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Xbox News is a site that brings you the very latest Original Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One news, the latest games and releases, Part of the
DCEmu Homebrew & Gaming Network.
THE LATEST NEWS BELOW
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November 24th, 2009, 20:55 Posted By: wraggster
A new patent filing by Microsoft suggests that the company is planning its own online help system for games, with content submitted by both gamers and developers.
As reported by website Siliconera the filing, by Microsoft director of games platform strategy Andre Vrignaud, describes a system where stuck gamers would be able to pause the action and access a database of online user-submitted tips.
The Xbox system appears to be similar in concept to the popular free-to-use website GameFAQs, where users submit guides and tips of varying complexity. The Xbox system would allow gamers to include annotated screenshots and video clips, as well as audio commentaries.
Microsoft is also considering allowing developers to offer their own guides, although there is no indication that any of the content would be paid-for. It is also unclear how the system might affect the existing strategy guide business which has proven a lucrative market for both videogame and book publishers over the years.
Nintendo recently launched the Super Guide system in new title New Super Mario Bros Wii which, along with detailed in-game hints, also allows the user to accede control to the game after a pre-set number of deaths. The game then plays itself on autopilot, allowing the player to take control again when a difficult section is overcome.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ox-super-guide
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November 24th, 2009, 20:53 Posted By: wraggster
With the Big Three all hyping new online services for their home consoles, no longer is it all about the games. But Microsoft believes last week's Xbox Live update, coinciding with 360 hitting 10 million sales in Europe, shows "no one can touch" the company's online offering.
Speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz in London last week, Microsoft EMEA vice president Chris Lewis claimed his firm's Autumn update - bringing Last.fm, Twitter, Facebook and Zune Marketplace to 360 - showed the company's ability to "reinvigorate the system... in a way that nobody else can."
"No one can touch us in terms of developing that service, completely reinventing that service in the way that we did last year with the New Xbox Experience update last November," he said.
And Lewis believes this validates Microsoft's oft-stated strategic focus on software and services in the current hardware generation, adding: "That was not predicated upon a new piece of hardware. We're able to deliver that kind of innovation via our Xbox 360 service without troubling the consumer in any way."
The launch of the new Live services, which followed the addition of Sky TV content on 360, comes as Sony last week launched its PlayStation Network Video Store and Wii followed PS3 in hosting a bespoke version of the BBC's popular iPlayer.
Lewis said hitting 10 million sales on the continent had given Xbox "critical mass" and "a large and broad footprint right across the region".
"Our games undoubtedly look better and play better on Xbox 360," he insisted. "We're the only console growing year-over-year in 2009 and we offer now fabulous value in terms of what we're bringing to consumers.
"We think we're in a fantastic position in the seven to eight weeks through Christmas and beyond."
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ouch-us-online
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November 24th, 2009, 19:56 Posted By: Shrygue
via Computer and Video Games
Datel, maker of console peripherals, has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft over its move to block third-party memory units from working on Xbox 360s.
The company said Microsoft's decision to block all unauthorized memory units through a system update - allegedly to prevent cheating - "unfairly favours its own Xbox 360 accessories".
"Microsoft's purpose in disabling Datel's memory cards is to prevent consumers from choosing a Datel product that offers far better value for the price," reads the Datel complaint (via Tech Flash. "There is no benefit to consumers from Microsoft's decision to target and disable Datel's memory cards.
"To the contrary, Microsoft's actions will leave approximately 50,000 consumers with useless memory cards and (without the ability to access their data on the cards), forestall innovation, and deprive future consumers of the benefits of competition."
The suit seeks an injunction to prevent Microsoft from "disabling or erecting technological barriers to Datel accessories," in current and future game consoles.
Speaking to CVG last month, the firm said that it was "disappointed" with MS' move, and that it believes "Max Memory offers a good value, high capacity, alternative to the official Memory Unit."
At the moment a 512MB memory unit from Microsoft goes for £24.99, while a 2GB model from Datel can be bought for just a few pounds more, so we make them right.
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November 24th, 2009, 19:48 Posted By: Shrygue
via Computer and Video Games
At least 2 million Xbox Live users have logged into their Facebook accounts through Xbox 360 since it launched last week, Microsoft claims. That's 10% of all Xbox Live users.
The impressive statistics, given to Cnet by Microsoft spokesman David Dennis, show that while Facebook has had the biggest adoption out of Xbox Live's new social network features, in its first 24 hours more than half a million accounts were created for Last.FM.
Xbox Live users have streamed 120 million minutes of music through the service, says Microsoft, while a massive 1.7 million Xbox live users have watched a video on Zune Marketplace.
The statistics don't address how many Xbox Live users have used the Xbox Live's Twitter feature, except to say that there have been "tweets from nearly every market where we have Xbox Live."
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November 24th, 2009, 16:15 Posted By: wraggster
Play Asia are doing yet another of their Weekly Specials and to be honest this is where i get my xbox360 games from, who can fault the price with shipping, for the Uk it works out to about 14 dollars (basically 10 Quid), but anyway heres the spiel from play asia:
From the publisher: Caught between two rival factions in war-torn Africa, you are sent to take out "The Jackal", a mysterious character who has rekindled the conflict between the warlords, jeopardizing thousands of lives.
In order to fulfil your mission you will have to play the factions against each other, identify and exploit their weaknesses, and neutralise their superior numbers and firepower with surprise, subversion, cunning and, of course, brute force.
Action and adventure in an exotic land where danger lurks in every shadow. FarCry 2 is available at an unbeatable bargain price of US$ 9.90. Our weekly special is region free and supports English, French, Spanish, Italian and German.
http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...-28i-84-n.html
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November 24th, 2009, 11:31 Posted By: wraggster
According to a report by InformationWeek, the state of New York is in the planning stages of a revamped emergency broadcast system capable of sending alerts to Xbox Live (and presumably other console online services) in the event of a natural disaster, terrorist attack or other not-so-good event. The state's deputy chief information officer says the idea makes sense "considering the amount of time our youth spend on video games."
No specifics of how the system would actually work were provided, but we'd hope those who heed the warnings would get Achievement points for doing so. After all, it'd mean taking precious time away from griefing other players in Modern Warfare 2.
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/24/ne...via-xbox-live/
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November 24th, 2009, 10:22 Posted By: wraggster
According to The Chicago Tribune, a 15-year-old called 911 and then hung up. He wanted to know whether or not his parents were within their rights to take away his Xbox 360.
The parents were, the police replied. Authorities then showed up at the boy's house after he hung up, and after listening to the story, told him that his parents were within their rights to take away his game console as punishment.
The police also advised the boy to listen to his parents and stop wasting tax payers money. Well, don't know about that last one — but they should've told him that, too!
Authorities do not know why the boy was being punished. Yeah, why would any parent punish a child who would question their authority and then call 911?
http://kotaku.com/5410734/teen-calls...-away-xbox-360
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November 24th, 2009, 10:16 Posted By: wraggster
Peripheral manufacturer Datel has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft, after the console maker blocked all but its own memory devices from working on the Xbox 360.
Law firm Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin will be representing Datel in San Francisco federal court, with the senior attorney for the case commenting: "Microsoft has taken steps to render inoperable the competing Datel memory card for no visible purpose other than to have that market entirely to themselves."
"They accomplished their recent update by making a system change that will not recognise or allow operation of a memory card with greater capacity than their own. We believe that with the power Microsoft enjoys in the market for Xbox accessories this conduct is unlawful," he added.
The source of the controversy is the recent dashboard update, which rendered all "unauthorised Memory Units" inactive. A brief description of the change, quoted in Datel's official complaint, was made by Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hryb, who warned that: "If you continue to use an unauthorised Memory Unit after the update, you will not be able to access your stored profile or saved games."
Datel, who are asking for a jury trial, contend that: "Microsoft's purpose in disabling Datel's memory cards is to prevent consumers from choosing a Datel product that offers far better value for the price. There is no benefit to consumers from Microsoft's decision to target and disable Datel's memory cards."
Howard Rice goes further and describes Microsoft's actions as "predatory conduct undertaken to deliberately harm competition with no benefit whatsoever to consumers."
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...r-memory-cards
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November 24th, 2009, 10:16 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft has said that over two million Xbox Live users logged into Facebook from their consoles within the first week of the social networking site being integrated with the system.
Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm integration went live last week and, according to Microsoft data, have already been accessed by millions of users.
Over half a million Last.fm accounts were created in the initial 24 hours of availability and users streamed 120 million minutes of music in the first week, MS spokesperson David Dennis told CNET. The two million that accessed Facebook account for 10 per cent of the total number of Xbox Live users.
The numbers of Twitter users weren't released, but Dennis noted there have been "tweets from nearly every market where we have Xbox Live."
Microsoft's Neil Thompson told GamesIndustry.biz last week that he believed people would respond well to having the choice to access social sites not just from their PCs but also from their consoles and in their living rooms.
"It's just about giving people choice and giving them a slightly different experience. The Facebook and Twitter applications are bespoke to the service, they do have Xbox Live unique features, such as being able to see which Xbox Live friends are online, et cetera. And over time I'm sure that will evolve as well."
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-in-first-week
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November 23rd, 2009, 20:14 Posted By: wraggster
Team Jungle have been updating their Twitter Page regarding development of the forthcoming iXtreme LT firmware from C4E. Looks like they are having a great time with it, kinda reminds us of XB1 BIOS development in the old days
LT is not only Lite Touch, lots of great new code making this version the most accurate fw eva!
new code looking good, lots of new code!
iXtreme LT for all drives, in dev/testing and going well. No ETA!
http://team-xecuter.com/
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November 23rd, 2009, 19:24 Posted By: Shrygue
via the Financial Post
Microsoft Corp. has responded to a possible class-action lawsuit over banning up to one million Xbox 360 consoles from accessing its online gaming service, arguing the company is well within its rights to ban users from Xbox Live.
U.S. law firm Abington IP recently announced on its website that it's considering filing a class-action lawsuit over Microsoft's worldwide crackdown on modified Xbox 360 consoles by booting them from the Xbox Live online network. The firm is asking those interested in joining the suit to contact them.
Microsoft "conveniently" waited until after the launch of two of Xbox 360's biggest holiday titles before banning up to one million consoles from accessing its online gaming service, the firm argued.
A spokesperson from Microsoft reacted to the possible lawsuit on Friday. "Piracy is illegal and modifying an Xbox 360 is a violation of the Xbox Live Terms of Use. Microsoft is well within its legal rights to ban these users from Xbox Live."
The number of bans has not been released by Microsoft, but some media reports suggest between 600,000 and one million consoles were banned.
The law firm is asking Xbox Live subscribers who were not refunded for the time left on their subscription to participate in the possible class action.
A 12-month subscription to the service, which allows players to access the online marketplace and play online with other subscribers, costs about $60. More than 20 million people are members of Xbox Live.
"Although modification of Xbox consoles is ‘arguably' against the terms of use for Xbox/Xbox Live, Microsoft conveniently timed the Xbox console ban to coincide with the release of the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 game and less than two months after the release of the very popular Halo: ODST game," argued Abington IP, which specializes in consumer class action lawsuits.
Abington IP said the timing might have resulted in more Xbox Live subscription revenues for Microsoft than it would have generated had the console bans taken place before the releases. The firm also argued sales of Modern Warfare 2 -- which launched Nov. 10 and set a new sales record by grossing about $550-million over the first five days of sales -- would have been hampered by the bans. Both Halo: ODST and Modern Warfare 2 have very popular multiplayer modes.
"As an aside, piracy is a legitimate concern for Microsoft and other content producers," said Abington IP. "However . . . Microsoft has chosen to use one of the most indiscriminate ‘weapons' in its arsenal in an effort to combat piracy."
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November 23rd, 2009, 15:33 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft will unveil the latest technology and design details for its upcoming Project Natal at the company's next annual Gamefest event held in Seattle, Washington in February.
According to the event's website, and reported by Gamasutra, two of the event's sessions will be specifically targeted at Natal developers, giving advice on "gesture recognition, avatar retargeting, speech recognition, advanced raw stream processing, handling different player environments, and many other topics."
A dedicated Natal design session will focus on creating new ways to work, building showcase experience, divining user intent and designing gestures for UI versus game interactions.
Microsoft's Gamefest conferences are aimed at industry professionals and will be held in 2010 in London and Tokyo, as well as Washington.
Only the line-up for the Washington conference, which will be held at the State Convention and Trade Center on February 10 and 11, has currently been confirmed.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...st-in-february
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November 21st, 2009, 19:50 Posted By: wraggster
Newly released today:
features
For the first time ever in a LEGO game, Build Your Own Adventure Mode allows you to create your own levels and environments and share them with your friends
Innovative re-tellings of the classic movies (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) with all new objectives and brand new levels. For example, this time you can play through the exciting vehicle chase in Shanghai with Short Round
Collect artifacts through the game to unlock more than 60 playable characters, including villains and supporting characters (Marion Ravenwood, Mutt Williams, Short Round, Rene Belloq, Willie Scott, Marcus Brody, Dr. Henry Jones Sr. and Irina Spalko)
description
LEGO® Indiana Jones 2™: The Adventure Continues combines the fun and creative construction of LEGO bricks with the wits, daring and non-stop action of one of cinema’s most beloved adventure heroes. With a unique, tongue-in-cheek take on all the Indiana Jones films — including for the first time ever Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull — LEGO Indiana Jones 2 follows Dr. Jones’ escapades from the jungles of South America to the Peruvian Ruins and beyond. Fans can experience the most authentic LEGO experience yet by designing and building their own levels brick by brick, and by fusing their levels with the ones in the game to create a custom experience. In LEGO Indiana Jones 2, everyone can build, battle and brawl their way through their favorite cinematic moments — or create their own.
http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-3hm7.html
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November 21st, 2009, 19:48 Posted By: wraggster
Newly released today:
features
Next generation co-op action gaming from the makers of Half-Life, Portal, Team Fortress and Counter-Strike.
AI Director 2.0: Advanced technology dubbed “The AI Director” drove L4D’s unique gameplay – customizing enemy population, effects, and music, based upon the players’ performance. L4D 2 features “The AI Director 2.0” which expands the Director’s ability to customize level layout, world objects, weather, and lighting to reflect different times of day.
New melee weapons – axe, chainsaw, frying pan, baseball bat – allow you to get up close with the zombies
Four different survivors. New Story. New dialogue.
More game. On day one, L4D 2 features more co-operative campaigns, more campaigns and maps for the Versus game modes than L4D 1, plus support for Survival mode out of the box.
Stats, rankings, and awards system drives collaborative play
description
This co-operative action horror FPS takes you and your friends through the cities, swamps and cemeteries of the Deep South, from Savannah to New Orleans across five expansive campaigns. You’ll play as one of four new survivors armed with a wide and devastating array of classic and upgraded weapons. In addition to firearms, you’ll also get a chance to take out some aggression on infected with a variety of carnage-creating melee weapons, from chainsaws to axes and even the deadly frying pan. You’ll be putting these weapons to the test against (or playing as in Versus) three horrific and formidable new Special Infected. You’ll also encounter five new “uncommon” common infected, including the terrifying Mudmen. Helping to take L4D’s frantic, action-packed gameplay to the next level is AI Director 2.0. This improved Director has the ability to procedurally change the weather you’ll fight through and the pathways you’ll take, in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match your performance. L4D2 promises a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience every time the game is played, custom-fitted to your style of play.
http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-3f30.html
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November 21st, 2009, 16:18 Posted By: wraggster
Speaking to VentureBeat, Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten discussed the recent round of Xbox Live bans. According to Whitten, banning users from Xbox Live is "a cat and mouse game." Said Whitten, "These were people that were pirating software." He added that Microsoft looks at banning users "from a safety and anti-cheating perspective" and that the company looks out for its partners. Responding to the widely reported story that Microsoft banned over a million Xbox Live users, Whitten said that the figure is inaccurate. "I cannot explain to you why people would think it was a million people," said Whitten, then adding quite succinctly, "It wasn't a million people."
Whitten went on to state his belief that Microsoft does "a really good job" of monitoring the activity on Xbox Live, specifically in terms of piracy and online harassment. He concluded that the company is "committed to making [Xbox Live] better and better."
The interview also covers the recent integration of Facebook on Xbox, the effect Modern Warfare 2 had on Live activity (hint: a big one) and whether or not we'll be playing Facebook games on our consoles anytime soon. Don't expect a straight answer on that last one though, as the closes Whitten gets is, "In the future, they will move much closer together."
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/20/wh...nd-mouse-game/
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November 21st, 2009, 16:07 Posted By: wraggster
There are some out there who believe that during the recent wave of Xbox Live bannings, Microsoft kicked as many as one million people off their online service. It's a belief Microsoft execs do not subscribe to.
"We didn't release the number", Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten told VentureBeat. "I cannot explain to you why people would think it was a million people. It wasn't a million people".
So, those who had money on it being one million, sorry. You're out. Until the cold day in hell Microsoft actually disclose the figures, though, those with money on it being 999,999 or 1,000,001, you're still in the running!
http://kotaku.com/5409710/microsoft-...-banned-report
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November 21st, 2009, 01:00 Posted By: wraggster
New special offer from Play asia:
Enter the fantastic world of Narnia once again in "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian".
As the sequel to the smash hit "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", the second installment of the Narnia franchise will give players the freedom to explore the deep universe even further while controlling various characters including all of the Pevensie children, Giants, Centaurs and Caspian himself.
Can you restore Prince Caspian to his rightful place or will you fall under the onslaught of the dark forces? Prince Caspian is the new weekly special, available at an unbeatable bargain price of US$ 9.90 only. The game is region free.
http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...-28g-84-n.html
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November 20th, 2009, 20:15 Posted By: wraggster
Were you negatively affected by the recent ban on Xbox Live for modifying hardware you own? Did you modify yours for homebrew or altering things you paid for and not to engage in piracy? Abington IP would like to hear from you and may be able to help. From that page: 'If you are an Xbox Live subscriber, had your modified Xbox console banned from Xbox Live, were not refunded a prorated sum for the time left on your subscription, or have experienced other problems as a result of being banned, and would like to participate in a class action against Microsoft, please submit your information below.' Someone is finally standing up for the legitimate hobbyists. Should Microsoft worry?
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/11/...g-Investigated
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November 20th, 2009, 20:12 Posted By: wraggster
Xbox 360 owners with Xbox Live Silver membership will be granted free access to all Gold member features from November 25 to November 30 in Europe, as Microsoft continues to promote the service's new features.
A similar promotion is planned for all other Xbox Live regions between November 20 and 23 according to comments made by Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hryb on his Major Nelson blog.
The offers have been extended in the wake of a suite of new features and application for Xbox Live, giving Silver members (who do not pay a subscription fee and usually only have access to store features) the chance to use online multiplayer, Facebook, Twitter, Last.FM, Netflix, Sky Player, Halo Waypoint and 1 v 100.
The promotion also follows an attempt by Microsoft to ban modified console from accessing Xbox Live, with rumours of up to 1 million users having been banned - leading to a sudden surge in second-hand sales of modded Xbox 360s.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-live-weekends
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