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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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April 13th, 2005, 19:13 Posted By: wraggster
The next-generation Xbox console will be priced at $249 to $299 when it launches in October / November, according to leading analyst firm Goldman Sachs, which expects Microsoft to ship three million units of the console by the end of the year.
The firm gave its projections for the Xbox 2 launch in the wake of Microsoft's decision to show off the console to the public in an MTV special to be broadcast on May 12th in North America, and May 13th worldwide.
The October or November launch date has been widely reported by sources around the industry, but Goldman Sachs' suggested price point, while in line with near-launch prices for similar hardware in recent years, is somewhat higher than the circa $400 prices being proposed by some other analysts.
However, it's worth noting that most hardware launches in the past few years have come in at lower prices than those expected by many market analysts - with the Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable being the most recent examples of this trend.
Forbes reports that the Goldman Sachs analysts went on to say that Microsoft would ship three million units of the Xbox 2, which is powered by multiple IBM processors and a next-generation ATI graphics chip, by the end of the year. The console is expected to launch worldwide during the third quarter, which would generally imply a million units at launch for every major territory, but Microsoft is likely to be cautious in terms of shipments to Japan - where the Xbox failed to sell in any numbers - and favour North America and Europe with larger shipments instead.
The report also confirmed that Microsoft does not plan to discontinue production of the Xbox console when Xbox 2 launches. The company has already given assurances that Xbox software production will continue through to 2007 - although few studios appear to be working on original or exclusive titles for Xbox in that timescale, with most key Xbox developers having refocused on Xbox 2.
The decision to continue Xbox hardware production will mean that Microsoft still has hardware at retail at a price point which challenges Sony's PlayStation 2 and Nintendo's GameCube this Christmas, as well as having the only next-generation console on the market.
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April 13th, 2005, 19:09 Posted By: wraggster
There are none of the usual array of blurry cameraphone pics to back this up, but Eurogamer is claiming that Microsoft’s next-gen console has been spotted in the UK, and that, get this: it’s white. Or at least it’s probably going to be white. They’re saying that it could turn out to be silver-colored instead, though if it were white that would match those leaked controller pics that surfaced over the weekend (oh, and save your comments about them ripping off Apple, no one owns the color white, ok?). They’re also confirming that the name for the new console will indeed be called the Xbox 360 (just like we said it would be), and that it will have a concave design, stand upright (or at least that you’ll have the option of positioning it that way), and sport a logo that is a “simple, round nexus” (whatever that means).
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April 13th, 2005, 19:02 Posted By: wraggster
The Xbox 2 could sell for under $300 (around £160) and three million of the next-gen consoles could be available around the world before the end of the year, according to analysts.
The cleverclogs over at Goldman Sachs have drawn up some research notes that indicate Microsoft could be about to unleash the Xbox 2 sooner and cheaper than anyone was expecting.
The analysts predict that the system will be available in US stores in October of November this year, sporting a rather slimline salestag of anything between $249-$299 (around £130 to £160).
This would place Xbox 2 at the lower end of the consumer market and make it more accessible to gamers, according to the analysts.
The Xbox 2, which is set to make its public debut during a special MTV show on May 12/13, was already widely expected to be available before the end of the year. Rumours of a simultaneous worldwide release have so far remained unconfirmed but Goldman Sachs estimates that three million will be available across the globe before Christmas.
Representatives from Microsoft were unavailable for comment at the time of press.
The Goldman Sachs analysts also addressed Sony's PS3, stating that they expected a late 2005/early 2006 Japanese launch for the console with a US and European launch to follow in mid 2006.
All interesting stuff, but totally unconfirmed at the moment. More news soon as the next-gen express thunders onwards.
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April 13th, 2005, 00:22 Posted By: wraggster
As the countdown to the next Xbox's unveiling progresses, the all-but-official teaser site for the device, Ourcolony.net, has released another teaser image related to the console. However, instead of being a glimpse of the hardware, the image appears to be one of the games for the next-gen console.
Early this morning, players of the Ourcolony.net game were briefly treated to a high-resolution image of a red sports car. The incredibly detailed image shows the front right quarter-panel of the car, including its right headlight and part of its grille. The high resolution of the image lets the viewer see the makeup of the headlight, which shows three distinctive lights within an external glass canopy.
Car fetishists and fans of all things speedy will recognize these features as being unique to the Ferrari 360 Modena. A side-by-side comparison of the Ourcolony.net image with a real-life photo of the same area of a Modena shows that the two pictures are clearly of the same model.
Though the image is not official, a chain of circumstantial evidence points to it as being the first for Project Gotham Racing for the next-generation Xbox. First, a red Ferrari is the signature cover car of the Project Gotham Racing series. 2001's Project Gotham Racing featured a scarlet Ferrari F50 on the cover, while the box for 2003's Project Gotham Racing 2 sported a crimson Ferrari Enzo.
Second, Microsoft Game Studios' Shane Kim has confirmed that a third Project Gotham Racing is in development for the next-generation Xbox. Third, Ourcolony.net has been linked to Microsoft, although the company still refuses to concede that it is behind the site. The fourth and most tenuous link is that the 360 Modena shares the same numeric designation as the Xbox 360, currently considered the most likely name for Microsoft's new console.
Is the image coincidence or evidence? The public will have to wait until May 12, when the still officially unnamed next-gen platform will be unveiled on MTV. For now, a Microsoft spokesperson would say only the following: "Looks like a car to me. Can you believe how great it looks?"
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April 12th, 2005, 20:51 Posted By: wraggster
Goldman Sachs said it confirmed with Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) that the company is unlikely to discontinue production of the Xbox videogame console with the launch of Xbox 2. Microsoft will provide a sneak peek of the Xbox 2 console on a television special on May 12 on MTV in North America and on May 13 internationally. "We had expected Xbox 2 to shown for the first time at the E3 videogaming conference in Los Angeles (May 17-20, 2005)," Goldman said. "This appears to be a tactical effort to show Xbox 2 before Sony (nyse: SNE - news - people ) demonstrates the PS3 [PlayStation 3 videogame console] at E3." The research firm, which rates Microsoft at "outperform," expects Xbox 2 to be available for retail sale in October or November at a retail price of about $249 to $299. Goldman said the Xbox console would cater to the lower-end of the consumer segment. The firm expects Microsoft to ship about 3 million units of the Xbox 2 worldwide in the December quarter. Sony is expected to debut the PS3 at E3, "although the product is not expected to be available in the U.S. until mid-2006 (perhaps a Japan launch in the fourth quarter of 2005 although more likely in the first quarter of 2006)," Goldman said.
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April 11th, 2005, 19:19 Posted By: wraggster
Microsoft's next-generation Xbox console is set to be unveiled to the world not at E3, as was previously believed, but in a half-hour long special to be aired on MTV the week previously, on May 12th.
The move is a massive break with tradition on Microsoft's part, and will get the Xbox 2 in front of consumers several days ahead of the unveiling of Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Revolution in Los Angeles the following week.
"It doesn't make sense to unveil the product behind a closed door, at a trade-only event," according to Microsoft corporate VP Peter Moore. "We wanted to talk directly to the consumer first."
The half-hour show will be a star studded affair, hosted by Lord of the Rings actor Elijah Wood and featuring a range of athletes, celebrities and even a live performance from rock band The Killers.
Last week it emerged that Sony's pre-E3 press conference has been scheduled to take place a few hours ahead of Microsoft's event, reversing the running order of previous years and supposedly giving the PS3 a head-start over Xbox 2 in the coverage war.
Xbox 2 - or whatever the console is eventually called, as it's believed that both Microsoft and Sony have ditched the sequential numbering system for their new machines - will be launched late this year, with an October / November date currently on the cards. Neither Sony nor Nintendo is expected to launch new hardware until 2006.
Microsoft is also running a viral marketing game to lead up to the May 12th unveiling of Xbox 2, with the "OurColony" game mimicking many features of the hugely successful Halo 2 "I Love Bees" viral game, and giving players tantalising sneak peeks at some aspects of the console and controller's design - although so far the main info to be gleaned is that the controller is probably white, which ties in with reports from sources close to Microsoft that it has gone with a white colour scheme for the system this time around.
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April 11th, 2005, 19:17 Posted By: wraggster
A number of new appointments to key positions within Microsoft's European Xbox team have been announced by the company, with three new faces joining the management team while a number of promotions have reshuffled the EMEA marketing team.
Industry veteran Stefan Lampinen is joining the company as EMEA Sales Director, covering all Xbox hardware, software and related products. Coming from a background at Nokia's games unit and Electronic Arts, Lampinen replaces Owen Roberts, who has moved into a role as senior director of sales in the company's Redmond HQ.
Another former EA executive, Francisco Arteche, has been appointed as senior regional director for the Central and Southern European region; while former Apple advertising manager Francois Ruault has joined as director of the French territory.
"I am very pleased to have Stefan, Francisco and Francois joining our EMEA team," enthused the Home and Entertainment Division's EMEA vice president, Chris Lewis. "The regional team are incredibly important to the success of the Xbox business and we welcome these three talented individuals to an exceptionally strong group of people, working to continue and increase our success in the region."
Meanwhile, in the marketing department, former EMEA head of customer relationship marketing Dom McBrien has been promoted to head of online marketing, while Beatriz Diaz has been placed in charge of Xbox.com, reporting directly to McBrien.
Last but by no means least, Michele Marchand moves over from the UK subsidiary to join the Xbox EMEA PR and Events team as an events manager, and will work on events including the FIFA Interactive World Cup and the X0 event series.
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April 11th, 2005, 19:14 Posted By: wraggster
We can’t divulge the source of this information (what else is new?), but we’ve learned that Microsoft is going to be teaming up with Pepsi for a major promotion this fall in which they’ll be giving away over 9,000 Xbox 2/Xbox 360 consoles in the weeks ahead of the next-gen console’s official release. The contest will use an under-the-cap registration method (much like Pepsi did before with those iTunes giveaways), and supposedly they’ll be giving away one console every ten minutes, 24 hours a day, for nine weeks straight.
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April 11th, 2005, 19:13 Posted By: wraggster
With all the Xbox 2 speculation that's fizzing around the internet it's heartening to know that Microsoft has confirmed that the next-gen console's debut will happen not at E3, but on MTV.
The Xbox 2 will be busted out in a "high-energy half-hour program" called MTV Presents: The Next Generation Xbox Revealed. The program will air at 8pm in the UK on Friday, May 13 (unlucky for some?), with other European countries also getting the program on that evening. In the States jammy MTV viewers will see the program an evening earlier on May 12 at 9.30pm. We've listed the full list of times and dates for you below.
Microsoft and MTV are promising "an exclusive look at the Xbox vision for the next generation," with "never-before-seen, action-packed gameplay of future Xbox games, a peek into the future of the Xbox Live online gaming service, backstage celebrity interviews and exclusive insider footage," making up the meat of the show.
Peter Moore, corporate vice president of worldwide marketing and publishing for Xbox at Microsoft, reckons the unusual unveiling will go down a storm. "Just as MTV revolutionised the way the world experiences music, the next-generation video game console from Xbox will spark a revolution in how consumers experience games and other forms of digital entertainment. We are ecstatic about our alliance with MTV and unveiling a video game platform in a way that has never been done."
Renowned ring stroking specialist Elijah Woods will be on hand to do the presenting and The Killers will provide some tunes. Other celebrities are also involved, leaving us to wonder for just how long the actual console will be shown.
Here's the full list of international dates and times for the show. Enjoy!
U.K.: Friday, May 13, at 20:00
North America: Thursday, May 12, at 9:30 p.m. (21:30)
Japan/Asia: Friday, May 13, at 11:30
Europe:
France: Friday, May 13, at 19:00
Germany: Friday, May 13, at 19:00
Italy: Friday, May 13, at 23:30
Netherlands: Friday, May 13, at 19:30
Poland: Friday, May 13, at 21:00
Portugal: Friday, May 13, at 20:00
Romania: Friday, May 13, at 20:00
Scandinavia: Friday, May 13, at 22:00
Spain: Friday, May 13, at 21:30
Australia: Friday, May 13, at 19:00
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April 11th, 2005, 19:11 Posted By: wraggster
Looks like Microsoft has sparked off a fresh round of Xbox 2 speculation with its ourcolony.net viral marketing malarkey. With only a month to go before the world finally sets its eyes on the next-gen console speculation is rampant about its features and what its late 2005 arrival will mean for the current Xbox.
Of greatest interest is the appearance of two blurry photographs of what purports to be an Xbox 2 joypad. Apparently originating on ourcolony.net, the images of slick white controller are extremely similar to the current Xbox S pad, albeit with a sleeker sheen, more elongated 'wings', and the noticeable lack of a wire. You can check them out here.
Wireless Xbox 2 controllers have been discussed for a while now but Microsoft has not confirmed whether they will come with the new console as standard. We're all for the wireless feature although we're unsure about the colour scheme (which could offer some clues about the design of the console unit itself). Virginal white pads won't stand up well to the rigours of sticky, dirty paws.
The next issue causing tsunami-sized waves of internet speculation is whether Xbox 2 will be backwards compatible with its little brother. Again, Microsoft are staying mum on the subject for now, but the future of the Xbox was addressed in last week's press release detailing the third-party publisher support secured for Xbox 2.
Reacting to allegations that the Xbox was being phased out this year, the release said, "In addition, Microsoft is fully committed to this generation, and gamers can expect an amazing pipeline of titles into 2007."
Since Xbox 2 is expected to launch around the world before the end of this year, that would mean that Microsoft plan anything up to two years worth of continued support for the current Xbox. Some are speculating this means Xbox 2 will be backwards compatible since Microsoft would want as many people as possible to buy the Xbox games.
Another whisper, which manages to cram about fifteen pieces of speculation into one super-powered rumour, speaks of an enhanced version of Halo 2 pre-installed on the Xbox 2's hard drive (if indeed it does come with one).
What's the official word from Microsoft on all these slippery rumours? Take a guess. "Microsoft does not comment on internet rumour and speculation."
So we asked if ourcolony.net was being used to reveal images of Xbox 2 hardware. "We have not confirmed whether ourcolony.net is officially endorsed or supported by Microsoft," said the spokesperson.
One thing's for certain: With the global unveiling of Xbox 2 set for May 12/May 13 on MTV, and the console's appearance at E3 the week after, we shouldn't need to deal with all this speculation for too much longer
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April 10th, 2005, 21:45 Posted By: wraggster
When you’ve got shots like these to work with, you can’t ever be so positive about their validity (we know, we know). But it’s circulating that what we’ve got here are some leaked shots of the Xbox 2/Xbox 360 controller—kind of unlikely given how MS is apparently now apparently prone to using decoys to draw out moles in the project, but we’ll bite anyway. Note that you don’t see any wires, but you do see what appears to be a battery pack. Yum!
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April 9th, 2005, 20:32 Posted By: wraggster
Despite the fact that the next generation of the Xbox console is expected out before the end of the year, via Evil Avatar a story stating that Microsoft is committed to the original Xbox through 2007. From the article: "A Microsoft spokeswoman told Reuters that 2007 is not a hard stop, but rather a guideline for the last releases of new games developed for the Xbox. Microsoft has not said whether its next console will be compatible with the current Xbox.
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April 9th, 2005, 15:10 Posted By: wraggster
More rumours are doing the rounds today regarding the specifications and software delivery methods of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console. Hard disk size is currently being touted as around the 40 gig mark – which seems fairly large but not staggering, though this will be subject to change as costs are juggled before the device goes into production late this summer. The machine is said to feature two video outs, one of which can be connected to a monitor, and will not, allegedly, be backwards compatible. It’s also being suggested that purchase via download is going to be offered, with games bought in this way sold earlier and cheaper to sweeten the deal.
And speaking of games on the HDD, the new console with be sold with Halo 2 pre-installed on the console, obviously beautified to make the most of the system’s power.
This isn’t all, though. There’s also talk of a 120 gig add-on hard drive for the new Xbox which comes pre-loaded with software.
We’d like to stress that all of the above is nothing but rumour at the moment.
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April 8th, 2005, 21:47 Posted By: wraggster
Hot on the heels of yesterday's report on Ourcolony.net comes further evidence that Microsoft is waging a viral marketing campaign to promote its next-generation console.
During his 2005 Game Developers Conference keynote address, Microsoft corporate vice president and chief XNA architect J Allard showed off some of the features that will be part of the next iteration of Xbox Live. One of those features was the "Gamer Profile," an online profile that will feature basic information like a person's Xbox Live tag, stats, gaming achievements, and motto.
The Gamer Profile will also include a picture of the gamer. When Allard demonstrated the Gamer Profile in action, he showed his own profile. Next to his Gamer Tag--"Hiro Protagonist," named after the main character in Neal Stephenson's cyberpunk novel Snow Crash--was a photo of Allard sporting a green T-shirt. On the front of the T-shirt was a large white ant with a distinctive mark on its abdomen that resembled an "X."
As can be seen in a side-by-side comparison, that same ant is also the emblem of Ourcolony.net, a Web site that appears to reward players of an alternate-reality game with partial pictures of the next-generation Xbox. Although it has been up and down almost all day today (presumably due to increased traffic), the site does display the same ant prominently on its home page underneath the password field and in an intermittent circular image. The ant is also the emblem that appears on the anonymous fliers that have been popping up all over major cities in the US and UK.
The addition of the photographic link to an already existing pile of evidence all but cements Ourcolony.net to a next-generation Xbox teaser campaign. However, Microsoft dodged the assertion that the site is another alternate-reality game/marketing tool in the vein of Ilovebees.com. "J [Allard] is a gamer and there are a lot of gamers playing Ourcolony.net," was all a spokesperson for the company told GameSpot.
However, Microsoft's implication that Allard is just a player of the game is somewhat undermined by a few facts. Though the Ourcolony.net URL was registered on February 4, 2005, the first comment in its forums is dated April 5, 2005. So unless the forums had been cleared or launched at a later date--unlikely, given that they are key to recruiting players to join the site's group-centric game--Ourcolony.net launched on April 5. Allard's GDC presentation was given on March 9. Together, the facts beg one big question: How could Allard be a fan of Ourcolony.net nearly a full month before the site went live?
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April 8th, 2005, 21:46 Posted By: wraggster
With just over a month remaining until Microsoft reveals its next-gen console at E3, the company has unveiled what it describes as an "all-star line-up" of publishers already committed to Xbox 2, including the likes of EA, Rockstar, Ubisoft and Vivendi.
Microsoft says the new hardware will "deliver on the company's vision of the HD Era" by offering "high-definition graphics, extraordinary benefits of constant connectedness and exceptional personalization abilities."
In order to achieve this, Microsoft says, it has assembled a line-up of heavyweight publishers who have already collectively sold more than half a billion copies of titles for the current Xbox, and approximately 70 per cent of all console games sold in 2004.
"The key to bringing the vision for the HD Era of gaming to life is our partners: world-class publishers and developers that have molded and shaped the history of interactive entertainment for tens of millions of gamers worldwide," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of Xbox global content and marketing.
"This stellar lineup of publishers and developers is poised to deliver games experiences our customers only dreamed were possible, and is ultimately committed to elevating video games to be the No. 1 form of entertainment."
The full list of publishers is as follows: 2K Games, Activision, Atari, Bandai, Bethesda Softworks, Buena Vista, Capcom, Codemasters, Eidos, Electronic Arts, FromSoftware, InterServ, KOEI, Konami, LucasArts, Majesco, Midway, Namco, Phantagram, Rockstar, SCi, SEGA, Tecmo, THQ, TWP, Ubisoft, Vivendi and Webzen.
Microsoft Game Studios - whose stable includes Bioware, Bizarre Creations, Bungie, Epic, FASA, Lionhead and Rare - will produce exclusive titles for Xbox 2. As will legendary Japanese developers Yoshiki Okamoto (Resident Evil, Street Fighter), Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Rez, Lumines) and Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy), all of whom have recently announced their commitment to the platform.
"The next-generation Xbox titles will provide exhilarating entertainment experiences that will drive the HD Era," said Microsoft.
"Gamers can expect technological advancements such as multichannel audio fidelity that will plunge them into a world so realistic, even the faintest enemy footsteps can be heard.
"These advancements will be fueled by richer online communication and by an abundance of on-demand content delivered by the Xbox Live service."
Microsoft went on to add that the announcement did not mean it was no longer committed to the current Xbox. "This year alone, Xbox publishers and developers will deliver more than 200 games to the platform," the company said. "Gamers can expect an amazing pipeline of titles into 2007."
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April 7th, 2005, 18:35 Posted By: wraggster
Last year, Microsoft intrigued some and infuriated many with a viral marketing campaign to help hype its now-multi-platinum Xbox shooter, Halo 2. The software behemoth tapped 4orty2wo Entertainment, a company that specializes in "immersive, entertainment-based alternative marketing campaigns."
In particular, 4orty2wo's forte is alternate reality games (ARGs)--what it alternately calls "search operas"--a form of interactive mystery which draws people into a narrative via hidden clues and cryptic messages. The first major ARG was called "The Beast," and was used to hype Steven Spielberg's film A.I. in 2001. It was cooked up by Jordan Weisman, then a creative director at Microsoft, his fellow employee Elan Lee, and novelist Sean Stewart.
The Beast centered on a murder of one Evan Chan, the mystery surrounding which could be solved by a series of clues. These clues were scattered across "Web sites, faxed documents, phone calls, e-mails, newspaper clippings, TV ads, clues from celebrities, and physical locations," according to 4orty2wo. The company claims that eventually three million people participated in The Beast, which earned its makers numerous plaudits in marketing and advertisement circles. Details of the thought process behind The Beast and ARGs in general can be found on Stewart's Web site and in 4orty2wo's case studies section.
So successful was the Beast at reaching consumers through the clutter of advertising that, in 2002, Weisman and Lee left Microsoft--to form 4orty2wo Entertainment. Their first major project was to help their former employer promote Halo 2. The result was Ilovebees.com, a Web phenomenon which grabbed headlines and caused headaches through out the summer of 2004.
The Ilovebees.com ARG centered on its titular URL, which appeared at the end of the theatrical Halo 2 trailer. Though it only flashed across the bottom of the screen for a split second, the URL drew millions of visitors to a site for a California bee farm that appeared to have been the victim of a bizarre hacker attack. However, over the course of weeks, the site began to reveal tidbits of the back story behind Halo 2's opening sequence, when Earth is attacked by the Covenant.
The most noticeable feature on the ilovebees.com site was a large timer on the page counting down to August 24. In the weeks leading up to that day, it began spitting out GPS coordinates to payphones, where small crowds of diehard ARG players gathered at the appointed hour. They were treated to a recorded message which drew them further into the ARG. Those who worked their way through the entire ARG eventually congregated at a series of events on November 4, where Microsoft officials thanked them for participating in easily the most cost-effective marketing campaign in game history.
Given the success of ilovebees.com--which won 4orty2wo Entertainment an innovation award at the 2005 Game Developers conference--it wouldn't be much of a surprise if Microsoft tried a similar trick in the future.
Well, it appears "the future" is "now."
This week, word began to spread in the forums of various Xbox sites about a new Web site called Ourcolony.net. Though the URL is registered to one "U Enzo" at a Chicago PO box--much like Ilovebees.com was registered to a rented San Francisco mailbox--the copy on the site's front page certainly bears the pretensions of prior 4orty2wo campaigns. "You made it to our colony, this is where the game lives, breathes and evolves," read the page. "Colony isn't about alternate reality gaming it *is* reality" (emphasis in the original).
Then there's the site's logo--an ant, which, like a bee, is an insect which lives in a hive or colony. As evidenced in a photo gallery on the ourcolony.net site, flyers that sport the ant and the word "colony" have been appearing all over various major American and English cities, often by game stores. Several such fliers were also plastered around the Sony Metreon in San Francisco right around the time of the PSP launch. The fliers are a classic example of a "teaser" campaign, where a cryptic billboard or flyer stirs interest in a product or service--in this case, ourcolony.net.
Another similarity between ourcolony.net and ilovebees.com is the prominent countdown clock on its home page. The countdown will ends at 8pm PDT on Thursday, May 12, nearly four days to the hour before Microsoft's pre-E3 presentation on the evening of May 16. What will happen on May 12 remains unclear. But, during his keynote at GDC last month, Chief XNA Architect and Corporate Vice President J Allard confirmed Microsoft would use the May 16 presentation to unveil its next-generation Xbox. Unconfirmed reports also say Allard sported a t-shirt with an ant logo on it while at GDC, though no such logo was visible during his keynote address.
That said, there does appear to be more than one direct connection between ourcolony.net and Microsoft. First, one of the distorted images on the ourcolony.net home page features an Xbox power button. When compared to a current-generation Xbox's power button, the pattern is unmistakable, although it is now set against a shiny white background.
But whereas Ilovebees.com was a narrative-driven mystery, ourcolony.net appears to be a competition. After successfully guessing the password to enter the site (Hint: it rhymes with "hay") a message from someone called the "Gamem8ker" asks visitors to form a "colony" or team. "It's colony against colony and to the winner, well, the winner gets all," reads a message from the Gamem8ker.
How does one win? Do the still-unnamed viral-marketing firm's legwork and spread the word about ourcolony.net. After starting a colony, players of the not-an-alternate reality who recruit five to the colony game will get their first "challenge," and will receive more challenges as they recruit more members to join the ad campaign/game. "You're not going to make it to the end if you try to solo this, there's strength in numbers," reads Gamem8ker's message.
The second connection to Microsoft has to do with the rewards doled out to colonies that win challenges. According to posts in the ourcolony.net forums, challenge-winners receive partial pictures of what looks like a white version of a redesigned Xbox controller. Currently, only two images are currently available--both in a folder marked "thesecret" on the site's directory. The first looks like a thumbstick above a D-pad. The second shows the D-pad in more detail, just above a curved edge in what appears to be the middle of a controller. When combined and compared to a current-generation S-controller, the images exhibit a distinctly Xbox-ian layout and feel, although the start and back buttons appear to be missing. As the ourcolony.net competition progresses, it is almost certain that a more pictures of the controller--and perhaps its console--will surface.
The ourcolony.net-Microsoft connection is also circumstantially backed up by the fact most colonies already involved in the game are linked to the Xbox in some way, either in the form of Xbox Live clans or Xbox fan sites.
While obvious, the connection between ourcolony.net and Microsoft is not official--and likely won't be before E3. When presented with the images from ourcolony.net and the sites similarities with ilovebees.com, a Microsoft spokesperson would only give the following statement: "We’re aware of the fact that ourcolony.net has captured the imagination thousands of gamers across the world, and that these gamers have taken control of the site and are making it their own."
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April 7th, 2005, 18:19 Posted By: wraggster
News from <a href="http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3612&lsaid=219793" target="_blank" >Lik Sang</a>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Check in to hell. An intensified, all senses challenging version of hell. Doom 3, without a doubt, is your ticket to the most extreme that First Person Shooter godfathers of ID Software could dress up their infamous genre establishing brainchild of 1993 in. Science has unlocked the gates to the unknown and now only one man stands between the forces of evil and earth.
• TV Commercial (19mb - mov)
• Gameplay Trailer (36mb - mov)
Expect a truly sci-fi horror masterpiece, launching a dramatic storyline, pulse-pounding action and incredible graphics at gamers in order to draw them into the richest frightening and gripping First Person Shooter gaming experience ever created.
If like me, your computer wimped out at the mere thought of running Doom 3, Xbox is the version you've been waiting for, but why sacrifice playability just because it's on a console? Over on the forums there's talk of how well Doom 3 goes together with SmartJoy FRAG, for example how "the mouse is flawless in it", and how "you'd be crazy not to get this game if you have a SJF!" So turn off the lights, crank up the sound, have a fresh pair of underpants ready, and grasp your keyboard and mouse... cause this is Doom 3 how it's meant to be. The game provides brilliant options to help FRAG users, such as the ability to customize the X and Y axis sensitivity, and to turn off Spring Aim and Aim Assist, which are helpful for controller users but just plain disturbances for KBAM players. For US$ 28.90 you'll be fps-ing like hell, without the need of adding new expensive graphics and 3D acceleration cards to your PC.
What makes Doom 3 for Xbox so fantastic is that it allows you to team up with a buddy and chainsaw your way through the relentless hordes of monsters via Xbox Live! The standalone US copy features the Xbox Live exclusive 2-player co-op campaign as well as system-link enabled and online multiplayer for US$ 59.90. Get the Asia Limited Collector's Edition to also receive complete versions of Ultimate Doom and Doom II with full single-player as well as 2-4 player spilt-screen co-op and death match on one Xbox, along with bonus material like ID interviews, a G4 Icon Feature (Behind the scenes of Doom 3) and concept art. Not to be missed due to the small price tag: this superb package ships for only US$ 49.90 at Lik Sang!
</BLOCKQUOTE>
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April 7th, 2005, 18:18 Posted By: dgb
Hi all,
Advise please - what is the best way of me hooking my xbox up to my tft flatscreen that I currently use with my PC.
Thanks
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April 7th, 2005, 18:04 Posted By: wraggster
Intriguing news this morning from the east with the apparent leak of a Taiwanese list which purports to show a complete list of publishers and developers who have committed to Microsoft's next generation console the Xbox 2.
No real surprises here, as most of the developers are long standing Microsoft supporters though it is intriguing to see that Capcom - a previous Sony and Nintendo stalwart, are attracted by the lure of Microsoft's next-generation lucre.
About the only really big name missing is SquareEnix, though it's possible there'll be further additions to the roster and possibly a few surprise revelations at this year's E3.
Anyway what follows is the complete list for your perusal and delectation and though relatively credible, we'd certainly treat with a large dose of sodium. Don't hesitate to let us know what you'd like to see on Xbox 2 from each of these names in the forums below...
2KGames
Activision Inc.
Atari Inc.
Bandai Co. Ltd.
Bethesda Softworks LLC
Capcom Co. Ltd.
Codemasters Software Company Ltd.
Eidos Inc.
Electronic Arts Inc.
FromSoftware Inc.
KOEI Co. Ltd.
Konami
LucasArts
Majesco Entertainment
Midway Games Inc.
Namco Hometek Inc.
Phantagram Co. Ltd.
Rockstar Games
Sega Inc.
Tecmo Inc.
THQ Inc.
Ubisoft Entertainment
Vivendi Universal Games Inc.
Webzen Inc.
BioWare Corp.
Bizarre Creations Ltd.
Bungie Studios
Epic Games Inc.
FASA Studio
Game Republic Inc.
Lionhead Studios Ltd.
Mistwalker
Q Entertainment Inc.
Rare Ltd.
Real Time Worlds
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April 5th, 2005, 18:21 Posted By: wraggster
Former Capcom exec Yoshiki Okamoto, whose new studio Game Republic signed up to develop titles for Xbox 2 last month, has hinted that the company is lining up a number of other major Japanese developers to support the platform.
Speaking in an interview with the official Japanese Xbox website, Okamoto said that "I've been hearing that some other designers will also be joining [game development for Xbox 2]. There are a lot of surprises. I find myself saying: 'What, this development studio!? This game!? These people!?'"
Okamoto was named as one of three big-name Japanese designers who would be lending his talents to the Xbox 2 in a flurry of announcements last month, joining Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and Space Channel 5 and Rez creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi, whose Mist Walker and Q Entertainment studios are also signed up.
That's only the tip of the iceberg, though, if Okamoto is to be believed. "If the current line-up [of titles] in development for the next-generation Xbox was revealed, it would not only surprise users, but the entire industry," he said. "There probably wouldn't be anyone [in Japan] that would still be uninterested in buying the next-generation Xbox when they see the line-up."
Okamoto didn't give any specifics of what titles Game Republic is working on for the next-gen console, but he did confirm that due to the company's deal with Microsoft Game Studios, the titles would be fully exclusive to Xbox 2 - with no chance of them being ported to other consoles, which he described as "a disappointment".
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