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It might be one of the best-selling consoles on this side of the globe, but the Japanese have had different opinions
since day one. It seems those opinions are holding strong.
According to
Punch Jump, the Xbox 360 is still hanging out in the No. 6 position in Japan, falling behind most other gaming machines, handhelds, too, in the country.
Average sales for the console on a weekly basis there fall in between 2,000 and 3,000. Software ranking is also sluggish, but that makes sense with the console's popularity or lack thereof.
Still, there's a silver lining in the cloud. Amazon Japan's video game division has Forza Motorsport 2 and another 360 title on its Top 20 list.
Will they be enough to get the console some attention?
Probably not enough. With the Wii and the PlayStation 3 both trouncing the 360 on weekly sales, a pull out of the figures seems unlikely.
Still, it's doubtful Microsoft ever bet the farm on winning Japanese gamers over.
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There's only a short few weeks left to go before Forza Motorsport 2 speeds on to the Xbox 360. To say there's been a lot of buzz leading up to this release is an understatment.
The highly anticipated game is the subject of many interviews, specs layouts and even has its own
Wikipedia entry. It's available for preorder in a number of locations.
Amazon.com is offering a 9 percent discount on the $59.99 sticker price from Turn 10 and Microsoft Game Studios. Amazon also is offering a Nissan Fairlady Z for download to those who preorder.
The updated version of Forza runs at 60 frames per second, allows for a 360 degree view of a car with networked screens and features cars that can be fully customizable. The title supports split-screen and system link and can be played by up to eight people via Xbox Live.
Racing enthusiasts wanting to learn more about the title will find there's no shortage of information out.
TeamXbox has a great rundown on the cars of Forza 2, complete will full driving specs.
CVG has a prerelease interview with Dan Greenawalt, the game's director, on its site. Greenawalt took the time to answer questions about the title in general, its features and the new decal system, among other things.
The game releases May 29 for the Xbox 360. It's later than
many of us thought it would be last year, but the wait sounds like it will be well worth it.
That day's already marked on the calendar in my house. It's a must have.
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Disney Interactive Studios is celebrating the 25th anniversay of "Tron" the movie with a with a re-release of the classic games on Xbox Live Arcade. Both Tron the game and Discs of Tron will be out this summer.
"The 'Tron' film has captured the imaginations of video game players and film fans for generations with its ground-breaking visuals and action-filled story," said Craig Relyea, vice president of marketing, Disney Interactive Studios, in a media release. "The classic arcade games Tron and Discs of Tron are returning this summer through Xbox LIVE Arcade with new features and options for the film's 25th anniversary."
The games include the original versions and also newly enhanced ones, as well. The updated versions include enhanced graphics and audio. There will be four online modes.
There's no word on when exactly these will arrive on Xbox Live, but they will certainly deliver one heck of a blast from the past when they do.
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Just nine months after its official release, THQ's Saints Row has been named an Xbox 360 Platinum Hits title.
Players of the game take on the role of a 3rd Street Saints gang member. Living under threat from rival gangs and corrupt officials, the mission is to conquer Stilwater a district at a time.
The title allows players to customize their character and vehicles. The open-world genre title can support up to 12 players on Xbox Live.
As a Platinum Hits title, Saints Row will retail for $29.99. Considering it's only nine months after its initial release, I can't quite figure out if this is actually good news for the title or not, but at least it's good for gamers that want to check it out for less of an investment.
The folks at THQ don't sound too upset though.
"Achieving Platinum Hits status in just nine months is a tribute to Volition's talented development team, and we look forward to leveraging their proprietary open-world engine to continue pushing the genre forward," said Bob Aniello, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, THQ, in a
media release.Related:
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If the presales for the Xbox 360 Elite are any indication, Microsoft might have a serious seller on its hands. Although its name sake is only the second bestselling next-gen console, this bigger and better version is kicking up some real interest.
Punch Jump is reporting the Elite, which features a 120GB hard drive and HDMI, has sold out on preorders via Amazon.com.
The preorders have put the Elite in the "No. 5 position in the best-selling products for Amazon's Computer & Video Games division on Thursday."
While that's not necessarily the No. 1 spot, it does look as if the Elite is garnering some serious attention. With the PS3 still floundering and the upcoming release of Halo 3 drawing closer (we all hope), the Elite might bring only good things to Microsoft.
The new console releases April 29.
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Labels: microsoft, ps3 elite, xbox 360, xbox 360 elite, xbox elite
A while back we reported about the unusual Xbox 360 mod that gaming guru Ben
Heckendorn had managed to create. Looking sweet in an aluminum laptop case, the fully functional design was certainly a wower.
It seems Heckendorn wasn't satisfied with that version. He's been at it again. This time the laptop 360 is looking pretty in black and green with, as Heckendorn writes on his site, "60% less aluminum!”
Xbox 360 Elite, bah! Heckendorn's model might top it!
The fully functional 360 mod No. 2 seems to work in much the same way as the first, as in it is a working 360, with a keyboard built in. Honestly, it looks a whole lot more user friendly for those who like to take their 360s on the go than the actual Microsoft design.
To learn more about its creation, visit
Heckendorn's site.
Engadget has a lot of photos of the new model up, as well, along with some comments from Heckendorn.
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Microsoft has announced plans to bring the Xbox Live network to the next level. Like the folks over at CBS, Microsoft wants to have some original content to offer gamers to view over its online platform.
To achieve this, the company has rolled out a content for would be television producers to create a pilot for the network. The winner gets $100,000 budget and a chance to win a six-episode commitment for Xbox Live.
"Not only can aspiring TV producers from across the globe try their hands at creating new TV shows, but because of Xbox Live Marketplace, they can now win a chance to have more than 6 million people worldwide see their work," Bill Nielsen, senior director of Xbox Live at Microsoft, has been quoted as saying. "This is an incredible opportunity for us to participate in the festival, and we are thrilled to be able to bring community-created TV content to the Xbox community for the first time."
Entries will be accepted until June 29. The rules can be
found here.
According to
Punch Jump, Xbox Live is currently the No. 1 platform for distribution of television and movies.
This news is very interesting for online TV fans and want-to-be producers alike. More original content on the net to join the likes of
CBS's shows, such as "InTurn," come of the
cartoon series online and so on is a very good indication of what the future holds for viewer. It just keeps getting better.
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The folks over at Microsoft have a pretty good sense of humor. This Mother’s Day they’ve rolled out a contest where kids ages 13 and up can win themselves a brand new Xbox 360 Elite. They also get $100 in flowers for mom.
The idea is for kids to write an essay about their “gaming mom” that runs between 250 and 500 words. Kids are encouraged to keep the 360 and pass the flowers on to the lady who gave birth to them. Essays can be e-mailed in to xlmail@microsoft.com by May 6 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. “My Mom’s a Gamer” needs to be in the subject line along with a player’s gametag.
Here’s what they’re looking for: “We'll be evaluating the essays for creativity and originality, appeal to Xbox.com readers, and ability to effectively show respect and admiration for his/her mother/female legal guardian.”
So, where do I see the humor?
As a “gaming mom” myself, I have to wonder how many entrants would actually think they would get away with keeping the console?
I mean, we’re talking an Elite here. Come on!
If only my oldest were 13!
On the upside, Moms that want to enter a contest themselves, can get in on our P
S2 title giveaway.Related:
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Sony’s decision to discontinue the PlayStation 3 20GB version in North America doesn’t come as a huge shocker. The way it’s being spun, however, is pretty interesting.
Sony’s PR guy,
Dave Karraker, has said the $499 version will go by the wayside in favor of the $599 60GB model because that more expensive model has been preferred 10 to 1 by consumers.
Here’s, the spin: That buying trend “supports the notion that consumers are willing to pay more for advanced technology in a gaming console.”
Considering the sluggish PS3 sales overall, I’m not quite sure how they managed that particular take on the situation. But, it does stand to reason that if a gamer decides to fork over $500 for a console the extra $100 to get the better drive isn’t all that much more.
At any rate, 20GB owners will still get full PlaySttion support, which will no doubt be welcomed news to those who have purchased one.
Rumors of the 80GB version persist, but no confirmation has materialized as of yet.
It will be interesting to see how well the Xbox Elite will do now, since it will be cheaper than the cheapest PS3.
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Xbox 360 gamers that want a break from hard Halo shooting action will soon be able to take some time out to talk. Microsoft is prepared to deliver an IM service to the console.
The Windows Live Messenger software package for the 360 will be delivered with the Spring Update May 7. The new feature will enable users to chat with up to six people at the same time, using the 360 in place of a computer.
The new service will work with the 360’s virtual keyboard, or gamers can plug in a USB keyboard to make it easier. Plus,
Playfuls is reporting a new QWERTY text input device is coming this summer that will connect right to a controller to help with text and instant messaging.
Microsoft’s certainly doing its part to make certain the 360 offers a lot of the same perks as a computer, but I have to admit, I’m having a hard time picturing gamers being thrilled with IMs coming in as they fight it out online.
Maybe it’s just me?
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Halo 3 is moving into full gear with a release expected later this year, but that doesn’t mean Bungie’s giving up on giving Halo 2 fans a little love.
The company has announced the creation of two new maps – the last two they’ll do for the old game. Tombstone and Desolation are remakes of the old Halo 1 Hang ‘Em High and Derelict maps and they’re expected to come out later this month.
The folks at Bungie are calling this a “last salute to Halo 2 multiplayer as we move toward Halo 3 in the fall.”
“Lots of folks are asking us in direct terms, ‘why make maps for Halo 2, when Halo 3 is just around the corner?’ Well, because we love Halo 2 and we love our fans. They’ve continued to play Halo 2 solidly for three years, in vast numbers, and we owe them it.”
Of course they won’t be giving it away at no charge, but they are making the new maps available for both the Xbox 360 and the old Xbox.
“It was originally scheduled to be a 360 only game, but it just wasn’t going to work out. Number one, there are a lot of Xbox players out there who can’t afford a 360, or are waiting for a birthday or holiday gift – so they wouldn’t be able to play.
Worse still, we’d have to split the matchmaking playlists differently and that wouldn’t have been fair either. So in the interests of fairness and an easy life, it’s on Xbox and Xbox 360.”
The maps will come in at a cheap $4 and will be available April 17.
For more details, visit Bungie’s
official site.
While it’s great to see Bungie give Halo 2 a little more love before it’s pushed aside for Halo 3, it’s my guess fans would be more excited about brand new maps rather than remakes, but maybe that’s just me.
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As is sometimes the case with video game speculation, the rumors surrounding the Xbox 360 Elite have panned out as accurate. The new version of the 360 will hit North American retailers on April 29.
The new console will sell for $479 and feature a beefed up 120GB hard drive. The new 360 will also have an HDMI output port and will come with a HDMI cable and a component video cable, too.
A data transfer cable will not be included, but a data transfer cable can be purchased with a standalone $179 120GB drive that will provide for the transfer of downloads and saved games from an older 360 to a the new hard drive.
A full comparision of the three 360 systems is available on Yahoo to help potential buyers decide which works best for them.
Meanwhile,
speculation is starting to mount about Sony’s plans to
upgrade its PlayStation 3. A new 80GB is being rumored, based on a patent application filed by the company. Sony has yet to confirm this, but it’s lashing back at the Elite’s lack of high-def playback built in considering its pricing.
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Sony’s PlayStation 3 has broken sales records in the UK to become that country’s fastest-selling next-gen console.
According to Pocket-Lint, 165,000 consoles were purchased in the two days after the console’s launch. These numbers put it ahead of the Xbox 360 and the Wii. They note, however, that does not beat the PlayStation Portable.
The Wii might have beaten the PS3 figures, but Nintendo only had 105,000 consoles available for launch weekend.
Interesting to note here is the fact the PS3 broke records, but it didn’t sell out. If Sony delivered the 220,000 consoles it promised, about 55,000 were still without homes.
Meanwhile, Sony is playing third fiddle in sales elsewhere.
The Wii topped both the PS3 and the 360 in February. Wii sold 335,000 unit. The 360 came in with 228,000 and the PS3 trailed with 127,000.
As Newsweek’s
N’Gai Croal has been quoted as saying, the performance “is simply abysmal. The PS3 is sucking wind right now. ... Price is a factor. Some of the negative buzz is a factor. Some of the FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) is a factor. And the lack of a large number of triple-A software titles is a factor."
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Oblivion junkies in North America don’t have to wait any longer for some extra action thanks to today’s release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles. The official Windows expansion will arrive in Europe March 30.
With more than 30 hours of new adventures, the expansion is one that’s been long awaited by many fans of the rich, single-person RPG game. The additional content lets fans explore a brand new plane – the realm of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness.
In true expansion form, Shivering Isles simply adds to the content, so players can continue on with their existing characters.
“The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles features a bizarre landscape split between the two sides - Mania and Dementia - filled with vast, twisting dungeons mirroring the roots of the trees they are buried within. Players will encounter more than a dozen new creatures including hideous insects, Flesh Atronachs, skeletal Shambles, and amphibious Grummites. Throughout the adventure, players will discover all new items, ingredients, spells, and much more. Or, they can have the talented craftsmen of Crucible and Bliss forge new armor and weapons just for them,” says the
official media release.Sounds like a worthy expansion for the game that took the gaming world by storm.
There’s no official word on when an Xbox 360 version of the update will be out.
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It seems Microsoft’s not above cutting its losses and running if HD-DVD doesn’t pan out. It might even support Blu-ray with its Xbox 360 if it had to.
That bit of information comes from the mouth of Xbox UK boss Neil Thompson.
“Whatever format wins it is highly likely we will offer a solution,”
Thompson is quoted as saying. “The only debate is if you want to watch Blu-ray movies and pay the extra money for that feature. We prefer to offer the consumer choice.”
This, of course, isn’t to say the Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD battle is even close to being over. There’s still lots of time for either format to declare a victory or another one to emerge the winner. It's still my guess that downloads will be the winner in the long run, rendering actual in-hand disks a thing of the past, but I might be a few years ahead of my time.
At any rate, I have to admit, I remain rather impressed with how Microsoft has handled the 360 to date. The bells and whistles are add ons, not must haves, as is the case with Sony’s PS3. This just puts more power in the hands of consumers, which is a good thing.
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It would sure be nice to pick up a brand new Xbox 360 in a slick black case that has all kinds of bells and whistles for $479.
According to
reports in Kotaku, Game Informer magazine has confirmed the new 360 will roll out in April. The Elite edition will boast a 120 GB HDD and support HDMI. Some sites are saying the HDMI cable will be included, but an internal HD-DVD drive will not.
CVG has talked with Microsoft. They came back with this quote: “We don’t comment on rumour and speculation.”
Despite the Microsoft response, Game Informer is sticking by its story, even writing in to Kotaku to reiterate its accuracy.
With April just around the corner, it’s a hard call whether this is a joke or not, but the folks at Game Informer sound pretty firm on their stand. A new version of the 360 with more power for less than a PS3 would sure be nice.
Here’s hoping the rumors pan out. It's not uncommon for companies like Microsoft to refuse to comment on big news, only to turn around with an official press release a few weeks later.
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As Sony gears up to turn its PlayStation 3 loose on the European market this week, months after its planned debut, the question remains as to how well or how poorly the console will do in regard to sales.
With a price tag that comes in higher than the U.S. version, the delay in initial launch and the issues with backwards compatibility, it’s the easy guess that Sony will run number three in Europe, falling behind the Wii and the Xbox 360, as it has in the North American market. However, preorders for the console have been high, despite the pricing and compatibility issues.
With about 220,000 units ready for the UK for Friday, it sounds like Sony’s banking on taking Europe by storm. Indeed, even store executives are talking up the gaming console’s release.
Woolworths’
Jim Batchelor has been quoted as saying the launch “will be biggest video games console launch of all time. It will be bigger than the launch of the Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360 and the previous Playstation.”
That’s a tall order to fill, but the world will get to see for sure on Friday.
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The next-gen era has barely begun and Microsoft is already looking at what will follow.
Microsoft boss Peter Moore has let the cat out of the bag that the company is beginning to eye an Xbox 360 replacement. The target date for a release is 2012,
according to Palgn.
The news isn’t really a shocker, but what is in fact is the date. If 2012 is the target, Microsoft’s being much kinder to gamers than tech companies generally are with their planned obsolescence of products. Think of the conga line of iPods that have hit the market in short succession, one better than the other. Or, consider Microsoft’s own XP and Vista versions.
It will be interesting to see what they cook up. With five years to go, it wouldn’t be surprising if Microsoft could get the next-next-gen 360 to play games and movies while doing dishes, too.
One of the last statements out of
Sony on a PS4 had that roughly dated at 2010, but who knows what the next few years could bring.
It's all talk and rumor until the advertisements start rolling out.
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Mass Effect for the Xbox 360 doesn’t have a firm release date yet, but it’s sure looking like a winner if
screenshots and trailers can be believed.
BioWare released several new shots during the GDC and this game is just looking spectacular. Offering play for one person, Mass Effect is a space age RPG that look like it blends the fantastic storyline of games like Oblivion with the fast-action shooting of Halo.
The game has players taking on the role of Commander Shepard of the SS Normandy. It is their mission to take an elite recon squad across a galaxy to stop an enemy before it’s too late.
“To stop this enemy, you must act without remorse, without hesitation, and outside the limits of the law," instructs the game's official site. "Your only imperative is to preserve the safety of civilized life in the galaxy - at any cost. You must become the tip of the spear of humanity, for you alone know the full extent of what is at stake if you should fail.”
It sounds like Mass Effect has some very good customization features on both the main character and the RPG involved. The screen shots, as I’ve said, look amazing. If the substance matches, this could be a hard game to beat.
There’s no set date on a release, but it looks like BioWare is planning to turn it loose before the end of the year.
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Paramount Pictures and Eyespot have rolled out an online contest that will have the winner walking away with a brand new, shiny Xbox 360 and three big-name titles.
Gamers interested in winning the grand prize must also be adept at creating their own edited videos to have a chance at scoring the Xbox 360, Gears of War, Call of Duty 3 and Rainbow Six Vegas.
The SHOOTER Mix contest requires entrants to create their own trailer for the upcoming Mark Wahlberg movie. Fans can use a selection of film clips and audio to create their own trailers and Eyespot users will get to vote on the winner.
A grand prize winner and four runners up will be named. The Top 5 get “Shooter” posters signed by Wahlberg himself for their troubles.
The contest ends March 26.
The movie has Wahlberg playing the role of a former Marine sniper who is called back into duty. The action-packed “Shooter” debuts March 23.
Nods to
Team Xbox.
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Two big announcements came out of the GDC in relation to the Xbox 360’s memory capacity. The first involves a much-needed boost in storage ability. The second centers around an increase in the size of games that can be put on Xbox Live.
A 512MB memory unit for the 360 will be made available on April 3 for a price of about $50. The unit will greatly increase the capacity for storage gamers have at their fingertips right now. To sweeten the deal, Microsoft intends to preload the unit with Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved by Bizarre Creations for a limited time.
This news alone has been long awaited and will no doubt be music to Xbox 360 gamers’ ears.
But, there’s more. The Xbox Live arcade game size limit has been increased from 50MB to 150MB, which gives developers a whole lot more room to play with in creating games.
“The new size limit offers developers increased flexibility and continued opportunities for innovative game development, while also ensuring that the millions of gamers on Xbox LIVE can continue to easily access, download and play all Xbox LIVE Arcade games on Xbox 360,” Chris Early, product unit manager for Xbox LIVE Arcade and Microsoft Casual Games at Microsoft,
has been quoted as saying. “If you take a look at current games like ‘Roboblitz’ and ‘Small Arms,’ it’s clear that our developers deliver amazing game experiences within a compact size limit. Our focus is on continuing to provide developers with an environment that allows for the creation of cost-efficient games and that nurtures an artistic and creative approach to game development.”
Both moves are very good ones on the part of Microsfot. The storage capacity boost was absolutely needed and the arcade game size increase will likely result in a lot more games being developed for Live play.
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Wannabe game designers with a love for Microsoft’s XNA software might just find themselves $10,000 richer thanks to a contest announced at the Game Developer Conference.
Microsoft is rolling out its Dream Build Play contest for amateur game designers. Entrants must use the XNA software (a free version is available online) or Torque X and they must submit their creations by July 2.
The lucky winner will get an invitation to enter into an Xbox Live Arcade publishing contract, the 10 grand, an Alienware Aurora 7500 system, Windows Vista and a whole bunch of other perks, as well.
The winners of the contest will be announced during Seattle Game Fest ’07 in August.
Sounds like a great way for potential game designers to show what they’re made of. With the tools available for free, there’s nothing to lose.
Check out the contest rules
here.
Nods to
International XboxWay.
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If an interview with Microsoft's Peter Moore is any indication, the Xbox 360 might become the Wii-60 in the near future.
Moore not only makes it sound like the 360 will soon have a new, lighter lease on gaming, but he also is gracious enough to give credit where it’s due.
"From a first-party point of view, it's not just about E-rated games, it's going to be about the experience that, quite frankly, Nintendo has done a tremendous job in capturing, in bringing back fun - if you will - to the gaming platforms,”
Moore has been quoted as saying.
"But we've got a few tricks up our sleeve as well to be able to do that. It's not something that we're going to be shy about, and it's not something that we're not painfully aware of that needs to be changed by this holiday. That has been the strategy all along, and we'll be making some more announcements in the coming month or two."
CVG thinks this means a motion-sensing controller is indeed on its way. And, Moore’s comments certainly give that idea credence. "It's actually not games. It's more experiential than that. And again, since the day I saw Iwata-san pull the Nunchuk controller out from under his podium a few years ago at TGS, I've always realized that was the right thing for Nintendo ... to be successful in this next generation.”
It sounds like some great things could be on the horizon for the Xbox 360. Here’s hoping Microsoft just adds on the Wii sort of fun without losing sight of the fact it already has a console a lot of serious gamers love.
Now, if they manage to tap into the fun Wii offers while keeping the intense action titles on the drawing board and the graphics high, Microsoft will be on to something big.
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Xbox 360 gamers looking to expand their video game library without forking over a lot of cash might want to hold out until next month. Next month’s Platinum Hits additions are nothing to sneeze at.
According to
IT News Online, the North American platinum titles for release March 16 include such games as Call of Duty 2, Fight Night Round 3, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter and Top Spin 2.
The pricing on these games will fall in at $29.99, which is a heck of a lot better than the $59.99 most titles set gamers back.
The program was designed to heighten the appeal of the Xbox 360 by offering solid titles at seriously discounted prices. Jeff Bell, a Microsoft VP, has been quoted as saying, “Platinum Hits not only lets gamers enjoy a broad portfolio of titles at an amazing price, it also ensures that existing and new gamers alike can get the most from their Xbox 360 by owning a great library of blockbuster hits.”
However it’s cracked, it’s a good program for 360 gamers and one heck of a money savings. The program’s pretty darn popular, too. Since its launch last fall, the Platinum Hits titles have accounted for more than 16.3 million games sold worldwide.
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While Sony’s PlayStation 3 is being outperformed by the other two next-gen consoles in sales, the news doesn’t seem to be impacting the company all that greatly.
In fact, even as PS3 sales are sluggish, the PlayStation 2 and PSP are still enjoying rather brisk sales. This bodes well for Sony and its execs aren’t afraid to point that out.
“We are pleased with the numbers from January as they demonstrate overall sales improvements for our legacy systems year over year and continued momentum for PS3. With supply levels stabilizing, you can expect to see increased marketing for PS3 and PS2 in weekly retail circulars, which should garner strong numbers, boosted by big software launches, such as MotorStorm and Virtua Fighter 5,” Sony’s director of corporate communications, David Karraker, is
quoted as saying.
Indeed, the introduction of Virtua Fighter 5 seems to be a very big boost for the third-place next-gen console and with the European launch on the horizon, sales figures should only rise. While more PS3 titles would certainly help, too, there are moves to make this happen.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the PS3 is a great machine. When more options in games are presented, it will be a hard one to beat – even at the price. Right now, however, it isn’t the most attractive machine on the market. When it comes to options for play, the Xbox 360 wins hands down in my mind, while the Wii is a winner for its overall family fun factor and affordability.
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As Sony slowly lets the cat out of the bag about a potential movie and television download service for the PlayStation 3, things over on Xbox Live Marketplace are starting to really shape up.
The Microsoft site's entry into the
television and movie arena has really come a long way since launch, offering a fair amount of titles in both the television and the movie arenas.
The Top 10 list for Movies has some pretty good flicks listed, including “Crank,” “Superman Returns” and “See No Evil.”
On the television side, Comedy Central is a big contributor with “Stand Up” and “South Park” both in the Top 10. “CSI,” “Supernatural” and a host of other shows round out the offerings.
Microsoft’s partners in the download effort include such big-name players as WB, Paramount, NBC and Spike TV.
While this isn’t exactly “gaming news,” it is interesting to watch this service grow and round out. The downloads for both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 make the consoles more well-rounded, useable and easier to financially justify. We’ve barely used a regular DVD player since the 360 and PS3 made their way into our home.
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Virtua Fighter 5 has given the PlayStation 3 its first No. 1 title on Japanese charts, about four months after the console’s launch.
But, even as the single title is making waves, beating off a host of Wii titles for the lead position, the Nintendo console is still beating the Sony creation in overall sales.
According to CVG, the Wii dominates the console sales market with 78,550 units shifted this week. The PS3 came in second with 32, 175, while the Xbox 360 lagged way behind with 4,811.
None of the numbers are very surprising. Virtua Fighter 5 is one of the most anticipated PS3 releases, so its surge over Wii titles isn’t a shocker. The continued domination of Wii on the sales charts also doesn’t surprise. After all, the console’s the most affordable going and it’s absolutely a family pleaser.
Virtua Fighter 5 will arrive with the PS3 in Europe at launch. It’s already available in North America.
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Lost Planet: Extreme Condition fans getting tired of the same old, same old in online action don’t have to wait too much longer to get a jolt in their gameplay.
Capcom has announced it will release the first new multiplayer map March 9 via the Xbox Live Marketplace. The map will cost 400 Microsoft Points for those who are interested in battling it out on some new ground. It seems it will be the first of many the company intends to roll out to make sure the action stays fresh.
“We’re committed to bringing new content to the thriving community of Lost Planet fans,” said Charles Bellfield, vice president of marketing for Capcom, has been
quoted as saying. “The development team is steadily working on additional environments to provide players with new ways to enjoy the intense Lost Planet brand of action.”
Lost Planet is a fairly new title that’s seen some amazing success. Gamers are flocking to it because of the unique setting, the realism and the balls-to-walls action. We’ll have a full review of it coming soon, but suffice it to say, the game’s a hit in our house.
Better than Halo? You’ll have to read the review to find out!
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Sony might have a friend in Europe – a few of them in fact.
It seems the PlayStation 3 console has surpassed both the Wii and the Xbox 360 on preorders on
Play.com, an online sales site in the UK. Orders have been so brisk, in fact, the site’s exes have declared the PS3 “the most pre-ordered console yet".
According to
PS3 News, Play.com’s Gian Luzio has said the orders are six times higher than the 360 and 15 times that of the Wii.
“We have been working hard with Sony to make sure that we can deliver every pre-order on the release date. We are pleased to be able to offer our customers the service they expect from Play.com,” Luzio said.
The European launch of the PS3 is a few short weeks away and many are wondering how it will go over. After a delay and some rude comments about the European market, many (myself included) expect the reception to be brisk. If Play.com is any indication, that might not be the case.
It will be interesting to see the post launch figures when they arrive.
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The Xbox 360 has come under the gun in Britain when the BBC’s “Watchdog” program has questioned the quality of the machine.
It seems the show, which investigates consumer complaints, received about 250 of them from owners of 360s that broke down after the warranty expired.
According to
Team Xbox, the show focused in on the “ring of death” red light error.
“The Xbox 360 was a global phenomenon when it was launched in the UK in December 2005. The world's richest man and Microsoft boss Bill Gates called it the Ferrari of home entertainment. But we've had nearly 250 complaints from people who think it's more of a clapped-out old banger.
Worse still, you've been telling us that some of the problems with your faulty Xbox 360 consoles occur when the one-year warranty has run out. That means you have to fork out to get it fixed.”
It seems those
gamers were told they’d have to pay about £80 (or USD$160) to get them fixed.
Microsoft responded to the complaint, saying there is “no systemic issue.”
There is a known issue, however, with the initial batch of Xbox consoles that hit the market. An extension in the warranty was granted as a result of early complaints.
Ours went down a few weeks after purchase, but fortunately it was during the warranty period, so it was fixed rather quickly and at no charge. Our second 360 has had no similar problem (knock on wood).
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After much stalking, checking stores and calling around, my husband finally nabbed a Wii. He brought it home a few weeks ago, along with three add on titles: Billy and Mandy, Red Steel and Zelda.
If the truth be told, I resisted writing a review on the console for the last few weeks to give a fair assessment of it. There are some things that are very disappointing about the Wii. There are also some things, I’ve come to find, that are very surprising about it.
First off, the Wii is wee, very wee. It’s about the teeniest console I’ve ever seen. As an owner of both an Xbox 360 and a PlayStation 3, the diminutive size is one of the first things that struck me. It’s so tiny, it’s downright cute.
When it first came home, the games we tried playing were the three add ons listed. I have to say, as long-time gamer, the graphics aren’t hot, but Nintendo never promised they would be.
Sadly, we chose our add on titles poorly and that sort of tainted my first impressions. Billy and Mandy is kind of clunky. Red Steel’s characters look like paper cut out dolls. Zelda starts out way too slow for my taste.
I was really disappointed. I have to admit I felt like we’d taken about $500 and lit it on fire. The 7-year-old didn’t even seem to enjoy playing much.
If I’d written a review on that day, it would be very different than what I’m about to say.
The truth is what we should have done was instantly start playing Wii Sports. As soon as we popped in this title, all the beauty of the Wii came to light. The remote really shines with this game and the entire experience is just down right fun. (Note: it is VITAL to move furniture back and use the tether. I can now speak to this personally!)
While it’s true Nintendo put affordability and fun over graphics as its priority, it works well in this title. The visuals on Wii Sports are nothing to write home about, but the playability is.
Here’s what really makes the console special – everyone in the family likes it. This is the first game we’ve come across that the 7-year-old has as much fun playing as we do. She’s even managed to school us in bowling a few times.
Since having the console, we’ve had a few impromptu Wii Sports parties. Everyone has raved about the Wii. A roomful of hardcore Halo gamers had as much fun playing as my mother-in-law did. Go figure!
Wii Sports might just be to the 2000s what the family board game was to past generations.
The Wii might not have the power of the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360, but it has something that’s all it’s own. When a title that was made with all its features in mind is played, the Wii is simply a blast. It’s a social console. There’s no eye candy. There’s no bells and whistles, really. What there is, however, is magic in a box. Three generations coming together to play a video game and actually enjoying it. I’d say that’s pretty magical.
As more Wii-designed titles come online, I’m expecting some pretty big things out of the wee Wii.
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