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One-Inch Xbox Is, Yes, Slim
While the world waits impatiently for a PS3 Slim, this modder has gone ahead (well…backwards) and created an Xbox that’s even slimmer. The guy’s name is Bandit5317, and his Xbox is one-inch wide, losing the clunky disc drive and replacing it with a 320GB HDD. It’s like the Xbox of the past and the Xbox…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 17, 2009 -
So, What Was The World’s Very First Gamertag?
While there are millions and millions (and millions!) of gamertags out there now, in the beginning, there was but one. The alpha, the creator, Xbox Live’s Adam, before he lost a rib. So, who was it? As part of a little Q&A about the new Xbox dashboard, Microsoft’s Larry Hryb has disclosed that the very…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 12, 2009 -
Xbox Live To Span Mobiles, Web “And Beyond”
Got a long memory? Long enough to remember Xbox’s “Live Anywhere” concept? Then you may be shocked to find Microsoft are still hiring people to go implement it. A Microsoft job posting, noticed by Ars Technica, is looking for a “LIVE Community Director”, who would be asked to… …manage [Microsoft’s] LIVE community strategy and execution…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 12, 2009 -
Assassin’s Creed II More Vicious, Less Predictable Than Predecessor
This fall’s Assassin’s Creed hero isn’t just a better killer than his predecessor. He lives in a world in which he can swim, the sun sets and thieves can become allies, the game’s executive producer, Jade Raymond, showed Kotaku yesterday. During a demo of the game in New York played on the PlayStation 3 E3…
By Stephen Totilo Published July 30, 2009 -
Microsoft Patents Drop-In Co-Op In Shooters
Last week, the United States Patent and Trademark Office assigned the maker of the Xbox 360 and publisher of Gears of War the feature to offer seamless switching from solo to co-op gaming in squad-based shooters. The patent, #7,559,834 was invented by James York of Austin, Texas and filed back in the original Xbox era…
By Stephen Totilo Published July 20, 2009 -
Ten Years Ago: “Halo is the Name of This Game.”
In 1999, Bungie was probably the best-known studio developing specifically for Macintosh, having delivered titles like Marathon, Myth, and Pathways Into Darkness. At Macworld 1999, Steve Jobs introduced the studio’s next big Mac exclusive: Halo. Within a year, Bungie would be bought out by Microsoft and Halo would become a launch title that, more than…
By Owen Good Published July 19, 2009 -
Tecmo Koei: Xbox 360 Is Doing “Well” In Japan
Remember when the Xbox 360 launched in Japan? Boy, that was embarrassing! Microsoft has turned things around of late and found a small degree of success in the region. “Xbox 360 as a business is doing better than the old Xbox,” Tecmo Koei boss Kenji Matsubara tells game site Kikizo. “They have a good opportunity…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2009 -
Band Of Bugs Thrusts Your Avatar Into Battle
Be a part of an elite insectoid military force next week, when NinjaBee introduces Xbox 360 avatar support for strategy title Band of Bugs, along with an entirely new game released as DLC. Developer NinjaBee delivered one of the earliest avatar-supporting Xbox Live Arcade titles in A Kingdom for Keflings, and now they’re putting your…
By Mike Fahey Published July 1, 2009 -
In Defense Of The Classic Controller
By Leigh Alexander. At the E3 debut of Project Natal, Microsoft’s Don Mattrick called the controllers we’ve known and loved “a barrier separating video game players from everyone else.” Wait. Isn’t that the point? Should video game controllers really disappear? We’ve heard a million times about how the cultural presence of games is growing exponentially…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 29, 2009 -
Rock Band Next Week: More Foreigner, More Warped Tour
Issue number 16 of the Official Rock Band Zine has hit fans’ inboxes today, bringing with it news of three more Foreigner songs and another bunch of Warped Tour songs hitting the store next week. Following up on last week’s Warped Tour song pack comes Vans Warped Tour 3-Pack, adding Dear and the Headlights’ “Sweet…
By Mike Fahey Published June 25, 2009 -
This Week In Live Arcade: Garou Marks And Droplitz
Puzzles and punches come to Xbox Live Arcade this week, with the release of SNK’s beloved fighter Garou: Mark of the Wolves, and Atlus’ Xbox Live Arcade debut, Droplitz. One of the best Dreamcast releases comes to the North American Xbox Live Arcade this week in Garou: Mark of the Wolves. The latest title in…
By Mike Fahey Published June 22, 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 -
Space Invaders Extreme Gets A Bit More Extreme Tomorrow
More levels, more bosses, more enemies, and two classic arcade emulators add even more extreme to Space Invaders Extreme as new DLC for the Xbox Live Arcade version drops from the sky tomorrow. A total of three new stages are being added to Space Invaders Extreme with tomorrow’s new downloadable content, along with the requisite…
By Mike Fahey Published June 16, 2009 -
Sam & Max Save The World Next Week
Telltale Games is releasing the first season of Sam & Max on Xbox Live June 17 as Sam & Max Save the World. The six-episode collection of Sam & Max’s 2006/2007 adventures features Achievements, tweaked gameplay controls and HD graphic support. The compilation used to be called Sam & Max: Season One, but I guess…
By AJ Glasser Published June 11, 2009 -
Microsoft Makes You The Motion Controller With Project Natal
Microsoft’s new motion controller is a camera, that uses object, movement, and voice recognition to deliver a new kind of immersive gaming experience. It may look a bit like a Wii sensor bar, but it’s something altogether different. Project Natal, as Microsoft is calling it at their 2009 E3 press conference, is a camera and…
By Mike Fahey Published June 1, 2009 -
Last.FM Coming To Xbox Live
Microsoft and Last.FM are making sweet, sweet music on the Xbox 360 this year, with the music listening and discovery service available free to Xbox Live Gold members. A relative surprise delivered as part of Microsoft’s 2009 E3 press conference, popular music community service Last. FM will be available as a free download for Xbox…
By Mike Fahey Published June 1, 2009 -
How To Use Your 3G Phone To Connect To Xbox Live
If your house loses internet, or you’re taking your 360 on the road, connecting to Xbox Live can be a hassle. Oh, unless you have a 3G phone and follow this handy guide! It’ll show you how to configure your phone, a laptop and your 360, then use them to commandeer an AT&T 3G signal…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 26, 2009 -
Secret Of Monkey Island Special Edition Sails To 360?
Both a mysteriously disappearing German rating and sources close to Adventure Gamers seem to indicate that a special edition of The Secret of Monkey Island is on its way to the Xbox 360. We first caught wind of this via GamerBytes, who managed to snag a picture of the German listing before it was removed…
By Mike Fahey Published May 20, 2009 -
Game Controllers That Clean Your Filthy Hands
You know those shaped soaps at your mother’s house that no one is allowed to actually use? Here’s our version, courtesy of Etsy seller Digitalsoaps. Digitalsoaps offers our favorite video game weapons, lovingly recreated in the form of scented soap products. Take the green Xbox 360 controller above. Scented with Mountain Dew, it’s the most…
By Mike Fahey Published May 4, 2009