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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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March 7th, 2008, 01:00 Posted By: wraggster
At E3 2006, Microsoft announced Live Anywhere, an initiative to bring Xbox Live, well, everywhere. The goal was for integrated play (MMO enhancement?) and Live access from Xbox 360, PC and mobile phones. MTV Multiplayer contacted Xbox Live executive John Schappert for an update on the program.
In an email response, Schappert said, "We continue to make progress against the vision laid out for LIVE Anywhere and remain committed to building out the network that connects you to your games, your friends and your entertainment in a variety of ways." He also cited XNA and Zune integration as an example of this.
Microsoft also told MTV that there no Live Anywhere announcements were expected in the immediate future. The PC aspect of Live Anywhere -- Games for Windows Live -- has materialized to mixed results and acceptance.
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/mi...mediate-futur/
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March 6th, 2008, 21:13 Posted By: wraggster
Sony is in talks with console rival Microsoft about offering a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360, according to a senior executive.
After Sony's victory last month in the high-definition DVD format war, Stan Glasgow, Sony Electronics US president, said the two sides were now talking about Microsoft adopting Blu-ray.
A Blu-ray drive in a 360 would make Microsoft more competitive with the PS3, but it would also mean extra revenues for Sony's electronics division. It would also add further cost to the 360, meaning a premium edition of the console could be necessary.
A Blu-ray drive could be incorporated in its top-of-the-range Elite Xbox, or Microsoft could again offer a drive as a plug-in peripheral.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ca6017de-e...nclick_check=1
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March 6th, 2008, 20:53 Posted By: Shrygue
via Computer and Video Games
Word has reached CVG that a big Xbox 360 announcement will be made in the Middle East next week, which could well mean the region's introduction to Xbox Live.
We're reliably informed that invitations have been sent out for the Dubai-based event, which promises "big news" for Xbox 360 in the region.
Microsoft's console has already launched in the Middle East, though without its highly regarded online service. That's a bit like having bread without butter.
Since events and announcements are rarely ever made in the region, says our source, this could very likely mean the launch of Xbox Live in the Middle East. That means we'll have even more strangers swearing at us from foreign parts. Welcome aboard!
Microsoft UK was unavailable for comment when we picked up the phone, but we'll let you know if and when it gets back to us.
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March 6th, 2008, 20:31 Posted By: Shrygue
via Computer and Video Games
Capcom has confirmed to CVG that the long-rumoured spin-off (or whatever it is) Lost Planet Colonies will be officially unveiled next week.
The news comes after a very unexciting Achievements list leaked onto the internet, revealing Gamerpoints for finishing Colonies on "easy", "normal" and indeed, "hard". Riveting stuff.
Capcom UK (who are standing behind our desks somewhere) won't reveal what exactly Colonies is, though from the lack of marketing flair surrounding its reveal, we're not holding our breaths for a sequel.
We reckon it'll turn out to be a re-release with DLC, but Capcom isn't saying either way.
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March 6th, 2008, 20:31 Posted By: wraggster
A father and son are accused of assaulting another father and son with a baseball bat during an argument over the ownership of a Xbox game.
Police say Michael Malta, 43, and his son, Anthony, 18, both of Garnerville, were arraigned Thursday morning on assault charges. They were arrested Wednesday night after police responded to a street fight.
Police say a 45-year-old West Haverstraw man and his 18-year-old son were found injured near their home. They suffered head, arm and leg injuries and were hospitalized.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wi...,5926075.story
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March 6th, 2008, 20:27 Posted By: Shrygue
via IGN
In its March playlist update for Halo 3, Bungie has tweaked some matchmaking eccentricities, fixed some multiplayer map glitches and introduced two new double-experience weekend playlists.
The first weekend Double XP playlist went live at noon today and runs through noon PDT on March 10. The second runs March 20 - March 23. Here's a full breakdown by Bungie community guru Luke Smith:- Grifball, the game created by Burnie Burns of Red vs. Blue will be an unranked, weekend-long social playlist awarding DoubleXP to winning teams. We've slightly adjusted some of the rules for Grifball (unlimited round times make for unlimited griefing potential), but kept the game's core intact. You'll be able to go in with party configurations ranging from one to eight people. This playlist will be available from Thursday, March 6 at NOON until March 10 at NOON(all times Pacific Standard). I apparently forgot to mention that the Grifball hopper is being treated like a Tournament hopper -- a hopper where there will be prizes. Tournament prizes.
- Beginning March 20 at NOON will be the return of Team SWAT in the Social, DoubleXP variety. Team SWAT is an old Halo 2 gametype where players have no shields, increased body health and do not have the luxury of radar. This eight-player maximum hopper will be completely Team Slayer focused with the SWAT ruleset. This weekend playlist will be available from March 20 at NOON until March 23 at NOON (all times Pacific).
In addition to sucking the next two weekends away from Halo 3 players' friends and loved ones, Bungie made some changes to the Heroic DLC multiplayer variant, splitting it into DLC Slayer (4v4) and DLC Objective (6v6) with a mix of various gametypes on the DLC maps. Slayer options include Team Snipers, Team Rockets, Team BRs, Team Duel and Team Duals. Objective variants include Multi Flag CTF, Multi Flag BR, One Flag, Assault, Neutral Bomb Assault and Team King.
But wait, there's more. Along with the new weekend events and Heroic DLC changes, Bungie added the following changes to the game:- Fixed map exploit on The Pit
- Fixed map exploit on Construct
- Fixed map exploit on Epitaph
- Reduced Ranked Big Team Battle "Large party" size to six players and increased Big Team threshold to two
- Fixed Spartan Laser occasionally falling through map on Sandtrap
- Fixes to matchmaking to allow more even leveling for players
- Disabled Mixed Skill restrictions for RBTB and Team Slayer
To nerd out on even more detail about the March playlist update, check out this post on Bungie.net.
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March 6th, 2008, 20:24 Posted By: Shrygue
via MCV
Microsoft’s E&D president Robbie Bach claims that Xbox Live sets the 360 apart from its rivals.
“Xbox Live is a big differentiator for us,” said Bach to investor.com, “That drives a significant amount of energy around what’s on with Xbox.”
Bach cites the exclusive downloadable content for GTA 4 as a reason why Microsoft’s online service is superior to its rivals.
“You don't have the same experience (with other consoles) that you get with Xbox Live," Bach said. "That does drive people to the platform."
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March 6th, 2008, 19:31 Posted By: wraggster
At Microsoft's Techfest, a researcher was showing off a smart shuffle system that uses tags and meta data like tempo and genre to direct playlist creation in a portable music device. The demo was being done on a first generation Zune.
The system is being developed in direct response to the huge number of songs people carry around on their media players, and specifically the millions of songs a Zune library can stock using a Zune pass. The system automatically recommends new songs based on songs played, and the logic is continuously "steered" by voting tracks up and down.
http://gizmodo.com/363819/next-gen-z...mart-shuffling
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March 6th, 2008, 17:31 Posted By: wraggster
This week the Japanese get the new Arcade 360 with HDMI Port for a price of Price: US$ 299.90 (~152.56 GBP)
features
New Version with HDMI port
This is the Japanese version console. Only suitable to play Japanese/Asian NTSC/J encoded or Region Free games (see list below under "Useful Links").
Box contents
Xbox 360 Console
Wireless Controller
Composite AV Cable
Memory Unit (256MB)
Xbox Live Arcade Disc
Power Supply (110V)
Manual (Japanese)
Yep the only reason a non jap person would buy this is for the Region Free Games but thankfully most games are region free these days.
Links
Arcade 360 --> http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-2lld.html
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March 6th, 2008, 17:15 Posted By: wraggster
Rockstar boss blames "older 360s", company working hard to rectify problems
Following reports of technical problems being suffered by some owners of Bully for the Xbox 360, Rockstar boss Sam Houser has responded by apologising, and assuring fans that the company is working hard to find and fix the problems.
"We have just become aware of the issues people are having with Bully Scholarship Edition on Xbox 360," Houser told Kotaku. "It appears that some older 360s are experiencing frame rate issues, freezes and other problems.
"You have our word that we never experienced any of this in QA - in any of our offices or at Microsoft. I am horrified, and we are now working around the clock to rectify this situation."
Houser went on to reiterate the developer's commitment to quality, and hint that any problems being experienced had nothing to do with having to release the game before it was complete.
"We love our games and put a huge amount of energy and care into making them all that they can be," he said. "We would never shove anything out the door - we never have and never will.
"We apologise to everyone affected for the inconvenience."
Bully: Scholarship Edition was released in the US on Tuesday, and is set for release in the UK tomorrow. There is no word as yet regarding specific details on how old the Xbox 360 consoles are that are suffering from problems, and how many are actually affected.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=33827
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March 5th, 2008, 20:37 Posted By: wraggster
The Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator is now available as a free download on Xbox Live Marketplace when you request a token at http://www.thisishddvd.com/emulator/.
Why is it free now?
This decision was made in light of Toshiba's recent announcement that they are discontinuing their HD DVD business. The reasons for offering the emulator for free are two-fold.
Microsoft is committed to interactivity and giving content authors the ability to create more compelling entertainment experiences. The specification for HDi was developed with significant input from studios like Warner Bros. and Disney based on scenarios they desired in the next generation format. Offering the emulator for free allows a greater audience to experiment with interactivity with little to no cost.
Second, the emulator beta program had approximately 80 participants across the industry who relied on the emulator for testing HDi content. Continued access to the emulator will assist those post houses and developers in completing their outstanding HD DVD projects.
What about the people who already purchased the emulator?
They will be issued gift certificates redeemable at the Microsoft Store. I'm kidding, of course! That would be completely lame - who would do that? Complete refunds will be issued to those who previously paid the full price for the emulator.
What can I do with this?
The Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator is a development and test tool that allows you to run complete HD DVD projects - video, audio, and advanced interactivity - on your Xbox 360 from an external USB drive or networked PC. If you're interested in learning more about HDi and how to create your first HDi application, start in the April 2007 section of this blog and work your way forward.
If you're interested in a tool for muxing video to test on the emulator, be sure to check out NetBlender's DoStudio MX. They also have a demo project that you can run on the emulator.
Note that you do not need to have video in your project, though. Your playlist may contain titles without PrimaryAudioVideoClip(s).
Once you have your project looking just the way you want, you can burn it to a DVD-9 and share it. More info on burning DVD-9s can be found here: http://dostudio.netblender.com/wikipapers/wiki_dvdr.asp. FYI, I use a Pioneer DVD burner, Gear Pro Professional software, and Verbatim discs. [follow up: the burner and software I have used successfully are not mentioned on NetBlender's wiki, so I mention them so people know what I have used to create discs that work on the Xbox and Toshiba players]
What doesn't it do?
The emulator does not allow you to play ripped retail titles on your Xbox or your PC. The emulator runs on your Xbox 360, it does not run on a PC. It will also not do your laundry.
Do I need an Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on drive to use this?
Yes! Yes you do! The HD DVD playback software required by the Xbox 360 is on the add-on drive, so you will need an add-on drive to use the emulator. But, lucky you, they are now available for $50. Sweet.
http://blogs.msdn.com/amyd/archive/2...-now-free.aspx
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March 5th, 2008, 20:02 Posted By: Shrygue
via Eurogamer
Everyone's favourite military fetishist Tom Clancy has taken time out from typing to release a second Advanced Warfighter 2 Co-op Collection pack on Xbox Live.
It will cost you 400 Points (GBP 3.40 / EUR 4.80) and comes with nine new maps and eight fresh Achievements, which could earn you 125 Gamerpoints.
Being the second Collection pack, it carries on the story of the first in five fresh co-op missions. Manuel Suazo Azcona continues to destroy governments in Honduras and El Salvador, you see, so you have to put an end to him.
Of the nine maps, seven are classic scenarios from past Ghost Recon games and two are completely new: Treatment Plant and Mining Camp.
Those returning are Bridges, Stronghold and Island from Ghost Recon: Island Thunder; and Depot, Riverbed, Ghost Town and Roadblock from Ghost Recon: Desert Siege.
We have dug ourself a little hole so you will never find us. But you can look at some screenshots of the Co-op Collection 2 in our Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 gallery.
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March 5th, 2008, 19:49 Posted By: Shrygue
via Eurogamer
Namco Bandai has made some running repairs to Ace Combat 6.
The title update is available on Live, and should make the online side of the game a little more seamless and balanced. They say.
Chief among the changes are point penalties for doing silly things like crashing, leaving the battlefield or being shot down in Team Battle and Battle Royale modes. Similarly you can now gain points for damaging an aircraft and not necessarily destroying the bogey outright.
Those of you doing the dying will now be invulnerable for a short period of time on respawn, your in-game HUD should display points lost and won, and special weapons have been tweaked to balance things up.
You will also be able to see who is talking in the pre-game lobby thanks to a little microphone icon next to their Gamertag - useful for singling out those who sound strange.
Ace Combat 6 might be a little cringe-worthy, but it is really rather good. Take our highway to the Ace Combat 6 review zone to find out more.
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March 5th, 2008, 19:32 Posted By: Shrygue
via Eurogamer
Chair Entertainment has popped Undertow expansion Path of the Elect onto Xbox Live Marketplace.
It costs 400 Points (GBP 3.40 / EUR 4.80) and adds the Elect race with a five-level campaign of its own, doable in co-op or single-player.
The Elect will be the fourth race, and be playable in multiplayer along with four new maps. You can get a glimpse of this in our Path of the Elect gallery or trailer.
Unfortunately there's no word on whether there will be any more Achievements on offer.
Undertow is a side-scrolling shooter that was released on Live Arcade last December. Our only criticism was its length, but otherwise we felt it was a fun and welcome addition to the service.
Microsoft also offered it to everyone for free as a way of apologising for the Christmas performance of Live. So most of you should have it by now.
It joins Rocketmen: Axis of Evil on Live Arcade today, which we'll be offering our thoughts on soon (here's one: don't).
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March 5th, 2008, 19:31 Posted By: Shrygue
via Games Industry
A number of industry sources have indicated that Microsoft is due to cut the price of all Xbox 360 skus in Europe.
According to videogaming247.com, non-disclosure agreements are in place with leading retailers to prevent them from revealing the price drop, which will come into effect just ahead of the busy Easter sales period.
Around EUR 50 is expected to be slashed off the price of the Elite, Premium and Arcade units, according to techradar.com, on March 14.
This means the Arcade Xbox 360 will retail for around GBP 150 in the UK – cheaper than Nintendo's Wii console – the Elite will sell below GBP 240 and the Premium at just under GBP 200.
Retailers contacted by GamesIndustry.biz have declined to comment on the record.
Microsoft has been targeting the Arcade unit at the casual end of the market, packaging it with five free Live Arcade games but without a hard-drive as standard.
Reducing its price to around GBP 30 less than the Wii would be a more aggressive attempt to win over the casual consumer, a market currently dominated by Nintendo's home console.
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March 4th, 2008, 22:21 Posted By: wraggster
Stories about thieves stealing games and systems are a dime a dozen, but those thefts usually don't involve a culprit that was praised as a hero by President Bush. They do occasionally, though, as is proven by a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article about Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School student Lewis Bennett III.
Bennett earned fame and a meeting with the president for thwarting a planned Columbine-style attack by classmate Dillon Cossey back in October. But even heroes have their flaws, and last week, Bennett confessed to authorities that he and two friends had repeatedly broken in to Cossey's house last month to steal a variety of items, including an Xbox 360 that Bennett later sold to a classmate for $20.
Bennett's attorney said the media attention may have driven his client to the criminal act."How does a child, a young adult, deal with that situation, where all these cameras are put in his face and he's required to respond and he meets the president?" The answer to that rhetorical question, apparently, is 'by stealing an Xbox 360.'
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/04/sc...to-xbox-theft/
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March 4th, 2008, 21:03 Posted By: Shrygue
via IGN
Chair Entertainment has announced the first expansion to Undertow, an underwater shooter for the Xbox Live Arcade. Titled "Path of the Elect," the download costs 400 Microsoft Points (US $5) and introduces a new playable race to the game. With the download, players get access to The Elect, a high-tech alien race, a five level campaign that continues the story laid out in Undertow, and four new multiplayer maps.
There will be separate match-making for those who download the expansion, so those who choose not to won't find themselves up against a new opponent. To see The Elect, you'll have to download the expansion.
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March 4th, 2008, 20:07 Posted By: Shrygue
via Eurogamer
Valve has patched The Orange Box on Xbox 360 to fix and tweak a few bits and bobs in Team Fortress 2.
Probably the most noticeable change is that weapons now have rumble support, but it also fixes a number of exploits, and allows for ten- and fourteen-player games.
This is the full list of changes as posted on Xbox.com:- Fixed a medic invulnerability exploit.
- Fixed grenades going through players or buildings.
- Fixed exploit with rockets causing damage through thin walls.
- Fixed exploit allowing snipers to fire faster than intended.
- Fixed exploit allowing players to teleport with the intelligence.
- Fixed exploit attaching sappers to buildings through walls.
- Fixed spy backstab exploit.
- Fixed spy being able to attack without dropping his disguise.
- Medics no longer heal enemy spies when they're not disguised.
- Tweaked autobalance calculations.
- When an engineer dies in sudden death, his buildings explode.
- Fixed stats sometimes not reporting correctly.
- Added a dialog to indicate when the host shuts down the server.
- Added rumble to TF weapons.
- Fixed ping column sometimes getting hidden in some resolutions.
- Added 10 and 14 player game sizes.
- Prevent hosts selecting game sizes above their bandwidth limits.
- Improved handling of large network packets to eliminate bandwidth spikes.
- Reduced respawn times for smaller games.
Next time you load the game, you should be prompted to install the update.
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March 4th, 2008, 20:06 Posted By: Shrygue
via IGN
In a fit of unbridled generosity, UK retailer GAME is offering 500 Microsoft Points to anyone pre-ordering Grand Theft Auto IV for Xbox 360.
It's a similar offer to the one that recently accompanied Lost Odyssey's release in the UK – only this time the title in question is an undeniable must-buy. There're a number of different purchase options for those wanting to get their hands on Rockstar's latest – and perhaps greatest – instalment in the series come April 29. These range from the vanilla boxed affair to a more elaborate bundle comprising of a branded duffel bag, CD soundtrack and Rockstar keychain.
Of course, those 500 Microsoft points might be handy come the arrival of that Xbox 360-exclusive downloadable content, rumoured to land some time in the autumn.
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March 4th, 2008, 20:02 Posted By: Shrygue
via Computer and Video Games
Halo house Bungie tells Next-Gen that it is working on something super-secret to rectify a situation that saw the Xbox 360 repair service wipe the nostalgia from one fan's console. You can't say that Bungie doesn't look out for its fans.
The Next-Gen blog posted a story recently about an Xbox fan whose Xbox 360 had been signed by key Halo and Xbox figures over the course of about two years. That Xbox 360 encountered the dreaded Red Ring of Death, and the Xbox fan, "Nathaniel," had to send it in for service.
And even though a service rep assured him on the phone that the signatures would be intact upon return of the console (and the fact that he included a letter clearly stating the console's importance), the Xbox 360 came back wiped virtually clean, with just a few black smudges left from the ink that adorned the console.
But now Bungie is ready to take action.
"Something is already 'afoot' within Bungie to help our community member in need," Bungie community director Brian Jarrard told Next-Gen on Monday. "Our team and the community as a whole is rallying to help fix this unfortunate situation. It's been awesome to see such an outpouring of sympathy and support from our community. We can't replace the exact item that was lost but, but we should come very close."
Jarrard is still keeping Bungie's plans under wraps but one can imagine what kind of consolation prize a studio of Bungie's influence and financial stature could provide.
"I think when it's all said and done, justice will prevail," said Jarrard.
Photographs of the machine here
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