for the single biggest day of concurrent members ever on the service.
As a result of this massive increase in usage we know that some of you experienced intermittent Xbox LIVE issues over the holiday break. While the service was not completely offline at any given time, we are disappointed in our performance. I would like to take this moment to thank you each and every one of you for your patience and understanding as our team has worked around the clock to return the service to a stable state.
At the same time we would like to offer a token of our appreciation to all of you in celebration of record success for the service. And as a thank you for your loyalty during this holiday period, we will be offering all of our Xbox LIVE members around the world access to a full Xbox LIVE Arcade game that will be available to download free of charge. In the coming weeks we will be sharing the specific details of this offer with you.
Thank you again for helping make Xbox LIVE everything that it is today!
Sincerely,
Marc Whitten
General Manager, Xbox LIVE
Microsoft are to offer a free Xbox Live Arcade game for download to all Xbox Live members after the recent problems with the Xbox Live service.
The Xbox Live GM, Mark Whitten posted the following message about the Live outage over the Christmas period.
Dear Xbox LIVE Members:
During this past holiday season you helped us break a number of Xbox LIVE records. This included our largest sign-up of new members to Xbox LIVE in our 5 year history and just yesterday you broke the record for the single biggest day of concurrent members ever on the service.
As a result of this massive increase in usage we know that some of you experienced intermittent Xbox LIVE issues over the holiday break. While the service was not completely offline at any given time, we are disappointed in our performance. I would like to take this moment to thank you each and every one of you for your patience and understanding as our team has worked around the clock to return the service to a stable state.
At the same time we would like to offer a token of our appreciation to all of you in celebration of record success for the service. And as a thank you for your loyalty during this holiday period, we will be offering all of our Xbox LIVE members around the world access to a full Xbox LIVE Arcade game that will be available to download free of charge. In the coming weeks we will be sharing the specific details of this offer with you.
Thank you again for helping make Xbox LIVE everything that it is today!
Sincerely,
Marc Whitten
General Manager, Xbox LIVE
Microsoft delighted with Christmas sales
Microsoft have today posted their sales facts for the Christmas period for 2007.
Here are some breaking sales figures:
Microsoft has sold more than 17.7 million Xbox 360 consoles worldwide
Microsoft has sold more than 8.1 million copies of “Halo 3” since its launch on September 26 2007
“Mass Effect” reached 1.6 million units sold, in just six weeks since it went on sale on November 20 2007
Consumers spend more on Xbox software and accessories, with a record-high software attach rate of 6.9, according to NPD
Here are some breaking sales figures:
Microsoft has sold more than 17.7 million Xbox 360 consoles worldwide
Microsoft has sold more than 8.1 million copies of “Halo 3” since its launch on September 26 2007
“Mass Effect” reached 1.6 million units sold, in just six weeks since it went on sale on November 20 2007
Consumers spend more on Xbox software and accessories, with a record-high software attach rate of 6.9, according to NPD
Xbox Memo Reveals Several Exclusives
Written by Ice Ac
Dean Takahashi, God love him, seems to be the go to guy for MS when they want to “leak” something. The latest proof of this is a memo sent to Dean from the head of Xbox, Don Mattrick. The memo implies that Xbox has a few tricks up it’s sleeve. Memo and more after the jump:
Below is a memo from Don Mattrick that was originally intended for internal distribution within the Xbox branch of Microsoft. Somehow the memo ended up on ‘ol Takahashi’s desk. While the memo’s details don’t go far beyond what we already knew in terms of exclusive titles, the memo does state that the 360 has “several” unannounced exclusives. I think our readers and forum members know what some of those exclusives are. Check out the memo for yourself and tell us what you think.
Team,
These are truly exciting times for us in the Interactive Entertainment Business.
Tonight Bill Gates and Robbie Bach will take the stage in Las Vegas to kick off the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), where it will be announced that according to US NPD data through November, Xbox 360 is on track to register the biggest year in video game history.
While final sales numbers are still being collected, consumers in North America have spent over $3.5 billion dollars on Xbox 360 hardware, software and accessories. That’s $1 billion more than consumers spent on the Wii, and $2 billion more than the PS3. When December data is added, we expect Xbox 360 in 2007 to have generated more calendar year revenue than any other gaming platform ever, including PS2 at its peak.
Thank you all for your hard work. It’s because of your efforts this holiday and throughout the previous year that we’ve been able to drive this historic growth and sell over 17.7 million consoles worldwide. Our growth also continues online, where I’m proud to announce we have surpassed the 10 million member mark on Xbox LIVE, over six months ahead of schedule.
This growth, however, is not limited to just Microsoft and Xbox 360. The work that you do is also driving growth throughout our industry’s entire ecosystem. History has shown that the eventual winner of each console generation was the console that generated the most 3rd party revenue, and according to the most recent NPD data, Xbox 360 generated more 3rd party revenue in 2007 than Nintendo and Sony combined.
In 2007 the best games in our industry were on our platform, driving better-than-expected sales results for both first and third party games:
· “Halo 3” sold 8.1 million units worldwide and logged over 1.5 billion multiplayer matches since launch – that’s an average of 14 million matches a day
· “Mass Effect” sold 1.6 million units worldwide, after just five weeks on the market
· We expect at least seven different franchise titles to have sold in excess of one million units on Xbox 360, including “Halo 3,” “Mass Effect,” “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,” “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock,” “BioShock,” “Assassin’s Creed” and “Madden NFL 08”
· “Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action” has already achieved its total FY08 revenue budget in just two months, helping establish a new franchise for the Xbox 360 that reaches out to a broad audience of social gamers
· Xbox 360 titles have received the highest average review scores this generation according to Metacritic, with the majority of cross-platform titles posting higher review scores on Xbox 360 than PS3
At CES Robbie will announce new content and partnerships that cement our position as the clear leader in delivering digital entertainment to the living room. Right now Xbox LIVE Marketplace features over 3,500 total hours of downloadable content and has hosted more than 380 million downloads, along with the largest library of on-demand, high definition content in the US. Now, Xbox LIVE Marketplace will add TV and movie content from the Disney-ABC Television Group and MGM Studios, bringing hits to our platform including TV shows Lost and Grey’s Anatomy and movies including Legally Blonde, Silence of the Lambs and Barbershop.
Robbie will also announce an exciting new partnership with BT to offer a first-of-its kind complete entertainment experience to all BT broadband customers by making Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) available through Xbox 360 through BT’s service BT Vision. This groundbreaking partnership will bring BT’s extensive library of on-demand content to the Xbox 360 and give consumers yet another option to get high definition content on our platform.
This year’s CES also proves to be exciting for Microsoft as a whole, with Bill Gates introducing a new wave of software-based services for TV, online, mobile phones and automobiles.
Moving Forward
Looking ahead, I believe we will close 2008 with Xbox 360 being the leader of this generation of consoles.
We’ve led our industry in developing and publishing great games on a platform that is equal parts hardware, software and services. We’ve led in driving growth for our partners at record rates. Now, it is our mission to fully deliver on our promise for Xbox 360 to be the console of choice for everyone in the family.
This year will be judged by which console will best capture core gamers and captivate the masses with both exciting new gaming content and access to great movie and TV content online. By this measurement, I feel confident that we are best positioned for success.
Games
We have the big blockbuster hits that everyone wanted to play. Of the top 20 best-selling titles in 2007 this generation, 13 were on Xbox 360, compared to seven on the Wii and zero on the PS3 according to NPD.
Games sell better on Xbox 360 because they play better on Xbox 360. From “Halo 3” to “Mass Effect” to “Bioshock,” Xbox 360 has the highest-rated and hottest games. In fact, Xbox 360 has 6 of the top 10 highest-ranked games this generation according to Metacritic, the world-wide authority in entertainment reviews.
When you look at the best-reviewed games, consumers will find that Xbox 360 has more than double the number of titles (81) with a Metacritic score of 80 or higher than PS3 (40), and six times more than the Wii (13).
In 2008 the hits will continue to come with exclusives including “Halo Wars,” “Too Human,” “Fable 2,” Alan Wake,” “Splinter Cell: Conviction,” and several exciting yet-to-be-announced titles. Xbox 360 will be home to the next versions of great franchises like Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil, and we will continue to be the leading choice for sports fans, with the next editions of Madden and FIFA looking and playing better on our platform.
Dean Takahashi, God love him, seems to be the go to guy for MS when they want to “leak” something. The latest proof of this is a memo sent to Dean from the head of Xbox, Don Mattrick. The memo implies that Xbox has a few tricks up it’s sleeve. Memo and more after the jump:
Below is a memo from Don Mattrick that was originally intended for internal distribution within the Xbox branch of Microsoft. Somehow the memo ended up on ‘ol Takahashi’s desk. While the memo’s details don’t go far beyond what we already knew in terms of exclusive titles, the memo does state that the 360 has “several” unannounced exclusives. I think our readers and forum members know what some of those exclusives are. Check out the memo for yourself and tell us what you think.
Team,
These are truly exciting times for us in the Interactive Entertainment Business.
Tonight Bill Gates and Robbie Bach will take the stage in Las Vegas to kick off the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), where it will be announced that according to US NPD data through November, Xbox 360 is on track to register the biggest year in video game history.
While final sales numbers are still being collected, consumers in North America have spent over $3.5 billion dollars on Xbox 360 hardware, software and accessories. That’s $1 billion more than consumers spent on the Wii, and $2 billion more than the PS3. When December data is added, we expect Xbox 360 in 2007 to have generated more calendar year revenue than any other gaming platform ever, including PS2 at its peak.
Thank you all for your hard work. It’s because of your efforts this holiday and throughout the previous year that we’ve been able to drive this historic growth and sell over 17.7 million consoles worldwide. Our growth also continues online, where I’m proud to announce we have surpassed the 10 million member mark on Xbox LIVE, over six months ahead of schedule.
This growth, however, is not limited to just Microsoft and Xbox 360. The work that you do is also driving growth throughout our industry’s entire ecosystem. History has shown that the eventual winner of each console generation was the console that generated the most 3rd party revenue, and according to the most recent NPD data, Xbox 360 generated more 3rd party revenue in 2007 than Nintendo and Sony combined.
In 2007 the best games in our industry were on our platform, driving better-than-expected sales results for both first and third party games:
· “Halo 3” sold 8.1 million units worldwide and logged over 1.5 billion multiplayer matches since launch – that’s an average of 14 million matches a day
· “Mass Effect” sold 1.6 million units worldwide, after just five weeks on the market
· We expect at least seven different franchise titles to have sold in excess of one million units on Xbox 360, including “Halo 3,” “Mass Effect,” “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,” “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock,” “BioShock,” “Assassin’s Creed” and “Madden NFL 08”
· “Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action” has already achieved its total FY08 revenue budget in just two months, helping establish a new franchise for the Xbox 360 that reaches out to a broad audience of social gamers
· Xbox 360 titles have received the highest average review scores this generation according to Metacritic, with the majority of cross-platform titles posting higher review scores on Xbox 360 than PS3
At CES Robbie will announce new content and partnerships that cement our position as the clear leader in delivering digital entertainment to the living room. Right now Xbox LIVE Marketplace features over 3,500 total hours of downloadable content and has hosted more than 380 million downloads, along with the largest library of on-demand, high definition content in the US. Now, Xbox LIVE Marketplace will add TV and movie content from the Disney-ABC Television Group and MGM Studios, bringing hits to our platform including TV shows Lost and Grey’s Anatomy and movies including Legally Blonde, Silence of the Lambs and Barbershop.
Robbie will also announce an exciting new partnership with BT to offer a first-of-its kind complete entertainment experience to all BT broadband customers by making Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) available through Xbox 360 through BT’s service BT Vision. This groundbreaking partnership will bring BT’s extensive library of on-demand content to the Xbox 360 and give consumers yet another option to get high definition content on our platform.
This year’s CES also proves to be exciting for Microsoft as a whole, with Bill Gates introducing a new wave of software-based services for TV, online, mobile phones and automobiles.
Moving Forward
Looking ahead, I believe we will close 2008 with Xbox 360 being the leader of this generation of consoles.
We’ve led our industry in developing and publishing great games on a platform that is equal parts hardware, software and services. We’ve led in driving growth for our partners at record rates. Now, it is our mission to fully deliver on our promise for Xbox 360 to be the console of choice for everyone in the family.
This year will be judged by which console will best capture core gamers and captivate the masses with both exciting new gaming content and access to great movie and TV content online. By this measurement, I feel confident that we are best positioned for success.
Games
We have the big blockbuster hits that everyone wanted to play. Of the top 20 best-selling titles in 2007 this generation, 13 were on Xbox 360, compared to seven on the Wii and zero on the PS3 according to NPD.
Games sell better on Xbox 360 because they play better on Xbox 360. From “Halo 3” to “Mass Effect” to “Bioshock,” Xbox 360 has the highest-rated and hottest games. In fact, Xbox 360 has 6 of the top 10 highest-ranked games this generation according to Metacritic, the world-wide authority in entertainment reviews.
When you look at the best-reviewed games, consumers will find that Xbox 360 has more than double the number of titles (81) with a Metacritic score of 80 or higher than PS3 (40), and six times more than the Wii (13).
In 2008 the hits will continue to come with exclusives including “Halo Wars,” “Too Human,” “Fable 2,” Alan Wake,” “Splinter Cell: Conviction,” and several exciting yet-to-be-announced titles. Xbox 360 will be home to the next versions of great franchises like Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil, and we will continue to be the leading choice for sports fans, with the next editions of Madden and FIFA looking and playing better on our platform.
Thursday, 3 January 2008
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.
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...
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
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.
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"
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.~
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.~
Sunday, 30 December 2007
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.
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".
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
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.
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
Spiritlorre season greating & quick year rundown
Thanks all for checking out the blog this year, i really hope i've helped you guys out & given you all the information you need concerning the gaming industry.
Next year i will be expanding the blog & i will be writing more of the article myself, if there's anything i can do to improve the site please let me know as the blog is for you
This year has been a dam fine year for gaming, the quality of games has been outstanding.2007 has been one the most memorable gaming years for me.
Early 2007 starting strong straight out of the blocks with LOST PLANET,superb shooter with great graphics amazing boss battles & fantastic multilayer maps i will never forget the map where you start submerged underwater brilliant.
CRACKDOWN what a wonderful unexpected surprise, a complete riot & a joy to play taking on gang members or climbing buildings collecting orbs or juggling trucks with your firefly rocket launcher, coop is amazing to as you could be at either ends of the city a complete blast.
GHOST RECON WARFIGHTER 2 & RAINBOW SIX VEGAS two world class shooter,s also took so much of my time ghost recon solid single player campaign stunning visuals but must admit the multilayer side needs to move on.rainbow six vegas was blazing on both counts brilliant single player campaign with multiplayer pushing the bouderies way to go ubisoft.
FORZA MOTOSPORT 2 WOW!what a game, this stunning racer is so comprehensive its making my head spin just typing it,over 300 cars including cars packs & tracks to download, comprehensive car customisation to deep to go into,built in market place trade, buy, paint & auction house even give a car as a gift what the hell! Crisp detailed vibrant graphics with stunning physics & crash damage which really effects the way you drive, stunning a.i. too all running at 60fps the mind boggles, i could go on but you my drift lol..
GOTHEM 4 is off the chain is as simple as that, the weather effect,s are gorgeous & its not just not for show either it really has an impact on the way you drive puddles will slow you down & so on, awesome handling great cockpit view, great online mode amazing tracks & cities to rip your car around & the graphics are truly firing.
BIOSHOCK one of the best first person shooters to arrive on the scene since the mighty halflife, amazing use of the unreal engine stunning water effects compelling storyline, fantastic atmoshpere, big daddies.
F.E.A.R EXPANSION PACK What game do you know where you can approach your enemy slow down time perform a fly kick to the chest & pump them full of bullets at the same time yep its f.e.a.r, why is it so good well it has the best a.i. i have ever seen in a first person shooter its that's simple, they flank you they speak to each other verbal & with hand signals, enemy animation is superb as well as voice overs, atmosphere is also brilliant with great shadow effects for good measure a quality scfi horror.As for the weapons they could be the best ever.
TYPE 12 LASER CARBINE
DEPLOYABLE TURRETS
TG-2A MINIGUN
ANDRA MOD-2 MULTI ROCKET LAUNCHER
ARMACHAN TYPE-7 PATICLE WEAPON
ARMACHAN 10MM HV PENETRATOR
LP4 LIGHTNING ARCH
STRANGLEHOLD This game is a good old fashioned now brainer 3rd person shooter but boy is fun, just sit back and let those bullets fly john woo style, brilliant arcade action slick visuals destructable enviroments & a fun multiplayer riot to cap it all off, a satisfying blast indeed, the tequila gains are tops , you get precision aiming, bombs, & barrage, barrage being the best as you spin around in slow mow as doves fly dropping enemy at will exiting & fun.
MEDAL OF HONOUR AIRBORNE, Is this the best game in the world? hell no! is it fun play hell yes! a solid shooter indeed a nice blend of quality graphics open sandbox world where you can parachute in and start your campaign from anywhere along with great lighting gives this game its appeal, i enjoyed this one hats of EA.
ORANGE BOX This is the best bargain ever in gaming history, halflife 2 episode 1&2 plus portal & team fortress on disc stunning, in my humble opinion halflife 2 & the episodes are simply the best single player first person shooters i have ever played, no other game has ever got be so involved & gripped in a game like this one, the story, atmoshpere, visuals gameplay are the best, the pacing & set pieces & puzzles are great, character & enemies are so memorable, the last section in episode is just incredible, if your into first person shooters you must play this its a must.
HALO 3 the biggest game of the year & rightfully so. the best multplayer on the xbox 360 by a good stretch sure COD4 comes close but not closer enough in my opinion.
Brilliant visuals superb lighting, stunning 4 player coop campaign, the forge, huge levels, great enemy a.i, for those in the loop there,s no need to say much it just awesome online where it will be played for years to come, & its still got one thing now other online game has & that's match making! plus the amazing ability to watch all your games recorded at any angle, & send them to your mates.i love the theatre lobby where can all join in and watch a memorable frag fest OUTSTANDING!!!
CALL OF DUTY 4 Let me just start by saying the graphics are remarkable!! maybe the best this year, amazing multiplayer game which is deep & rewarding, the single player mode offers a compelling & exiting & engaging gaming experience, the effects & lighting are outstanding along with great particle effects really stand out.WOULD YOU BELIEVE THIS GAME IS ONLY 600P!! yep..
MASS EFFECT Ive only played one mission but that alone was enough! its blew me away its was like playing a dam movie.
SPRITLORRE GAMES OF THE YEAR
1 HALO 3
2 ORANGE BOX
3 FORZA 2
4 BIOSHOCK
5 GOTHEM 4
6 RAINBOW SIX VEGAS
7 LOST PLANET
8 MASS EFFECT
9 F.E.A.R. EXPANSION PACK
10 VIRTUA FIGHTER 5
There are a few more games COLIN MCRAE etc but i can,t mention them all i'm hungry lol, season greetings to all & many thanks Karis who first gave ne the idea for the blog "i won,t forget that" massive shout to, tag ulius, a hak, no1 mo,dam,ludi,kuma you have been a great flat mate, all the heads that I've been online with we have had a barn storming time playing halo 3 so many highlights & heart attacks its been unbelievable, i don,t think i,ve ever jump so high out of my seat winning these tight matches great stuff, can't wait for next year.
Devil May Cry Bundle Coming to Japan
PlayStation 3 isn't the only system getting some bundle love from Capcom. Microsoft Japan announced today the Xbox 360 Devil May Cry 4 Premium Pack, a hardware bundle that combines the 360 with the latest installment of Capcom's dramatic action hack-n-slasher.
The Japan-only bundle includes a Xbox 360 Standard Model, which is the Japanese version of America's Premium Pack, complete with a 20 gigabyte hard disk, wireless controller, media remote, HD AV cables and LAN cable. All hardware units in the bundle will have HDMI ports, so you'll get to experience the included retail copy of DMC4 in digital bliss.
Ps3 heated debate on 1up podcast
The 1UP podcast is considered by many the best of its kind on the Internet today, and this week's episode does not disappoint. Shane, the 1UP offices' only fan of Sony, and Garnett get entangled in a fierce explosive argument regarding the console wars; more specifically, the Online infrastructure of the consoles. Live and, coming soon, PlayStation Home.
The calm before the storm starts at the 2hour, 15min and 50second mark on the podcast. Tune in.
http://www.1up.com & go to podcast listen to the latest episode.
The calm before the storm starts at the 2hour, 15min and 50second mark on the podcast. Tune in.
http://www.1up.com & go to podcast listen to the latest episode.
BioWare Confirms Mass Effect Sequel
BioWare (accidentally?) announced today the title of the second volume in the Mass Effect series of novels, confirming also that there will be a sequel to the Xbox 360 exclusive.
Del-Rey Books and author Drew Karpyshyn have announced the title of the second volume in the Mass Effect series of novels: Mass Effect: Ascension. Set between the first and second game, the novel will arrive in Summer 2008.
When EA acquired BioWare, the future of the Mass Effect trilogy was in peril, but with the developer now confirming that there will be a second game, we are pretty sure the companies involved have come to an agreement.
Del-Rey Books and author Drew Karpyshyn have announced the title of the second volume in the Mass Effect series of novels: Mass Effect: Ascension. Set between the first and second game, the novel will arrive in Summer 2008.
When EA acquired BioWare, the future of the Mass Effect trilogy was in peril, but with the developer now confirming that there will be a second game, we are pretty sure the companies involved have come to an agreement.
Monday, 24 December 2007
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