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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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August 13th, 2009, 18:43 Posted By: wraggster
The Xbox 360 summer system earlier this week made it possible for users to buy and download titles directly to their console. But don't go looking to digitally import games.
The US Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the Japanese Xbox LIVE Marketplace have different titles.
For work, I have an American Xbox 360 with a US Xbox LIVE Gold account. I use it to download games and write reviews of them. When Games On Demand was rolled out, I wanted to check out the instant gratification service and tried downloading Assassin's Creed and got this message:
This item isn't available from your current location.
I tried downloading Call of Duty 2 and got the same message. I tried downloading LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga and got the same message. Thought this might be third party region coding, but got ditto for Perfect Dark Zero and even Viva Piñata, which is available on the Japanese Marketplace.
However, it was possible to download Xbox title Fable.
The reverse seems to be true as well — meaning, those living outside Japan do not appear able to digitally import Japanese Xbox 360 games on demand.
Region locking: Good for corporations, and for now, bad for Microsoft and developers. These titles are available used in retail shops at lower prices. I shall take my business elsewhere.
http://kotaku.com/5336183/xbox-360-g...-region-locked
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August 13th, 2009, 17:32 Posted By: wraggster
Are you a currently unemployed Software Engineer? If so, here's a recession antidote of an altogether different stripe: Microsoft is taking applications for a LIVE Community Director, whose job it will be to manage "LIVE community strategy and execution across a range of properties, from Xbox LIVE to Windows Mobile." The posting then goes on to discuss how the team will be tasked with constructing a next gen, LIVE-enabled platform across the web, the console, mobile and more... which, you know, sounds a little bit like the Live Anywhere concept. Either way, it sounds like the company might be doing a little more than merely contemplating its mobile strategy, Shane Kim's recent interview notwithstanding. What are you waiting for? Dust off that resume and hit the read link.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/i...ive-on-mobile/
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August 13th, 2009, 17:30 Posted By: wraggster
No need to hide your unabashed love for Microsoft -- we know you've already plopped down a few bills to pre-order your Zune HD, but did you bother sinking a few Jacksons on high-margin accessories? If not, we'll have you know that the Zune HD AV Dock (left) and Zune HD AV & Power Pack (right) can be pre-ordered right now from Microsoft's online store as well as through Amazon, and we suspect most every other respectable e-tailer will pick 'em up soonly. Both devices are expected to ship alongside the device itself on September 15th, with the former including a dock, three inserts, wireless remote, AC adapter, HDMI cable and AV output cable for $89.99. The latter is meant to pipe content from your docked Zune HD onto a TV, as it includes an AC adapter, HDMI cable and AC output cable for $49.99.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/13/m...for-pre-order/
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August 13th, 2009, 17:28 Posted By: wraggster
We already knew that the Zune HD would be available in five different colors, and a just sent out pre-order email has now given us our first (very small) glimpse of the options available. In addition to the standard black and silver (or platinum), it seems you'll also have your choice of blue, lime green, red / maroon, and a beige-y color of some sort, each of which can also be adorned with your choice of 10 exclusive Zune Originals designs. From the looks of it, however, folks pre-ordering are limited to the two less colorful options.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/13/z...e-order-email/
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August 12th, 2009, 19:25 Posted By: wraggster
We've already had a pretty clear indication that the Xbox 360 Elite would be replacing the current middle-of-the-road Pro model as Microsoft winnows its SKU options down to two, and a new Meijer ad obtained by Kotaku has now further backed up rumors of the switchover, and seemingly confirmed that that, as expected, the Elite will also be occupying the Pro's $299 price point. Of course, all of this is still far from official, but the ad does also peg the date for the price drop as August 30th, so it seems likely we'll hear something from Microsoft before then -- perhaps at a conveniently timed major gaming conference.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/x...t-august-30th/
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August 12th, 2009, 19:24 Posted By: wraggster
Rumours build that Microsoft is to counter Sony’s PS3 price cut by scrapping the Pro model and cutting the Elite RRP
Just hours after MCV revealed that Sony has been clearing the channel in preparation for its PS3 price cut on Tuesday it now appears as if Microsoft could be preparing an Xbox 360 price cut to counter the move.
Kotaku has become the latest website to claim that Microsoft is to ditch its mid-range Xbox 360 Pro SKU and drop the price of its high-end Elite model to fill the vacant space. It claims that the drop will come into effect on August 30th – the same time that Sony will launch its lower-cost PS3.
The Xbox 360 Elite, which is the only SKU to come in black and includes a 120GB HDD, currently carries an RRP of £229.99. If the talk is true then this will drop to £169.99 to replace the outgoing Pro SKU, which includes a 60GB HDD.
This would represent a £60 decrease in the UK and would make Microsoft’s high-end model the cheapest next-gen console on the market.
It is presumed that the Arcade SKU, which doesn’t include an HDD or HDMI cable, will remain at its current RRP of £129.99.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/35363/MS-t...60-Elite-by-60
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August 12th, 2009, 19:23 Posted By: wraggster
Hey Microsoft, this isn't 1965. Computers don't take up entire rooms anymore. And hard drives are cheap.
With the Elite looking to get a $100 price cut, you'll be able to purchase a 120GB Xbox 360 console for $299. Yet the retail price on the 360's 120GB drive is still more than half that ($160).
Even though most retailers shave the price down to about $135, the idea that we should be paying anything approaching a dollar per gig is ludicrous.
Both Sony and Nintendo—two companies not necessarily renown for open hardware platforms—have both addressed and solved the issue of rapidly dropping storage prices on their current consoles by handing the reins to their users. The Wii has always been equipped with an SD slot that now even accepts stock 32GB SDHC cards—normal, consumer-grade tech that you can price-compare anywhere. And the PS3 has supported users who wanted to install their own hard drives (or even Linux!) since day freaking one.
Yet Microsoft, who has put forth so much effort in securing deals like Netflix and offering us a New Xbox Experience, is stuck in a proprietary hard drive pricing pattern so old that it probably doesn't know women can vote, Man's walked on the moon or we have 0-calorie sweeteners.
I know what you're thinking: Microsoft charges a lot for their drive because it's some special, expensive to produce tech. It's not. Inside that plastic shell is a stock, boring-as-hell 2.5-inch laptop drive. And you can find such a drive with 500GB of storage for $90 right now.
Keep in mind that Microsoft is buying in bulk.
Oh, and then there's the point that Microsoft is really, really, really, really stupid for not just subsidizing hard drives to begin with. How many of us with 20GB HDDs have gone to download demos only to find our drives full? How many of us are daunted by DLC because we know an extra few maps will necessitate deleting content? And while I know Microsoft doesn't take the 360's video store seriously, how could they ever expect any of us to have the free space to download I Love You Man?
But everything I listed above—that's not the worst of it. It's one final kick in the nuts that Microsoft has sent to those of us willing to do some modding ourselves that rubs me the wrong way.
While I could just pop open my 360 hard drive case and toss in a new drive myself (of course, I get to feel like a criminal while doing so as the process requires a separate PC and various unauthorized firmware files), Microsoft has limited the 360 to only supporting hard drives in their designated 20GB, 60GB and 120GB sizes.
So in other words, even though I can technically go through the trouble of installing a sweet, 500GB of storage capable of holding my entire game collection, Microsoft has taken the time specifically to thwart me in that endeavor. Doing my own installation is no longer a treat, like sticking a turbocharger on an engine. Instead it becomes a home repair I do myself to save a few bucks, like negotiating a new drain line to my dishwasher.
I never thought I'd see a day when Microsoft was more willing to give away software than hardware. But in a great irony, their latest dashboard update is once again free. The dinky hard drive to store it on? That'll still cost ya...more than even a new copy of Windows 7 Home Premium.
http://gizmodo.com/5335747/ridicu+pr...-and-microsoft
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August 12th, 2009, 19:18 Posted By: wraggster
Codemasters wasn't too impressed with that Project Natal-enabled Burnout demo, apparently, and thinks gamers won't trash their controllers and steering wheels for racing games when Natal is unleashed on the public. Speaking to Videogamer, Codemasters' Ralph Fulton -- who is currently hard at work on DiRT 2 -- said, "The complexity of control for a racing game, certainly for a core racing game like ours, requires a controller."
Fulton points to the need for feedback and precision, claiming that Project Natal just won't do either justice. That's not to say there isn't a place for Natal in racers, as Fulton thinks it could add some functionality on top of traditional controls, though he fails to provide us with any ideas of his own. Until we get our hands on the final product, we're just going to have to watch those chase scenes from Ronin over and over again with a pair of fuzzy dice strapped to our TV.
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/co...ols-in-racers/
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August 12th, 2009, 19:16 Posted By: wraggster
Kotaku recently got their hands on a catalog from retail superstore Meijer's which is supposedly due to hit ... catalog stands(?) on August 30. The clipping of interest from this ad book is for a "new lower price" for the Xbox 360 Elite model -- it seems they're slicing $100 off the price of the system, bringing it down to the $299 price point shared by the Pro version.
This fits in nicely with the grand design foreseen by the Ars Technica mole back in June, which claimed Microsoft would completely replace the Pro model with the Elite sometime in September. However, we called nearly a dozen Meijer's locations to try and confirm the cut -- only one Media Center employee had heard about it, and explained that it would be a "week-long sale," and not a permanent price drop.
We're certain to find out more in the near future -- either on August 30, when the catalog (and Elite price) is supposed to drop, or perhaps next week during GamesCom, which some believe will provide a veritable cornucopia of startling announcements.
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/12/ru...box-360-elite/
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August 12th, 2009, 16:32 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft has answered a bunch of questions about the new Xbox Live Tenure feature, otherwise known as the little number that shows how long you have been a Gold subscriber for.
The maximum number of years is currently six, Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb reminds us - although this changes to seven tomorrow, 13th August.
As of next week, everybody who has been a Gold subscriber for over a year will display a number. Logically, any time spent as a Silver member does not count. And Tenure will no longer be reset after 14-days as a non-Gold member.
The "Member Since" date on the Xbox.com Account page is not your Tenure, by the way - but the date you last upgraded to a Gold membership. To find out your Tenure, log-in to the Billing and Account Management page.
So, who has the highest?
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mi...tenure-queries
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August 12th, 2009, 16:20 Posted By: wraggster
According to a job posting from August 10, 2009, Microsoft is looking for a LIVE Community Director in the Entertainment & Devices Division. The job posting seems to suggest that Microsoft is looking to bring the Xbox Live, Windows Mobile, and other similar properties closer together. More specifically, there's talk of a 'casual and social gaming platform' that would be available via more than just one device: 'The LIVE Engagement Team is looking for a LIVE Community Director to manage its LIVE community strategy and execution across a range of properties, from Xbox LIVE to Windows Mobile. This senior position will play a vital role in the community space as the LIVE Engagement team builds and program's Microsoft's next-generation, LIVE-enabled casual and social gaming platform across the Web, the console, mobile and beyond.' The first key responsibility listed in the job posting is to '[d]evelop a community strategy that leverages all parts of the LIVE Services team to deliver scenarios and engagement across three screens
http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/0...Console-Mobile
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August 12th, 2009, 00:12 Posted By: wraggster
Looks like the rising tide of Zune HD news has taken some casualties along the way: Microsoft's official Zune store no longer lists any flash players at all, leaving just the Zune 80 and Zune 120 to hold things down while we wait for the next generation. Amazon and some others still have stock, so if you're looking to pick one up on the rebound you know what to do -- but we think you're better off holding out for a little Tegra action.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/11/f...rom-zune-site/
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August 12th, 2009, 00:11 Posted By: wraggster
We've witnessed a very interesting development cycle with the Zune HD, getting to witness the software at various early stages of development, instead of a completed device all at once. Our latest glimpse of the player is along the lines of what's been cropping up the last week or so: wild transitions, fun motion graphics and plenty of beautiful media to show it all off with. We did get to touch the new keyboard briefly, and while there's no telling what sort of predictive text Microsoft has worked in, since we only had a URL bar to work with, it's a passable (and certainly beautiful) attempt to cram a full QWERTY touchscreen keyboard into such a small device. Reports are conflicting as to whether there will be a landscape keyboard in the final build of the device, but it's been spotted in some iterations of the device -- it didn't show up when we tried to rotate the player, however.
Unfortunately, while the browser is up and running, the hotel we were at wasn't able to offer us a working internet connection -- hopefully we'll be able to rectify that soon. For now hold tight, check out the gallery below and the peep the video after the break for a magical exploration of the Zune HD's truly impressive interface.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/11/z...media-edition/
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August 11th, 2009, 23:33 Posted By: wraggster
On Tuesday, Microsoft has released an Xbox 360 software update that overwrites the first stage bootloader of the system. Although there have been numerous software updates for Microsoft's gaming console in the past, this is the first one to overwrite the vital boot block. Any failure while updating this will break the Xbox 360 beyond repair. Statistics from other systems have shown that about one in a thousand bootloader updates goes wrong, and unless Microsoft has a novel solution to this problem, this puts tens of thousands of Xboxes at risk.
It seems that this update is being done to fix a vulnerability already known to the Free60 Project. This vulnerability has been successfully exploited to run arbitrary code, and a complete end user compatible hack has been in development for some time and is planned to be released on free60.org shortly. It will allow users to take back control of their Xboxes and run arbitrary code like homebrew applications or Linux right after turning on the console and without the need of a modchip, finally opening up the Xbox 360 to a level of hacking as the original Xbox.
Because of the dangerousness of the update and the homebrew lockout, the Free60 Project advises all Xbox 360 users to not update their systems to the latest software version. The Project website at http://free60.org/ will provide the latest information on this ongoing topic, including the final hack software.
Free60 (www.free60.org) is a project that aims to enable Xbox 360 users to run homebrew applications and operating systems like Linux on their consoles. The effort is headed by Felix Domke and Michael Steil, who have a background in dbox2, Xbox and GameCube hacking, and who have spoken at various conferences about their findings. Two years ago, Free60 released a hack that allowed arbitrary code execution using a game ("King Kong Hack") as well as an adapted version of Linux, but this possibility has been disabled by Microsoft in subsequent updates of the Xbox 360 software.
Felix and Michael have repeatedly argued that game console manufacturers should open up their platforms to Linux and homebrew, similar to what Sony has done with the PlayStation 3.
http://www.free60.org/
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August 11th, 2009, 19:19 Posted By: wraggster
New from SuccessHK is a budget priced Xbox 360 Arcade stick:
Recommended for Fighting, Action, Shooting, and Classic games that are available through download
Fully featrued 8 button arcade stick
HOME button for full console control
Full arcade realism
Priced at a decent USD 38.58
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August 11th, 2009, 19:06 Posted By: wraggster
Play Asia are doing a fantastic special offer this week in the form of C&C 3 Red Alert for the 360 and its a region free release at the killer price of 14.90
The desperate leadership of a doomed Soviet Union travels back in time to change history and restore the glory of Mother Russia.
The time travel mission goes awry, creating an alternate timeline where technology has followed an entirely different evolution, a new superpower has been thrust on to the world stage, and World War III is raging.
The Empire of the Rising Sun has risen in the East, making World War III a three-way struggle between the Soviets, the Allies, and the Empire with armies fielding wacky and wonderful weapons and technologies like Tesla coils, heavily armed War Blimps, teleportation, armored bears, intelligent dolphins, floating island fortresses, and transforming tanks.
Another red hot deal for you, Red Alert 3 is available at an unbeatable bargain price of US$ 14.90 only. This region free US version supports English and Spanish, what are you waiting for? Join the army today.
http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...-24h-84-n.html
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August 11th, 2009, 19:02 Posted By: wraggster
New from Divineo China
Expand your Xbox 360 experience with downloadable content, rip music, and play an array of original Xbox games. 120 GB and detachable, the hard drive allows gamers to store their games, music, downloaded trailers, levels, demos and community-created content from Xbox Live Marketplace and more.
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