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Microsoft: Black Friday Gives Xbox “Biggest Sales Week” Of Year
Get ready to for some corporate gloating, Microsoft-style, in the coming days. According to the company’s Director of Product Management for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live, the Xbox 360 just had its “biggest sales week of the year.” Greenberg didn’t put a specific figure to the console’s sales from the Thanksgiving/Black Friday week as Nintendo…
By Michael McWhertor Published November 30, 2009 -
BBC Upset With Microsoft Over Xbox Live Payments
The BBC and MIcrosoft aren’t exactly seeing eye-to-eye at the moment, with the British broadcaster unhappy with the way Microsoft charges users for much its online content. The dispute is centred around BBC’s iPlayer, a service that allows people in the UK to watch BBC programs from their computer, PS3 or Wii. There were also…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 30, 2009 -
Microsoft: Project Natal Can Replace The TV Remote
The Xbox 360‘s hands-free motion controller, due to hit sometime next year, could be more than just a new way to gyrate frantically or befriend boys in front of your television screen. It could also replace your TV remote. Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten has designs on replacing the traditional TV remote with voice and…
By Michael McWhertor Published November 27, 2009 -
Your Black Friday Reference Guide To Game Shopping
It’s Black Friday and many of you are probably already in the shopping trenches, elbow-deep in hysterical deal-hunters and holiday shoppers. Over the week we’ve compiled a number of platform specific reference guides for you to use to help decide which games to buy and which to avoid when shopping for gaming friends and family…
By Brian Crecente Published November 27, 2009 -
Megatron Can Smell Your Xbox Live Avatar, Boy
Cover your hideous meat-face with a collection of attractive and stylish robot heads today, as Activision releases a set of Transformers gear onto the Xbox Live Avatar Marketplace. I’m not sure how I can tie this together with Thanksgiving Day, so we’ll just mutter incoherently about turkey or something and move on to the main…
By Mike Fahey Published November 26, 2009 -
Microsoft Working On In-Game FAQs?
Nintendo’s New Super Mario Bros. Wii has a thing called “Super Guide”. Helps you out when you’re stuck. Nintendo will almost definitely be using the technology again, but trademark filings reveal they may not be the only ones. Microsoft filed a patent in 2008 for a similar system for the Xbox 360, only instead of…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 24, 2009 -
New Crackdown 2 Screenshots, Artwork
Crackdown 2 has been running quiet for a while now, rarely popping its head up for a look. That changes today, with more screenshots and pieces of concept art than you could shake a zombie’s leg at. Zombies, cops, weapons, cars, proper screenshots, it’s all here. Knock yourselves out. Might want to grab a cup…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 24, 2009 -
2 Million LIVE Users Logged Into Facebook
Earlier this month, Facebook went live on Xbox LIVE. Loads of people have logged onto Facebook via LIVE. “Loads” is not very descriptive. “Two million” is. According to Microsoft’s first week figures, at least 2 million LIVE users logged into Facebook, and a half a million accounts were created in the first 24 hours. The…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 24, 2009 -
Microsoft Sued Over Memory Card Crackdown
You know Datel? I like Datel, mostly because they made the Freeloader for the GameCube/Wii. Well, Datel are in the process of taking Microsoft to court over Xbox 360 memory cards. The dispute between the two companies stems from a recent move by Microsoft to block the use of “unauthorised”, third-party memory cards on their…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 24, 2009 -
Obama And LittleBigPlanet Team Up, For Kids
The White House is announcing today a program to improve science and math education with a variety of Entertainment Software Association-backed initiatives including a program to put LittleBigPlanet in libraries as well as a $300,000 game design challenge. President Barack Obama announced the overarching directive that the gaming plans are part of at a White…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 23, 2009 -
Rebuffed PSN Plaintiff Lashes Out at Xbox Live, Nintendo
Seems like gaming’s found its Jonathan Lee Riches – the inmate who sues anyone and anything, largely for comedic effect. In this case, Erik Estavillo, who already had a suit against Sony tossed, has taken aim at Microsoft and Nintendo. Estavillo’s suing Microsoft for an RROD on his 360, claiming that a disability means he…
By Owen Good Published November 22, 2009 -
Microsoft Responds to Class Action Claim Against Xbox Live Bannings
Microsoft’s response to a law firm’s attempt to round up Xbox Live users smashed by the recent mass-banning reminds everyone that the service’s TOS allow it to hammer pirates, anytime, anywhere, so STFU. Well, not literally STFU, but one imagines that’s heavily implied with this kind of boilerplate, uttered by a Microsofot spokesperson on Friday…
By Owen Good Published November 22, 2009 -
Microsoft Tesla Owner Records Sounds for Project Gotham Racing?
A Microsoft exec who also owns a Tesla Roadster writes that he provided recordings of his car for both the Forza and Project Gotham Racing teams, which some take as further confirmation of PGR 5. Tom Burt, who owns #203 of the all-electric sports car made by the Silicon Valley company, wrote on Tesla’s “Customer…
By Owen Good Published November 21, 2009 -
Microsoft Denies “One Million Banned” Report
There are some out there who believe that during the recent wave of Xbox Live bannings, Microsoft kicked as many as one million people off their online service. It’s a belief Microsoft execs do not subscribe to. “We didn’t release the number”, Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten told VentureBeat. “I cannot explain to you why…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 20, 2009 -
Saints Row 2, LEGO Indy Go Games On Demand
To help Americans celebrate Thanksgiving in a not-that-retro style, Microsoft will next Tuesday be offering two new games for download via their Games on Demand service. The first will be Saints Row 2, only a few short months after the release of the first Saints Row on GoD. If you didn’t get Saints Row 1,…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 20, 2009 -
Make Preparations For More Shadow Complex
You like Shadow Complex? Then you’ll be side-scrolled to hear that developers Epic are looking at bringing you more games based in the retro-tinted universe. A job advertisement for Microsoft Game Studios is looking for somebody to work “with an experienced team at MGS and the world-class developers at Epic to drive the success of…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 19, 2009 -
Microsoft Kindasmashes Natal Launch Rumor
Microsoft’s U.K. boss dismissed a report last week that Natal will be ready to go in November 2010, saying claims of pricing and available shipments were based on inaccurate rumors. Neil Thompson, the U.K.chief, told GamesIndustry.biz that “We’re still very much in the baking on Natal and there’s a lot of things to get decided…
By Owen Good Published November 17, 2009 -
Be Social During The Free Xbox Live Weekend
Microsoft is inviting Xbox Live Silver members to try out the newly-launched Facebook, Twitter, and Last.FM for the Xbox 360 during the upcoming Free Xbox Live Weekend. Between the new social features, the upcoming season of 1 vs 100, and Halo Waypoint, there’s a lot happening on Xbox Live that you can’t participate in without…
By Mike Fahey Published November 17, 2009 -
Forza 3 Gets Free Hyundai And Paid Holiday DLC
Microsoft and Turn 10 continue churning out new content for Forza Motorsport 3, with a free three-pack of Hyundai Genesis Coupes available today and hot holiday cars coming next month. Players can download the “Hyundai Genesis Coupe Car Pack” for free today, adding three different versions of the 300-horsepower Genesis Coupe to their car rosters.…
By Mike Fahey Published November 17, 2009 -
Halo 3: ODST Drops Three Million Copies
Perhaps feeling a little aggrieved at the way Modern Warfare 2 blew right on by Halo 3’s sales numbers earlier in the week, Microsoft have tried to salvage a little pride by releasing some Halo 3: ODST numbers. And, all things considered, they’re not bad. Since launching on September 22, ODST has sold just over…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 13, 2009