« Igniq.com Gaming News - Bookmark this site Advertisements  A new program is set to launch on the 15th of September that will let gamers create their very own First-Person Shooter. The FPS Creator from The Game Creators lets gamers create their own Half-Life 2 or DOOM 3-style game with a 3D editor tool that doesn't require any programming knowledge. Using a drag & drop interface, walls and structures of the game environment can be clicked together, and then populated with a range of 62 different enemies. A selection of sound and lighting effects is also included to spruce up the atmosphere, and gamers will be able to put a personal stamp on their creations by importing their own music, sounds and graphics. Even better, the games created by users can be sold for profit with The Game Creators blessing, or simply burned onto a CD and passed around to friends. The program has been in development for over three years and will cost £29.99 (about €44, $55). For more info, check out the official site here. Related: Video of FPS Creator (Flash) The Game Creators Discussion >>  At least three major game companies have announced efforts to help victims of the horrific Hurricane Katrina disaster.SOE are emphasising the tragedy to the vast EverQuest II userbase by including a new /donate command in the game that sends players to the American Red Cross Hurricane 2005 relief page. SOE also plan to suspend billing for the 13,000+ EQII players who live in the affected areas until they can play again, and game items that decay over time will be preserved until the players can log in again. The plight of the victims is also being highlighted by Bungie, who have called on the "Bungie Underground Army" to show their support by donating to the Red Cross. Staff members at Electronic Arts have also been doing their part by donating out of their own pockets, with the company matching those contributions by a ratio of 2:1. If you would like to help, the American Red Cross are calling for volunteers who live in the area, or for cash donations that will be used to provide food, shelter, counselling and other assistance. Visit the American Red Cross website here. Discussion >>  John Tyler has passed on an interesting story about a number of scientific tests that show gaming can be good for exercising the mind similar to the way physical exertion exercises the body.New research has been carried out at the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, that tested whether surgeons performing laparoscopic surgery were better at their jobs if they also enjoyed playing video games. Laparoscopic or keyhole surgery is similar to gaming in that a joystick or other kind of controller is used to control a fiber-optic camera inserted within the patient's body, and the results suggest that an interest in gaming is a definite advantage: “The results were really astounding,” he says. “First of all, if you played video game [at any time] in the past, it was found that you were significantly faster and, more importantly, you created fewer errors than people who had no previous video game experience. Then when we looked at whether you were a current video gamer, we found that if you played video games currently, you were over 30 percent better — faster, and created fewer errors — than someone who did not play video games at all.” Another test by a psychology professor at the University of St. Louis found that gamers were faster and more efficient when asked to search for a specific object displayed among similar objects projected on a computer screen.Alas though, all this research doesn't mean staying up all night playing World of Warcraft will turn you into a genius: The mental improvement from video games is clearly there. However, [Butch Rosser, director of minimally invasive surgery at Beth Israel] does point out that surgeons perform better with just three hours of video game play per week. Rosser goes on to say to kids “That Butch Rosser would not be here in this capacity if he played video games and did not have good grades, did not develop perseverance. And I would say to that child out there that thinks that they got a free pass to play video games carte blanche, I say ‘Nooo, sadly mistaken.” Games for Health Conference Coming September Study finds no link between video games and aggression EA Announce "Teaching With Games" Study Online gaming, the true addiction PS2 Used To Combat Obesity Discussion >>  Vivendi Universal Games have announced that the "Director's Edition" of creepy first person shooter F.E.A.R. is set for release in October, but unfortunately only in North America. No price has been announced for the special edition as of yet, but Vivendi say pre-ordering the game at selected, unnamed, retailers will save $5 off the suggested retail price when the game is released. The extras included on the DVD:
Related: F.E.A.R. to sport Director's Cut Edition (16 August) F.E.A.R. Demo Reviewed View the specs WhatisFear.com F.E.A.R. Beta Slots Up For Grabs F.E.A.R. among CNN's six games to watch this Christmas Discussion >>  We know Microsoft plan to release the Xbox 360 worldwide "this holiday season", but the company have yet to give us a specific date.Now it seems retailers in the U.S have narrowed things down a bit. Three separate retail chains have independently said the console could launch as late as the 25th of November. The 25th, the day after Thanksgiving, is later than Microsoft would like, but apparently the company want to give games developers enough time to finish work on the launch titles. Read more on Engadget Related: Got $2000? Check Out the Xbox 360 Omega Bundle Xbox 360 Live Pricing Details Leaked? Handy Condensed Xbox 360 Reference List Microsoft Eyeing a Times Square Xbox 360 Store? Xbox 360 Mountain Dew Giveaway Underway Xbox 360 Pried Apart by Modders Preorder your Xbox 360, only $700 Allard faces fans in Xbox 360 showdown Xbox 360 Launch Date, Price May Rise to Match PS3 MS: PS3 Won't be Affordable in Normal Households Discussion >>  Meqon, the Swedish company providing the physics engine for Duke Nukem Forever, has been snapped up by AGEIA, which plans to incorporate the technology into the SDK for their PhysX Processor.AGEIA have a number of high-profile partners using PhysX, including Epic Games, UbiSoft and Sony, who recently announced that PhysX will be integrated into the Playstation 3. The inclusion of Meqon in PhysX is sure to be good news for developers in general, but 3D Realms' George Broussard is not too happy about having to switch to a new SDK at this stage of the development of Duke Nukem Forever: We're just now hearing about this, too. On the surface I'm not too happy about it as we were getting to a very very stable point with our physics and nearing a point of being tech complete, and just working on polish. AGEIA.com Meqon.com Downloadable Meqon Demos Official site for Duke Nukem Forever Meqon announce 1.5 upgrade to physics system (12 July) Duke Nukem Forever, George Broussard speaks out Duke Nukem Forever Physics Pass HL2 Discussion >>  To further enforce the idea of the Playstation 3 as an "entertainment supercomputer", Sony have revealed the console will feature 6 USB slots, and will support a keyboard and mouse.Microsoft's Chris Satchell recently revealed that the rival Xbox 360 would allow a keyboard to be plugged in, but only for the purpose of text-input, controlling a game with it won't be possible. Not so the PS3; a representative has told The Inquirer that gamers will be able to control games like Unreal Tournament 2007 with a mouse and keyboard: The company representative added that you will be able to play games such as Unreal Tournament 2007 with the keyboard and the mouse. This can mean the end of the auto aiming that you now have on Playstation 2, but I guess that developers will need to make the game fit the controller and keyboard and mouse. The company also revealed that the console will feature support for up to seven Bluetooth 2.0 wireless controllers, and the PSP will be able to act as a remote control.Playstation 3 supports mouse and keyboard Related: Ken Kutaragi: PS3 An "Entertainment Supercomputer" (25 May) PS3 Not a Toy, But a Linux Supercomputer (14 June) Sony: Multiple PS3 Versions "Unlikely" Sony Dismiss Nintendo DS as a "Gimmick" Next-gen DVD talks collapse Sony: No PS2 Price-Cut Before Christmas Will Xbox 360 fail in Japan? Xbox 360 Launch Date, Price May Rise to Match PS3 MS: PS3 Won't be Affordable in Normal Households Discussion >>  If the Xbox 360 Premium Edition is just not pricey enough for your tastes, Gamestop are advertising the Xbox 360 "Omega" Bundle that will set you back almost $2,000.Described as "not for the faint of heart", the Omega includes the Premium Edition of the console with 3 wireless controllers, a host of extra peripherals, 20 games and much more. That might be slightly overkill for most, so Gamestop are offering some other cheaper (but still pretty steep) bundles that start at $699.91. Xbox 360 Omega Bundle via Joystiq Related: Sony: Multiple PS3 Versions "Unlikely" Xbox 360 Live Pricing Details Leaked? Handy Condensed Xbox 360 Reference List Microsoft Eyeing a Times Square Xbox 360 Store? Xbox 360 Launch Date, Price May Rise to Match PS3 MS: PS3 Won't be Affordable in Normal Households Discussion >>  A new site, registered to Microsoft, has started speculation that we may see another alternate reality game in the mould of OurColony for the Xbox 360 or ILoveBees for Halo 2. Opening OrigenXbox360.com presents you with an image of an apple tree, and a strange rabbit-shape beside a hole in the ground. In the background, a light grey timer counts down to the 27th of September, exactly a week before the European X05 event for the Xbox 360 is due to kick off. Viewing the source code of the page throws up an URL to a teaser image that doesn't give much away; it's exactly the same view as the site, except the timer has reached zero and another rabbit has made an appearance. Members of Unfiction.com have been investigating the new site, trying to unravel its significance. Check out the latest discussion here. Related: OurColony.net Kicks Off Alternate Reality Game for Xbox 2 (7 April) I Love Bees Ends - DVD Edition Available (12 Nov '04) Xbox 360 Live Pricing Details Leaked? Handy Condensed Xbox 360 Reference List Microsoft Eyeing a Times Square Xbox 360 Store? Xbox 360 Mountain Dew Giveaway Underway Xbox 360 Pried Apart by Modders Discussion >>  Sony's Phil Harrison has poured criticism on the Microsoft plan of releasing two versions of the Xbox 360, saying the plan will probably just cause confusion among customers as to what system they should buy.When asked if Sony might release more than one version of the PS3, Harrison said it was "unlikely". To make the company's plan slightly less clear however, Harrison went on to say that different variants of Playstation have been successful in the past:
Sony Dismiss Nintendo DS as a "Gimmick" Next-gen DVD talks collapse Sony: No PS2 Price-Cut Before Christmas Will Xbox 360 fail in Japan? Xbox 360 Launch Date, Price May Rise to Match PS3 MS: PS3 Won't be Affordable in Normal Households Discussion >>  Microsoft have yet to officially announce the price packages for Xbox 360 Live, but French site XboxLive.fr has posted up details that have apparently been leaked, as well as some official-looking promo images.According to the report, there are 5 different plans to choose from: 12 Month Premium Gold Pack: $69.99: 12 month Live subscription, Xbox 36 headset, $20 off an Xbox 360 game, 200 Live marketplace points and access to Billiards in Xbox Live Arcade 3 Month Premium Gold Pack: $39.99: 3 month Live subscription, headset, $10 off an Xbox 360 game, 100 marketplace points, and access to the game Joust in Xbox Live Arcade 12 Month Gold Card: $59.99: Year subscription to Xbox Live 3 Month Gold Card: $19.99 1 Month Gold Card: $7.99 View the details and images here. Via Eurogamer Related: Official Xbox 360 Peripheral & Price Listings Official Xbox 360 Pricing Scheme Handy Condensed Xbox 360 Reference List Microsoft Eyeing a Times Square Xbox 360 Store? Xbox 360 Mountain Dew Giveaway Underway Xbox 360 Pried Apart by Modders Preorder your Xbox 360, only $700 Allard faces fans in Xbox 360 showdown Xbox 360 Marketing Brochure Surfaces Elder Scrolls IV Will Require Xbox 360 HDD? A Tour of The Xbox 360 Testing Labs Discussion >>  Eurogamer have created a list of new Xbox 360 information gleaned from a lengthy interview with Microsoft's Chris Satchell and posted it up as a handy reference point.Included among the nuggets are the hard drive will definitely be essential for playing original Xbox games, and you'll be able to plug in a keyboard to the console, though this will only be for text-input - Microsoft deliberately decided that game control will not be possible with a keyboard for design reasons. Check out the list here Related: Microsoft Eyeing a Times Square Xbox 360 Store? Xbox 360 Mountain Dew Giveaway Underway Xbox 360 Pried Apart by Modders Preorder your Xbox 360, only $700 Allard faces fans in Xbox 360 showdown Xbox 360 Marketing Brochure Surfaces Elder Scrolls IV Will Require Xbox 360 HDD? A Tour of The Xbox 360 Testing Labs Xbox 360 Information and Resources Links Discussion >>  Despite Sony announcing last month that the PSP would ship across Europe with the homebrew-busting 2.0 firmware installed, reports coming in say the console actually runs version 1.52 firmware out of the box.The 2.0 update apparently isn't applied until you insert the free sampler UMD that comes with the console. Running homebrew on version 1.52 is still not possible, but Eurogamer report that a program is set to be released that lets you downgrade the firmware to 1.50, which was hacked back in June: Hoooowever, rumours abound that a clever chap with lots of time on his hands is about to release details of a technique for downgrading PSPs from 1.52 firmware to 1.50 - the magic numbers that allow for the execution of homebrew software. We will of course let you know about that when we do. Sony Announce WipeOut Pure Goodies for PAL Territories PSP Launches in Europe, U.K. Sony Dismiss Nintendo DS as a "Gimmick" Sony: Euro PSP's to Ship With Version 2.0 Firmware Windows and Linux on a PSP Even More Features Headed PSP's Way? Megadrive games on your PSP PSP Windshield Mount, a good idea? PSP Hacks and Mods List PSP Firmware 1.5 Cracked? (14 June) Discussion >>  Bungie Studios have announced the Halo Triple Pack, a $59.99 box that will include Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 and the multiplayer Maptacular Pack.The pack is set to be released on the 4th of October and will allow gamers new to Halo play the entire saga from beginning to end at a price about $20 cheaper than buying each game individually. Just two days ago, the last five maps of the maptacular pack were made available as a free download over Xbox Live, and current owners of Halo 2 can sign in to the service and begin playing straight away. Master Chief Explodes Onto Xbox in the All-New Halo Triple Pack Pre-order the Halo Triple Pack (U.S. Only) Related: All Nine Halo 2 Multiplayer Maps Now Free Halo movie looking for 2007 Summer release Zelda Meets Halo Survey Starts Rumour of Strategy/Sim Halo Spin-off Halo 2 steals show at G-Phoria Awards (1 August) Rumoured Halo 3 Details (17 June) Halo 3 listed by retailers Halo 3 to thwart Ps3 release? Resources Doubled For Next Halo Game (15 March) Discussion >>  To coincide with the launch of the PSP across Europe and the U.K., Sony have unveiled the downloadable WipeOut Pure packages for the PAL territories.The packs will feature lots of new ships and tracks, and are set to be released in instalments, with the first available from today and the last coming available on the 16th of October. Sony claim the packages will actually double the overall size of the game, and some of them will be designed by top European artists such as French graffiti artist Scien and Jon Burgerman of the U.K. To download the first pack, entitled Gamma, visit the official site for WipeOut Pure For more info on the contents of each pack, check here. Related: PSP Launches in Europe, U.K. Sony Dismiss Nintendo DS as a "Gimmick" Euro PSP's to Ship With Version 2.0 Firmware Windows and Linux on a PSP Even More Features Headed PSP's Way? Megadrive games on your PSP PSP Windshield Mount, a good idea? Discussion >>  Sony are set to officially launch the PSP across Europe and the U.K. at midnight - less than an hour from now (GMT). The console will be priced €249 (£179) and comes with a pouch, 32MB Memory Stick Duo, headphones with remote, battery pack, wrist strap, cloth, AC Adaptor and a sampler UMD disc.European gamers will have 30 games and 30 UMD movies to choose from at launch, and will be able to browse the Internet straight out of the box, thanks to Sony bundling the recently-released version 2.0 firmware with the device. ITN reports that customers are expected to line the streets in the U.K. to be the first to own one of the consoles. The lucky ones who get the console early will be able to score a free copy of Spiderman 2 in UMD format by visiting the newly-activated European versions of the site www.yourpsp.com and registering their console. Sony are also featuring a prize draw on the site; entrants have a chance to win prizes like an Aibo robot dog, camcorders and digital cameras by creating a PSP account here. For the full list of games and movies available for the launch, check here. Related: Sony Dismiss Nintendo DS as a "Gimmick" Euro PSP's to Ship With Version 2.0 Firmware Windows and Linux on a PSP Even More Features Headed PSP's Way? Megadrive games on your PSP PSP Windshield Mount, a good idea? Discussion >>  Bungie have released the last five maps in the Maptacular Pack for Halo 2 as free downloads over Xbox Live.Previously, gamers had to pay to download the maps, or purchase a retail disc containing all nine in the series and some extra goodies. To download Elongation, Relic, Terminal, Gemini and Backwash for free, Halo 2 owners can now sign into Xbox Live and select the maps in the Content Download option in the Live menu. Bungie: Free Maps Previews: Elongation Backwash Terminal Relic Gemini Info on the previous 4 Maptacular maps Related: Halo movie looking for 2007 Summer release Zelda Meets Halo Survey Starts Rumour of Strategy/Sim Halo Spin-off Halo 2 steals show at G-Phoria Awards (1 August) Discussion >>  The New York Post is reporting that Microsoft are aiming to secure one of the most famous locations in the world and use it as a retail store. One Times Square in New York City, the billboard laden building that sees the ball drop on New Year's Eve, has a four-storey vacant space that used to house a Warner Bros. store.Apparently MS has been seeking out information about the 4.5 million-per-year property and speaking with New York brokers who have worked on transactions in Times Square. Furthermore, Microsoft used a different Times Square spot to launch the original Xbox back in 2001, leading to speculation that the company are looking to go one better for the Xbox 360 launch in November: In 2001, Microsoft chose Toys "R" Us Times Square as the official launch location for Xbox in North America where Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect of Microsoft Corp., was on site to greet the first gamer in line at the store and to play with other gamers who were eagerly awaited the system. Times Square's electronic billboards illuminated the New York cityscape with the Xbox logo and visuals. Xbox 360 Mountain Dew Giveaway Underway Xbox 360 Pried Apart by Modders Preorder your Xbox 360, only $700 Allard faces fans in Xbox 360 showdown Xbox 360 Marketing Brochure Surfaces Elder Scrolls IV Will Require Xbox 360 HDD? A Tour of The Xbox 360 Testing Labs Discussion >>  China continues its eradication of the "unhealthy" aspects of gaming and has announced a plan to impose time limits on online games from October.Fans of games like World of Warcraft and Lineage II will have a mandatory cap on how long they can play; playing for longer than 3 hours will see a reduction in the character's abilities, while playing for 5 hours will see a severe reduction that doesn't return to normal for another 5 hours. The new plan is just one in a series of moves the government has made to protect the citizens against the gaming "scourge". Earlier this month, the government placed a ban for minors on any game that involved the killing of another player, and an official clinic was opened recently in Beijing for the treatment of Net addiction: All of China's main games operators have agreed to the controls - unsurprisingly since they are state licensed - and just to show how willing they are to fall into line, Interfax-China news agency reported the operators as "prepared to sacrifice short-term revenues to create a healthy environment for online gamers", which is very noble of them. China bans minors from online games Beijing clinic treats online addicts China to invest 1 billion in games I want the house, the kids, oh and the avatars Chinese Gamer Gets Suspended Death Sentence For Sword Murder WoW Hits 4 Million Subscribers Discussion >>  The BBC is reporting that a new study shows file sharers are moving away from Bit Torrent after a huge crackdown by the MPAA began last December.According to Net analysis firm CacheLogic, the widespread piracy of games, movies and music on the Bit Torrent network is decreasing, with the file sharers jumping ship to use the eDonkey and Gnutella networks instead. eDonkey now handles as many users as BitTorrent in the U.K., China and Japan according to CacheLogic, while in the U.S. and Canada, users have been flooding back to the venerable Gnutella network: [Gnutella] was one of the first P2P services to be targeted by the record industry but has since faded into the background. CacheLogic.com 'Operation Site Down' closes 8 illegal game servers (13 July) Pirate ship enticing teens Downloadable Games Over Legal P2P (11 July) Discussion >>  Planetwide Games have made a surprise announcement that they are suspending the tournament that would have seen a Risk Your Life player walk away with a 1 million dollar prize.The company say they have observed a large amount of fraudulent play that has undermined the fairness of the contest. The tournament launched on the 1st of July and was due to culminate in a live broadcast from the E3 next year, where the lucky winner would walk away as a millionaire. However because of the activity, Planetwide say the suspension will last "until further notice": The Company has documented unfair activity prior to making the decision to suspend the tournament. Company findings indicate that certain individuals have breached the Tournament rules and regulations and we are investigating other violations of Tournament rules. Effective immediately, the Tournament is officially suspended until further notice. Planetwide Games RYL.net $1M RYL Tourney Underway, Monthly Fee Now Optional (1 July) Gamasutra: Planetwide Games Plans Extreme Sports MMO (23 June) RYL Hits Retail (22 June) Planetwide Announce Comic Book Creator Discussion >>  Slashdot has stumbled on a curious The patent suggests a meter for the character's mental health much like the age-old vitality meter. Game occurrences and decisions that you make can affect the sanity level, and as it drops, features of "insanity" occur, such as auditory and visual hallucinations. The lengthy document includes a rough illustration of the sanity meter in what looks to be a Zelda game. Examples given for effects as the sanity level decreases are bleeding walls, water dropping from above turning into blood on second glance, and faint maniacal laughter that steadily gets louder the more insane you become: As explained above, the sanity of the player's character will be affected by decisions made, enemies faced, as well as any other suitable occurrence that may relate to sanity. As the character loses sanity, the environment will change in a way that hinders the character's and player's progress through the game. The instant invention provides an added challenge and enables multiple possible scenarios, so that playing of the game may be different each time the game is played. It is noted that the invention is particularly suited for implementation in action/adventure/RPG games, but that it may be used in any suitable video game or the like. On closer inspection, it turns out the patent was granted yesterday, but was originally filed way back in the year 2000, and was intended to cover a feature of the GameCube game Eternal Darkness, which was released in 2002. Thanks, DlphnMod Related: Amazon 'leaks' Euro Revolution Release Date? Nintendo Revolution "Deepthroat" Dropping Hints? Nintendo Revolution Ad? Wireless Router For Nintendo Revolution, DS? Revolution To Be Much Cheaper than Xbox 360, PS3 Nintendo's E3 Interactive Floor Display Classic Nintendo titles remade on Revolution? (23 June) Discussion >>  Lionhead Studios have used their website forums to announce the release dates for Black & White 2. The much anticipated game is set for a release on 30 September in the U.S., with a European release following on the 7th of October.According to Lionhead, the game is "almost finished", and Peter Molyneux revealed in an interview last month that a demo is also being readied for the release or possibly even before. The game is set to include new miracles, buildings and weaponry this time around, as well as 11 different lands to let your creature loose on: The inhabitants of this breathtaking 3D world have lost their innocence and developed new weapons and technology. As you enter this warring world, will you make tribes coexist peacefully; encouraging villages and towns to grow into sprawling metropolises, or prompt them to inflict their will upon others by, creating and commanding large armies that seek to dominate and conquer? Black & White 2 official site Black & White 2 Trailers Black & White 2 For PS3, Xbox 360? Video interview of Peter Molyneux about B&W2 Black & White Series To Have 5 Installments Black & White Creatures For DS (12 May) Fable: The Lost Chapters for PC turns Golden Fable: The Lost Chapters Also Coming To Xbox Discussion >>  Less than six weeks after Blizzard announced World of Warcraft had hit 3.5 million worldwide subscribers, the userbase has jumped again and now boasts a staggering 4 million players.The game has reached 1 million paying subscribers in North America for the first time, less than a year after it was first released in November of last year. While impressive, the U.S. figure pales in comparison to the runaway success the game has had in China; in one hour, 100,000 players had joined the game's initial beta test in that country, and one month after its official release there, it had reached a cool 1.5 million players. Not shy about their success, Blizzard have now proclaimed WoW to be the largest MMORPG in the world: This brings the total population for Blizzard's critically acclaimed game, the largest MMORPG in the world, to more than four million paying customers. World of Warcraft 3.5 million people play WoW (21 July) World of Warcraft Now Launched in China Detailed Maps of World of Warcraft Lands Gaining Real Wealth With WoW Mom busts son on WoW forum No Diablo or StarCraft Sequels for BlizzCon Diablo 3 Not Good Enough for Blizzard Discussion >>  Namco have announced the sequel to Katamari Damacy has achieved Gold status and is all set for its launch in the U.S. on the 20th of September. We Love Katamari is said to be much larger than its predecessor, and includes a new 2 player co-op mode and an expanded battle mode. The game was originally released in Japan on the 7th of July, and Namco recently revealed that it will roll into Europe early next year. As an extra treat, Namco have launched the official website for We Love Katamari, which includes the trailer, gameplay info and storyline. Registering on the site also lets you participate in contests, and gain access to extra site features. Check out the site here. Related: Na-Na-Nana... Namco Announces "We Love Katamari(TM)" Has Gone Gold We Love Katamari Rolling Into Europe (11 August) We Love Katamari Preview, Screens and Video Japanese trailer for We Love Katamari Information on Katamari Damacy Official site for Katamari Damacy Discussion >>  Microsoft yesterday launched their high-profile promotional giveaway for the Xbox 360, which will see one console won every ten minutes until the end of October.To win in the Every 10 Minutes promo, you must locate codes printed under the bottle caps on special bottles of Pepsi, Mountain Dew or Sierra Mist. Next, register at every10minutes.com and input the codes, which count as one point for the sweepstakes. If your codes are chosen in any of the draws, you will be one of the lucky few to secure an Xbox 360 before it's even released; the rules state that the console will be mailed on the Saturday before its official release. Alternatively to trying to win the console, you can opt to collect the codes and redeem them against Mountain Dew/X360 prizes, like hoodies, caps and DVD cases. If you signed up for updates when the site was launched back in May, you probably will have received some codes via email already. Check out the site here, though note you must be a U.S. resident to take part. Related: Xbox 360 Countdown Widget Xbox 360 Pried Apart by Modders Preorder your Xbox 360, only $700 Allard faces fans in Xbox 360 showdown Xbox 360 Marketing Brochure Surfaces Elder Scrolls IV Will Require Xbox 360 HDD? A Tour of The Xbox 360 Testing Labs Xbox 360 Back-Compatibility is Gonna Cost You Official Xbox 360 Peripheral & Price Listings Official Xbox 360 Pricing Scheme Discussion >>  SmartXX, a group that specialises in manufacturing mod-chips for Xbox, have gotten their hands on some Xbox 360 dev-kits that are said to have been produced as recently as the 18th of August. The group have torn the console apart, presumably to create an Xbox 360 mod-chip, and posted up a large gallery of high-res images of the console's innards. The console's heatsinks have been removed to give a clear view of the motherboard, and images of the memory unit, controller, headset, cables, ports and DVD-ROM drive are also included. Check out the images over on The Console Wars Related: Preorder your Xbox 360, only $700 Allard faces fans in Xbox 360 showdown Xbox 360 Marketing Brochure Surfaces Elder Scrolls IV Will Require Xbox 360 HDD? A Tour of The Xbox 360 Testing Labs Xbox 360 Back-Compatibility is Gonna Cost You Official Xbox 360 Peripheral & Price Listings Official Xbox 360 Pricing Scheme Discussion >>  It looks like Ken Kutaragi and his trashtalkin' ways might have earned him a fan within the leadership of Sony.The Sony chief has used every possible opportunity to disparage the rival Xbox 360, and it appears Sony's vice president of studios Phil Harrison has been listening carefully and taking notes. Harrison used a recent interview to talk up the PSP ahead of its European launch on the 1st of September, while at the same time saving some harsh words for the Nintendo DS. The interview kicks off with Harrison sniffing that handheld rivalry with Nintendo is an "irrelevance", which is a bit strange considering Nintendo is the 800-pound gorilla of the handheld market. He then goes on to dismiss the DS touchscreen as merely a "gimmick", that has probably imperiled the long-term success of the DS. Harrison didn't stop there either, saving a little bile for the Nintendo DS audience: “Nintendo knows its target audience, because it has really narrowed that down; and it’s pretty much defined by a boy or girl’s ability to admire Pokémon. Euro PSP's to Ship With Version 2.0 Firmware Windows and Linux on a PSP Even More Features Headed PSP's Way? Megadrive games on your PSP U.S. DS Price Drop Confirmed...Wohoo Adult gamers choose DS over PSP Pink, Blue Nintendo DS Hitting Europe in October Civilization Coming to DS? Discussion >> |
