<![CDATA[Kotaku: marketplace]]> http://tags.kotaku.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/kotaku.com.png <![CDATA[Kotaku: marketplace]]> http://kotaku.com/tag/marketplace http://kotaku.com/tag/marketplace <![CDATA[Blizzard: You May Sell Your StarCraft 2 Maps On Battle.net, Eventually]]> At BlizzCon 2009, Blizzard's executive vice president of game design Rob Pardo revealed plans to allow modders to sell premium StarCraft 2 maps via the Battle.Net service.

Blizzard wants to foster the best mod community in existence, and to that ends they've unveiled plans to single out premium custom-created maps for sales on a StarCraft 2 marketplace. Maps will be split into two categories - normal and premium - with the former free and the latter for sale, with a portion of the proceeds going to the map's creators. Blizzard hopes this will lead to more choice for StarCraft 2 players, and more innovative and creative custom maps fueled by the potential financial rewards.

Said Pardo, "This is really an opportunity for them to share in the rewards of our success."

The feature won't be available at the game's launch, and details are still being ironed out. Blizzard made the announcement today as a way to give modders time to gather teams together and start brainstorming premium content. Mod teams, start your engines!

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5343006&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Zune Co-Developed Video Series May Land on Live Too]]> Cinemash, a new video series that will feature film and TV actors re-enacting their dream parts, is headed to the Zune and, perhaps, the Xbox 360 Marketplace.

Zune is co-developing the show along with MEAN magazine.

So what scenes would you like to see reenacted by which actors? Besides Christopher Walken as Han Solo.

Technology Briefing [Seattle Post Intelligencer]

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5147068&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[By the Numbers: Analyzing the Global Market]]> Gamasutra has an interesting — if dry — analysis of a variety of sales figures from Nintendo's investor presentation. While targeted towards a particular audience, the variety of graphs and pie charts illustrate what's going on in the global marketplace: handheld and console sales, as well as first- and third-party software sales, shed light on how Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo are doing across the board. Of particular interest are the figures on the European market, which tends to be difficult to get a grasp on:

... the Wii's dominance in the United States is equally true in Europe. In both regions, Wii sales are significantly higher than the combined sales of both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Microsoft and Sony have gone back and forth in public statements over which company's HD console is ahead in Europe. While recent price breaks on the Xbox 360 have probably changed the dynamic significantly, it is worth taking stock of the data reflected in the graph above.

For the 9 months of sales shown in each year, the Xbox 360 appears to have had sales of around 2.1 million systems since 2006 and the PlayStation 3 has garnered sales of over 2.2 million systems since 2007. However, these figures are just for the U.K., Germany, France, and Spain, so they do not cover all of Europe.

Worth a read, especially if you're a statistics geek.

The Mushroom Growth Plan: Inside Nintendo's Numbers [Gamasutra]

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5081228&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Microsoft Coy On Future Spring & Fall Upates]]> Speaking to a gathering of journalists earlier this week at the Tokyo Game Show, John "Crazy Days" Schappert seemed unwilling to say that the Xbox 360 would return to the once comforting twice a year release schedule for its updates.

"I don't know if we are going to tie ourselves to a spring fall release schedule as much," he said. "I think one of the things that I worked with the team with when I joined. Lets do a big release. Spring and fall sounds like there is a lot of distance between the two but there is an awful lot of... it's pretty hard to make a new dashboard because you have to certify it against every revision of the hardware, and there's a bunch of different specs. It's a pretty time consuming and challenging thing to do. Which is why we only did it twice a year."

"I like staying focused on bigger and more impactful releases, so maybe it will be twice a year, maybe less frequently. You know, to be determined. I think it's going to be more about: Whats the next big launch? What are we bringing? When can we bring it? How can we do it in a big way."

Schappert also said that new updates would likely include new content for avatar customization and that the company is still looking at the possibility of adding text search to the ever expanding Marketplace line up.

"Don't worry," he said. "We already have plans well into next year about what we're delivering next."

[Pic]

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5062081&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Sony's Online Gambit]]>

By: Brian Crecente

The Xbox Live Arcade wasn't just what helped define the Xbox 360, the Xbox 360 defined what gamers and developers thought of downloadable titles.

They were, according to the 360, smaller, less fully featured games, sometimes retro titles, that sold for much less than a full game. And for the most part Nintendo followed suit when their Wii came to market.

But Sony had a different idea in mind, and now they have an uphill battle as they try to redefine what downloadable games mean to both the people who play the games and those who make them.

"The assumptions you laid out are correct," Peter Dille, Sony Computer Entertainment's Senior Vice President of Marketing, told me in a recent interview. "Because Live has been around for awhile people assumed that Sony would create a service that has checked the box in every case, if Microsoft is doing something we will too, but we are doing a lot of things differently. "

Chief among them is what sorts of games make it to the Playstation Store. While the store is already home to the sorts of demos and short-play experience games that you find on the 360's Arcade, soon it will also be home to a pair of titles that will be instrumental in Sony's battle to reshape how people think of downloadable games.

"Live Arcade offers something for people who want a certain thing," Dille said. "But a lot of the products you have seen on arcade are 'been there, done that', some feel like PC shareware practically. Our strategy was to develop games specifically for the PS3 that would show off our console."

"The games you play via Live Arcade, are those really next gen games? We are using an online distribution network in a very different way, we are not delivering yesterday's games. Online can be many things, but when it is used as a distribution vehicle it shouldn't change the game design."

While you could argue that games like Blast Factor, which plays in 1080p, and flOw, which supports the SIXAXIS motion controls, aren't really that different than games like Geometry Wars Retro Evolved, that argument starts to fall apart when you look at the Playstation Store's upcoming line-up which includes Warhawk, SOCOM: Confrontation and Pain.

painscreen.jpg

In Pain, gamers have to launch a character imbued with rag-doll physics into a cityscape where they inflict damage to both the environment and the person they've just launched from a giant slingshot. While the basic game seems to include enough features to give it quite a bit of life, developer Idol Minds plans to release periodic content for the game to expand both how and where you play the game.

"Pain shows off the Playstation 3 and lends itself to episodic content delivery," Dille said.

To me, Pain represents perhaps a half step forward in online distributed console games, but Warhawk and SOCOM, they represent a leap. Both games promise to feature robust online environments, large multiplayer gatherings and both the graphics and mechanics of a game you'd expect to find sitting on a store shelf, rather than available for download from an online store. But when news first hit that Warhawk was going to be a downloadable game, most gamers seemed to view that as a step down for the title.

"We didn't make any announcement about Warhawk, all of these expectations were based on rumor or innuendo," Dille said. "We clarified our strategy at Gamer's Day."

Not only did they confirm that Warhawk would be an online-only downloadable title, but they also unveiled another interesting twist on Sony's take on Playstation Store games, that the game would also be available in stores. The Blu-Ray version will be a sort of Director's Cut or Special Edition of the Warhawk purchased online. It will come with a slew of behind the scenes and making of videos as well as a Bluetooth headset. While not yet finalized, Dille said the same will likely be true for SOCOM: Confrontation when it comes out.

"We want to use the network store to offer choice, if you don't want to leave your couch or get in your car you can just download it," Dille said. "We give people a choice and give our retail partners a chance to participate in Warhawk."

socomconfrontation.jpg

While I still think Sony faces an uphill battle in changing the notion of what a downloadable game is, Dille believes they've already won over gamers and developers.

"I think gamers got it before (last month's) Gamers Day," he said. "Six months in we had about one million seven hundred thousand users online," Dille said. Six million pieces of content have been downloaded since the launch. "We feel like people got it. We think our 44 percent attach rate will ramp up very, very quickly, as more people understand what we are doing and with the coming of Home."

"Internally, people are very, very excited about developing for the network. We are seeing a ton of great products coming for the PSN," he said. "I think there has been an education process. Our third party partners had certain assumptions about what we would offer on the PSN. They probably didn't start imagining what they could do. Did any of them imagine we would be developing games like flOw or Pain? Now we're evangelizing a different type of experience."

One that is different from the 360, in part, because of differences in the two consoles' hardware, Dille says.

"We happen to have a hard disk drive in every Playstation 3.," he said. Microsoft "is selling to a fragmented user base. We can talk to the developers and say there are no limitations on what you make for us."

And changing gamers' and developers' preconceived notions of what makes a downloadable title is just the beginning for Sony, their next big nut to crack is true episodic content.

"I don't think anyone has done episodic content in gaming well," Dille said. "Currently episodic content means delivering content periodically. Whether or not it has that story line is the missing ingredient. When you contrast that to things like TV with Lost and the Sopranos. I think as an industry we haven't tapped (episodic content) yet. We want to get people to stand around the water cooler and talk about games they way they talk about TV, 'Did you install the latest content of this game that explained a plot or cliff hanger?'"

"You have to separate a distribution vehicle from a game experience."

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=269833&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Overlord Demo On Live Marketplace]]> Now's your chance to finally get a taste of the hot evil Pikmin action that is Overlord. A demo went live on Xbox Live this morning (PC demo is on the way) allowing those with a thirst for power just a little taste of what's in store for them once the full game hits. Mine was still downloading when I left home today, so here are some comments from the commentors on Major Nelson's blog:

Great demo. Feels like a mix of Dungeon Master with Black & White. Good fun.

Liking the demo, but its 100% rip off of pikimin, for the game cube.

this game rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

That many exclamation points just can't be wrong.

Demo: Overlord [Major Nelson's Blog]


]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=267123&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Free Pac Man Cartoon Episode from 1982 Available]]>
In this week's available downloads of the Xbox Live Marketplace is the first episode of Pac-Man from 1982. It's filed under the Warner Brothers Network, so you might have missed it and it's completely free.

I've posted the theme song so everyone can remember the good times when Saturday morning cartoons were a marathon of animated bliss. Maybe you even watched the cartoon as a kid with a big bowl of Pac-Man cereal (I was more partial to the Muppets Show themed, "Crunchy Stars" from the Swedish Chef). Now if only there had been an Eek! the Cat video game out for Xbox, then I could be watching some classic episodes of that.

Free Pac-Man Episode Download on XLA Video Marketplace [Silconera]

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=257049&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Guitar Hero II Song Packs Available]]> talking-ozzy.gif

Since it's already April, it's fair to assume that all the Christmas gift cards have either been spent or lost by now and now all that is left to spend is that random 4000-point XBL that was bought recently probably out of curiousity. So what to spend it on?

How about 3 Guitar Hero II song packs chalk full of rock (not to be confused with "rawk") which really only have the power to take you back to a high school dance or two. Songs like Bark at the Moon from Ozzy, Take it Off by the Donnas, and Higher Ground by the Chili Peppers (ok, that one is more like junior high school) are now available at the Xbox Marketplace. At a steep 500 points per song pack, you'd think they could at least give you a song that is college radio worthy.

GH II: Song Packs (3 of 'em) [Major Nelson]

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=251320&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Gallery: Really Ultimate Alliance]]> These screenshots showcasing the new heroes and villains coming to the Xbox 360 version of Marvel Ultimate Alliance this month have me fully prepared to play through a game I've already played through four times on four systems. That's dedication!

Okay, that's pretty pathetic, but at the very least I have to play through with Dr. Doom, just to see how they handled him being the prime bad guy in the main game. And perhaps the Hulk, to see how they changed the Banner meeting in the second chapter. Oh, and Cyclops. Don't like the character, but really fond of red glowy things.

Hey, at least I'm not as bad as Crecente, who is excited about a pink and purple Green Arrow rip-off. Oh snap!

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=249138&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Microsoft Announces More XBL Movie Distribution]]>

As we mentioned late last night, Microsoft not only officially announced the Xbox 360 Elite, but also disclosed deals with distribution deals with five new video Marketplace partners. Says Peter Moore:

With more than 300 games expected by year's end, an Xbox LIVE community of more than 6 million people and a growing catalogue of premium content from some of the biggest names in entertainment today, Xbox 360 is an incredible value. Adding partners and content like this helps reinforce the console's position as the center of connected entertainment in the living room.

Hit the jump for a recap of what's upcoming, movie-wise.

  • Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will releasing its direct to video movies exclusively in high definition on Xbox LIVE simultaneous with their availability on DVD, starting with Sublime. Babylon 5: The Lost Tales to follow later.
  • A&E Network will dish up Dog the Bounty Hunter, King of Cars, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, Driving Force and Criss Angel Mindfreak.
  • ADV Films is contributing top offerings from the #1 producer-distributor of Japanese animation ("anime") outside of Japan.
  • National Geographic is bringing television series Is It Real? and Taboo as well as programs such as 21 Days to Baghdad and Air Force One to XBL Marketplace.
  • New Line Cinema? Well, they've got Snakes on a Plane, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, plus top titles including Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Magnolia.
  • TotalVid has broad action-sports offering including extreme skiing and snowboarding, skateboarding, motocross, surfing and mountain biking.
  • For the first time on Live, Paramount Pictures is offering Braveheart, Team America: World Police, World Trade Center and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut available for download in HD.

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=247665&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Microsoft: We Pwn Video Downloads]]>

No longer content with kicking ass in the video game sales and downloadable games field, Microsoft shot off a press release today crowing about their successes with downloadable TV shows and movies.

Personally, I think the small size of the 360's harddrive and the slow download speeds make the prospect of downloading movies, especially high-def ones, untenable. But apparently a lot of 360 owners disagree with me.

Here's the tally:
Within four months of launching, Xbox LIVE has become the number one online distributor of television and feature film content in the living room where it's most easy for consumers to access.
In the same four months, the service has quickly become the number two online distributor of television and feature film content, second to iTunes.
Is currently the ONLY online distributor of major feature films and television programming in high definition (HD) resolution.
The service is a breakout success, with double-digit, month-over-month growth since launching.
Monthly downloads from Xbox LIVE went up 400 percent since the service launched in November.

I suppose I should give it another chance. The abortive launch of the service and the resulting loss of time, harddrive space and Microsoft points just left a really bad taste in my mouth.

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=245602&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[THE IDOLM@STER Hand Drill, Fake Pantsu Hit XBL]]>

Not underwear, but close! New THE IDOLM@STER items have hit Xbox Live. Exciting items like a hand drill (above) and skimpy "Exercise Wear" (after the jump). Info about the hand drill: It's part of the "excavation series" (m'kay) and will "visual image UP" your idol (riiight). There are also a driller helmet, driller boots and driller shoes. Gotta coordinate! Hit the jump for the pantsu-like exercise outfit.

imasexercisewear.jpg

New Marketplace Items [THE IDOLM@STER]

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=245136&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Castlevania SotN Live Next Week!]]> Finally you can all stop bitching at me whenever I post an Xbox Live Arcade update that isn't this game! It's finally here, ladies and gentleman. In a few short days, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night hits Xbox Live. If you have not played this game there is something seriously wrong with you. I am not the least bit hesitant to call this one of the greatest games of all time.

For a paltry price of 800 gamer points you get the full original game with the option to play an enhanced version with updated graphics and sounds. I actually already own two copies of the PS1 original (original and greatest hits), and I will still be buying this game on marketplace. Such is the power of Alucard. Look for it to show up this coming Wednesday, March 21st at 9am GMT.

Castlevania: Symphony of Night on Xbox Live Arcade [Gamerscore Blog]

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=244855&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[TMNT Live This Week!]]> The sometime in March we reported last week for the release Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game on Xbox Live Marketplace turns out to be this Wednesday, March 14th! The game includes all of the fun of the arcade original, without having to smell the people playing with you. You can still hear them of course, thanks to voice support for the online co-op mode, supporting up to four players at a time. You can't beat the price either...only 400 gamer points to score yourself one of the best comic to cartoon to video game adaptations of all time.

Between this and the new games and movie coming out, I cannot help but hope for a revival of my favorite TMNT clone, the Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters.

Cowabunga! It's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Xbox LIVE Arcade
[GamerScore Blog]

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=243563&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Def Jam: Icon Demo Impressions]]> I was up bright and early this morning harvesting fresh gaming news, so I decided to download the Def Jam: Icon demo off of Xbox Live. I wasn't expecting too much. I had tried to play the first two games, but a lack of familiarity with the source material coupled with my inability to master the fighting system had me moving on to other things before too long. Expecting more of the same, I was pleasantly surprised at the latest entry in the series.

The style grabbed me immediately. I hit the menu system and the multilayered stylized background started pulsing along with the beat of the music hypnotically, causing me to spend almost a minute just watching the effect before attempting to play the game.

I have to confess that I have no earthly clue who Big Boi and T.I. are. I know, I suck, but at least I got the second name right. Still, the visual style had hooked me so completely that I didn't really care who they were. I just wanted to play.

The included stage takes place outside of a convenience store gas station. While the station itself is rendered in a realistic fashion, the background behind it is exaggerated, almost as if it were living graffiti. As the music starts, the whole world begins to pulse with the beat. The sky, the buildings...the effect is simply awesome.

As the battle rages the scene changes. I get slammed into the gas pumps, and a leak starts. I get thrown into the convenience store door, breaking the glass, and the Asian store owner stars intermittently spraying something out the window at us. Soon the gas station is engulfed in fire, with flames shooting out and explosions rumbling at what I first thought was random, but it definitely wasn't. The world moves to the beat.

The game tells you to master the beat to win the fight. As you get into the music, you see the patterns. You know when a good time to toss your opponent towards the black SUV because you know fire is going to shoot out of it once the next beat hits. Then comes the mixing option. Hold down the left trigger and you can use the analog sticks like a turntable to speed up, slow down, fast forward or reverse the song, in turn effecting the world around you. It looks kind of silly watching your fighter spin his fingers atop an imaginary record, but the results can't be argued with.

I eagerly await a game manual so I don't suck at fighting so much. Playing Big Boi I simply swung away with my fists as T.I. performed elaborate flip jumping moves and kicked me in the face. I'll have my revenge once the real game comes out. And maybe a strategy guide. And a really skilled guy to play in my stead. *sigh*

The first two Def Jam games sought to combine hip hop and gaming together into a singular experience, but they only succeeded in dressing a fighting game in hip hop clothing. Def Jam: Icon looks to finally accomplish what the series set out to do in the first place.

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=235062&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Def Jam Icon Demo Hits 360 in the Morn]]>

Tomorrow morning we will all be able to decide if hip-hop style fighting is worth the price of admission on the Xbox 360.

Electronic Arts just sent out a release saying the demo for the game will be hitting the marketplace in the morning. The demo will include the gas station level and give you a chance to thrash or be thrashed as Big Boi and T.J.

I wish it would give you a way to play with the music and see how it affects play.

Download the demo of DEF JAM: ICON for the Xbox 360 tomorrow on Xbox Marketplace!

Incorporating hip-hop lifestyle and music into every aspect of the game, DEF JAM: ICON delivers the intensity of a no-holds-barred street fight but with style and rhythm. Music affects how players fight in each environment and avoiding hazards become a key strategy to staying alive.

Download the DEF JAM: ICON demo for an early look at the hip-hop lifestyle/fighting game. The demo showcases the gas station level and two hip-hop celebrity fighters, Big Boi and T.I. The game also features both hip-hop artists' hit songs, Kryptonite (Purple Ribbon All-Stars Featuring Big Boi) and Top Back (T.I.)

DEF JAM: ICON is developed by EA Chicago, in partnership with Def Jam Interactive. The game is scheduled to ship in North America on March 6 and in Europe on March 16 for the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360. DEF JAM: ICON has been rated M by the ESRB and 18+ by PEGI and the USK. Visit www.esrb.org for updated rating information.

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=234785&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Live Arcade Toy Wars Screens Emerge]]> ZootFly, the developer behind the Ghostbusters game videos that caused a minor sensation earlier this week, has gifted XBL Arcade with exclusive screens of their upcoming Xbox Live Arcade game, Toy Wars.
No details as to what exactly the game is about, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess some kind of war involving toys. While the screens smack of an Army Men game or perhaps Twisted Metal: Small Brawl, I have to admit that I have a soft spot for any game that lets you play as a small protagonist in a big world. Perhaps being 6 foot 6 has something to do with that. Hit the link below for a more images!

Exclusive: First Screen shots of Toy Wars [XBL Arcade]

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=230078&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Bizarre Creations Next Live Game]]>

Bizarre Creations, the guys behind Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved and Project Gotham Racing, are working on a new Live Arcade title.

Boom Boom Rocket, set to go live this spring, is described as a hypnotic rhythm music game conceived by Electronic Arts' casual game site Pogo.com.

The game has players firing off rockets to the beat of music as they travel through a 3D city. The goal is to choreograph the firework-like explosions to the music. The game features 10 original tracks.

"As one of the worldwide leaders in game publishing, EA has long recognized the power of on-demand, online entertainment," said Chris Early, Product Unit Manager for Xbox Live Arcade and Microsoft Casual Games. "We're honored that EA has chosen Xbox Live Arcade as the platform for their first-ever downloadable game for console game players and are excited to make Boom Boom Rocket available to the millions of Xbox Live Arcade players around the world."

"Boom Boom Rocket is an addictive and original challenge for all types of gamer, and we're enjoying working with EA to create this unique Xbox Live Arcade experience", said Martyn Chudley, Managing Director of Bizarre Creations. "Our teams love both working and playing on Xbox Live Arcade, and we're looking forward to releasing another innovative title on this platform with Boom Boom Rocket."

"This is a perfect time to bring such a unique and custom-built arcade game to Xbox Live Arcade gamers," said Chip Lange, EA Vice President. "We've crafted Boom Boom Rocket to offer an intensely fun entertainment experience for the thriving community of hard core and casual gamers alike on Xbox Live Arcade. It's only natural that our launch title comes from the Pogo team, given their remarkable success with casual games."

The game supports three game modes, including multiplayer head-to-head. It sounds like it could be amazing, or completely suck. That's the thing about Live games, it's really hard to judge them until you actually get your hands on them.

Redwood City, Calif., - January 17, 2007 - Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced its launch onto Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade with Boom Boom Rocket . The game is a hypnotic rhythm music game conceived by EA's Pogo.com casual games design team and developed by Bizarre Creations, the developer who brought Project Gotham Racing 3 to the Xbox 360 , and fan-favorite Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved to Xbox Live Arcade. The game is scheduled to go live Spring 2007 and is EA's first title on Xbox Live Arcade.

In Boom Boom Rocket, players trigger rockets to the beat of the music while traveling through a 3D cityscape. The better the player times the explosions, the more spectacular the fireworks effects. The fireworks are choreographed to 10 original tracks created by Ian Livingstone. Players can play in single player mode or go head-to-head against a friend on the same console.

"As one of the worldwide leaders in game publishing, EA has long recognized the power of on-demand, online entertainment," said Chris Early, Product Unit Manager for Xbox Live Arcade and Microsoft Casual Games. "We're honored that EA has chosen Xbox Live Arcade as the platform for their first-ever downloadable game for console game players and are excited to make Boom Boom Rocket available to the millions of Xbox Live Arcade players around the world."

"Boom Boom Rocket is an addictive and original challenge for all types of gamer, and we're enjoying working with EA to create this unique Xbox Live Arcade experience", said Martyn Chudley, Managing Director of Bizarre Creations. "Our teams love both working and playing on Xbox Live Arcade, and we're looking forward to releasing another innovative title on this platform with Boom Boom Rocket."

"This is a perfect time to bring such a unique and custom-built arcade game to Xbox Live Arcade gamers," said Chip Lange, EA Vice President. "We've crafted Boom Boom Rocket to offer an intensely fun entertainment experience for the thriving community of hard core and casual gamers alike on Xbox Live Arcade. It's only natural that our launch title comes from the Pogo team, given their remarkable success with casual games."

The game features three modes of gameplay: Normal, Speed and multiplayer head-to-head. Each song is choreographed into three skill levels to ensure that everyone can join in the fun. Successfully chain fireworks to fill the bonus meter and activate the psychedelic bonus mode for extra points. Players can unlock new firework designs by mastering each music track. You can also utilize the connected online element and see how their scores compare with other players on the Boom Boom Rocket leaderboard.

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=229263&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[360 Movie and Show Prices Confirmed]]> Movies and TV are live.

High-def TV shows are 240 points ($3) and regular def shows are 160 points ($2). High-def movies are 480 points ($6) and regular movies are 320 points ($4). While classic movies (as in old ones) are 360 points ($4.50) in high-def and regular will be 240 points ($3).

When I checked a few minutes ago there were 48 movies available, including Akira Kurosawa's Dreams. Fancy.

Full release after the jump. Expect a impressions later today.

REDMOND, Wash. Nov. 22, 2006 With a robust library of 160 high-definition games expected by holiday, Xbox 360 , the video game and entertainment system from Microsoft Corp., will get even better today. On its one-year anniversary, Xbox 360 will digitally deliver an initial lineup of TV shows and movies to gamers in the U.S. via Xbox Live., the online games and entertainment network from Microsoft.

As announced earlier this month, Xbox Live Marketplace will now provide gamers with easy access to hundreds of full-length TV shows for download to own and movies for download to rent from CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment with more content rolled out through Xbox Live Marketplace every week. Xbox 360 is the first gaming console to offer standard and high-definition TV shows and movies via digital distribution.

Since its launch on Nov. 22, 2005, Xbox 360 has gained impressive traction fast. Xbox 360 was the fastest console to reach 5 million sold, and 6 million Xbox 360 consoles had been sold by the end of September 2006. At least 10 million are expected to be sold by holiday. Expected to be available in 37 countries by holiday, Xbox 360 continues to retain record game and accessory attachment rates, according to NPD. With more than 4 million members and an expected 6 million by June 2007, Xbox Live continues its leadership as the first and most comprehensive online games and entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire Xbox 360 experience.

Xbox 360 is prepared to have a booming holiday season, with consoles readily available at retail along with a host of new accessories such as the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, Xbox Live Vision camera and Xbox 360 HD DVD Player, not to mention blockbuster games such as Gears of War and Viva Piqata .

We re exactly where we wanted to be this holiday with Xbox 360 retail stock availability, said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. With an incredible library of games, more than 4 million gamers playing online with Xbox Live, and a growing catalog of high-definition gaming and entertainment content, why would anyone wait in line when you can get a superior experience from Xbox 360 right now?

Examples of the download-to-own TV shows and download-to-rent movies available on the network on Nov. 22 include the following:

CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, NCIS and Star Trek from CBS

Chappelle s Show, Drawn Together and Emmy and Peabody award-winning South Park from COMEDY CENTRAL

Pimp My Ride and Punk d from MTV

Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants from Nickelodeon

Skyland and Invader Zim from Nicktoons Network

Chinatown, Star Trek VII: Generations, Patriot Games, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, The Sum of All Fears, The Untouchables and We Were Soldiers from Paramount Pictures

Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Frisky Dingo, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, Sealab 2021 and The Venture Bros. from Turner Broadcasting

Some of the most intense fights from Ultimate Fighting Championship

Breaking Bonaduce and Hogan Knows Best from VH1

Perfect Storm, Poseidon, The Shining, Strange Brew, Three Kings and V for Vendetta, as well as The Nine and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip along with the CW show Veronica Mars from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Using the Family Settings feature, parents and individuals can choose the video content that can be played on their family s Xbox 360. With the availability of this new entertainment content, gamers now can set controls based on movie, TV and video ratings, or they can entirely block explicit and unrated video content for themselves or their children.

Xbox 360 gamers in the U.S. can access Xbox Live Marketplace with a free Xbox Live Silver subscription or a paid Xbox Live Gold subscription and a broadband connection. Pricing is competitive and will vary based on format, media type and whether the content is a new release movie or a classic feature film. High-definition TV shows will be 240 Microsoft. Points per episode, and standard-definition TV shows will be 160 Microsoft Points per episode. New release movies in high definition will be 480 Microsoft Points, and standard-definition new release movies will be 320 Microsoft Points each. Classic feature films in high definition will be 360 Microsoft Points, and standard definition will be 240 Microsoft Points. After purchasing a high-definition TV show or movie, gamers can download the standard-definition version at no additional charge.

Microsoft Points can be purchased at retail or via Xbox Live. For example, gamers can get a 1,600 Microsoft Points card at retail for $19.99 (U.S.) or 1,000 Microsoft Points through Xbox Live for $12.50 (U.S.). More information about Xbox Live Marketplace is available at http://www.xbox.com/marketplacentertainment.

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=216592&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Laguna Beach Picture Pack Available on Live. Also, Stripperella.]]>

Which one of these rich a-holes do you want as your avatar on Xbox Live? Spikey Smiles? Blonde Bimbo? Constipated Stares Into Distance? Ew I Smelled a Fart? Get Your Hands Off My Knee You Whore? These Girls Are All Prettier Than Me? I'm Not A Whore Don't Call Me That?

Why pick when you can have all of them for 160 points?!

Pictures: MTV [Major Nelson]

]]>
http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=211346&view=rss&microfeed=true