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Xbox Live Is Not Here Right Now
No, it’s not just you. Xbox Live is down for everybody, but Microsoft is working feverishly to have service restored before the riots begin. Attempts to log in to Xbox Live this morning are meeting with failure across the board. A quick network test revealed that my network is working flawlessly…Xbox Live, not so much.…
By Mike Fahey Published May 27, 2009 -
360 To Link With Satellite TV Service [Update]
Later this week, Microsoft is due to host a big press conference in London. What’s on the table? Oh, full integration of satellite television with the Xbox 360. British site Rapid TV News claims that BSkyB (or Sky, as it’s more commonly known), the UK’s biggest pay TV provider, will announce tomorrow a deal linking…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 27, 2009 -
Zune Marketplace Comes To Xbox Live [Update]
Speaking with The Guardian, Microsoft’s Chris Stevenson has announced that the Zune Marketplace – and everything available on it – is to be made available to Xbox 360 owners. The move is part of a growing effort by Microsoft to bring their two “entertainment” devices closer together, and is one which will no doubt heighten…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 26, 2009 -
E3 ’08: Our Promise-Checking Round-Up
Big companies make big promises at big shows like E3. We recently rounded up the promises made by Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony from last year’s E3. Who can you trust going into E3 2009? Here are last year’s performances… Witness the future-predicting powers of Xbox 360 executives and game developers. Just ignore the 1 vs…
By Stephen Totilo Published May 25, 2009 -
Both Gears Of War Games Bundled With 360 Hardware
Xbox Australia have just revealed this new Xbox 360 hardware bundle, which will include an Xbox 360 Pro along with a copy of both Gears of War and Gears of War 2. It’ll go on sale down under on June 4, and will retail for AUD$449 (USD$350). There’s no word on whether this will be…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 25, 2009 -
Yanks Gate Crashing Canada’s 1 vs. 100 Beta
Deux-deux-deuxs and Cuban cigars are joined by the 1 vs. 100 closed beta on the list of semi-forbidden indulgences Americans are sneaking from across the great northern border. Virtually of course. Update: The Canadian Beta closed tonight, rendering some of this moot. Sorry about that. Kotaku reader Tai Youkai Sama figured out how to do…
By Owen Good Published May 24, 2009 -
Big News Bound For E3
This year, the first week of June belongs to video gaming. Over the course of four days every major video game developer and publisher in the world will gather in Los Angeles at the E3 Expo to talk about the future of gaming and battle to win over new fans. “The purpose of this show…
By Brian Crecente Published May 22, 2009 -
Explore Strategic Options In Halo Wars Today
Players looking to add a little more meat to their Halo Wars experience need look no further than Xbox Live Marketplace, where the Strategic options downloadable content is now available for purchase. Announced last month, the Strategic Options pack introduces three new single and multiplayer skirmish game types to help players play out the war…
By Mike Fahey Published May 19, 2009 -
Xbox Live Arcade This Week: Gel and Blazing Birds
It’s obscure game week on Xbox Live Arcade, with Wednesday seeing the release of Gastronaut Studio’s Gel: Set & Match and Vector 2 Games’ Blazing Birds. Gel: Set & Match is a puzzle game which features multicolored blocks that melt as you match them together, with an Action mode that adds a little side-scrolling to…
By Mike Fahey Published May 18, 2009 -
Cheater Gamercards Will Be Marked
Cheating is bad! Microsoft wants you to know it’s dead serious about discouraging users from doing underhanded things to beef up their Gamerscore. According to Xbox Live Policy and Enforcement enforcer Stephen Toulouse, Microsoft isn’t only resetting the Gamerscores of cheaters to zero, but also marking their Gamercards as cheaters. He explains, “It also puts…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 18, 2009 -
J Allard Working On Motion-Controlled “Magic Wand” For Microsoft?
It never rains J. It pours. Fresh from his honorary nod at Boston University, Dr. Allard has now been spotted as one of the inventors of a revolutionary new Microsoft “magic wand”. In a patent that surfaced last week (but was submitted in 2007), J Allard is listed as one of five inventors on an…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 18, 2009 -
Is Microsoft Working on an Answer to the DS, PSP, iPhone?
Team Xbox is reporting that Microsoft is in the final design stages of a new digital entertainment handheld, one that would feature Live Anywhere and blur the lines between the Xbox 360 and Zune. Reached for comment today, Microsoft reiterated that they have been saying since January that they will have new hardware and software…
By Brian Crecente Published May 15, 2009 -
Xbox 360 Gets Crackdown Theme
If your Xbox 360 is looking a little drab – and you’re not adverse to spending money on tarting it up – then hey, this new Crackdown theme might be just the thing you’re into. It’ll be available for download tomorrow, and will cost you 240 MS Points (USD$3). A ridiculous price for a theme,…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 15, 2009 -
Microsoft Responds To April NPD Sales, Seems Pleased
April 2009 was down on April 2008, across the board. Cause for concern, yes? Not if you’re Microsoft, who are just pumped at the Xbox 360‘s “rate of growth” and “resilience”. The 175,000 Xbox 360s sold in April represents a drop of 7% from this time last year, leaving the company to try and focus…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 15, 2009 -
Some New Games For The 360’s Platinum Range
Microsoft today got around to officially announcing the 360’s redesigned “Platinum Hits” range, which we first saw a month ago. To kick things off, they also announced eight “new” games for the range. We say “new” because, well, not all of them are new to the Platinum Hits series. Indeed, most of the eight highlighted…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 14, 2009 -
Be Like Mike With New Xbox LIVE Avatar Shoes
Microsoft has released new shoes for your Avatar — and as usual they’re free. Besides the Air Jordan knock-offs, there are: Flip flops, socks and sandals, 1970s leather platforms, sunny day sandals and white 1960s go-go boots. Hrm, Jordan knock-offs or white socks with sandals. Choosing is hard. New shoes are now available for your…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 13, 2009 -
Alan Wake Shows Signs of Life
Finnish developer Remedy began work on psychological thriller Alan Wake in 2005. It’s 2009, and some are starting to peg the title as vaporware. A new announcement indicates otherwise. Remedy has joined forces with Imagination Studios, who is supplying the Finnish dev with “motion-capture and animations” to enhance Alan Wake. Remedy exec Lasse Seppänen stated,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 13, 2009 -
Wall Street Journal Backs Xbox 360 Motion Control Camera Rumor
Microsoft is heavily rumored to not only be working on a motion control-enabled camera accessory for the Xbox 360, but to reveal said add-on at this year’s E3. That rumor has started to gain traction. The Wall Street Journal writes today that, yes, Microsoft is prepping the oft-rumored, spy-photographed camera add-on that was allegedly revealed…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 12, 2009 -
See The Future Right Now
Well… Some of it! Microsoft has released screens of the just out Fable II: See The Future DLC. There are new items, new dudes and new clothes. New dog skins, too! Ready to give you a big, sloppy kiss tomorrow with “See The Future” is released on XBLA.
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 11, 2009 -
Another Rushmore — Console Only
About a month back everyone argued the concept of a theoretical gaming Mt. Rushmore. A man who ran a store in Battle Creek, Mich., soon wrote me to say he’d commissioned just such a work. NewAge Arcade (a gaming store, but no longer operational) had this mural, depicting four characters singularly identifiable with each of…
By Owen Good Published May 10, 2009