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Microsoft Officially Doubling Xbox 360 Arcade Storage
The Xbox 360 Arcade is becoming a slightly more sensible purchase, as Microsoft is officially doubling the built-in flash memory for the console to 512MB, confirming a rumored hardware revision uncovered by members of the XboxHacker forums. We contacted Microsoft to double-check on the increase and received the following statement. “We are doubling the size…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 18, 2009 -
Sgt. Johnson Reports For Halo 3: ODST Pre-Order Bonus Duty
Who would you rather have at your side against in a Master Chief-less battle against increasingly difficult waves of enemies than Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson? Yes, grizzled UNSC hero Sgt. Johnson may not have fared so well in Halo 3, but Halo 3: ODST takes place before the final installment of the trilogy, meaning…
By Mike Fahey Published June 18, 2009 -
Microsoft Pulls Plug On Xbox Originals
First launched in 2007, Microsoft’s “Xbox Originals” scheme seemed an easy way to re-release old Xbox titles on the 360 as a digital download, and make a buck off them in the process. Hasn’t worked out that way. After an initial flurry of titles, releases for the service soon slowed to the point where most…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 17, 2009 -
New Xbox 360 Arcade Units Appear With Double The Built-In Storage
Microsoft may have stealthily released a new Xbox 360 Arcade configuration this Spring, as members of the XboxHacker forum point to a new “Jasper” model shipping with a built-in Memory Unit with double the storage capacity. By way of Xbox Scene, the new-ish Xbox 360 motherboard, sporting an April 2009 manufacturing date, features the more…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 17, 2009 -
Xbox Live’s Return Brings Xbox Live Issues
Xbox Live has just successfully completed an entire day of downtime. Unfortunately, the current uptime isn’t quite as successful, with missing games, failing downloads, and unredeemable code issues abounding. Microsoft flipped Xbox Live’s on switch late last night, and while the snazzy new look of the Xbox.com website distracted many of us for a spell,…
By Mike Fahey Published June 17, 2009 -
Microsoft On Metal Gear: Mission Accomplished
So far this hardware generation, we’ve seen the number of third-party exclusives on any platform shrink to almost zero. The last major series to come around? Metal Gear Solid. Having long made a name for itself on Sony consoles, the next Metal Gear Solid title – Rising – will also be appearing on the Xbox…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 16, 2009 -
Watch The Play Machinima Law Conference
Almost two months ago, I attended a Machinima Law conference at Stanford University as part of an extra credit assignment. Today, you can watch what I saw for free. Stanford’s video game research project, How They Got Game, is hosting a series of videos from the conference. They’re kind of small, so you’ll have to…
By AJ Glasser Published June 16, 2009 -
Microsoft: 1 Vs 100 Live Season Pass “Simply A Test”
1 Vs. 100 Live is currently in beta testing on Xbox Live and currently free to Xbox Live Gold members. That may change with the introduction of the “Season Pass,” but Microsoft calls the double subscription possibility “simply a test.” The Xbox Live Primetime game show recently had its description clarified, formerly planned as free…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 16, 2009 -
Microsoft Respond To “New Xbox” Rumors
Over the weekend, 1UP ran a rumour that a new Xbox console would be launching next year, to coincide with the release of Microsoft’s Project Natal motion-sensing camera. Today, Microsoft responds. Xbox director of product management Aaron Greenberg has told Eurogamer “I think part of the excitement about this announcement is that in many ways…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 16, 2009 -
Break Xbox Live With The Push Of A Button
That button may look like a joke, an elaborate piece of stock art, or something out of Ghostbusters, but it’s not. It’s the emergency shutdown button located in a Microsoft server facility in Quincy, Washington. There’s a fascinating article over on the NY Times’ website about server warehouses, with the author taking a trip to…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 15, 2009 -
Miyamoto: True Interactivity Is Holding A Motion Controller With Force Feedback
The Nintendo Wii uses a controller dubbed “the Wii Remote“. Microsoft’s Project Natal uses a controller called “the human body”. What does Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto think? I don’t think I could create an experience that truly feels interactive if you don’t have something to hold in your hand, if you don’t have something like force…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 15, 2009 -
Is Xbox Live Primetime’s 1 Vs. 100 Becoming Pay To Play?
1 Vs. 100 Live, the first Xbox 360 game show for Microsoft’s Xbox Live Primetime push, is currently in beta testing. Originally pitched as a free game for Xbox Live Gold subscribers, it appears Microsoft may begin charging for it. While the 1 Vs. 100 Live product page on Xbox.com previously implied the game show…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 15, 2009 -
Reminder: Xbox Live Going Down Tonight
If you need to get any multiplayer gaming in on your Xbox 360 today, make sure you do it before the clock strikes 12:01 AM PST. Xbox Live will be going down for maintenance tonight, for up to 24 hours. As previously foretold, Microsoft’s online gaming service will be taking a breather tonight, affecting the…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 15, 2009 -
Peter Molyneux Wants To Help Rare “Get Well Known”
What is developer Rare best known for? Doing games for Nintendo in the 1990s? Making Banjo Kazooie? Battletoads? Viva Piñata? Peter Molyneux, creative director of Microsoft Europe, wants to help Rare have more of an identity. Here, let’s let him say it in his own words: “Actually one of the things I really want to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 15, 2009 -
New Xbox To Launch In 2010?
Last week, Microsoft’s Shane Kim told us that the launch of the 360’s motion-controlled camera system – Project Natal – would be as big as a console launch. Maybe he was onto something with that. Because 1UP are reporting a rumour that while Natal will be released next year for existing 360 consoles, it will…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 13, 2009 -
Analyst Predicts Wii Price Drop
Wedbush-Morgan’s Michael Pachter — the guy that was so harsh on the PSPgo’s price tag — thinks the Wii will drop to $199.99 this holiday season Edge Online reports that Nintendo has already sold 20 million units — 50 million worldwide — and plans to sell another 26 million this fiscal year. Noting that a…
By AJ Glasser Published June 12, 2009 -
When Will It Be Wrong To Call The Xbox 360 A Game Console?
Kotaku recently asked Microsoft if the flourishing of non-gaming features like Netflix, Facebook, Last.fm and Twitter on the Xbox 360 will someday invalidate the classification of the device as a gaming console. Since the original Xbox launched in 2001, Microsoft has worked hard to deflate suspicions that the company wasn’t serious about video games. Microsoft,…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 12, 2009 -
Gears Of War 2 On PC? Try Bears Of War
Rumors are circulating regarding a possible December release for a PC version of Gears of War 2, but the site the rumors reference might have its compass pointed in the wrong direction. IGN points to a site called Beantown Games, explaining that “there were plenty of details that appeared to be pulled from an upcoming…
By Mike Fahey Published June 12, 2009 -
Natal Launch Will Be As Big As 360’s
On that day in the future when Microsoft launches its E3-darling Project Natal no-touch control system, it will feel like a console launch, a company exec told Kotaku. Forget the launch of previous gaming cameras and mics like the PlayStation Eye or the Xbox Live Vision Camera when you try to imagine the impact Microsoft’s…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 11, 2009