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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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December 9th, 2005, 17:41 Posted By: wraggster
<img src="http://image.lik-sang.com/content/360/xbox360-illus4.jpg">
News From <a href="http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3758&&lsaid=219793" target="_blank" >Lik Sang</a>
<BLOCKQUOTE>The Xbox 360 is hitting Japan's shores this Saturday, as well as the first wave of Japanese games and accessories. Microsoft has of course a proper marketing plan in place, starting with the 360 Lounge and the 360 Monument last month and climaxing at Tsutaya in Shibuya this Saturday early morning. We have already collected some stock of most products: systems, games and accessories.
Xbox 360 Japanese Commemoration Packs with Final Fantasy Demo
For those of you who could not get their hands on the Xbox 360 just yet and need some help, for hardcore import gamers who want nothing else than a Japanese version of the system, or finally for those who would kill to get a first-hand playable beta-testing demo disc of Final Fantasy XI packed with their bundle... Lik Sang delivers! We got a bunch of Commemoration Packs in stock now, up for grabs for the fastest (and luckiest) among you. No preorder, no waiting a cold night out in the queue, just good plain old "first ordered = first served". Price is a little steep, as our intermediates are trying to cream off the shortage situation at the time being, but not as high as the level one can find on ebay, and the unit comes with all the goodies you need packed in: hard drive, radio frequency controller, Final Fantasy XI demo disc, d-terminal high-definition cable, remote control, Xbox Live headset and 1 month Xbox Live gold trial.
Please note that the systems will not play all games from all countries (most titles from America and Europe will not boot because of region-locking). There will be no exchange warranty service offered for orders outside of Hong Kong. Finally, if you are living in a 220 volts country, you will need a powerful stepdown converter in order not to blow up your fresh new console - the Xbox 360 is power hungry. The output of your stepdown has to be stabile at minimum 250~300 Watts, and if you don't have such a device, and if you don't have such a device and don't know where to get it near you, we have just the thing for you.</BLOCKQUOTE>
Read the rest of the Massicve Xbox 360 Article at <a href="http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3758&&lsaid=219793" target="_blank" >Lik Sang</a>
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December 8th, 2005, 20:15 Posted By: wraggster
We have great News for you about US Games working on the Japanese Xbox 360, as you know sites have already commented about US Games working on Euro Xbox 360s and vice versa, Heres a list of working and Non Working US Games for the Japanese Xbox 360
US Games that Work On Jap Xbox360
Quake 4
Call of Duty 2
Condemned
US Games that are Not Working On Jap Xbox360
Project Gotham Racing 3
Kameo
Perfect Dark: Zero
More as we get more feedback from our Japanese sources.
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December 8th, 2005, 20:02 Posted By: wraggster
Source - Joystiq
Lucky Xbox 360 Premium owners may have noticed only 13GB of free space on their hard drives. That’s seven gigs shy of the advertised 20. What happend to all that space?
IGN writes: “The [BC] emulator is included in the HDD, along with some reserved space to download compatibility updates [and patches] for more games. Also, keep in mind that some content, like music videos and the puzzle game Hexic, is already preloaded on the HDD.”
Fortunately, users can delete content if they have to start making choices about hard drive space. But the system will always reserve space for backwards compatibility along with system patches and updates.
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December 8th, 2005, 19:48 Posted By: wraggster
Source GamesIndustry
With Microsoft set to roll out the Xbox 360 in Japan on Saturday - its third territory launch in as many weeks - opinions on the console's prospects in the region remain mixed, but analysts are largely unimpressed by the system.
A number of recent studies have shown that the Xbox 360 is gaining ground with Japanese consumers - local trade association CESA's survey at TGS showed that 23 per cent of consumers want an Xbox 360, compared to just under 21 per cent who are interested in Nintendo's Revolution.
Market analysts, however, are less convinced - with a Forbes survey of leading analysts in the sector in Tokyo showing that most are unimpressed by the software line-up and specifications of the next-gen system.
"We had previously thought that Xbox 360 could gain a major share of the Japanese market by taking some market share from front-runner Sony Computer," commented Mitsubishi UFJ Securities analyst Hirotoshi Murakami.
"But now we think that such a prospect may not be realised, given the limited attractiveness of its titles and lukewarm functions."
The functionality of the device was slammed also by Nobuyuki Kawamata from Tokai Tokyo Research Center, who said that the "basic functions of Xbox 360 are inferior to Sony's next-generation machine" - a contentious point which few in the industry have been able to agree upon, but which seems to be taken as fact in the Far East.
Shinko Securities analyst Yuichi Kobayashi is even down on the global prospects for Xbox 360, telling Forbes that "Unless Sony fails to bring the next-generation PlayStation 3 console to market on time, Microsoft appears to have almost no chance to be the industry leader."
Xbox 360 has always faced an uphill struggle in Japan. Hindered by a lack of locally developed software and key franchises, as well as by a perception that the system design was ugly and a general suspicion of a console product developed overseas, the original Xbox failed to sell even half a million units in the region.
Microsoft has gone out of its way to court Japanese developers for Xbox 360, winning support from former Sega development star Tetsuya Mizugichi, Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and Street Fighter producer Yoshiki Okamoto, among others.
The firm remains bullish about the prospects for the console in Japan; regional Xbox boss Yoshihiro Maruyama, himself a former executive at key publisher Square Enix, predicted recently that a million Xbox 360s will be sold in Japan by next summer, with two million sold by the end of next year.
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December 8th, 2005, 19:42 Posted By: wraggster
Following the sell-out launch of the Xbox 360, UK independent developers Stainless Games and Pompom Software have announced the debut of two classic games in the Xbox 360 Live Arcade.
Described as modern-retro, Mutant Storm Reloaded and Crystal Quest are examples of classic arcade style gameplay from the dawning of the computer gaming age, revamped and re-invented for the current hardware and readily available for an entirely new gaming audience.
Pompom Software's Miles Visman commented: "Never before has a small development company like ours had the opportunity to make a launch title for such a major hardware release. Live Arcade has proved to be the perfect vehicle for a title as intense as Mutant Storm Reloaded and Xbox 360 at launch offers us an audience of the console gaming elite who will now have a chance to play our games for the first time."
"We're investing heavily in Live Arcade, as we see this as a completely new channel to reach what has always been our core audience – hardcore gaming fanatics who know a good game when they see one. Crystal Quest is only the first of a number of titles we'll be releasing on Live Arcade," added Patrick Buckland of Stainless Games.
The Xbox Live Marketplace, incorporating the Xbox Live Arcade, is a key factor in Microsoft's efforts to engage a wider audience than the traditional hardcore gamer. The service enables users to access a growing library of casual, classic re-make and retro arcade games, creating a wealth of opportunities for small, independent developers to reach a substantial new audience. Both Stainless Games and Pompom software have applauded the dedicated support provided by the Xbox Live Arcade team.
Ross Erickson, Xbox Live Arcade games portfolio manager for Microsoft stated: "We're thrilled to have both Pompom and Stainless Games onboard for Xbox Live Arcade on Xbox 360. Mutant Storm Reloaded is an incredible game with fantastic Xbox 360-class visuals but combined with simple pick-up-and-play game mechanics. It hearkens back to the classic arcade model of gaming, but with a next-gen gloss of production and graphics."
"Crystal Quest will be immediately recognizable to anybody who's played the classic that began on the Mac and it has that same addictive quality that the original had. But now, you get the best of both worlds – old school classic, proven gameplay with next generation Xbox 360-quality graphics in high-definition," Erickson concluded.
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December 7th, 2005, 15:32 Posted By: wraggster
Because of the shortage of consoles in the UK and it seems Europe/USA we will focus on the Jap/HK stores who import the Xbox360 to worldwide. today the shop we focus on is one i can recommend and thats Success HK. they have the Xbox360 in stock and the one with the Hard Drive for $388 which is just over £200 so even with posting and even if you get hit with Customs it will still be way cheaper than buying one esp for UK people.
Heres the full info:
Product Features of Xbox360 Premium Pack Jap ver.
The Next Generation begins: Always connected, always personalized, and always in high definition.
Fast and Smart: The IBM CPU consists of three 3.2GHz cores.
Hard Drive: A 20GB hard disc is standard.
Graphics: A custom ATI graphics chip drives ultrarealistic HD entertainment
Wireless: Up to four bi-directional wireless controllers mean no more cords
More Description of Xbox360 Premium Pack Jap ver.
More features:
- Plug and Play: Standard USB ports let you plug in your digital entertainment devices or controllers.
- Movies: Progressive Scan DVD playback is standard with every unit.
- Faces: Personalize your console with changeable faceplats.
- Ring of Light: The circle of lights flashes to indicate status in games and when you are online.
- Memory Units: Plug. Copy. Go. Take your gamertag, your saved games and control content with you.
- This is the Japanese version console. Only suitable to play Japanese/Asian NTSC/J encoded software.
The Xbox 360 is the future of entertainment. With the most stunning games, powerful technology, and intelligent services, Xbox 360 puts you at the center of your entertainment experience.
Connect and express. Collaborate and compete. Play the most compelling games. Watch DVD movies. Enjoy digital music, photos, and videos in an integrated entertainment system.
Xbox 360 also opens the door to incredible new high-definition entertainment. Experience Xbox 360 games in HD. Stream HD television and movies straight from your Windows Media Center Edition PC to your Xbox 360.
Buy your Jap Xbox 360 Premium Package at Success HK if you cant wait (like most people im sure)
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December 7th, 2005, 15:18 Posted By: wraggster
The Xbox 360 prequel to Rare's Nintendo 64 hit, Perfect Dark. Players once again slip into the role of Joanna Dark and fight their way through a twisting sci-fi storyline. The franchise's staple multiplayer mode returns, this time with full online support. Set in the year 2020, three years before the original hit game Perfect Dark, Perfect Dark Zero features a gripping story, multiple game scenarios for endless replayability, a massive arsenal of weapons and combat-enabled vehicles. The sci-fi, first-person shooter features a fully interactive world, support for up to 50 players online via Xbox Live, breathtaking high-resolution graphics and spectacular special effects.
More info --> http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?pro...8&lsaid=219793
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December 7th, 2005, 15:16 Posted By: wraggster
In Ridge Racer 6, the classic Namco franchise returns with more speed, excitement and gameplay variety than ever before. Players enter a world of high-definition, high-speed races and can choose to challenge others or take control of the wheel alone in a variety of on- and offline modes. Online compatibility lends to features such as Vs. Battles and downloadable content, further enhancing the games replayability.
More info --> http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?pro...9&lsaid=219793
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December 7th, 2005, 15:15 Posted By: wraggster
Japanese publisher Arika, the company behind the Tetris: The Grand Master arcade series is also behind T4, an original entry in the Tetris series that features Xbox Live competitive play. T4 gets the "four" in the title from the fact that Tetris Grand Master is on its third entry in the arcades with Tetris: The Grand Master 3 -- Terror Instinct. In addition to standard Tetris-style falling blocks play, the game features a "hold" button which allows you to hold a piece in reserve and switch it in for your current piece.
More info --> http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?pro...1&lsaid=219793
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December 7th, 2005, 15:14 Posted By: wraggster
Every Party is a multiplayer board game that is currently scheduled for a Japanese release on the Xbox 360. The game, is playable from one to four players, in a challenge against humans or artificial-intelligence opponents. Players will have to race to the goal piece at the end of the board. Along the way, you'll encounter various prizes and traps that will aid or hinder you or your opponents.
More info --> http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?pro...5&lsaid=219793
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December 7th, 2005, 15:13 Posted By: wraggster
Lik Sang who are one the worlds biggest importers of games have posted the release of several Xbox 360 Games, heres the info on each of them:
FIFA 06 Road To FIFA World Cup
EA celebrates its new exclusive FIFA World Cup interactive entertainment partnership with the release of FIFA 06, a game that immerses players into the emotional intensity of the next-generation football. Utilizing the power of the Xbox 360, fans are able to revel in the world' most sophisticated representation of football ever. Experience a newly enhanced gameplay engine that delivers extremely responsive controls and greater level of depth. New physics and animations mean that players will now react more realistically to every tackle, shot or pass of the ball. For the first time you'l see and feel the joy, anguish and pain of 90 minutes of soccer in a videogame. Through the power of high-definition technology youll see how the detail of the players is accurately recreated in fine detail. The power of the Xbox 360 truly brings to life 80,000 chanting fans in a stadium and immerses you in the emotional intensity of FIFA World Cup football.
More info --> http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?pro...6&lsaid=219793
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December 6th, 2005, 21:33 Posted By: wraggster
Darcelf released 2 new emulator for the Xbox:
* Xmac Beta 0.1
Xmac is an xbox port of minivmac, a mac plus emulator.
The screen, keyboard and disk drive are emulated.
The keyboard is emulated using a virtual keyboard.
To Do:
-Add sound emulation.
-Improve the keyboard emulation.
-Compiling using release settings (smaller .xbe and more compatible)
* Xthom Beta 0.2
Xthom is an xbox port of Thom, a thomson to7-70 emulator by Sylvain Huet and Eric Botcazou.
The thomson to7-70, joystick, lightpen, k7 reader and sound are emulated.
thomson keyboard s emulated using a virtual keyboard.
To Do:
-Improve Border color accuracy.
-Correct the keyboard mapping
-disk support
-cartridge support (it should work, try to put a cardtridge file instead of basic.m7)
-clean the code
Official Site: http://www.darcelf.tk
Thanks to Xbox Scene for the news.
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December 6th, 2005, 19:18 Posted By: wraggster
With less than a week to go until the Xbox 360 goes on sale in Japan, Microsoft has announced that the next-gen console will hit stores in other Asian countries beginning February next year.
According to Alan Bowman, the head of Asian Xbox operations, Korean gamers will be able to get their hands on the console from February 24th. The Xbox 360 will launch in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore a week later, on March 2nd.
That's despite the fact that there are already stock shortages in the US and Europe, where the console launched on November 22nd and December 2nd respectively. Bowman admitted that there was some debate as to whether international launches should be delayed in order to meet existing demand, telling Reuters: "Believe me, that conversation happened."
"We wanted to make sure within the first six months that we could get the 360 into all existing Xbox 1 markets. I'm very optimistic that demand is going to be significant. We're working very hard to keep supply up with demand," Bowman added.
Unlike Japanese consumers, who will only have the option to purchase the hard drive-bundled package when the Xbox 360 launches on Saturday, gamers in the rest of Asia will be able to choose from the core or premium systems - just like their US and European counterparts.
Prices have yet to be locked down, but Bowman said that they will be in line with the cost of the console in other territories. The Xbox 360 retails in the UK at GBP 209.99 for the core system, and GBP 279.99 for the premium system.
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December 6th, 2005, 19:18 Posted By: wraggster
Xbox 360 has pipped the record set by Nintendo's GameCube in May 2003 to become the UK's fastest-selling home console at launch despite serious stock shortages, with Perfect Dark Zero the best-selling title on the new platform.
Actual sales figures for the platform have yet to be announced, but according to UK chart data firm Chart-Track, the Xbox 360 has broken the Cube's record - but still trails the PSP handheld console, which sold a massive 185,000 units in its first week on sale.
Looking across Europe, the hardware sales picture is less clear, but it's unlikely that Microsoft has broken Nintendo's record across the territory as a whole - simply because the roughly 300,000 units shipped for day one in Europe for Xbox 360 falls short of Nintendo's 400,000 shipment for the Cube launch, which also sold out.
Microsoft does however intend to bring in fresh shipments of the Xbox 360 every week for the coming months, and hopes to fulfil demand as quickly as possible that way rather than ramping up to a major launch shipment. It's also worth noting that the Xbox 360 retails at a far higher price point than either the Cube or the PSP.
In terms of the balance between the GBP 279 Full System pack, which includes a hard drive and wireless controllers, and the GBP 209 Core System pack - which doesn't - the ratio of sales between those two was approximately 2:1. This does however reflect the ratio in which they were shipped by Microsoft rather than actual consumer demand, since given the shortages, most buyers took whichever pack was available to them.
Looking at software, Perfect Dark Zero was both the highest-rated new release in the All-Formats Top 40 - coming in at number 12 in the ranking - and the top-selling Xbox 360 title in the chart, followed closely by Project Gotham Racing 3, which was at number sixteen in the All-Formats chart.
EA's Xbox 360 releases helped to boost the sales of their top franchises during the week, keeping Need for Speed: Most Wanted in the top spot, while FIFA 2006 and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire followed in third and fourth place respectively.
Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 5, at number two, kept EA from taking a hat-trick at the top of the charts; while further down the top ten, Vivendi's 50 Cent: Bulletproof held steady at number five, Activision's Call of Duty 2: Big Red One climbed three places to number six, and Star Wars: Battlefront 2 drops a single place to number seven.
Ubisoft's King Kong is new in the top ten this week, rising four places to number eight, while Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories remains the top-seller on PSP and climbs a single place to number nine.
Looking at other new entries in the chart, one other Xbox 360 exclusive makes a debut, namely SEGA's Condemned: Criminal Origins at number 36, while Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones has a slightly disappointing start at number 29, and Quake 4 re-enters the chart on the strength of its Xbox 360 showing, at number 39.
This Friday sees the Christmas launch rush slow down a little at last, giving the market a chance to digest the titles already on retail shelves - but several key titles will arrive nonetheless, including handheld versions of King Kong, Xbox and Cube versions of Buena Vista Games' Chronicles of Narnia movie tie-in, Eidos' Championship Manager PSP, and Nintendo's Battalion Wars on Cube.
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December 6th, 2005, 19:15 Posted By: wraggster
After several reports of overheating issues with the Xbox 360, one consumer has accused Microsoft of releasing the machine with systematic defects in the development and manufacturing process.
In a class action lawsuit filed against the Redmond giant at the Illinois federal court, Robert Buyers of Chicago is seeking undisclosed damages, court costs and a recall of the newly launched console. It is unclear at this stage how many other consumers have joined Byers in the action.
Reports of overheating issues in the power supply and central processor unit began to surface shortly after the console's US launch on November 22nd, and were quickly dismissed at the time by Microsoft. The company stated that the number of complaints related to a "very, very small fraction of the total shipment," adding that Microsoft had received "a few isolated reports of consoles not working as expected."
While the number of incidents relating to overheating and game freezing issues appears to be relatively small, the true cause remains somewhat of a mystery. Microsoft previously declined to comment on whether or not the PSU unit was at fault, telling our sister site Eurogamer: "Because Xbox 360 has three powerful processing cores, customers may notice that it runs a bit warmer than other game consoles, but this heat output is well within the acceptable and safe range for a CE device of this type and has passed all applicable safety certifications."
"There is no systemic issue with Xbox 360. Each incident is unique and these customer enquiries are being handled on a case-by-case basis," Microsoft representatives added.
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December 6th, 2005, 00:12 Posted By: wraggster
Source - Trusted reviews
Unless you've been living in a Buddhist Temple in the mountains of Tibet for the past few months you will be well aware that the Xbox 360 has launched in the UK. Although there has been a massive amount of coverage and speculation in the technology press regarding the 360, the general marketing has been slightly subdued. OK, so you may have seen the odd advert on TV over the past couple of weeks, but there hasn't been what I'd call a major marketing push. Perhaps Microsoft is waiting for Christmas to spend the marketing dollars, or perhaps the it knows that pretty much every 360 is going to sell on launch day whether it advertises it or not.
When Microsoft launched the original Xbox at the end of 2001 I flew to New York to pick up a console, because the UK release date was several months after the US launch. Thankfully this time Microsoft hasn't made us Brits wait too long to get our hands on the goodies - a wait of a couple of weeks is bearable, and definitely doesn't warrant a trans-Atlantic crossing...
It's clear that Microsoft isn't willing to let history repeat itself with the 360, which is why the console is launching well before Sony gets the PlayStation 3 onto the streets. In fact, the PS3 won't be hitting Japan until spring 2006, so it's not likely to make it over to the UK until this time next year, giving the 360 a full 12 months to build up a healthy user base. In some respects I feel quite sorry for the outgoing Xbox, because some of the recent titles look truly stunning, showing that the machine is far from the end of its lifecycle. But ultimately Microsoft knows that if it wants to win the next console battle it needs to hit hard, and more importantly, hit first.
So, is the 360 worth shelling out your cash for? The simple answer is yes - actually that should be YES! The 360 really is an impressive bit of kit in so many ways, but let's talk specifics.
Read the full review here --> http://www.trustedreviews.com/article.aspx?art=2202
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December 5th, 2005, 18:59 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft Corp. plans to offer its Xbox 360 game console in Asian markets outside of Japan by early March, despite tight supply in the United States.
The head of Microsoft's Xbox business in Asia, Alan Bowman, said the console would hit the market in Korea on February 24 and Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore on March 2.
Microsoft's second offering in the game console market went on sale in the United States on November 22, and has been sold out at many shops. It went on sale in Europe on December 2 and is scheduled to reach shops in Japan on December 10.
Bowman, Asia-Pacific general manager for the Entertainment and Devices division, said Microsoft had resisted the temptation to delay international launch dates to meet U.S. demand.
"Believe me, that conversation happened," he told Reuters in a telephone interview on Friday. The comments were under embargo until Microsoft's launch announcement on Monday.
"We wanted to make sure within the first six months that we could get the 360 into all existing Xbox 1 markets."
"I'm very optimistic that demand is going to be significant. We're working very hard to keep supply up with demand," he said.
Microsoft has not yet decided on prices, though it said Asian prices would be in line with the United States and Europe. The Xbox comes in a bare-bones "core unit" and a premium version with more accessories such as a hard drive.
Microsoft has stolen a march in its bid to win market share from console industry arch-rival Sony Corp, which is slated to launch its next-generation PlayStation 3 next year.
However, Microsoft plans to rely on more than just an early launch to cut into Sony's commanding 70 percent share of the global console market.
Many Asian players have complained that the first Xbox had too many first-person shooters and sports titles, with fewer in genres that appeal to local tastes, such as role-playing games. Microsoft has courted Asian developers more aggressively this time around.
Korean developer Phatagram's "Ninety-nine Nights", which has impressed reviewers with hundreds of highly detailed enemies on screen at the same time, is expected to be a hit in Asia, and Taiwan's TWP Corp. is offering "Majong Online".
"We've really got a strong pipeline of material appropriate for Asia," Bowman said. "I think we've really made a lot of progress there."
Online capability also comes standard on the 360, rather than a separately-purchased service as it was on the first Xbox, and Microsoft has added an online marketplace to purchase and download small, casual games such as puzzle or card games.
"For us, the fact that Asia has high broadband penetration was a cornerstone for our original success," he said.
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December 5th, 2005, 18:59 Posted By: wraggster
The sought-after Xbox 360 video game console is likely to be out of reach or out of stock this holiday season, but loads of other gifts promise to deliver joy to gamers, from hard-core enthusiasts to aspiring rock stars.
Microsoft's premium next-generation machine tops many wish lists and, even at a rich US$400, has been selling out fast in stores. Though easily found on Web auction site eBay, buying the Xbox 360 there means agreeing to pay the hefty mark-ups demanded by sellers.
While video games are always a good choice, this year's line-up is bereft of blockbusters like last year's must-have titles "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" and "Halo 2."
Still, reviewers say publishers have something for everyone.
"It comes down to what your poison is," said Josh Larson, director of industry products at GameSpot Trax.
One potential sleeper hit in this season of game sequels may be "Guitar Hero" for Sony's PlayStation 2 console.
Delivered by game controller maker RedOctane and "Karaoke Revolution" developer Harmonix, the new title puts a three-quarter size guitar in the hands of players who can earn points by hitting notes in 30 licensed songs from contemporary bands such as Franz Ferdinand as well as legendary blues/rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix.
Points accumulated by hitting the right notes allow players to eventually leave their garage for gigs at clubs, festivals and finally, stadiums. The game also includes 17 unlockable songs from independent bands.
Sam Kennedy, editor-in-chief of 1UP.com, said "Guitar Hero" took the gaming Web site's office by storm.
"If our rating scale went up to 11, this is the game that would have gotten it," he said of the title that maxed out 1UP's 10-point scale.
Kai Huang, CEO of RedOctane, said the company was aiming for a music game that would strike a chord in the United States.
"When you think about American culture, it's a natural for people to want to be a rock star," he said.
HARD-CORE FRONT-RUNNER
For hard-core players who already own an Xbox 360, Microsoft's "Perfect Dark Zero" title could be just the thing. Starring a fledgling female bounty hunter with big guns, it is the Xbox 360 game generating the most information requests on GameSpot's network of Web sites, Larson said. The game has earned high ratings, even as some current owners have reported minor graphical glitches.
Among PC titles, Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.'s "Sid Meier's Civilization IV" has drawn the most information requests, while console games "WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2006" from THQ and "Star Wars Battlefront II" from LucasArts are top buzz generators in their category.
The lack of a hot title that blows gamers away means that new hardware other than the attention-grabbing Xbox 360 could steal the show this Christmas.
This is the first holiday season of sales for Sony's PlayStation Portable, and analysts are betting that the top title for the new handheld game player will be Take-Two's "Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories."
Sales of the Nintendo DS, a dual-screen portable player, have been boosted by hit games like "Nintendogs." Its most anticipated holiday title is "Mario Kart DS," the latest installment in that motor racing franchise.
The PSP retails for around $300 and the Nintendo DS prices at roughly $150, depending on accessories and other add-ons such as games.
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December 5th, 2005, 18:57 Posted By: wraggster
HOW many of them, I asked, wanted an Xbox 360? Every hand in the room of seventh-graders shot up. Even the teacher's.
Then I asked how many wanted to pay $400 for it. Almost every hand went down.
The game console may be cool, but it's just too expensive, they said. They think the games are overpriced, as well. Microsoft, which makes the Xbox, jacked the average game price by about $10 from the earlier Xbox version.
In a few months, the students at W.I. Stevenson Middle School told me, both the games and the console would cost less, Sony would be coming out with a new Playstation, and the cycle of hype would start all over again.
Gaining insight
Sometimes, Career Day is a two-way street. I went to talk about journalism and wound up gaining market insight into the hottest item in this increasingly lukewarm holiday shopping season.
Granted, my market sampling was small. As seventh-graders, the students are younger than Xbox's target demographic, and their purchases are probably controlled by their parents. But they are the emerging generation of gamers, and their skepticism could spell trouble for an industry whose hopes for profitability hinge on frenetic marketing and the fickle tastes of the young.
Because at $400, Microsoft is losing money on the Xbox.
Sum of its parts
Just before Thanksgiving, iSuppli, a California market researcher, ripped apart the Xbox and analyzed the costs of its components. The guts alone — the processors and memory chips — cost $370. Factor in the controllers, the DVD drive, cables, hard drive and packaging, and the cost zooms to $525, iSuppli found.
Microsoft's entertainment division, which includes the Xbox and other computer games, lost $391 million for the fiscal year ended in July. The previous year, it lost $1.2 billion. When I asked about the loss, I got nonsensical PR drivel from the firm that fields questions about Xbox:
"We'll make Microsoft-scale profits on Xbox 360 over its lifecycle.
"If we reach the share we expect to, we will be profitable. Profitability will be sustained with powerful, continuous innovation."
Elsewhere, Microsoft has said it expects to turn a profit for the division in 2007.
Don't count on it. The company is betting on games to make up for the losses it's taking on consoles. So far the strategy hasn't worked.
Last year's narrower loss for the gaming division largely reflected the release of Halo 2, which added $300 million in sales, Microsoft said. Even the hottest game of the year, though, wasn't enough to offset the division's loss.
Costlier games
Meanwhile, games are getting more expensive to produce as they add sophisticated graphics and intricate story lines.
Higher production costs mean the danger of a flop is more expensive. To lower the risk, the industry is borrowing a page from Hollywood. It's turning to more sequels and rehashes, rather than backing new concepts.
Microsoft's "continuous powerful innovation" is likely to be Halo 3, the newest version of last year's blockbuster, set for release in mid-2006. New titles in the coming months include another Ghost Recon, another Tomb Raider and Dead or Alive 4, which uses characters from Halo.
In such retreads lies the hope for profitability, which is why even the most modest changes are breathlessly hyped as revolutionary.
Gaming magazines rarely pan new titles. The current hot-ticket game, Star Wars Battlefront II — another sequel — has received rave reviews because, unlike its predecessor, players can fight space battles and play as a Jedi.
Now, being a Jedi is pretty cool, but the new game is essentially the same as the old, with a few new characters and backgrounds. It sells for $50. Battlefront I, which is about a year old, sells for about $20.
Is being a Jedi worth an extra $30? Or is it worth waiting a few months to wield a light saber at a 60 percent discount?
Shelf life limited
For now, Xbox's audience lives for the moment, pays a premium and ignores the planned obsolescence of it all. But if Microsoft continues to pass off hype as "powerful innovation," that could change.
At $400, Microsoft is selling an expensive razor at a loss, and hoping to make up the difference with pricey blades.
The new Xbox may have lots of high-dollar components, but its biggest selling point is basically "better graphics," the same plug that's always used to push new consoles. That's not enough "powerful innovation" to justify the price.
Even seventh-graders can see that the Xbox 360, no matter how cool, isn't worth the money. Hands down.
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December 5th, 2005, 18:10 Posted By: wraggster
While Japanese gamers hit the streets this Saturday for the Xbox 360 launch (or not), the rest of the Asian Xbox markets will have to wait a few months longer. Microsoft has confirmed that the 360 will debut in South Korea on Feb. 24, and in Taiwan and Singapore on March 2. No word on a Chinese launch date yet, or if there will be two versions of the console for these markets.
Xbox 360 regional executive Alan Bowman said that Microsoft wants to make sure the 360 is available in all existing Xbox 1 markets within the first six months.
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