http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/kotaku.com.png http://kotaku.com/tag/home consoles http://kotaku.com/tag/home consoles Slashdot directs readers to a Firing Squad article that looks carefully at eleven mistakes that FS feels Microsoft made designing the Xbox 360. The complaints at Firing Squad aren't at all "omg, the games lock-up!" and instead look at issues like how Microsoft could've changed its own music distribution system to compete with the iTunes' model while using the Xbox Live infrastructure. It's an interesting read, to say the least. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=144880&view=rss&microfeed=true As goofy as I feel typing its name, this TwonkyVision technology is pretty handy for Mac users. Because Microsoft's Xbox 360 was made by well, Microsoft - Mac users probably don't expect liquid smooth media interaction like 360 and PC users can get. The Twonky app kind of solves this, you'll be able to get photos and music running between your 360 and your G5. More »
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Major Nelson, in his never ending effort to get a 360 into your living room, points out a blog with a somewhat foolproof (in theory) method to acquire an Xbox 360 via online retailers. Blogger Sean Alexander suggests bookmarking Ben's Bargains and then download URly configure it to warn you when three words change on a page (i.e., In Stock or Out of Stock) and have the whole shebang check for new information every minute or so. More »
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Keeping up with other games that released holiday map packs, Star Wars Battlefront II on the Xbox has released some new treats via Xbox Live. There's a premium download coming in January, but to tide fans over until then, LucasArts added an Assault mode Hero Free For All to Kashyyk — which lets the game's heroes (the stars of Star Wars) run around and own dudes. The update in January will bring some new Jedi into the fold as well as some full-featured maps from the original Battlefront, all with the required makeover for the sequel. More »
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Need more Quake action for the PC? Happy Holidays from id Software, Raven and Activision - they've just released three free maps for download over at the official site. Complete descriptions of tne new maps, Railed, Tremors and Campground Redux are readable after the fold. More »
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An online chat over at WoWWarcry with some of the WoW development crew is pretty informative. They mention plans to add some new armor sets from five man instances (likely in the expansion pack), admit the despawning design of the Nefarian encounter was "wonky" and plan to make Greater Heal a more useful spell for priests. More »
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By Brian D. Crecente More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=144087&view=rss&microfeed=true A poster on the official Xbox forums has uploaded what looks to be an authentic Best Buy Retail Insider flier verifying the coming of a third Xbox 360 shipment to the national retailer. (We first mentioned this on Sunday.) More »
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In case you aren't tethered enough to technology, Microsoft is planning a system that will let you send messages to your friends' cellphones from your Xbox 360. "Hey, Luke, hurry up and get home — we need you for this Dark Ops match at 11 p.m. - Crecente" More »
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UbiSoft's King Kong game has already had its price cut Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube. The price was hacked back to $29.99 for those versions. The Nintendo DS version remains $39.99 and the 360 is still standing guard at $59.99. More »
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There's a big ol' vintage gaming lot over on Ebay. Toploader NES, SNES, Genesis, Saturn and Dreamcast are all represented in a grand total of 82 items. Highlights include: Legend of Zelda (gold cartridge), Panzer Dragoon Saga and Shenmue. Auction ends on Christmas. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=143757&view=rss&microfeed=true Despite getting in 30 to 50 Xbox 360s per a store, it looks like Best Buy has once again sold out of the console in record time. And, like last time, few people are happy about it. Reports are rolling in of Best Buy stores that decided to open their doors early or hand out tickets a day before the event despite a company edict against the practice. More »
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Rather than looking at the 360 shortage through gamer-tinted eyes, Slate studies the shortage and other shortage phenomena in terms of economics. Recognizing the very nature of shortages with console electronics, author Tim Harford questions why Microsoft would start pricing at just $300 when the console is fetching $700 on eBay? He likens picking up a 360 in the store to getting a $400 voucher, because that 400 bucks is what you would've spent in addition to the unit's price to nab one on eBay. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=143723&view=rss&microfeed=true Ahhhhh, I just wrapped up my gamer's gift guide for the Rocky Mountain News. It's always hard to write these things, but this year's stable of amazing games may it a particularly hard endeavor. More »
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Best Buy Canada seems to be "stockpiling" (and I use that term extremely loosely) their 360s for a sale similar to the sort-of-second-launch this Sunday. The note on the Canadian Best Buy site reads: "This Friday, Dec. 16, strictly limited quantities of Xbox 360 will be avialable at all Best Buy stores throughout Canada." More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=143411&view=rss&microfeed=true I wanted to do something special for our Kotaku readers out there trying to decide which game console should be their child's first. Instead of hosting a poll that listed the three or four new systems on the market right now, I thought it would be kind of cool to see what readers think would be the best system to use to introduce a neophyte to the world of games. More »
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Major Neslon's blog mentions the new Mission Impossible III trailer is available for exclusive download on the Xbox 360's Marketplace. Six new cars for SEGA's Ridge Racer just showed up on the Marketplace as well. They seem to be feeding content to the Marketplace, which is what Microsoft needs to do if they want to create the virtual mall they've talked about. More »
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You know home made presents are the best sorts, so why not build your sweetie his or her own MAME arcade cabinet, instead of taking the low road and buying them something they really want. A site has a guide for putting one together in 24 hours for about $750. More »
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]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=143182&view=rss&microfeed=true Literally, this just in: A reader tells us that his local Costco has been refilled in a big way on Xbox 360s. Sean says: "I'm sure you guys are already getting a ton of e-mail about this, but I popped into my local Costco today in Westminster and lo and behold a whole bunch of 360 bundles sitting with big puppy dog eyes waiting to be taken home. The guy standing by said they arrived this morning and they had already gone through two pallets worth. There were about 50-60 left while I was there. These are the same costco bundle you see on their site." More »
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I like atmosphere as much as the next guy, but apparently UbiSoft is admitting that they went overboard and made King Kong for 360 so atmospheric - it's hard to play. By atmospheric I mean "dark" and by hard to play, I mean "really damn hard to play." Crecente didn't run into the darkness issues while forming his impressions of the game, but UbiSoft is recognizing that it is an issue. More »
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My shopping isn't even close to being finished. I have the kind of parents who still think dial-up is a viable form of the internet - so gadgets and games from the Gift Guide aren't really going to help me be a very good Santa Claus. The fact that my beard hasn't even begun to grey (cough, Crecente, cough) makes me even less convincing than the messy-haired twenty-something that I am does. But my too-hip friends are going to get presents from the Gift Guide - assuming I actually feel like shopping for them. More »
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The only thing that seem different is my remote is written in Japanese. Tons more Xbox 360 Japanese porn to follow. More »
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There are officially less than two weeks to go until Christmas. Mom, if you're reading this you need to click over to the Gift Guide and consider that my Christmas list for 2005, okay? Everyone who isn't my mother and is reading this, check the Gift Guide if you're struggling to come up with ideas for the gamer or gearhead in your life. More »
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Slate blames Tecmo Bowl and its licensing for the death of video game football. Citing Tecmo Bowl's profound reach into the game industry, author Chris Suellentrop says that the only football games left are games like Tecmo Bowl - until Blitz: The League. The author questions the replayability, but appreciates the fresh XFL variety the game actually brings to the field. Worth a read, but is the game worth playing? Any Kotaku readers check it out? Leave a comment if you did, lemme know what you thought. More »
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Man, these Xbox 360 shortages are harsh. Even Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was left out in the cold for an Xbox 360 this holiday season. Sounds like he should've pre-ordered. Oh wait, that might not have helped, either. More »
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In a press release Namco indicates it expects to sell 500k copies of the racing series for the Xbox 360 in Japan. That would requre selling 500k Xbox 360s and a 100 percent attach rate for Ridge Racer. Mr. Ashcraft, the floor is yours. More »
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A blogger over at 360 Maniac stumbled on a pretty legit looking document that orders Best Buy retailers to hold their 360s back until Dec. 18 — when the store is having another big sale. If the above unverified document speaks the truth, on Dec. 18 consumers will have a second shot to grab a 360 before launch. Ugh, I hope people don't have to camp out again. More »
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The emphasis here is on "scratched 360." This device simply cleans. For scratched 360 discs, contact Microsoft. More »
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According to Watch Impress, Tecmo has announced that they will further delay Dead or Alive 4 for the Xbox 360. The game will go on sale December 29th, over two weeks after the 360 Japan launch. The reason given for this second delay was "the stability of the online battle system." That's Japanese for "the software's all effed up, and we can't get the damn thing to play without crashing the friggin' 360." More »
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PS2 yakuza game Ryu Ga Gotoku goes on sale tomorrow, and to celebrate Sega's offering customers shot glasses, zippos and suitcases to hold liquor bottles. From dirty mags to night clubs, this campaign has been wack. I kept expecting Sega to give-away knives used for slicing off pinky fingers and am totally disappointed they didn't. Ryu Ga Gotoku's out tomorrow in Japan. More »
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The Ebay site says that this extremely rare item weighs 900 grams and is under armed guard somewhere in the U.S. More b.s. after the jump. More »
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And Korea's are so damn awesome. Gizmodo has a picture of some Korean Xbox 360s, and they have color. The red one looks like the new red Mario Kart-themed DS. More »
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This is either the greatest single arcade collection or the strangest. Made by the Chicago Gaming Company, this real coin-op machine has a commercial quality cabinet, 19-inch monitor and a "bar tough finish," so feel free to extinguish yer cigs next to the joystick. Titles for this $2,299.99 stand-up unit are eclectic to say the least. Playable classics (and not)include of the likes of Asteroids, Street Fighter II, Tag Team Wrestling, Ghost N' Goblins, Mortal Kombat, 1942, Mega Man, Super Dodge Ball (neo), Centipede, Hoccer and more. For over $2,000, you'd think they could at least put a hundred games in the machine. At least ending on an even number would've been nice. More »
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The Ask a Guitar Hero thread pretty much found confirmation that Buckethead would have something to do with the next Guitar Hero game. The leak was sprung by Guitar Hero shredder Marcus Henderson after one fan obssessively asked if Buckethead would be in the sequel. He is, in what capacity, no one knows. At least there will be a sequel, right? More »
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The subscriptions numbers wouldn't say so, but literally every time Mark Wallace of Walkerings gushes about the game, I get closer and closer to breaking down and checking it out. In his latest discussion of the artful, pristinely developed universe, Wallace talks about the first player-created outpost residing in "Alliance" space - which sounds like it's a PvP zone, where there is no NPC interference. The Interstellar Starbase Syndicate Operations, one of EVE's uberguilds (they are player corporations in EVE), built the base. Player-owned property in MMOs is nothing special, but the ISS sold shares of ownership in its space base to players. There just is nothing like this currently in Blizzard's WoW, and while EVE doesn't sound like its offering end game instancing in the classic sense, the game's socialogical depth (at least when Wallace writes about it) seems infinitely more compelling. I am so tempted. More »
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Citing the haunting depiction of screen siren Naomi Watts in King Kong, author Clive Thompson muses on the botched photorealism that games (and this latest gen specifically) show when it comes to the human condition. The effect, Thompson points out, is called "Uncanny Valley" and concerns the realism of human depiction escalating as the complexity with which they are created is reduced. Meaning simple sketches are more realistic to us, because when things get too real, we're distracted by their minor flaws. With this early crop of 360 games, Thompson argues that we're plunged back into this Valley, his optimism about getting out is resigned to future generations of consoles, mine is left with CliffyB's Gears of War. More »
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So say folks in the AVS Forum, a site dedicated to home theaters and HD TVs. Users report that the power source now feels considerably less hot and is cooling down. This could mean that the source needs to undergo a "burn in" or "break in" period during the first few weeks of use. Or it could mean that these people are full of crap. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=140850&view=rss&microfeed=true Next Generation's interview with eBay president and CEO Meg Whitman found that the popular auction site had sold over 40k Xbox 360s. If launch numbers are correct that's one out of every 10 systems. Frankly, that's a lower percent than I would've expected. More »
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Buttonmashers have outdone themselves this time: usually content on making fantastic-looking game controllers, they've gone and built a whole arcade cabinet, complete with custom paint job, authentic arcade controllers, a hardwired from the video card (no TV-out) setup and .. to top it all .. it's networked. More »
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