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Microsoft Settles Its $90 Million Halo Suit
Someone at sue-happy company PalTalk just got paid. Microsoft has settled with the company that filed suit against the Xbox 360 maker over patent infringement claims related to Halo multiplayer. Make it rain, PalTalk! PalTalk hit Microsoft with a suit over a pair of patents in 2006, claiming that the multiplayer tech that powered some…
By Michael McWhertor Published March 13, 2009 -
Here’s Your New Gears Of War 2 Map Pack (And Experience System!)
Epic Games have announced two big changes on the way for Gears of War 2. One is a title update aimed at addressing complaints users have had about experience.The other? Four new multiplayer maps. The title update – due on March 24 – is geared at making player’s progression up the ranks more transparent. The…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 13, 2009 -
Somebody Finally Made a 360 You Can Smoke Out Of
There it is. Somebody made a bong out of an Xbox 360. Not a PSP, not a DS, not a Wii, but a great, hulking 360. Let’s ignore the potential criminality of such a device and focus instead on the engineering. Something like this can’t have been easy. No, it’s taken planning, foresight, and a…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 12, 2009 -
Is Xbox LIVE Is Down For You?
At approximately 9:20pm Pacific Daylight Time, folks on the Bungie.net forums began reporting that it was hard to get matches in Halo 3. Instead of finding players, it would just restart the search. Pictured is the status message everyone seemed to be getting. Whatever the problem is, it seems to have spread to LIVE (or…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 12, 2009 -
Two-Year-Old Girl Offered For Sale Over Xbox Live
Over the weekend, pranksters spammed Xbox Live users with a message advertising the sale of 23 year-old Christa Manos’ baby girl. The message included her phone number. Manos is not impressed. She was soon fielding angry, abusive phone calls from parents across the United States, some berating her for being a terrible parent, others content…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 11, 2009 -
360 Avatars Go A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Western
It’s OK, Americans. Those European football shirts weren’t your thing. This, then, is your thing, a new “Western Wear” collection of avatar clothing that’ll have you reaching for an official Microsoft-branded six-shooter. Least, we wish it did. Something Deadwood would have been nice. Some big moustaches, gun belts, maybe a poncho or two. Maybe Lee…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 11, 2009 -
Microsoft Sued For $90 Million Over Halo Patent Infringement Claim
New York based PalTalk Holdings filed suit against Microsoft over two years ago, claiming that the company violated two patents with its Xbox Live service, singling out the multiplayer infrastructure of its Halo games. PalTalk wants $90 million from Microsoft, a case which went to trial in Texas this week, according to a report from…
By Michael McWhertor Published March 10, 2009 -
Xbox Live Arcade File Restrictions Just Don’t Matter Anymore
Once was a time Microsoft were very stingy with how big a game downloaded from Xbox Live Arcade could be. These days, though? Don’t worry about it, publishers, knock yourselves out. Old-timers on the 360 front will remember a time that Xbox Live Arcade games had to come in under 50MB. That 50MB was then…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 9, 2009 -
Ensemble Says Goodbye With Halo Wars Concept Art
Now that Halo Wars is out the door and Ensemble Studios has gone the way of the dinosaur, former employees of the developer have seen fit to release some of the game’s lovely concept art. There’s some spectacular stuff here, worthy of desktop wallpapering, visual inspiration for many of the game’s gorgeous cut scenes. Perhaps…
By Michael McWhertor Published March 8, 2009 -
Rumor: Xbox 360 Elite To Become Xbox 360 Extinct
Microsoft may be putting the Xbox 360 Elite out to pasture, letting stock of its high-end version of the console slowly deplete, saving the hardware configuration for limited edition releases only. According to Fudzilla, citing retail sources, Microsoft may be making the decision to whittle down its hardware lineup to accommodate retailer concerns and as…
By Michael McWhertor Published March 6, 2009 -
Dubai Airport Getting Microsoft E-Zone
The Dubai bubble might have burst, but don’t tell Microsoft. The company is rolling out an Xbox 360 corner of Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 3 Emirates Business Lounge. The new “e-zone” is slated to get a custom Xbox 360 racing simulator — along with Microsoft Surface. At least business execs have something to amuse themselves…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 6, 2009 -
Xbox Live Ushering In Weeks Of “Days Of Arcade”
Microsoft is kicking off the sequel to its Xbox Live Summer of Arcade, ushering in a batch of long-promised XBLA titles starting March 18. First up? Hasbro Family Game Night. Boom goes the dynamite! Alright, that may not get many of you as psyched as the impending release of Outrun Online Arcade or Lode Runner,…
By Michael McWhertor Published March 5, 2009 -
Microsoft: 75% Of Parents Think Gaming Is Beneficial
Microsoft’s second annual Play Smart, Play Safe campaign survey results are in, with UK parents overwhelmingly agreeing that video games have a beneficial effect on their children and families. Microsoft’s Play Smart, Play Safe study polled children and parents in the UK on different aspects of the parent/child gaming experience. While the poll did reveal…
By Mike Fahey Published March 5, 2009 -
The New Xbox Experience Will Soon Be Mandatory
Most people are more than happy with the improvements the New Xbox Experience brought to the Xbox 360‘s user interface. Those unhappy, well, tough: it’s about to become compulsory. Up til now, those who didn’t like the looks of the NXE could, in theory, keep their consoles off Xbox Live and keep rockin’ the blades…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 4, 2009 -
Why Did Only Xbox 360 Resident Evil 5 Go On Sale First?
The above picture was taken at major Japanese retailer Bic Camera on March 4. Resident Evil 5 does not go on sale on March 4 in Japan, but on March 5. While street dates are commonly broken in North America or places like Dubai, it much less common in Japan. What is bothering some Japanese…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 4, 2009 -
Xbox Live Gold Membership Price Dropped (Temporarily)
Price conscious tipsters have been asking us “Did Microsoft just drop the annual fee for Xbox Live Gold membership?” Despite cheaper subscription rates showing on Xbox.com, Microsoft says the drop is “for a limited time.” “We are currently running a promotion in-dash that gives Silver members a special opportunity to upgrade to the full benefits…
By Michael McWhertor Published March 4, 2009 -
Batman: Arkham Asylum Does Games For Windows Live
The official Games For Windows website proudly announces that the PC version of Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham Asylum will be a Games for Windows Live title. This means Games for Windows Live players of Batman: Arkham Asylum will be able to earn Gamerscore points by unlocking achievements, and really that’s about it. There’s Live connectivity, but…
By Mike Fahey Published March 4, 2009 -
Netflix Outside Of The US? Yeah, Probably Not…
Is Netflix on 360 any good? Not being American, I wouldn’t know! One day, though, I’d like to see the service offered outside of North America. But that doesn’t sound likely. In an interview with Eurogamer, Xbox UK boss Neil Thompson has said: Netflix is a great deal in the US, and we’re looking at…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 4, 2009 -
Have Microsoft Stopped Sending Out Boxes For 360 Repairs?
It’s been standard practice for a while now that, if your 360 broke, Microsoft would send you a box, so you could send your console back in. But a Consumerist report today claims otherwise. They cite the story of reader Zach, who says: My Xbox red-ringed for the second time this weekend. Which is almost…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 3, 2009 -
Msoft: I Doubt We’ve Seen the Last of Master Chief
Speaking to USA Today, Halo franchise development director Frank O’Connor hints that we may have more Master Chief in store for us in the future. “I doubt we have seen the last of Master Chief,” O’Connor told the paper. The bulk of the article is about upcoming Halo 3: ODST, which O’Connor says is significantly…
By Brian Crecente Published March 3, 2009