Xbox 360News for - October 8, 2008
Featured Stories
  A Small But Interesting Scoop: Jade Empire 2 Is Coming (via Squad XP) - Here's an opportunity for BioWare to get it right and for all of you fans out there to rejoice. Rumors have been swirling about the possibility of a sequel to BioWare's Xbox hit, "Jade Empire." For years, people have predicted it would come and Ray Muzyka, co-CEO of BioWare, even spilled the beans of something coming back in 2005. | |
CNET Reviews : Worst games of 2007 (via CNET) -- In theory, aren't games supposed to be fun? You'd get more sheer enjoyment out of formatting a spreadsheet than you would playing these titles. There's nothing fun about them, other than laughing about how bad they really are. | |
Xbox Live service update: 'things getting better each hour' (via QJ) - If you've been keeping tabs on the intermittent problems the Xbox Live service has been experiencing lately, well we're sad to say things haven't really improved much since then. However, Major Nelson has updated his blog reassuring gamers that the Operations Team will be working non-stop until the issue has finally been resolved. | |
 Which Console Won Christmas? (via The Bitbag) - The Bitbag writes, "I made a prediction in an article back in October explaining my reasons why Playstation 3 will come in 3rd this holiday for sales. I stated 5 reasons to back my claims and now that Christmas is over, we can revisit the sales of December to see who came in first, second and third. | |
 Rumor Eidos Trademarks Battlestations Pacific (via Trademork) -- Eidos Interactive filed to protect the trademark Battlestations Pacific in relation to computer and video game software. Rumors of a Battlestations sequel spread earlier this year following an announcement by Eidos' parent company SCi that a sequel was in the works. | |
 Rumor: Microsoft's Metal Gear Competitor for the 360 (via GameGuru) - It seems absolutely impossible to notice that Microsoft is unfazed by Metal Gear Solid 4, the titan of all games released during the year on the PS3. Word has it that the company is in collaboration with a highly talented studio that can give their Xbox 360 something way better than Snake. | |
 More Xbox Live Problems (via Major Nelson) - LIVE has been having some issues over the past few hours, specifically when trying to connect to the service. The Operations team is tracking the issue and is working on resolving it as quickly as possible. Update: (Friday, Dec. 28 @ 4:50p PT) Problems have resurfaced. | |
 24C3 Xbox360 Secuirty Lecture On-Demand Video (via Xbox Scene) - Sorry for the delay, but here's the on-demand video stream of Felix Domke's (alias Tmbinc) and Michael Steil's (alias Mist) lecture at the 24th Chaos Communication Congress in Berlin, Germany: "Why Silicon-Based Security is still that hard: Deconstructing Xbox 360 Security". | |
 Lost Odyssey to Span Four Discs (via Gaming Today) - Did you think Blue Dragon was the only game on Xbox 360 that would have you swapping discs as you progressed through the game? Think again – Lost Odyssey will be 1-upping Blue Dragon by packing in four discs. It’s not that big of a deal, having to get up and swap discs a few times in the course of playing a game that will likely suck up dozens of hours of your time, it’s still an inconvenience nonetheless. | |
 Kingdom Under Fire Demo Available (via Major Nelson) - The demo for Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom is now available in the XBLA. In the demo you can battle through 2 stages of Act 1 as Kendal or Leinhart with enhanced level and abilities against a unique set of monsters. Coming this Winter, Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom is a dark and twisted Action RPG filled with demented monsters to battle using nearly infinite combos of weapons, abilities and spells. | |
 Next week on Arcade: Metal Slug 3 (via Major Nelson) - Kick off the New Year with Metal Slug 3 on Xbox LIVE Arcade. It will be available Wednesday, January 2, 2008 for 800 points. Game Features: * Multiple routes: Different routes through the stages allow for extended replayability. * Different metal slugs: Various slugs are available for help in battle. | |
 Microsoft Drop The Ball On 300 HD In Uk (via Xbox Forums Uk) - Even though Microsoft have been promising 300 in HD for UK residents for 100 points, and even featured it on Inside Xbox, this just hasn't happened. The SD version has been reduced instead. This has caused major consternation amoung Xbox users and they are not only complaining to Microsoft, but also reporting them to the Advertising Standards Agency. | |
 Features: 2007's Best & Worst Box Art (via Computer And Video Games) - The designs that have made us laugh and, or cry. Videogame box art is there to grab the eyeballs of the less knowledgeable and lure them into parting with their money. However, that does not mean that the dedicated among us cannot stand back and appreciate (or ridicule) what some marketing bloke thinks looks good on the front of a box. | |
Mass Defect: Why Mass Effect falls short of its hype (via Mercury News) - This was the first next-generation game that I saw with the highest of ambitions: crossing the uncanny valley. The valley is the familiar problem of computer-generated images. The closer they approach reality, the more disturbing the images are, particularly human faces. | |
 Live Marketplace Now Home to Kingdom Under Fire Demo (via Gaming Today) - Next month’s obligatory genre mashup (in this case, an action RPG) on the Xbox 360 is Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom. A demo is now live on the Xbox Live Marketplace which features two stages from the game’s first act, and it sounds like you’ll have some advanced abilities a la the Crackdown demo so that you can really get a feel for what the meat of the game is like. | |
150-Inch Panasonic Plasma HDTV at CES (via Gizmodo) -- Japanese paper Yomiuri is reporting that Panasonic will unveil a 150-inch plasma to show the world who has the biggest flatscreen manufacturing capability. If your mcmansion isn't big enough to fit it, don't even bother inquiring about the price. | |
Amazon sells 17 Wiis per second (via CNN Money) -- Amazon.com said Wednesday its 2007 holiday season was its strongest to date, with Nintendo Wii game systems and the "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" DVD among its top-selling products. The online retailer said it sold about 17 Nintendo Wiis per second when the product was available. | |
Where are they now? - Big games that went under the radar (via CVG) - Stop shovelling a year's worth of food and booze down your gob! It's time to spare a thought for big games that, for one reason or another, we've not heard anything on for many moons. There are several major games that have dropped off the radar in recent months - no doubt due to the fact that 2007 has seen so many big releases. | |
 Teen Opens PlayStation 3 Box, Finds Phone Book Instead ! (via MyFox) - A Camarillo, California teen dreamed of getting a popular game for Christmas, and he got it, almost. 13-year-old Brandon Burns tore the gift wrapped box to find that his parents got him a PlayStation 3. But when he opened the sealed box what he found was a yellow telephone book. | |
Major Nelson explains Xbox 360 demo, trailer restrictions (via QJ) - Younger members of the Xbox community have reported that they cannot access both M (mature) and RP (rating pending) rated game demos or trailers on Xbox Live. Major Nelson posted a message on his blog regarding this, explaining the new policy. He pointed out this new rule was implemented to comply with the ESRB's Principles and Guidelines for Responsible Advertising Practices. | |
 9 Year Old Beats Hardest Guitar Hero Level (via GTR) -- A 9 year old beats the hardest Guitar Hero level Through the Flames and Fire on expert. This kid puts us all to shame. Its a must watch | |
XBox 360 In 2008: The Hot Five Games (via Cinema Blend Games) -- At Cinema Blend Games they have released their list of the top 5 hot games expected for 2008. Here is their list. Follow the link for more details. 5. Splinter Cell Conviction 4. Too Human 3. Devil May Cry 4 2. Resident Evil 5 1. Ninja Gaiden 2 | |
 Rumor Microsoft Plans Motion Sensing Controller (via xboxfamily) - If what we're hearing out of Saratoga, California is true, Xbox 360 owners can expect to be playing motion sensing games, much like that of the Wii or PS3, by the end of next year. The details are still sketchy, but it appears a first-party add-on to existing controllers may be the delivery method of the technology. | |
 10 Features We Want in Online Shooters (via GamesRadar) - Multiplayer shooters have advanced stupendously since the likes of Doom and Quake. Contextual actions, unlockable weapons, team and objective based combat, physics, sprawling maps, class systems and a slew of other complexities have been crammed into modern frag-fests. Nevertheless, there are still a few features and concepts we'd like to see perfected before the inevitable next step involving wires poking out of our brain stems. | |
 GameStop offering deals on various games starting today (via QJ) - Not to be outdone by other stores' sales offerings, GameStop is holding a major sale of its own, starting today. Additionally, GameStop has coupons available on their website that shoppers can print out and redeem for discounts when they make purchases. | |
 Guillermo Del Toro's Comments Concerning Halo The Movie (via Gaming Today) - Will there ever be a Halo movie? Who really knows at this point? We know that multiple scripts have been written and deals have been made and un-made. Odds are, it probably will become a movie. At this point, it would be retarded to actually state that we really know anything beyond rumors. | |
 Nintendo Wii Approaching 20 Million Units Sold (via Gaming Today) - Whether you like the Wii or not, it seems nothing is going to slow down sales for Nintendo. At the current rate of sales, Nintendo will end up selling 20 million units at a rate of 1.54 million units per month and reach the 20 million milestone 6 months faster than the Sony PS2 did. | |
 Sacred 2: Fallen Angel pushed back to September 2008 (via QJ) - Ascaron Entertainment has just posted a very important announcement regarding its Xbox 360 and Games for Windows title Sacred 2: Fallen Angel over at the game's official website. Quite unfortunately, the game has just been pushed back. Originally, Sacred 2 was supposed to be released during the first quarter of 2008. | |
