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Saturday, February 17, 2007

XBOX LIVE activity for the week of 2/12!

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles (UU’s)
1 Gears of War (even beats out Halo 2 for overall activity)
2 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
3 Call Of Duty 3
4 DEF JAM: ICON (Demo)
5 Crackdown (Demo)
6 Madden NFL 07
7 Lost Planet
8 NBA STREET (Demo)
9 Oblivion
10 GRAW 2 (Demo)

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions)
1  Paperboy
2  Root Beer Tapper
3  UNO
4  Heavy Weapon
5  Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
6  Contra
7  Texas Hold 'em
8  Geometry Wars Evolved
9  Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting
10 Small Arms

Original Xbox Top Live Games
1 Halo 2
2 Battlefield 2: MC
3 Madden NFL 07
4 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2
5 Counter-Strike
6 Call of Duty 3
7 Forza Motorsport
8 Ghost Recon 2
9 PGR 2
10 Rainbow Six 3

Source: Majornelson.com

G4TV plays a popular Howard Stern game with the 3 consol's!

"You know that game popularized by The Howard Stern Show, "Date, Marry or Kill," where you decide which of three women you would date, which you would marry and which you would kill?

Well, the Motley Fool played it with the current game systems, and concluded they would date the 360, marry the Wii and kill the PS3... Our rating is a little different.

We would:

1) Date the Wii.  It's got a lot of tricks; it's flashy; it's adorable, but is there enough substance to warrant a lifelong commitment? We think not. The Wii is more of a party girl. Great when you have drunken friends over, but when it's quiet time with just you and the Wii, you feel a little funny, waving your arms around fighting for its attention. It's impossible to have quiet time with the Wii. You feel like a fool trying to hang out with it  and drink some Camomile tea on a Sunday afternoon.

2) Marry the 360. It's just solid. A lot of games. A lot of online. Nothing it's ever done has brought us the joy of Wii Sports, but it's like an old pair of socks: Comfy. In the mood for some Joust? No problem. The 360 is there for you, even in nostalgic moods. Plus, it listens to us. Really listens. I think because of the built-in headset.

3) Kill the PS3: I'm sorry, as much as I dig the new PlayStation 3, something has to go. The PlayStation 3 just doesn't seem interested in our needs. As impressed as we are with the thing's raw power, we haven't seen the games to wow us, and we're afraid that dwindling sales in the future will result in fewer titles, which will result in lower sales, etc.  

How about you? What's your lineup?"

Source: G4TV.com

Ok now I need to correct G4TV on the name of this game.  Since I am a huge Stern fan myself I had to say something, the correct name of the game is F marry kill and I think you know what the F is for.

Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer comments on a 360 price cut!

"I think every console in the world has had a price decrease sometime in the first few years. I don't know whether we'll have a price decrease in the first few years, and I don't want to comment on that, but I will highlight for you that every console has had a price decrease in the first few years."

Wow that is vague to say the least but I take it as yes we are dropping the price in a very round about way.

Friday, February 16, 2007

But what would happen to all of the fanboys if there were just one console?

Riffing off of David Jaffe's earlier comments, an article up on the Next Generation site theorizes about a single unified gaming platform, ala the music and movie businesses. He proposes a 'videogame standards commission', which could look out for the future of the industry as a whole. They might, he says, not even agree with his conclusion that a global platform would be a good idea. The point, he says, would be to maintain

"a detailed yet flexible long-term plan for progressive development of the medium. The board would assay in accordance with a constitution of irrefutable primary standards and ideals ... From what I can see the only way such a body could conceivably be formed is by appealing to the idealism of visionary designers and executives across the spectrum - your Satoru Iwatas and Ken Kutaragis, and Will Wrights and David Jaffes. The Game Developers Conference and other gatherings already embody some of the spirit of this proposal."

Hey we had the one console with no competition before, It was called NES you know, that console from that 80's that had 90% market share. Ahhhhh those WERE the days, no fighting over which console was better or who had the superior online service it was just all about collecting coins and blowing the bottom of each cartridge when the screen would be flickering with some distorted images; those were the days.

Bungie studio's Frank O Conner revealed in his weekly update what the button config will be in Halo 3!

 

Left and right sticks: Movement and look. Just like H2.

Click left and right sticks: Crouch and zoom – just like H2, although there is a “toggle crouch” option, so that you can stay crouched until you click the stick again.

A: Jump

B: Melee attack. Note: B may also be used to activate a subtle, but nifty context-sensitive feature.

Y: Switch to next weapon.

X: Activate mysterious new feature which on the cool scale falls somewhere between “crouch” and “activate Fantanas on speed dial.”

LT: Toss grenade.

RT: Shoot weapon.

LB: Cycle grenade type (you have at least three types of grenade now, so they must be cycled rather than switched).

RB: Pick up weapon/activate stuff/reload/use turrets and so on.
Note: If you hold LB while standing over a dual wieldable weapon, you’ll pick it up in your left hand – a huge improvement over the “Y” button in Halo 2. This doesn’t affect grenade cycling, because you can still tap LB to cycle grenades, but you can’t toss ‘em while dual wielding anyway. So it’s moot. After about ten minutes of play, it feels incredibly natural, with the lone downside that you have trouble adjusting when you go back to Halo 2. But more vitally, LB reloads the weapon in your left hand, individually when you’re dual-wielding.

BACK: Calls up the Multiplayer “player menu” – where you can mute jerks, see gamer data and so on. The back button is useful, but tough to press in really hectic action, since it’s so close to the Guide button.

START: Pause menu (which is translucent so you can adjust controls without losing track of what’s on screen) and one or two other significant goodies we haven’t revealed yet. From here you can also end or quit a game, naturally.

D-PAD: Used for sweet circular fighting game moves. No wait, my bad - it is currently used to activate team chat, but that’s very provisional. This is being given a lot of care and attention and is tied to other matters, such as your default settings and how team chat and proximity voice work. You’d be amazed how much testing and thought goes into this stuff.

Phil Wilson, producer of Crackdown comments on the Halo 3 beta shipping with the game!

360 monster: How do you feel about the Halo 3 Beta being attached to Crackdown?

Phil Wilson: That was an interesting one for us. It makes sense for Microsoft to do the Beta this way, and obviously with Halo 3 being a Mature rated title it did limit the types of games they could do this with. To be honest, if this is going to be happening I’m delighted that it’s happening with Crackdown. It’s obviously going to put more copies of Crackdown in people’s hands and while we would hope that people are buying Crackdown for Crackdown, we’re confident that if people buy it for the Halo 3 Beta they’ll still have a great experience with our game. So it’s all good.

 

To read the whole interview go to 360monter.com

Lost Planet content coming very soon according to a Capcom press release!

SUNNYVALE, Calif – Feb. 16, 2007 – Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced plans to offer downloadable multiplayer map packs for Lost Planet™: Extreme Condition for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The first map pack will cost 400 Microsoft Points™, with pricing on the following packs to be determined later. Lost Planet, which carries a "T" rating for teen audiences by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board), can be found on retail shelves around the world.

“We’re committed to bringing new content to the thriving community of Lost Planet fans,” said Charles Bellfield, vice president, marketing, Capcom Entertainment, Inc. “The development team is steadily working on additional environments to provide players with new ways to enjoy the intense Lost Planet brand of action.”

 

The first pack is planned to be released via Xbox Live® Marketplace on or about March 9 and contains two new multiplayer levels: “Radar Field,” a close quarters facility which is under construction and has a giant radar that provides a peak vantage point, and “Island 902,” a sprawling Pacific-themed battlefield with several islands connected by bridges as well as vast underwater areas. Additionally, “Battleground,” a multiplayer map originally offered exclusively to those who purchased the Collector’s Edition of the game, will be made available for free to all Lost Planet players. The next two packs, as well as the free Battleground map will be made available in the coming months.

Lost Planet is an epic gaming masterpiece combining a gripping single player campaign and intense multiplayer modes with support for up to 16 players on the Xbox Live® online game service. Taking full advantage of Xbox 360 system’s power, Lost Planet contains sophisticated visuals, with an unmatched level of detail as advanced light sourcing is used to ensure a realistic presentation that enhances every explosion, smoke and particle effect. Enormous world maps unfold as players battle hostile creatures in blistering weather conditions across vast snowfields and deserted cities either on foot or in armed, robotic Vital Suits.

NASCAR coming to XBOX LIVE!

"NASCAR.com today announced they will continue to provide Xbox 360 gamers with download-to-own clips of select NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races on NASCAR.COM’s Race Rewind via Xbox Live. Beginning with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway (February 18), NASCAR fans will be able to access three condensed NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Races per month by accessing Xbox Live throughout the racing season.  Condensed races will be made available on Xbox Live within a few hours of the end of each race."

 

Source: Gameinformer.com

 

2007 Schedule:

2/18/2007 - Daytona 500 - Daytona International Speedway
2/25/2007 - Auto Club 500 - California Speedway
3/11/2007 - UAW—DaimlerChrysler 400 - Las Vegas Motor Speedway
3/18/2007 - Kobalt Tools 500 - Atlanta Motor Speedway
3/25/2007 - Food City 500 - Bristol Motor Speedway
4/01/2007 - Goody’s Cool Orange 500 - Martinsville Speedway
4/15/2007 - Samsung 500 - Texas Motor Speedway
4/21/2007 - Subway Fresh Fit 500 - Phoenix International Raceway
4/29/2007 - Aaron’s 499 - Talladega Superspeedway
5/05/2007 - Crown Royal Presents the Your Name Here 400 - Richmond International Raceway
5/12/2007 - Dodge Avenger 500 - Darlington Raceway
5/19/2007 - Nextel All-Star Challenge - Lowe’s Motor Speedway
5/27/2007 - Coca-Cola 600 - Lowe’s Motor Speedway
6/03/2007 - Dover 400 - Dover International Speedway
6/10/2007 - Pocono 500 - Pocono Raceway
6/17/2007 - Michigan 400 - Michigan International Speedway
6/24/2007 - Toyota/SaveMart 350 - Infineon Raceway
7/01/2007 - Lenox Industrial Tools 300 - New Hampshire International Speedway
7/07/2007 - Pepsi 400 - Daytona International Speedway
7/15/2007 - USC Sheetrock 400 - Chicagoland Speedway
7/29/2007 - Allstate 400 at the Brickyard - Indianapolis Motor Speedway
8/05/2007 - Pennsylvania 500 - Pocono Raceway
8/12/2007 - NASCAR Nextel Cup at the Glen - Watkins Glen International
8/19/2007 - Performance 400 - Michigan International Speedway
8/25/2007 - Sharpie 500 - Bristol Motor Speedway
9/02/2007 - NASCAR Nextel Cup Series 500 - California Speedway
9/08/2007 - Chevy Rock & Roll 400 - Richmond International Raceway
9/16/2007 - Sylvania 300 - New Hampshire International Speedway
9/23/2007 - Dover 400 - Dover International Speedway
9/30/2007 - Kansas 400 - Kansas Speedway
10/07/2007 - UAW-Ford 500 - Talladega Superspeedway
10/13/2007 - Bank of America 500 - Lowe’s Motor Speedway
10/21/2007 - Subway 500 - Martinsville Speedway
10/28/2007 - Georgia 500 - Atlanta Motor Speedway
11/04/2007 - Dickies 500 - Texas Motor Speedway
11/11/2007 - Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil - Phoenix International Raceway
11/18/2007 - Ford 400 - Homestead-Miami Speedway

Wow now there is an energy bar for gamers!

"Introducing Headshot Gamer Bar.  Headshot is a toffee flavored Guarana Infused Candy bar dedicated to the Gamer Lifestyle.  In a world of the late night Mountain Dew, Red Bull, Rockstar drinking gaming generation.  We have released a candy bar not only to give you that little extra boost but more importantly "It tastes good!" 

We will be first releasing the candy bars to Gaming Centers all across North America.  So if you go to a Gaming Center to get your game on, ask them to carry Headshot!  If you need to find a Gaming Center in your area go to Igames.org and search for one.  After the intial launch you should be able to find where to buy Headshot and our other Gamer Candy bars right here on our site"

 

Source: Uncommonloot.com

Game Crazy employee's are reporting on a 120GB black XBOX 360 in their computer listings!

Here we go again, more rumors of the 120GB black XBOX 360 are popping up but this time not the Australian version we have been hearing about.  According to this article on Gamepro.com, Game Crazy employees are noticing the infamous and not yet confirmed black 360 in their computer listings.

 

"To further add gasoline to the flaming rumor claiming that a Black Xbox 360 would be released to the Australian market, the first rumors of a possible release for this phantom system have started to pop up all across America as well. An employee of GameCrazy recently posted a message on the forums of Cheap Ass Gamer, stating that their computer systems received a recent price update containing a new black Xbox 360 system, priced at $479.99. According to the the update, it would be arriving in stores as early as May 1st, 2007.

While other sites are reporting that most GameCrazy stores across the country are confirming the rumor, phone calls made by this reporter to local stores yielded no answers, as most employees within the immediate area had no information regarding such a price update.

But one particular GameCrazy employee (also a CAG forum poster) pointed out the cryptic entry of a GM-Xbox System (Defective), being sold for $0.00. He clarified that pricing a future item at $0.00 is GameCrazy's safe measure method of preventing pre-orders for tentative items that may or may not exist.

It also seems that the listing for the black 360 is exclusive to GameCrazy, since calls to local GameStop/EB Games stores revealed no record of its product number in their systems. Is GameCrazy just gambling with the recent rumors, or do they actually have inside information? We'll let you know as soon as the story finally breaks."

 

Source: Gamepro.com

Alien Hominid, the next XBLA title?

"According to a post on an Xbox Live Arcade rumor thread over at jerkface central 360 Arcadians, an Alien Hominid page was briefly available on the Xbox.com Xbox Live Arcade section. Unfortunately, it was later pulled from the directory page. However, through a little trial and error, we were able to discover the URL to the Alien Hominid HD page itself. Which of course, is even better. Since Xbox.com isn't in the habit of posting pages for games that aren't yet available on Xbox Live Arcade, this is a fairly good indication that we'll be seeing Alien Hominid HD in the near future. With any luck at all, we might even see it next week. Hit the "read" link to see the page for yourself, at least until someone at MS decides to take it down.

One quick note, according to the page, campaign co-op is only available for two players on the same console. Up to 4 players can play mini-games over Xbox Live, but it mentions nothing about Live campaign co-op."

 

Source: XBOX360fanboy.com

PS3 loses again!

In the latest issue of Game informer they reviewed NBA street court for the XBOX 360 and PS3, here is a quote on the comparisons.

"I'd give the nod to the 360 in terms of visuals, but either way this game features great texturing, character models and jaw-droppingly smooth animations."

Gamespot did a preview of Fear for the PS3 and this is what they said about the graphics compared to the Xbox 360 version.

"On a visual front, the PlayStation 3 version looked somewhat fuzzy compared to the crisp Xbox 360 version, even on an HDMI connection, but the graphics were otherwise identical in terms of content and textures. Meanwhile, the frame rate remained smooth and steady through our play session."

It is nice to see the HDMI, Bluray and CELL combination working together to make a $600 inferior product.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Sony to outsource CELL production!

Sony is trying to salvage its chip division by outsourcing production of the Cell processor, used in the PlayStation 3. According to a Reuters report: "Sony Executive Deputy President Yutaka Nakagawa told reporters that investment in chips would come down significantly from the 460 billion yen ($3.8 billion) allocated over the three business years since April 2004."

 

"Sony is already producing the cell chips, dubbed "supercomputer on a chip", using 90- and 65-nanometre circuitry for the PS3, and plans to move onto the 45-nanometre variety by 2009. A nanometre is one billionth of a metre."

 

The Cell is a huge chip -- around 221 sq mm to begin with, compared with 83 sq mm for a Pentium M -- and thus very expensive to make. Reaching a 45nm process will lead to a much smaller die and means Cell chips will be very much cheaper to make. But 2009 is a long way away, especially if you are sitting in a $3.8 billion black hole. Sony explains:

 

"When we first offered the PS2, there were no semiconductor companies that were able to make chips for the machine, so we did it ourselves. But now, there are companies that specialise in chip production," Nakagawa said. "They are aggressively investing in cutting-edge technology. Our basic understanding is that we probably won't need to do everything by ourselves for next-generation chips."

 

Well, sort of. The first 90nm chips were made by IBM. Also, according to the hype behind the Cell, it was going to be used in every sort of electronics device from TV sets to supercomputers, so having a high-volume Cell production line would be a license to print money.

I guess that idea has been put to sleep for a while, if not forever.

Meanwhile, queues still form for the Nintendo Wii -- a souped up GameCube that is so cheap to make it could be sold for $150 -- while Sony PlayStation 3 games consoles are sitting unsold on the shelves.

Sure, the PS3 hardware would be a bargain at $1,000, as it's a cheap way to get a Cell (you can run Linux on it!) and a Blu-ray movie player. But it's a very expensive way to run games that have already been played to death on the much cheaper Xbox 360.

 

Source: blogs.Guardian.co.uk

XBOX LIVE processing refunds, check your email to see if you are getting one!

"I’ve received a couple of emails from folks who have received an email that said they were getting a refund from Xbox Live, asking if this is real. The answer is yes, it is real. I have included a sample image here (click to see the full size version.) Now would be a good time to go over to Xbox.com to update your billing and contact information so that if you are due a credit, there won’t be any problems. Not everyone that purchased points is entitled to a refund.

Regardless, the good news is you don’t have to do anything…just sit back and wait for that credit to hit your account. As usual, we will never ask for your private information in an email, so while this is legit; be wary of other emails that ask for your personal information."

 

Source:Major Nelson.com

Halo 3 beta appears to be a live network stress test!

"Speaking with Game Informer, Microsoft Games Managing Director, Shane Kim, and General Manager, Phil Spencer, take some time to discuss the Halo 3 beta. Speaking of the Halo 3 beta, Spencer notes that it will scale over time. In other words, the beta will start out small and grow as time passes. In part, this is why MS chose to put the beta in copies of Crackdown. It's presumable that those who made it into the first two phases of the beta will be playing before those with a Crackdown disc. The idea behind this is to implement new systems on Xbox Live to insure that everyone has a good experience playing when the retail product finally launches. By slowly adding more people to the beta, Microsoft can gauge the stress placed on Live.

Spencer adds that before Halo 2 launched, many were worried about the amount of stress it would place on the Live network. According to Spencer, "For us that's what the beta is about." While this doesn't confirm suspicions that the Halo 3 beta is more a stress test than it is an actual beta, it certainly adds fuel to the fire. We've discussed our own theories in recent posts and the latest Fancast, but we'd like to know what you think.

Will the Halo 3 beta be an actual beta, bugs and all? Or, will it be nothing more than a glorified stress test (admittedly a kickass stress test that's fun to play)? Does it even matter?"

 

Source: XBOX360fanboy.com

What Does MS Look for in an XBL Arcade Game?

"Xbox Live Arcade is a strange beast, a constantly changing mix of original and remixed nostalgic titles and something that's pushed the entire industry to embrace as a new revenue stream. But, how does Microsoft pick and choose what appears on the marketplace? We all know the process is slow -- Microsoft themselves says it can take six to nine months to go from from pitch to release -- so choosing the right games is a crucial first step."

"Gamasutra spoke with XBL Arcade games portfolio planner David Edery recently, who outlined what they're looking for every pitch they receive: "

"1) Non-combat, cooperative multiplayer games (as I mentioned earlier). 2) More board games. 3) More "experimental" games and models of gameplay, in general."

"And he asks studios to propose these questions to themselves. "How is my game proposal different from all the other console content available to XBLA customers online or offline? And what am I doing to take advantage of the unique ways that Live enables me to excite the Xbox community? For example, I was really pleased with the "Six Degrees of Small Arms" viral achievement that Gastronaut Studios used to drive interest in Small Arms on XBLA," said Edery."

"One of the chief complaints so far has been a lack of continuous original content on the marketplace, a movement Microsoft admits is already loud and clear, but because it takes at least half a year to shift the focus of the service, we may not see much on that front till later this year. "For example, we've heard the message loud and clear that XBLA customers want more original games, and let me tell you -- those games are coming."

 

From 1UP.com!

Forza Motorsport 2: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and Porsche Car List!

2005 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
1994 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta
1999 Ferrari 360 Modena
2002 Ferrari 575M Maranello
1991 Ferrari 512 TR
1998 Ferrari F355 Challenge
1984 Ferrari GTO
2004 Ferrari F430
2003 Ferrari Challenge Stradale
1987 Ferrari F40
1995 Ferrari F50
2002 Ferrari Enzo Ferrari
1969 Ferrari Dino 246 GT
1964 Ferrari 250 GTO
1967 Ferrari 330 P4
2005 Lamborghini Gallardo
1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV
1997 Lamborghini Diablo SV
2005 Lamborghini Murcielago
1999 Lamborghini Diablo GTR
2006 Maserati GranSport
2004 Maserati MC12
2003 Porsche Boxster S
1989 Porsche 944 Turbo
1982 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3
2006 Porsche Cayman S
2004 Porsche 911 GT3 (996)
2007 Porsche 911 Turbo (997)
1987 Porsche 959
2007 Porsche 911 GT3 (997)
1995 Porsche 911 GT2
2003 Porsche Carrera GT
1970 Porsche 914/6
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder

Microsoft defends the decision to include an invite to the Halo 3 beta test in Crackdown!

Instead of posting a bunch of quotes I decided to post a link so you can read the article for your self. 

Reuters.com!

Guitar Hero 2 to have more downloadable content than anyone to date!

In an interview with associate producer Ted Lange on IGN he made a comment about how Red Octane plans on using the XBOX LIVE marketplace.

"We're still in the process of confirming the final details and continue to secure more licenses, though nothing has been announced at this time, we can definitely say nobody will be disappointed. We are planning on having more online content than anyone has ever seen in a game to this date."

XBLA title BOOM BOOM Rocket revealed!

"The game itself is a simple concept, but taken to extremes. The aim is easy: press the corresponding button for each firework as it hits a line at the top of the screen, and it'll explode. The more accurate you are with your button presses, the higher your score. The person with the highest score wins. Easy stuff... you're probably already familiar with the concept from games like DDR."

"However (and this is a big however), Boom Boom Rocket introduces a few new ideas to the tried and tested formula which we think make the game really fun to play. The first thing is the idea of pure speed. We don't have to worry about complicated peripherals to make this game fun... its game pad only, and it's FAST. Within a couple of rounds you'll be setting off huge numbers of fireworks as if it were second nature... and much of the fun comes from the fact that your fingers will be moving at Mach 3 on the harder difficulties.

Another new idea is the concept of multipliers, and bonus runs. We love points-based games here at Bizarre (PGR, GW, and The Club all have elements of this), and Boom Boom Rocket is no exception! Again, the idea is simple... but the tactics can get pretty in-depth. This is your Combo Bar:"

For all of the details go to Bizzareonline.com!

Finally, the XBOX LIVE vision camera is getting some love!

"Ubisoft announced today that the Xbox 360 version of Rayman Raving Rabbids will be one of the few Xbox 360 games that supports “Gesture Control” using Xbox Live Vision. The game will offer up to 37 mini-games using this feature, including FPS and dance modes.

Additionally, the publisher confirmed that Rayman Raving Rabbids for Xbox 360 features an overall improved graphic quality and mini-games developed exclusively for the Xbox 360 version, including "Bunnies Don’t Play Basketball" and "Bunnies Don’t Play Rock, Paper, Scissors."

Developed by the team behind Beyond Good & Evil and Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie, Rayman Raving Rabbids is the edgiest and most off-the-wall gaming experience in the history of the Rayman franchise."

 

From Teamxbox.com!

Pics of a PS3 display promoting the March launch in Australia, THIS IS JUST WRONG!

 

Images taken by Flickr user, hiredgoon!

New Lost Planet multiplayer map, straight from Japan!

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

CNETS's prizefight results are in between the XBOX 360 and PS3!

"Yes, we were a little shocked when part 1 of of CNET's Prizefight between the 360 and PS3 leaned towards the Playstation 3 winning out. (We're still not forgiving you CNET for praising the PS3's black exterior ... blah!) But they just released part 2 of the battle and yes, we have a winner. The remaining categories all tilted in the Xbox 360's favor taking home better scores in online service, performance, and available titles. So, the Xbox 360 nudged out a win with 23 points compared to the PS3's 20. We're happy that they got their head's on straight and crowned the right victor, but we will not forgive you CNET for part 1 ... blasphemy we say!"

 

From XBOX360fanboy.com!

Sega racing studio head designer labeled the PS3 SIXAXIS tilt function "rubbish"

"Sega Racing Studio head designer Guy Wilday has branded PlayStation 3's motion-sensitive capabilities, offered by the new SixAxis pad, as rubbish - arguing that Dual Shock's rumble feature is far more appealing.
When asked by PSM3 if the next-gen renovation of Sega Rally, set to roll out in November, would support tilt control, Wilday replied: "Yes, tilt control will be included - it's not difficult to do. Fundamentally, though, the whole tilt control thing is rubbish... it's no compensation for rumble".

 

From Evilavatar.com!

Gears of War update coming soon!

"Speaking with TeamXbox, Mark Rein revealed that new content will be arriving for Gears of War within "the next couple months," citing the Dreaded Xbox Live Certification Process® as a primary reason it has taken so long. Rein notes that the content is "not months away...it's maybe a month? When it's done." It is unclear, however, whether he is speaking of the actual creation of the content or the certification process. The upshot, obviously, is that new Gears content is coming, and that it will have "a fun little surprise."

Also mentioned in the interview is the inevitability of a PC version of Gears of War. Rein notes that Epic's biggest challenge will be to recreate a game that was designed exclusively for the Xbox 360 so that it will run on a wide range of PCs. Finally, Rein speaks about the upcoming Unreal Tournament 3, discussing his excitement about bringing user created mods to the console space. Hit the "read" link for the whole interview.

Now, any wild speculations about what the "fun little surprise" might be in the new GOW content? We'll have none of that reasonable speculation either. We're only interested in wild speculation, thank you very much."

 

From XBOX 360fanboy.com!

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Sony is ready to declare Blu-Ray the winner in the HD format war!

"Citing the recent sales numbers, Sony exec David Bishop is claiming that the high-def format war can officially be declared over. With a movie sale ratio of almost 2:1 Blu-ray discs are being declared the victor over rival HD-DVD by Blu-ray supporter Sony. 'And yet while all agree that it was a strong month for Blu-ray, opinion is split on whether the surge in sales is an indicator of stronger user adaption of Blu-ray compared to HD DVD, or simply a reflection of the larger number of new Blu-ray titles that hit the market over the month -- 25 new Blu-ray titles were released in January, compared to just 11 titles on HD DVD for the same period."

From Slashdot.org!

What I want to know is if Sony is willing to declare Blu-Ray the winner this early in the game then are they willing to declare the XBOX 360 the winner in the consol wars this early in the game? I think someone needs to ask them that question.

Crackdown is getting great reviews!

It looks like Microsoft has another great IP on their hands with Crackdown.  Things are looking good with huge new IP's like Gears of War, Crackdown, the Halo series and the critically acclaimed Viva Pinata.  Earlier today I was Browsing the Major gaming sites to see how the game is being reviewed and so far so good, here is a small list of the review scores so far.

  • Gamepro.com 4.5/5
  • 1UP.com 9.0/10
  • Teamxbox.com 9/10
  • Gamespot.com 7.8/10
  • IGN.com 8.0/10

Quake Wars coming to 360!

"SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb 13, 2007: The war between the GDF and Strogg will soon be igniting on next-generation consoles as id Software and Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATVI) today confirmed that Enemy Territory: QUAKE WarsTM, the team-based first person action title, and already one of the most anticipated new properties of 2007 is coming to next-gen platforms.

In this epic multiplayer-focused game, players can choose to defend humanity as a part of the Global Defense Force (GDF) or destroy it as a merciless Strogg alien invader. Under the executive production of id Software, Nerve Software is developing Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars for the Xbox 360TM video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, while Z-Axis is the developer for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

"We're pleased to be working with Nerve and Z-Axis to bring the highly-anticipated gameplay from Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars to the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system," said Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software."

The Direct X10 game warhound is 360 bound!

"Techland announced today it is bringing its DirectX 10 first-person shooter to Xbox 360.Warhound is a non-linear first person perspective action shooter set in modern times. You take the role of an elite mercenary who will not hesitate to undertake even impossible tasks... for the right price. Governments, businessmen and various organizations hire you for hazardous missions around the globe. Feel the incredible freedom in choosing missions, weapons, developing skills and using varied tactics on the battlefield. Take care of your training and finances, keeping an eye on your connections in the mercenaries business, at the same time.
Compete with other mercenaries and prove that you’re the best in the trade. Collect wealth, equipment and weapons, work on your reputation and strive for the title of the best mercenary in the world. Become the Warhound – a real dog of war."

From Teamxbox.com!

New Rainbow six vegas content revealed!

"New game modes and multiplayer maps comprise the first  downloadable content pack for Ubisoft's first-person terrorist foiler, Rainbow Six: Vegas. Eurogamer reports that the Player's Pack Red Edition should find its way onto the Xbox Live Marketplace before the end of March. Of the two new gameplay modes, Assassination sounds like it could provide for some tense moments. One team must protect and escort a fragile and likely paranoid VIP to an extraction point, while the opposing team attempts to make said very important person a very dead one instead.

Total Conquest, on the other hand, is closer to King of the Hill, except with royalty being ordained by three seperate radar installations. As for the added multiplayer maps, two are altered versions of existing levels, namely Border Town and Killhouse, and three are brand new. These include "Doscala Restaurant," "Marshalling Yard" and the extraordinarily descriptive "Roof," which is actually a coffee factory crawling with terrorists and, you know, brewing up trouble. (OOF!)

Ubisoft has not yet appended a price tag to the content, but our expectations are set between 800 points ($10) and 1200 points ($15). Player's Pack Red Edition is currently exclusive to the Xbox 360 version of Rainbow Six: Vegas."

 

From Joystiq.com!

Halo 3 video with Halo 1 pistol leaked!

Monday, February 12, 2007

Interesting slip up from Shane Kim, VP of Microsoft game studios!

Last night I was listening to Major Nelson's latest Pod Cast.  He  interviewed Shane Kim, VP of Microsoft game studios.  During the interview he was talking about how difficult it is when they green light a game that wont be out for another 2-3 years and not really knowing if the game will be as good as they are hoping, especially on new IP's like Gears of War and Crackdown.  He then mention's how much easier it is knowing a game is going to be huge like Halo 2, Halo 3 and Gears of War 2.  That's when he started to stumble over his own words and was going um um um no nothing has been confirmed.  As he was back pedaling Major Nelson started saying "you heard it here first" in a kidding kind of way and they moved on immediately.

You might want to give it a listen, not just for this but in general it is a great show he puts on every Sunday.

To listen go to Major Nelson.com!

This week's XBLA title is Paperboy!

"Just in time for Valentine’s Day, this special delivery won’t break the bank, but just might break some windows! The much-loved arcade classic from the 1980’s, “Paperboy” (Digital Eclipse/Midway) will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 beginning Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 9 a.m. GMT (1 a.m. PST).

Players control a paperboy on his speedy bicycle delivering newspapers along a busy suburban street. The goal is to deliver a week of daily newspapers to subscribers’ homes without damaging their property, all the while avoiding hazards such as grumpy neighbors, annoying dogs and moving vehicles. Miss a delivery too many times and players may lose a subscriber for good.

The coin-op favorite returns but this time it’s enhanced with original content specifically designed for Xbox Live Arcade. A new multiplayer mode will allow gamers to deliver the paper co-operatively together on the same console, or over Xbox Live. The game also features new artwork that compliments and enhances the original style, and the audio has been modernized for today’s high performance sound systems.

“Paperboy” will be available worldwide for 400 Microsoft Points.  Rated E for Everyone; Mild Animated Violence.

Game Features

· Seven stages (one for each day of the week) and 3 levels of difficulty – “Easy Street,” “Middle Road” or “Hard Way”

· New Xbox Live multiplayer: The standard multiplayer mode involves two player co-op play which can take place on the same console or over Xbox Live

· High scores are tracked on the Xbox Live Leaderboard

· Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points"

 

From Gamerscoreblog.com!

EA developer Andrew Garrett on the PS3! (OUCH)

"Last year, the prediction was that Sony would win the next-gen war, that the PS3 would be the dominant console, just like the PS2 was.

That is no longer the case. The extremely strong performance of the Wii, combined with the miserable performance of Sony has revised pretty much everyone's expectations. Right now, most of us here think the 360 will be on top for this generation, with the battle for second place between Sony and Nintendo (and that's a major shock, as we'd nearly written Nintendo off for the non-handheld market.) Most of us still think Sony will beat off Nintendo, simply due to the older graphics on the Wii, but it's not a sure thing.

My opinion — get the 360 and/or the Wii. Skip the PS3 unless there's a big change in the near future. "

Black 360 spoted at the Taipei Game Show!


During the Taipei Game Show here in Taiwan today we spotted a black Xbox 360 console. It’s been talked about for the past week or so about only being available in Australia but we’re unsure how much truth there would be in that if its being shown at a game show in Taipei.
Take a look, if this is the rumored black
Xbox 360 that’s been talked about you may be somewhat disappointed as there was no HDMI port to be found or any extended storage capacity from the HDD.

Unfortunately we couldn’t talk to anyone during the show as there was nobody there but at least you know the rumored black version is indeed alive and real!

From Tweaktown.com!

Bungie's new A-hole button!

As seen in Bungie's latest Halo 3 update, a pretty cool new function is being prepared for the back button of the Xbox 360 pad. Amusingly enough, they decided to call it the "A-Hole Button." It's supposed to bring up a score list with everyone's tag on it - you simply use the right stick and quickly select whichever player is annoying the hell out of you, and you won't hear from them again.

"Any muted player you have selected in your Xbox Live account overrides Halo 3's new system, but that should actually enhance the choice of maroons you're editing out of your gameplay. Best of all, it means fewer wasted or frustrating gameplay sessions," Bungie's Frank O'Connor notes.

"We're doing our best to come up with lots of smart solutions for stuff like this, but honestly, we can't be parents to some of these poltroons. We're much more concerned with giving you guys the tools you need to silence them."

 

From Actiontrip.com!

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Cliffy B interviewed by Gameinformer.com!

I was reading the interview and found it interesting, especially his  view on the other 2 consoles and what he is playing.

 

"GI: What do you think of the PlayStation 3?

B: Cool system. Its price is still a little steep, to be honest. I think it’s been a tricky transition for developers to get to the point where they have kick-ass games on next-generation consoles. As far as Gears on the 360, we started our work very early, like five years ago and we had a bit of a head start. I think once developers figure out the power of that system—did you see latest God of War 2 videos, like the Colossus video? It’s just great. I think once developers wrangle themselves around the hardware of that system, you’re going to see some extraordinary stuff.

GI: What do you think of the Wii.

B: It’s a great, fun system. The games I want for it are the ones that are designed exclusively for it totally from start to finish and they don’t feel like it’s tacked-on functionality that Nintendo went to somebody and said, “Hey, can you use this controller somehow?” I like Wii Sports, WarioWare: Smooth Moves is fricking hilarious—those are the type of games I like. I’d rather play Zelda on the GameCube than the Wii, because a lot of that functionality feels forced. I want to just use my controller and play a 70-hour Zelda game with a GameCube controller, honestly.

GI: What are you playing now?

B: I’m playing WarioWare: Smooth Moves, man. I’m playing Lost Planet, as well. I’m playing a lot of Gears online.

GI: How do you like Lost Planet?

B: It’s a cool game. We actually originally had mechs in Gears, so to see somebody else do mechs like that has been really exciting. The grapple is cool. The particle effects are great. It just shows that post-processing is half the battle. Presentation is becoming increasingly important in development. Everything needs to feel slick and tight and polished. If it doesn’t, if it feels loose and sloppy, then forget about it. I played the Crackdown demo, which is actually pretty f____ing fun. It’s not getting as much hype as it should. And it’s such a no-brainer—you take superheroes and put them into GTA-type environments with RPG elements, and there you go. It’s going to be really addictive. It’s tricky to market with its cartoony style. I played Ghost Recon 2, which is cool, but I drastically prefer the Gears style of cover. I feel like I’m shooting at HUD elements that are way far away in that game too much. It’s very slick, though."

 

Article from Gameinformer.com

XBOX LIVE activity for the week of 2/5!

1 Gears of War
2 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
3 Crackdown (Demo)
4 GRAW 2 (Demo)
5 Call Of Duty 3
6 Madden NFL 07
7 Lost Planet
8 NBA STREET (Demo)
9 Oblivion
10 GRAW

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions)

1 Root Beer Tapper
2 UNO
3 Heavy Weapon
4 Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
5 LUMINES LIVE!
6 Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting
7 Contra
8 Texas Hold 'em
9 Assault Heroes
10 Geometry Wars Evolved

Original Xbox Top Live Games

1 Halo 2
2 Battlefield 2: MC
3 Madden NFL 07
4 Call of Duty 3
5 Counter-Strike
6 Forza Motorsport
7 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2
8 Ghost Recon 2
9 Rainbow Six 3 BA
10 PGR 2

The Halo 3 alpha build screenshots (update)

Well after some investigating I found the pics on another site so here you go enjoy!

Castlevania SOTN this month! (maybe)

 "Rumor has it that the March 2007 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly confirms the release of XBLA title Castlevania: Symphony of the Night sometime this month. Yup, Castlevania: SOTN within' the next few weeks. Though it is entirely possible that EGM confirmed the release date with Konami weeks ago, but since then could have been delayed. We don't see why the game couldn't be ready for a February release (we already know what the achievements will be), but you know how that infamous Microsoft certification process works. Cross your fingers and wish upon a star, but no matter we're still slapping a rumor tag on this one. Come on fanboys, can we get a Castlevania in February for the win?"

Article is from XBOX360fanboy.com!

Those Halo 3 alpha build screenshots were really popular!

The website that posted the pics of the Halo 3 alpha build screenshots stated in a post this morning that they have removed them from their website because their servers crashed yesterday.

What I am trying to do is find these pics elsewhere and post them him directly.  When I do that it shouldn't be a problem because the Blogger servers can handle much higher web traffic.