It's widely known that the Lumines Live! screwjob from last year didn't sit well with Xbox 360 owners. Releasing a hobbled version of the game on Xbox Live Arcade with the promise of future through-the-nose payments rightly warranted some gamer finger wagging (and poisonous Kotaku comments).

But next week's Lumines Live! download packs might just make that bitter microtransaction pill a tad easier to swallow. For a limited time (until February 21), the following add-ons will be available at a reduced price.

- VS CPU Pack (100 MS Points)
- Puzzle/Mission Pack (100 MS Points)
- Heavenly Star Skin (Free for Gold Members)

See? Q Entertainment loves you. Of course, once that period of goodwill is over, the regular screwjob price for each will creep back up to 300 MS points.

Unless you want to be reminded how you shouldn't have snoozed from your Live peers, make sure you're ready to download these packs starting January 24 at 1 AM PST. Michael McWhertor

Get a Deal on Lumines Live! Add-On Packs [Xbox.com via Gamerscoreblog]

Don't feel like playing your games to get the unlockable content? Then buy your progress, you lazy, horrible business model supporting prick! Major Nelson updated his corporate blog to send us the good news: 1120 points (or $14 USD) worth of cheats for EA's Need For Speed Carbon are available for suckers who like to flush cash down the toilet via the Xbox Live Marketplace.

The most exciting news for chumps with poor money management is that you rubes will be getting bonus cars (2006 Shelby GT500, 1987 Corolla GTS and 2006 Pagani Zonda F) exclusive to the Marketplace. The rest of us are so jealous!

Have fun with your microtransactions, losers! Michael McWhertor

Need for Speed Carbon: Various In Game Content [Major Nelson]

Not content to give standard def TV users irreparable eyestrain merely with Dead Rising, Capcom has decided to turn the screws on the SDTV crowd once again. This time it's the Lost Planet multiplayer text.

The angry gamer at Angry-Gamer.net provided the internet surfing gaming crowd with the above pic from the recently released multiplayer demo, showing that the player list in a multiplayer match is nigh unreadable.

Wow, thanks, Capcom. Seriously, I'm no game developer, but how hard is this? Here's a solution I've been working on. See if this might help.

MAKE THE TEXT BIGGER.

Yeah, crazy, I know, but it might just be crazy enough to work. Michael McWhertor

Remember Dead Rising's Text Issue? [Angry-Gamer.net]

With the misleading title of "Sony PLAYSTATION 3, PS3 game console picture!!!!!!!!!!" and a horriblly long description with "Get it now while it's hot! Please note this only a picture of the console, not the actual system itself" buried within, I'd have a hard time faulting the "winning" bidder. However, I'd have no problem watching the seller get his or her fingertips smashed by a claw hammer. But that's me.

Hopefully, jenandjohn4174, who appear to be new to eBay are either karma bidding to keep some other sap from being duped or green enough to petition eBay for a bid retraction. Ugh. Humanity. Michael McWhertor

Sony PLAYSTATION 3, PS3 game console picture!!!!!!!!!!

Fry's Electronics PlayStation 3 Bundle. Cheap at $1079.

Wal-Mart "Customer's Choice" PlayStation 3 Bundle. A steal at $1491.

CompUSA Screwjob PlayStation 3 Bundle? A minimum of $2300. Oh, the pain.

Found via blog Uninnovate (but scooped by the Cheap Ass Gamer forums), the current promotion running at CompUSA demands that, if you want to buy a PS3 from the retailer, you'll need to invest in a Sony branded HDTV, 40-inches or bigger. (I already ordered three.)

Also, according to Uninnovate, should you return the TV you "must also return the PlayStation 3 and pay a 15% restocking fee". I can't imagine anyone having a problem with that. You guys cool? Michael McWhertor

Sony taking Playstation 3 pre-order bundling to new lows at CompUSA [via Gamespot]

Update: Angry reader e-mail after the jump...

I was taken in by CompUSA's "buy a 40" HDTV", get a PS3 Reserve on Sunday. I called back today to find out that my PS3 will be delayed 4-8 weeks, and it would cost me 15% (about 300) to return the TV with restocking fees. If this was a Sony-CompUSA deal, what a joke. I ordered from the Schaumburg, IL store. Thanks for alerting other gamers to this despicable scam.

Ouch! Sorry, Jim! Keep your head up, rest of the console reserving public!

Those of you looking to hit your local Fry's Electronics may want either pull a little extra out of savings or skip the store altogether, should you be looking for a PlayStation 3 or Wii this weekend.

We got the following tip from Judyna who pointed us to a Fry's retail employee Thad Hopkins personal site:

I work in the software department (console games) at Fry's electronics. Today, my supervisor informed me that we would not be allowing anyone to purchase a PS3 without also purchasing 8 games. What a launch day surprise, right? Show up, wait in line for hours and hours, run into the store, and THEN find out that, sorry, we forgot to tell you, but you'll need to buy 8 games if you want the console.

At $60 a piece for the software titles, we're talking upwards of $1080 just to get a PS3 from Fry's.

Before you Wii fans shrug this news off, I was also informed that customers will be required to buy 5 Wii titles to be allowed to purchase a Wii console.

I was warned to tell no one about this, no matter what, even if they asked. So, of course, I'm telling you about it. Fry's, to the best of my knowledge, plans on getting customers into the store on launch day before informing of them of the ploy to manipulate more money out of desperate gamers.

I just got off the phone with two Fry's employees at Burbank and Manhattan Beach, California locations who confirmed that the PS3 and Wii will only be sold as a bundle, but exactly what that would consist of, neither would disclose. According to them, they'll find out exactly when we do: this Friday. Campers beware. Michael McWhertor

Fry's Screws You Over

[Update: Check the jump for possible bundle info.]

Reader Matt squeezed a little more info out of one of his nearby Fry's employees.

I noticed the newest article about Fry's PS3 budle and decided to call the one closest to me, Houston branch, and to my suprise the bundle is actually real, but I have a little more info. The PS3 is going to be sold as 20 and 60gig in the bundles, and it also includes you buying a warranty.

The PS3 games included: NBA 2K7, Resistance: Fall of Man, Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire, Madden 07, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Tony Hawk's Project 8, Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom, and another game (Sorry I called back to check up on it and now they wont give out the info).

The Wii bundle Includes: Madden NFL 07, Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, GT Pro Series, and Rampage: Total Destruction. I will tell you guys none of this is final but this is what they told me before they went all hush hush.

Yuck. Good thing I wasn't planning on going anywhere near a Fry's to begin with.