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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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July 25th, 2006, 19:08 Posted By: wraggster
Lumines creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi has told GamesIndustry.biz that the arrival of high definition visuals could have an impact comparable to that of the first 3D graphics.
Speaking in an exclusive interview at the recent Develop Conference in Brighton, Mizuguchi said: "I can't predict the future, but the one thing I can say is the resolution games use will deliver a very high emotional impact."
He also believes that networking could drive sales of videogames upwards over the next decade. "Maybe in ten years later kids will be mocking their dads for having gone to shops to buy games at all," he suggested.
Mizuguchi's thoughts embody a relatively unglamorous stance, especially from such a relentlessly creative developer (his other projects include Space Channel 5 and Meteos). However, they make more sense when considered within the context of his goal as a developer - to play with "media aesthetics".
"You can watch a movie three or four times, but when you watch the same movie in high def you feel something new. The resolution does something to us," he insisted.
"I also expect everyone will be using hard disk in future, so that downloading something, buying or recording something will be very normal - people may even experience their first music downloaded. The human desire and instinct for this technology is moving forward."
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July 25th, 2006, 19:06 Posted By: wraggster
Activision continues to enjoy a successful next-gen online campaign, with Call of Duty 2 clinging to first place in the Top 10 most popular titles on Microsoft's Xbox Live service.
According to Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb's weblog, the 360 shooter has maintained the lead over Ubisoft's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter - which has bunkered down in second place for the week of July 17th.
SEGA's recently released mech title, Chromehounds is making a determined assault in third place, with Bethesda's Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion close behind in fourth.
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat and Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth II take up fifth and sixth place respectively, giving EA the edge over Square Enix's Final Fantasy XI, which is at seventh place in the rankings.
Heading towards the bottom end of the popularity chart is 2K Games' Prey in eighth place and the list is rounded up by Project Gotham Racing 3 and the online demo for EA's Lord of the Rings strategy title, Battle for Middle Earth II.
The weblog also highlights the top ten most popular online games for the original Xbox, which is topped by multiplayer favourite Halo 2.
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat and Counter-Strike finish up the top three, Ubisoft claiming a victory for it's Tom Clancy franchise with Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Rainbow Six:3: Black Arrow in fourth and fifth place respectively.
In the second half of the Xbox listing, Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 5 is followed by Star Wars Battlefront II and another for EA with Madden NFL 2006. The Xbox chart, which appears to still be flourishing in spite of the introduction of its next-gen successor, was finished up with Forza Motorsport in ninth and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory clinging on at number ten.
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July 25th, 2006, 15:13 Posted By: wraggster
New cases galore at Divineo China
They are great looking full case replacements, heres the info:
This limited special edition of the XCM 360 Black Knight case feature a big X shape hope on the top of the case which gets lit up by a LED kit available in Red, Blue and Green.
The LED kit is plug and play and easy to install.
It gives you a special look that will amaze anyone in the dark!
Buy at Divineo China
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July 25th, 2006, 15:05 Posted By: wraggster
Epic Games, the studio behind massive Xbox 360 shooter Gears of War are planning to make a big announcement next week, according to a post made by Mark Rein on the game's official forum.
We know nothing more than that for now, but Rein has since suggested the announcement won't be the long awaited Gears' release date, telling one forum user "maybe the announcement that is going to be made isn't what you think it is."
So if it's not the release date what could it be? Rein's enlarged and underlined emphasis of the word 'big' suggests that it'll be more than just a bunch of Xbox Live gamerpics, but with the Epic boss suddenly going mysteriously silent (there has to be a first time for everything), we'll just have to wait and see what he's got in mind within seven days time.
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July 25th, 2006, 15:04 Posted By: wraggster
Dead or Alive mastermind Tomonobu Itagaki has hinted that he might make another Dead or Alive beat 'em up once he's finished making volleyball spin-off, Dead or Alive X2.
Speaking to 1UP, Itagaki revealed that he isn't completely satisfied with last series offering, DOA4: "When I play DOA4 online simply as a gamer in my own right," he said, "I occasionally have times when I think I should have done something differently." He continues: "At the moment, I am making several other games; after I have brought those to completion I will be more ready to talk about the future of Kasumi and company."
Excellent news for beat 'em-up fans for sure. More good news comes this morning in the form of a new DOA4 demo, which has just hit Xbox Live. The demo weighs in at 680MB and features two modes, five stages and six playable characters. Itagaki says the odd timing of the demo (DOA4 was released more than six months ago) was to encourage new 360 owners to try the game out.
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July 24th, 2006, 15:21 Posted By: wraggster
At the Comic-Con held in San Diego last week, Marvel and Bungie announced plans to launch a new monthly comic titled Halo Ongoing.
As you might have guessed, it'll be based around the hit Xbox shooter, but that's all there is to report so far - there's no word on the comic's plotline, or on which artists and writers have been signed up to produce it.
Halo Ongoing is set to appear in shops later this year, following the release of the Halo Graphic Novel. As previously announced, the 128-page book will go on sale in the US this July, and its storyline will focus on the battles between the Covenant and the Flood.
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July 24th, 2006, 15:17 Posted By: wraggster
MS reveals the new Zune handheld, but will we get a slice of portable gaming action from the Redmond giant?
The ongoing saga of the Microsoft handheld has finally been put to rest over the weekend, with the Redmond giant finally confirming its development of the Zune portable music player.
Chris Stephenson, Microsoft's new GM of marketing for MSN Entertainment Business, revealed all - in an interview with Billboard - stating that the first project under the Zune moniker will be a portable music player and digital music service, set to compete directly with the current market leaders, iPod and iTunes.
No direct confirmation of any gaming functionality is our first major WTF! - as we'd been hoping J Allard's ultra-secret project would encompass this mighty world we call gaming from the off. However before we reach for our anti-despair pills, Zuneinfo.com has revealed that "additional Zune-branded devices will follow, including a portable video player and, potentially, a portable game device". Stephenson apparently would not comment on the videogame element of future Zune iterations - however, he did confirm that the inaugural MS music hub will use the much-discussed Wi-Fi connection for wireless Internet access.
With Wi-Fi a key component, future Zunes already have the foundation for multiplayer gaming just like the DS and PSP and - with Microsoft's ethos of compatibility across all platforms - the gaming foundation is there. "The ability to connect the different devices is a key part of the strategy," said Stephenson. "Whether it's a portable media device, or a phone, or the Xbox or Media Center PC, the idea is you can access your entertainment from anywhere."
Due to hit stores (Stateside at least) prior to Xmas, expect the mighty Zune marketing machine to roll out towards the latter end of the year. The focus at first will undoubtedly be music and video, but we'll certainly keep a close eye on any further gaming clues. However in the meantime, you can hold forth frothing and rampant speculation about what implications the Zune player might have for a future Xbox portable in the comments below.
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July 24th, 2006, 02:17 Posted By: wraggster
+ T + released a new version of FBA-xxx Pro.
What's new:
* Fixed encrypted Neo-Geo games not loading.
* Fixed UI background music and options.
* Fixed problem where incorrect ROMsets were loading even with CRC Check on.
* Corrected some DAT errors.
* NOTE: In order to fix the problem with large NG ROMsets locking up the emu, the rumble feature has been disabled in this build. Loading encrypted ROMs takes alot of memory and it would seem there simply isn't enough for both. FBA-XXX doesn't come up against this problem as the only versions of these games it supports are decrypted. Hopefully this can be resolved in a future build.
More info
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July 22nd, 2006, 12:23 Posted By: wraggster
Remember the new Xbox 360 bundle with PGR3 we thought was coming? Well, a tipster says:
Just saw the sku pop up in our POS screen.
"Xbox 360 PGR Bndl
Price 499.99 Cdn."
Also the company is offering Employees a 360 Plat for $50 off. Looks like with the new sku and price drop, making room for the new Platium system bundle.
He also says there may be some bundle coming up with the HD DVD drive, but nobody's sure of that yet.
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July 22nd, 2006, 12:22 Posted By: wraggster
Software colossus Microsoft today reported its earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter, which ended June 30, 2006. Overall, the tech giant saw $2.3 billion in profits on revenue of $11.8 billion. That was a 24 percent slide from the $3.7 billion in profits on revenue of $10.2 billion it enjoyed during the same quarter in 2005.
The fastest-growing sector of Microsoft's various businesses was its Server and Tools division, which saw $3.18 billion of quarterly income, an 18 percent year-on-year increase. However, another sector closer to gamers' hearts also saw massive revenue increases. Microsoft's Home and Entertainment division, which includes games, saw $1.14 billion in revenue--a 94 percent boost when compared to the $587 million the division earned in 2005. Xbox revenue--which includes sales of the original Xbox and Xbox 360--increased some $503 million, or 129 percent.
Obviously, one big reason for the massive increase in revenue was brisk sales of the Xbox 360, which, after several months of shortages, is now in ample supply. Microsoft was eager to tout the console's success, announcing that it shipped over 1.8 million Xbox 360 units during the quarter, bringing its international installed base to 5 million. Microsoft also took the opportunity to retout the fact that 60 percent of Xbox 360 owners--some three million consumers--use Xbox Live, its online gaming service.
However, despite the jump in sales, the Home & Entertainment division once again lost money--a lot of money. It posted an operating loss of $414 million for the quarter, a 106 percent increase from the previous year. The biggest reason for the increase is the fact that, as Microsoft admits, it loses a significant amount of money on each Xbox 360 sold.
"Home and Entertainment operating loss increased primarily as a result of a $682 million increase in cost of revenue primarily associated with the Xbox 360, partially offset by the revenue growth," the company said in its earnings report. "Our business model anticipates that while we currently sell Xbox 360 consoles at a negative margin, product cost reductions and the future margins on sales of games and other products will enable us to achieve a positive margin over the Xbox 360 console lifecycle."
While such predictions may reassure some, others will find it interesting that Microsoft also still loses money on the original Xbox, which was introduced back in 2001. "The first-generation Xbox consoles continue to have negative margins," said the company. Microsoft also said a 19 percent increase in headcount, in part due to its acquisition of Lionhead Studios, contributed to the division's losses.
By itself, the Home and Entertainment division saw $4.266 billion in revenue for the fiscal year, earning $1.56 billion during the October-December 2005 quarter when the Xbox 360 launched. But, as with the quarterly earnings, H&E's expenditures once again outpaced its revenue. Its operating loss jumped 160 percent from $485 million in FY2005 to $1.262 billion in FY2006.
"Home and Entertainment operating loss increased primarily as a result of a $1.64 billion increase in cost of revenue primarily as a result of the number of Xbox 360 consoles sold and higher Xbox 360 unit costs, partially offset by the revenue growth," said the company. "Our fiscal year 2006 operating loss increase was also attributable to the significant impact of Halo 2 in fiscal year 2005"--the year the game shattered sales records on the original Xbox.
Despite the massive losses of its game division, Microsoft still posted strong overall results for its 2006 fiscal year, which also ended June 30, 2006. The company reported annual revenue of $44.28 billion, an 11 percent increase over its 2005 fiscal year. Net income--that is, profit--for the year was $12.60 billion, versus $12.25 billion the previous year. The company is also planning to buy back some $20 billion in stock in a massive tender offer.
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July 22nd, 2006, 12:09 Posted By: wraggster
Ok, so we got off the horn with Microsoft just a few minutes ago and realized that making heads or tails of all this Zune stuff is probably driving some of you crazy . (We know others are probably just getting driven crazy by all the posts we've been writing about it. Sorry, it's our job!) So here's what we know for sure, think we know according to inside sources (i.e. yet unconfirmed information), and what we don't yet know at all about the Zune.
What we know (for sure)
Zune is the name of the project, the brand, and the device.
The first Zune device will be launched this year, with more devices to come in 2007.
The Zune brand encompasses not only the device, but the software that will drive it, as well as a music, movie, and media service the Zune device family will use for acquiring, sharing, and discovery of said media. Music will be the first angle of service that is launched, "connected entertainment" being the ultimate goal.
The Zune media service will heavily leverage community aspects and recommendation; emphasis is being placed on using Zune to discover new artists, media, etc.
The Zune media device will be drive-based, and have WiFi.
The Zune brand is intended to be an entirely vertically integrated end-to-end solution, not unlike the iPod / iTunes / iTunes Music Store triumvirate.
The service and device will not be PlaysForSure compliant, meaning you will not be able to use your Zune player with Napster or Vongo, for example. This will be an entirely new system. Microsoft will continue to support and develop for their PlaysForSure initiative, but all things PlaysForSure are handled by two entirely separate division that will not have any crossover.
Zune is under Microsoft's new Entertainment & Devices Division, and is headed by, among others, Robbie Bach, J Allard (Corporate Vice President and Chief XNA Architect), and Bryan Lee (Corporate Vice President and CFO, Entertainment and Devices Division), which accounts for the division of this project from the rest of Microsoft, similar to how the Xbox project was also strictly separated.
The logo we had is, of course, real.
Microsoft's launched the Zune's viral marketing site. [Thanks, bv]
What we think we know (and are pretty sure of)
They'll be showing off the device by the end of next month, and will aim for a November release.
Microsoft will buy your way out of iTunes in order to convert you to a Zune user.
The Zune will come in multiple colors.
Pyxis is the codename for their nano competitor which would also include video capabilities; Alexandria is the codename for the software that powers the Zune experience.
A Microsoft portable gaming system is in the works, and will be a part of the Zune family. This device should have Xbox Live Anywhere integration. This may or may not be an Xbox co-branded portable, but is probably going to be the portable gaming / media device we've been hearing about for years.
Microsoft's ad campaign will include a Super Bowl commercial.
The Zune will have a bevy of accessories at launch; it'll probably be cheaper for accessory makers to develop for the Zune port than pay the Made For iPod tax.
What we don't yet know
Whether the Zune media service will offer the same kind of all-you-can-eat subscription media services as PlaysForSure media services like Napster and Vongo. Supposedly subscription will be offered, but downplayed in favor of song purchase (which is the opposite of most PlaysForSure services).
Whether you'll actually only be limited to sharing with up to 10 people nearby, as rumored, and that they won't get the protected files, but will "bookmark" them for later purchase.
Exact device specifications for the first Zune device, as well as its price (though we hear it could be as much as $399).
Whether it'll include XM and/or Sirius service as rumored (we doubt it).
Let the analysis begin!
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July 22nd, 2006, 01:35 Posted By: wraggster
Xport released a new version of Vice64X a Commodore 64 Emulator for the XBox.
What's new
* Fixed SID playback in UI
* Date/timestamp appears next to each used save state in the state selection menu.
More Info-> http://xport.xbox-scene.com
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July 22nd, 2006, 01:33 Posted By: wraggster
th0mas has released a port of Wolfenstein 3D for the Xbox using the legal OpenXDK:
After some newfound interested in the OpenXDK, a workaround was found for input handling so input now works 100% (!!), so I guess it's time to release some ports  . I bring you a completely legal port of Wolf3D, the classic id FPS. It comes all ready to play with the shareware data files - unfortunately I don't think the registered datafiles or expansion packs will work at this time. If there is interest in getting this to work let me know and I'll see what I can do. Anyways, binary release - just unpack and copy to your xbox, data directory intact. Source release - have fun, requires OpenXDK from CVS or better.
Bugs:
* Savegames get reported as corrupted.. but they load fine.
* Sound doesn't work
* Strafing over an item does not pick it up
Controls:
* triggers to fire
* A to open doors
* X to strafe, B to run
* Start/Back are Enter/Escape
If anyone really can't handle that keymapping let me know and I can change it.
Download and Give Feedback Via Comments
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July 21st, 2006, 23:49 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft has announced that it is aiming to have sold a total 15 million Xbox 360s by the end of its fiscal year 2007, ending June 30.
The company has already shifted five million units of the next-generation console, and expects to hit the 10 million target by the end of 2006.
Funny that. We're sure we remember Peter Moore telling us at E3 that the target was to reach the golden 10 million mark before the launch of the PlayStation 3 and Wii this coming November.
Seems they’ve just moved the goalposts back a little. However, if the company should achieve its new 10m goal before the end of the year, it certainly gives it a solid head start against the competition.
Moore, you may recall, has gone on record to outline that he feels consumers will buy an Xbox 360 as their next-gen console of choice, followed by Nintendo’s ‘new-gen’ Wii – which should work out around the same price as a PlayStation 3 (at least, at launch).
So far, Microsoft has sold 3.3 million 360s in the USA, 1.3 million in Europe and 400,000 in the rest of the world since its November 22 launch last year. SPOnG is not sure what the exact Japanese sales figures are to date though, other than they are execrable.
The unparalleled online service, Xbox Live, now has over three million members worldwide, with around 60 percent of all installed Xbox 360 consoles being connected to Xbox Live.
There has to date been over 18 million downloads from Xbox Live Marketplace and 5 million games downloaded from Xbox Live Arcade. By Christmas 2006, Microsoft expects to have 160 high-definition games available on Xbox Live.
Revenue at the company's Home and Entertainment division rose to US$1.14 billion during its fourth quarter, up 94 percent from $587 million during the same time last year. It also beat its $1.06 billion performance from the first three months of this year.
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July 21st, 2006, 23:46 Posted By: wraggster
According to GalbadiaX.com, the next update of Final Fantasy XI for Xbox 360 could introduce gamerscore points into the aging MMORPG. To date, FFXI is the only 360 title without points, which, technically, Microsoft requires publishers to include in Xbox 360 games, dispersed throughout at least five game-related achievements.
If you view Final Fantasy XI details on an Xbox 360 gamercard, you'll notice that the game has been updated with 32 "secret" achievements. However, these achievements are not yet active, but are speculated to become fully integrated with the next FFXI update, which will also include changes to Besieged and chocobo breeding.
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July 21st, 2006, 23:38 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft has a big interview in Billboard Magazine next week spilling the rice and beans on the Zune. The three bullet points we were able to get, since we're too poor to buy T-Shirts without holes in them let alone subscribe to Billboard magazine:
Microsoft officials for the first time have confirmed that the Redmond, Wash.-based company is readying a portable music player and integrated service, shedding new light on a topic that has fueled rampant speculation in news reports and blog postings for weeks.
In an exclusive first interview with Billboard, Chris Stephenson, Microsoft's new GM of marketing for MSN Entertainment Business, says the company will later this year launch Zune, an umbrella brand for what he says is "a family of hardware and software products" targeting various digital entertainment services.
The first implementation of this will be the portable music player and digital music service, in what is the company's strongest effort yet to rein in Apple Computer's iTunes/iPod juggernaut, currently responsible for about 70% of the digital music market and 75% of the portable digital music player market.
There's confirmation that it's going to have portable gaming and portable video capabilities, with WiFi and an add-on game pad.
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July 21st, 2006, 23:16 Posted By: wraggster
Worldwide shipments of the Xbox 360 have passed five million units, according to the latest financial report from Microsoft - which also reveals the extent of the losses the company is making on the next-gen system.
According to the fourth quarter report for the three months to June 30th, Microsoft shipped 1.8 million units of the Xbox 360 during the period - up from 1.7 million units in the third quarter, and 1.5 million in the pre-Christmas holiday season.
Which means they've shipped more than five million overall, with the console proving most popular in North America - where over 3.3 million units have been shipped, compared with just 1.3 million in Europe and 400,000 in Asia.
With the five million unit point reached by June - just as the firm promised last year - Microsoft reiterated its target of selling (or at least, shipping) ten million units of the console by the end of the year - and added another ambitious target, namely the sale of 15 million units by the end of the next financial year in June 2007.
Looking at the financial side of things, the Xbox 360 is causing a serious impact on the firm's bottom line at this point in its lifespan - with the Home and Entertainment Division, whose revenues come primarily from the Xbox and its software, recording healthy revenues of $1.14 billion, but losses of $414 million.
That contributed to an overall fall in Microsoft's quarterly profits - although they aren't exactly doing too badly. They turned in a big fat $2.83 billion in profit, down from $3.7 billion in the same quarter last year.
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July 21st, 2006, 23:14 Posted By: wraggster
Atari's planning to release downloadable car packs for Test Drive Unlimited on Xbox 360, starting six weeks after launch.
There won't just be cars in them either - there'll be new genre-specific radio stations, dealing in "Rock, Blues, Electronic, R&B, Jazz, Latin etc." with between 10 and 20 songs each.
Atari had originally planned to allow players to tune the game to actual radio stations, but this had to be dropped from the 360 version - though it may reappear on the PC.
Test Drive Unlimited is currently due out on September 8th, so we can expect downloadable content to start turning up getting on towards the end of October.
Atari also announced plans to release TDU for just $39.95 in the US - the same price as Rockstar Games' budget-style Table Tennis.
Whether that means we can expect the game to cost less here is another matter though, apparently - an Atari rep, having pointed out that the US and Europe are "different markets", told us to expect an announcement soon.
Still, with Atari boss Bruno Bonnell claiming, "Innovation should be available to everyone, not a privilege for those can afford high price tags," we'll be expecting a low-low price.
As well as the 360 Test Drive Unlimited, which is due out first, the game is also set to appear on PC, PS2 and PSP in October.
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