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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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January 3rd, 2007, 20:27 Posted By: wraggster
via cvg
Lawyer Jack Thompson is back with more anti-videogame campaigning, this time calling on Microsoft chairman Bill Gates to prevent the sale of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV in a mass e-mail sent to a number of news outlets.
In the e-mail titled "Bill Gates in the Crosshairs," Thompson vowed that he would "undertake various means to prohibit" the sale of the fourth Rockstar crime-'em-up, asking the Microsoft chairman to "please have your lawyers contact me in order that such sales will be prevented."
The Florida-based lawyer also noted that an Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility report (we've not heard of them either) "makes it abundantly clear that unless such prohibitions are in place, then millions of units of the new Grand Theft Auto game will be sold directly to minors," adding "I am quite intent upon making sure that that does not happen. I and others will endeavor to stop Microsoft from participating in any fashion, directly or indirectly, in such sales to minors."
Could the Xbox 360 version of GTA IV be in trouble then? We wouldn't bet on it.
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January 3rd, 2007, 14:45 Posted By: wraggster
Keen-eyed internet surfers may have discovered Peter Moore's next release date-related tattoo, as US retailer Walmart has slapped a US release date of October 1 on Bungie's Halo 3 on its website.
Although most would usually snub the date as little more than retail guess work, the product page has since been taken down, sparking internet speculation that the retailer has indeed let slip the official release date for the sequel.
So a big whoops and bean spill, a Microsoft conspiracy or simply retail error? Microsoft unfortunately wasn't around to give us its official line at the time of writing, but if forced we'd probably put our money on the latter.
via CVG
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January 3rd, 2007, 03:21 Posted By: wraggster
via joystiq
The primary reason a major movie production house makes a movie is to make a profit. Sure, some of those indie guys do it for the art, but they're not normally rolling in the big bucks. Now, Hollywood has a new way to boost an otherwise losing film into a winner.
Xbox Live's downloadable HD service is doing a stand-up job in delivering the goods. Movies like Poseidon, which failed to make back the $160 million budget in the US (apparently Hollywood doesn't count international ticket sales), are getting some great support from Live. The reasoning behind the support is the HD version.
Where other services like Amazon's Unbox not faring too well, Microsoft hit pay dirt with their HD downloads. When movies start pulling in profits on Xbox Live, Hollywood is certainly going to put more up on the service and possibly as soon as the regular versions hit the store shelves. With the confusion most consumers are having in the HD-DVD vs Blu-ray war, it would appear Xbox Live is going to be the big winner in the HD content war.
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January 3rd, 2007, 03:02 Posted By: wraggster
via eurogamer
Rally driving doesn't wait for anybody, not even Jesus. So, while we were indulging in the Christmas festivities, retro-heads at Microsoft squeezed this 1981 classic online.
Released on 27th December for 400 Microsoft points, New Rally-X lets you turn back the years and enjoy its Pac-Man inspired gaming in glitzy HD.
Originally the sequel to Rally-X, the game challenges players to negotiate a maze, collect flags and avoid enemy vehicles. The flags increase in value as they are obtained, but reset to the base 100 points if you happen to die. To make things a little bit trickier, you also have a limited fuel supply. Once this runs down you'll slow to a crawl, becoming a sitting duck for the evil red cars.
The release also includes other features such as the Lucky Flag that rewards you points depending on the amount of fuel you have left, and the smoke-screen ability that stuns those pesky enemy drivers.
Unfortunately players seem far from impressed with this recent download, belching concerns that Microsoft should either concentrate on releasing newer and independent games, or make better choices about which archaic romps to regurgitate.
"I've had more fun falling down the stairs," claimed 'Wet Vein' on the Major Nelson blog-site, whilst 'XanderSan' rated it a whopping "Disappointment / 10."
Perhaps following Small Arms, RoboBlitz, and Assault Heroes was always going to be a tall order, but we can't help thinking that finishing a successful 2006 with New Rally-X was a little underwhelming.
What's more, it's not even available in Korea. Tsk!
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January 3rd, 2007, 02:56 Posted By: wraggster
Divineo UK have posted this news:
The XFPS 360 has now arrived in stock - and all pre-orders have shipped.
We have a small number left - so if you want one, be quick!
Heres more info about the product
Let’s be honest, first person shooters just weren’t pioneered to be played on a bog standard Xbox 360 controller. Ask any First-Person-Shooter (FPS) fan out there what method of control they find optimal, and you will find the resounding majority shout out mouse and keyboard! The days of getting your fingers in a twist while trying to grapple with those un-friendly analog sticks are over. The XFPS 360 is here to present Xbox 360 gamers with the ultimate way to play FPS titles – with a Mouse & Keyboard! That’s right one technologically advanced converting device which intelligently re-maps controls onto either a standard PS/2 or USB keyboard and mouse. Its pure plug and play heaven from the word ‘go’, the transition from PC FPS guru to Xbox 360 FPS champ is virtually seamless. The XFPS 360 is suitable for gamers of any skill level, ‘newbie’s’ can at last score their first frag and ‘pro’s’ can fire out those virtual bullets in a style Rambo himself would admire.
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January 3rd, 2007, 02:52 Posted By: wraggster
Fresh from our afternoon co-op game, we've captured 17 (count 'em) screenshots of Crackdown's excellent multiplayer mode, and we have to say we're itching to jump back in and play some more.
If you're looking for a Tony Blackburn-style run-down, the screens basically show us and the fellows at Official Xbox 360 Magazine running around, shooting bad guys and generally not co-operating. There's also one particularly radical ramp jump in there, although we got so excited we managed to miss capturing the car pile up that followed.
News and screens at CVG
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January 3rd, 2007, 02:49 Posted By: wraggster
Market research analyst NDP has revealed the first estimates for North American console Christmas sales - and the Xbox 360 has come out on top, beating both PS3 and Wii at retail.
According to NDP, the Xbox 360 sold 2 million units followed by the Nintendo Wii which managed to shift 1.8 million. PS3 meanwhile, presumably still suffering from an on-going hardware drought, only managed to shift 750,000 units.
The 360's sales win can presumably be put down to plentiful stock compared to the other two freshly-launched consoles, as well as a number of enticing hardware bundles that appear to have proved a hit with punters.
via cvg
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January 3rd, 2007, 02:46 Posted By: wraggster
Hot on the heels of Virtua Fighter 5's official announcment for Xbox 360 and rumours of a 360 version of Metal Gear Solid 4, gossip that another PS3 title - in this case beat-'em-up Tekken 6 - is Xbox 360-bound has hit the 'net.
The rumours are attributed to an "IGN insider source" - supposedly the same chap who broke the news of Virtua Fighter 5's 360 conversion - reporting that Namco is currently working on both PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Tekken 6 to be released this winter.
When we reached for the CVG news phone Namco was unfortunately unavailable for comment, but following the likes of Assassin's Creed and many other previously PS3-only titles' move into multi-platform, we wouldn't be surprised if Namco's much-anticipated fighter ended up on Xbox 360 as well.
File it as a rumour for now, but we'll let you know when Namco confirms or denies the news in an official statement.
via cvg
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January 3rd, 2007, 02:44 Posted By: wraggster
Epic's shooter Gears of War is king of the Live heap of Xbox 360 games played in 2006, according to stats based on Xbox Live connectivity - and Xbox Live bloke Major Nelson's blog where last year's 20 most played 360 titles have been listed.
Data for the rankings list has been collected between January 1, 2006 and December 29, 2006, meaning GoW's ascension to the throne has been fast - and obviously, quite furious. Call of Duty 2, Ghost Recon 3, Project Gotham Racing 3 and Oblivion are games that feature high up the top 20 list, which you can see in full below:
Gears of War
Hexic HD
Call of Duty 2
Ghost Recon 3
Oblivion
PGR3
Perfect Dark Zero
Call Of Duty 3
UNO
Fight Night Round 3
Saints Row
Geometry Wars Evolved
Dead or Alive 4
Texas Hold 'em
Madden NFL 07
Dead Rising
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
BFMC [Battlefield: Modern Combat, presumably - Ed]
Splinter Cell Double Agent
via cvg
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January 3rd, 2007, 02:36 Posted By: wraggster
Following a multiplayer trial with the lucky (or not so lucky) US soldiers in Iraq, the first gameplay movies and new stealth-screens of Halo 3's multiplayer have leaked onto the old interweb - courtesy of some cheeky camera phone-wielding chappies.
The footage doesn't really show much - in fact, at best it gives us a glimpse of the title screen and what a Halo scoreboard looks like in HD - but until better, official footage emerges we're snapping up every last morsel of Halo 3 media we can get our hands on.
You can checkout the movies by clicking here and here. Enjoy.
via cvg
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January 3rd, 2007, 02:34 Posted By: wraggster
With 2006 out of the way, the next big-hitter on Microsoft's large list of Xbox 360 deployment is the futuristic GTA-esque Crackdown - and according to an advert in US mag Gamepro it's going to be an essential purchase if you want in on the upcoming Halo 3 multiplayer beta.
According to the ad, for a limited time Crackdown will come bundled with a highly sought after invite to the Halo 3 multiplayer beta - places of which are currently only available via fansite competitions in Europe.
Presumably, this move is to help boost sales of the sci-fi romp, in the same way Konami bolstered shooter Zone of the Enders with a demo of Metal Gear Solid 2. But we're just hoping the news isn't a confirmation of Crackdown's rubbishness (made-up word of the day, that one).
Microsoft is yet to reply our enquiring phone calls, but we'll let you know when we get official confirmation of the Crackdown/Halo 3 promotion or news of it heading to Europe.
As for Crackdown, you can get your hands on that on Febuary 23.
via cvg
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January 1st, 2007, 22:01 Posted By: wraggster
If you're going to let people play your game before it's released, you may as well get guys and girls who have some reference point as to how a battle rifle actually works. Their feedback at this stage of development would be invaluable.
In what was either the afore-mentioned beta testing idea or a Christmas present to US soldiers in Iraq (admittedly, most probably the latter), Bungie flew some early-build copies of Halo 3 out so American troops not able to get home for the holidays could at least get some kind of Christmas cheer.
And what's best, we now have some screenshots (blurry shots are better than no shots) after the leap.
News and screens at Kotaku
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December 31st, 2006, 17:23 Posted By: wraggster
via zeegzaag
With their third home console, Sony has launched their online service, the Playstation Network Platform. An attempt to match the popularity and success of Microsoft's XBOX Live, which is already four million members strong.
One thing that completely sets them apart from eachother is the price. Microsoft's XBOX Live Gold is about $50 annually, meanwhile the Playstation Network platform is FREE. It may be free, but this doesn't make it the better of the two. PNP does complete it's main objective, and this is just simply getting you online and playing your favorite Playstation 3 titles. In fact, it executes it pretty well too, I can be playing a 20 v 20 match on Resistance with no lag whatsoever. Aside from that, PNP is just missing all those little features we have come to take for granted everyday with XBOX Live. These being voice messaging, private chats and customizing your own profile. Not to mention the absence of a unified friends list. Of course, Sony is probably hacking away at these issues somewhere, but that fact that these were absent out of the box is dissapointing. The Network will once in a while go down due to an excessive amount of people on the server ( which is the cause of error 80710D23 when logging in). It may sometimes even take 5 attempts before you can actually log in, but thankfully this isn't very common.
The Playstation Store is Sony's version of the XBOX Live Marketplace. Both contain demos,game + movie trailers and arcade titles. Although, the XBOX Live Marketplace has full TV shows and Movies for rent. You can probably expect something similiar from Sony(maybe even music) , due to the fact that they own several movie studios and record labels. The Playstation Store is made more like a website, so if you do not have a USB/ Bluetooth keyboard + mouse then it might become a bit annoying navigating it with the sixaxis controller. The one thing that really sets these two apart is that the XBOX Live Marketplace uses "Microsoft Points", while the Playstation Store uses the currency of your home country. The bad thing about the Microsoft Points is that you have to buy them in small/ big packages. So if you only want to buy a gamerpicture which is 20 points( $0.25), then you must buy the smallest package of points(400 points, which winds up costing you a whole $6.25). Also, another cool feature on the Playstation Store is the ability to buy PSOne games, to then put on your PSP.
I must give Sony kudos for integrating a browser onto the PS3. This actually works pretty well, wether you want to check your yahoo email or watch Youtube videos. It defianetley reminds of the PSP's browser, and oddly enough the same " out of memory ' alerts are present(those who have the PSP know what I'm talking about). You can do all the usual here as on Internet explorer or firefox which includes saving files, bookmarks, having several tabs on at once, except that reading text on web sites is not that easy on the eyes, as it offers little in the way of anti-aliasing. I definitely suggest sticking with a USB/Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, because I can guarantee you will go mad using the Sixaxis controller to type. Overall, this a great edition to the PS3 and definately something I wish that the XBOX 360 had. Although the PS3 browser does not stack up to what can be done on Yellow Dog Linux for the PS3(which I will be installing tommorow)
The one huge plus of XBOX Live is the ability to have your very own gamercard. This includes a gamer picture,21 character motto, your rep, gamerscore, country, your "zone" and all your games played with the achievements you got in each game. An awesome feature it is, giving everyone a disinct identity.
In my opinion, the thing that makes XBOX Live so great is that I can be playing in the campaign of Gears of War and my friend "MasterPlayer 360" sends me a voice mesage asking me to play an online match in Saints Row with him. While still in my game, I push the guide button and quickly listen to the memo. I send him a private chat invite and we babble while I continue to play my game of Gears of War and he's in his match in Saints Row. Then he can join my game through clicking "Join Session in Progress" on my profile, and voila, we are playing side by side in the Gears of War campign. Then after a while he say's , "hey man, I gotta go eat some dinner", and he drops out, still leaving me in my own game by myself, nothing is lost or neither does it exit my session when he leaves.
Overall, these are two good online gaming services which get the job done by deliviring a lag free game experience and an awesome virtual store.Both services will get a case of "the hiccups" every once in a while. but as of now, my vote must go to XBOX Live. Despite it's $50 annual price tag, it definitely satisfys you with awesome customization features, the ability to download tv shows and renting of movies from the marketplace and over 100 great XBOX live titles. Granted the Playstation Network Platform has only really been out for a month + few days, but it feels a bit bare boned, with the exception of a cool web browser. If Sony wants to match the excellence of XBOX Live then they have along trek uphill.
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December 31st, 2006, 15:47 Posted By: wraggster
via standard
Christmas became XXX-mas for a 14-year-old Layton boy who discovered hard-core pornography on a video game he received as a gift.
Kolton Mahoney was shocked when he put the Madden NFL 07 game in his new Xbox 360 console Christmas day and an explicit image popped up on his television screen.
"This is definitely not Madden," he said recalling his first thought after seeing the image.
Kolton turned off the Xbox and notified his parents, Linda and Tim Mahoney, who viewed the video game and were equally stunned.
"It wasn't a pretty scene," Tim Mahoney said.
The Mahoneys have been in contact with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force sponsored by the Utah Attorney General's Office, which will attempt to determine how porn ended up on the video game, Lt. Rhett McQuiston, an investigator with the agency said Friday.
"We'll get rolling on it," he said. The incident may be the first of its kind in Utah, he said. "If somebody is doing this, we want to stop it."
The task force will work with Layton police and California authorities to determine who may be responsible for placing the smut on the computer game, so charges of providing pornography to a child can be filed, McQuiston said.
"The hard part will be finding out who did it," he said. "We'll give it a shot. I would go through the roof if this happened to my kid. Whoever did this is a complete and utter coward."
Kolton received the video game from his uncle, Dan Mahoney, who purchased it Dec. 2 at a Circuit City store in Modesto, Calif. The game appears to be authentic, is embossed with a Madden NFL 07 label and came in a factory-sealed case, Linda Mahoney said.
The Madden NFL 07 game is manufactured by Electronic Arts, based in Redwood City, Calif. Officials with the company did not return numerous phone calls seeking comment.
EA has sold more than 5 million copies of Madden NFL 07, making it the most popular video game of the year, according to a news release on the company's Web site, www.ea.com.
Stephanie Nightlinger, a spokeswoman for Circuit City based in Richmond, Va., said company officials were unaware of the problem with the Mahoneys' video game until contacted Friday by the Standard-Examiner.
Nightlinger said to her knowledge the company has not received similar consumer complaints about Madden NFL 07 or other video games it sells, but will investigate the incident.
"There was some sort of slip up somewhere," she said.
The Mahoneys have contacted representatives with EA and at the Circuit City store where the game was bought, but no one is taking responsibility for the problem.
"The buck's being passed," Tim Mahoney said. "Somebody should be held accountable."
The Mahoneys aren't looking for a financial settlement, and only want a new Madden NFL 07 video game and a guarantee that no more games containing porn are sold. "We don't want anyone else exposed to it," Linda Mahoney said.
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December 31st, 2006, 15:28 Posted By: wraggster
Via gamescentral
So the “next gen” format war is upon us with two sides lined up, ready to take your money for your fourth version of Full Metal Jacket (I can’t believe that you actually got it on Laser Disk…what were you thinking). If you are like most people, you are wondering a couple of things, the first being why would I want to buy another version of Full Metal Jacket, and is the $200 add on drive for the 360 worth the money, especially if I already have the PS3? More importantly, which one of the two (the PS3 or 360 HD DVD drive )looks and performs better. This article will attempt to answer these questions with background and information, as well as present evidence to why the ultimate conclusion was reached.
What is the difference between next gen and current gen?
Well, with Blu Ray and HD DVD, you get the picture that the creator intended. This is full, uncompressed motion picture glory brought to you in up to 1080p resolution with true 16x9 widescreen support. Compare this to the current gen of DVDs which offer only 480p and although they do offer widescreen support, it is not “true” in the sense that it is not output in 16x9 format. DVDs, and anything that is broadcast in 480p is actually a compressed signal that is stretched by the display that is projecting it. This causes image degradation and coupled with the fact that current generation movies are limited to, at the most, 9 GBs of space to work with, and that is the reason why artifacts (those little digital square thingys) and picture noise are so common on DVD.
Next Gen disks have much more space to work with, and will therefore (if the transfer is good) nullify any artifacts and noise as well as increase picture depth, color intensity, black level and clarity. If you have watched TV in HD and then switched to the standard feed, you will experience an exaggerated version of what I am explaining. DVDs have better quality then standard TV, but HD DVDs and Blu Rays have better quality then HD TV, so the comparison is not completely crazy.
OK, so that question is answered (I hope) and I have piqued your interest. Well, your second question (one of multiple parts) is why are their two formats, what is the difference, and which one (and player) is better? This is the “money” question, and the reason that I have written this article. You see, unlike most sane people, I have both HD DVD (in the form of the Xbox 360 add on drive) and Blu Ray (in the form of the PS3) players and I am going to try and answer all of your questions while staying completely unbiased (I am not a 360 fanboy even if my previous story on the 360 HD DVD drive was featured on a site by that name).
Why are there two formats?
Remember the debate between Beta Max (a Sony format) and VHS? Well if you don’t, those were the two formats that battled it out to be the first home video, with VHS being the ultimate winner (there are still plenty of bad jokes made at the expense of poor Beta Max). The funny thing is that when Beta Max was introduced, it was highly touted as a superior format sporting better quality, and although this was true, it was ultimately the arrogance of Sony that caused its demise. Sony has been behind a few of these proprietary blunders (MiniDisc, UMD), always attempting to push new formats on consumers that must be played on Sony players, and the comparisons in this generation are warranted.
With Toshiba being the leader of the HD DVD camp, and having numerous other companies supporting their format, HD DVD has already been called the winner. This may be a little presumptuous as Blu Ray has many backers as well. The real issue is not that there are two formats, but rather that not all studios are supporting both formats. The war was almost avoided, but the two sides were unable to come to an agreement and the confusion to the consumer began. The war may be pointless, however, as there are reports of players capable of playing both formats being released in the not to distance future, so there may be never be no clear winner.
So what is the difference between the two formats?
This is a question that I have attempted to answer in my previous two write ups of the individual players, so this may be a bit of a rehash. I find that the best way to show not only what each drive is capable of, but to also showcase their differences is with the following chart.
More at the link above
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December 31st, 2006, 15:18 Posted By: wraggster
via joystiq
Xbox Live's Major Nelson posted some interesting year-end numbers, including this ranking of 2006's top Xbox Live Arcade titles ranked in order of sales:
1 UNO
2 Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting
3 Geometry Wars Evolved
4 Marble Blast Ultra
5 PAC-MAN
6 DOOM
7 Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
8 GALAGA
9 Gauntlet
10 Frogger
11 Bankshot Billiards 2
12 SmashTV
13 Contra
14 Zuma
15 Texas Hold 'em
16 Bejeweled 2
17 Feeding Frenzy
18 Small Arms
19 Cloning Clyde
20 LUMINES LIVE!
A few comments:
1. Who the heck is purchasing Gauntlet? That game is broken! (Hitting "Y" on the controller is the same as inserting a quarter into the original arcade game, but it can be hit an unlimited number of times, making it equivalent to an "invincibility" button.) Gauntlet's place on this list demonstrates the power of nostalgia over gameplay when it comes to arcade titles. We suspect that Nintendo's virtual console is benefiting from the same misguided gamer nostalgia. Some old games just don't hold up.
2. Most (all?) annual Xbox Live Gold subscriptions sold in the retail box (the one with the cheapo headset) included a free game code to redeem Bankshot Billiards 2, making that $15 game's rank on this list suspect.
3. Feeding Frenzy would be higher on this list if there were a reason to pay for it. It feels like the demo mode lasts forever. It's quite satisfying to play without ever purchasing it.
4. Street Fighter II would have been number one on this list if a solid arcade joystiq had been released simultaneously with the game. First- and third-party peripheral manufacturers really blew an opportunity there.
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December 31st, 2006, 15:09 Posted By: wraggster
via engadget
You're fairly aware by now of how Team Xtender's XFPS was all set to shake up the FPS realm on the Xbox 360 by giving gamers the ability to use the undisputed king of controls (that'd be the keyboard / mouse tandem) -- or Sony's widely adored Dual Shock controller -- instead of Microsoft's own rendition, but according to Xbox360Fanboy's review, it's not quite the post-Christmas miracle we were all hoping for. While expectations were admittedly set rather high, it seems the unit simply underperforms where it mattered most, and excelled in a somewhat less important department. Using Gears of War, Halo 2, and Rainbow Six 3: Vegas Demo as tests, reviewers found the keyboard / mouse setup to be a breeze, but actual in-game results were not only poor, but relatively unacceptable. If the "slight button delays" weren't enough to turn your nose up, the simply inability for a keyboard to emulate the "analog support of the Xbox 360 controller" made critical run / crouch movements next to impossible to pull off, and the mouse aiming was purportedly dreadful as well. It was stated, however, that it worked perfectly with a Dual Shock (PS1 or PS2 flavor) controller, so folks digging the Sony design but unable to locate (or afford) a PS3 should take note. Overall, the XFPS reportedly fails fairly miserably at giving Xbox 360 owners the chance to use their keyboard / mouse combo to shoot it up on a console, and just seems relatively expensive for a simple Dual Shock-to-Xbox 360 liaison, so unless you just have to learn things the hard way, we'd suggest holding off.
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December 30th, 2006, 23:29 Posted By: Shadowblind
Redmond, Washington—With a robust library of 160 high-definition games expected by holiday, Xbox 360™, the video game and entertainment system from Microsoft Corp., will get even better today. On its one-year anniversary, Xbox 360 will digitally deliver an initial lineup of TV shows and movies to gamers in the U.S. via Xbox Live®, the online games and entertainment network from Microsoft.
As announced earlier this month, Xbox Live Marketplace will now provide gamers with easy access to hundreds of full-length TV shows for download to own and movies for download to rent from CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment with more content rolled out through Xbox Live Marketplace every week. Xbox 360 is the first gaming console to offer standard and high-definition TV shows and movies via digital distribution.
Xbox 360 Experience
Since its launch on November 22, 2005, Xbox 360 has gained impressive traction fast. Xbox 360 was the fastest console to reach five million sold, and six million Xbox 360 consoles had been sold by the end of September 2006. At least 10 million are expected to be sold by the end of this holiday season.
Expected to be available in 37 countries by holiday, Xbox 360 continues to retain record game and accessory attachment rates, according to NPD. With more than 4 million members and an expected six million by June 2007, Xbox Live continues its leadership as the first and most comprehensive online games and entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire Xbox 360 experience.
Xbox 360 is prepared to have a booming holiday season, with consoles readily available at retail along with a host of new accessories such as the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, Xbox Live Vision camera and Xbox 360 HD DVD Player, not to mention blockbuster games such as Gears of War® and Viva Piñata™.
"We're exactly where we wanted to be this holiday with Xbox 360 retail stock availability," said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "With an incredible library of games, more than four million gamers playing online with Xbox Live, and a growing catalog of high-definition gaming and entertainment content, why would anyone wait in line when you can get a superior experience from Xbox 360 right now?"
Examples of the download-to-own TV shows and download-to-rent movies available on the network on November 22 include the following:
CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, NCIS, and Star Trek from CBS.
Chappelle’s Show, Drawn Together, and Emmy and Peabody award-winning South Park from COMEDY CENTRAL.
Pimp My Ride and Punk’d from MTV.
Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants from Nickelodeon.
Skyland and Invader Zim from Nicktoons Network.
Chinatown, Star Trek VII: Generations, Patriot Games, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, The Sum of All Fears, The Untouchables, and We Were Soldiers from Paramount Pictures.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Frisky Dingo, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, Sealab 2021, and The Venture Bros. from Turner Broadcasting.
Some of the most intense fights from Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Breaking Bonaduce and Hogan Knows Best from VH1.
Perfect Storm, Poseidon, The Shining, Three Kings, and V for Vendetta, as well as The Nine and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip along with the CW show Veronica Mars from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
Using the Family Settings feature, parents and individuals can choose the video content that can be played on their family’s Xbox 360. With the availability of this new entertainment content, it's easy to set controls based on movie, TV, and video ratings, or you can entirely block explicit and unrated video content for yourself or your children.
Xbox 360 gamers in the U.S. can access Xbox Live Marketplace with a free Xbox Live Silver subscription or a paid Xbox Live Gold subscription and a broadband connection. Pricing is competitive and will vary based on format, media type and whether the content is a new release movie or a classic feature film.
Download Pricing
High-definition TV shows will be 240 Microsoft® Points per episode, and standard-definition TV shows will be 160 Microsoft Points per episode. New release movies in high definition will be 480 Microsoft Points, and standard-definition new release movies will be 320 Microsoft Points each. Classic feature films in high definition will be 360 Microsoft Points, and standard definition will be 240 Microsoft Points. After purchasing a high-definition TV show or movie, you can download the standard-definition version at no additional charge.
Microsoft Points can be purchased at retail or via Xbox Live. For example, gamers can get a 1,600 Microsoft Points card at retail for $19.99 (U.S.) or 1,000 Microsoft Points through Xbox Live for $12.50 (U.S.). More information about Xbox Live Marketplace is available at http://www.xbox.com/marketplaceentertainment.
Again, Via Xbox.com
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December 30th, 2006, 23:28 Posted By: Shadowblind
Humanity is about to experience another exciting look at the world of Halo® 3, one of the most anticipated entertainment launches for 2007. Airing in North America, Monday, December 4 on ESPN's Monday Night Football and Xbox.com in Europe, the new 60-second Halo 3 trailer offers an exclusive look at the iconic Halo universe and provides telling, new hints as to what Bungie Studios has in store for the highly regarded Xbox 360™ exclusive.
Master Chief makes a Monday Night Football appearance.
Tune in to ESPN on Monday, December 4 between 5:50 and 6:20 P.M. Pacific Time to catch this stunning new look at Halo 3. Additionally, the ad will be aired that same evening on Xbox.com at 8:00 P.M. Pacific Time.
One Time Only
The ad, created by McCann Worldgroup San Francisco, includes a mixture of live action and computer generated animation, will air one time only and will then be made available online worldwide through Xbox Live® Marketplace and Xbox.com.
"Halo is a pop culture phenomenon! The Halo franchise has changed the face of interactive entertainment and it's only fitting that we take an innovative approach to how we market and advertise the brand," said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft Corp. "This invites a new audience with a rich back story, and continues to galvanize gamers around the world for the launch of Halo 3 in 2007."
Beta Testers Wanted
In conjunction with the ad, Microsoft today unveiled further details and an official call to entry for the Halo 3 beta program. Beginning Monday, December 4, visit http://www.halo3.com and register for the opportunity to be one of the select members to join the unprecedented Halo 3 public beta program, scheduled to kick off in spring 2007. Be among the first to experience the most anticipated game of 2007!
The Xbox Live multiplayer public beta, which is a pre-release version of the multiplayer experience of Halo 3, is scheduled for availability in spring 2007 exclusively on Xbox 360. This beta also represents an opportunity for you to participate in the development of Halo 3. Through the resulting feedback, Bungie Studios will be able to further refine and hone the end result of Halo 3.
Unveiled earlier this year at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, Halo 3 represents the third chapter in the Halo trilogy, an international award-winning action series that grew into a global entertainment phenomenon, selling more than 14.7 million units worldwide, which equals nearly $700 million in sales, and logging in excess of 800 million hours of multiplayer action on Xbox Live.
Via XBox.com
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December 30th, 2006, 14:04 Posted By: wraggster
Bungie have revealed they are to make Halo 3 as Cheat and Hack Free as they can:
GP: What kind of steps is Bungie taking to keep Halo 3 (and future projects) cheat and hack-free?
GREEN: We play our cards close to our chest. Platform changes in the 360 have helped us, as have our experiences and tools developed with Halo 2. Still, some of the modding trailblazers are really quite brilliant, so I doubt we'll ever see an end to mods and hacks. But I'm optimistic that it will affect normal players less this next time around.
Via gamepro
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