While the original Rock Band is still going strong, Harmonix is already looking towards the next bit of kit that it hopes will be cluttering your place, with it now getting official with Rock Band 2 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. This time around, it seems the Xbox 360 will be getting a jump on things with a launch in September, with the PS3 version set to follow "later in the year." Both of those will, naturally, be coming with all new instruments, including the tasty Fender Stratocaster pictured above, but you will be able to use your current gear if you want to spare the extra clutter and save a few bucks. What's more, you'll also be able to carry over all your current downloaded content and, as IGN reports, you'll even be able to download and play new tracks on Rock Band 1 once Rock Band 2 is out. Of course, Harmonix is saving most of the details for E3 next month,
We normally don't like it when developers start taking potshots at each other, it's really not the sort of -- oh, who are we kidding? We love it when developers take potshots, it's one of our absolute favorite things, and this video interview from Eurogamer has a doozy courtesy of Treyarch senior producer Noah Heller.
When asked about Gearbox's forthcoming Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, Heller said they didn't consider it during development of Call of Duty: World at War, dismissing Hell as "a crappy war game." Continuing the burnination, Heller added that Gearbox "isn't even the same league" as Treyarch's effort. You might think we're misrepresenting the quote by taking it out of context, but it's somehow even more MEGAowch when watched in context (at about 1:00 in).
We're very relieved to know that the 20GB Xbox 360 model isn't advanced enough to experience the equivalent of a mid-life crisis. Not only are a string of alleged retailer ads knocking its asking price down to $299 in July, but an Opposable Thumbs source is suggesting that the model will soon be discontinued and replaced by younger, better model packing 60 gigglebytes.
Still, it's a rumor we've heard before (remember this?), one the "usually trustworthy source" indicates will become reality during E3. Fluctuating hard drive capacities, multiple SKUs and retired models: Welcome to the current generation!
With two separate retail circulars (Kmart and Radio Shack) claiming a "new low price" of $299.99 for the Xbox 360, and a major press conference scheduled for two weeks from today, there's an awful lot of smoke billowing around this rumor. Now you can add an anonymous retail report from The Hollywood Reporter to that list. The venerable trade mag said "the price move will come before ... E3." Huh, would you look at that: Microsoft's E3 press conference is scheduled on Monday just a day before E3 officially kicks off. Just saying ...
OK, so not so much a surprise on the XBLA front this week, since we brought you the rumor last week that Soulcalibur would likely be released soon on the service. (It'll be there this Wednesday for 800 points [$10]). But hey, Schizoid wasn't released like we thought it would be, so that's kind of a surprise, right? Not like, a great one, but a surprise all the same.
In other surprises that won't necessarily have you vibrating with glee, Wits and Wagers will be getting 280 new questions this week for 320 MS points ($4). In case, you know, you played it so many times that you ran out of questions.
According to Ars Technica, Capcom's two-dimensional return to tradition in Mega Man 9 may not be confined to WiiWare, as was originally revealed in the latest issue of Nintendo Power. The report notes that the game is currently listed as an Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network title on Capcom's E3 roster -- if true, Mega Man 9 would be the first downloadable game to jump through the doors of all three services.
Capcom remains quiet on the matter, however, telling us that we'll have to wait until E3 for further news. Given the publisher's continued support of both XBLA and PSN for its downloadable games, the blue bomber will likely stick with a multi-platform approach. We can't imagine how many gamers would be left seeking retrobution otherwise.
The soothsayers at analyst group DFC Intelligence have revised their already rosy outlook for the game industry in 2009, predicting that the market, including consoles, PC and online games, could now reach a mind-blowing $57 billion by next year. DFC foresees that much of this growth will be driven by (surprise!) the Wii, a platform DFC's David Cole feels "has the chance to be one of the best selling systems of all-time."
Looking further ahead, DFC backed off of its previous prediction that annual PS3 game sales would surpass those on the Wii by 2012, now stating that the pair will simply be equals. Still, with the lion's share of top selling titles for the Wii coming from Nintendo itself, fellow analyst Jeremy Miller adds that "for many third party publishers this means they will have much greater success on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, even if Wii sales continue to be strong."
But what of the PC? Oh, there's love there as well, with gaming on the personal computer expected to reach an impressive $19 billion on its own by 2013, no doubt steered by online sales, which exceeded a staggering $7 billion in 2007. If DFC is on point with its prophecy, the future is so bright, we may just have to reach into the drawer for some shades.
Following recent rumours that have suggested Microsoft may allow electronics firms to develop hardware featuring Xbox 360 technology – effectively paving the way for third-parties to build Blu-ray players, PCs and set-top boxes which play 360 games – a leading analyst has said that such a move would prove too expensive.
Michael Pachter, of Wedbush Morgan Securities, believes that any such radical repositioning of Microsoft's hardware business model might help the Xbox 360 penetrate Japan, but in other markets it wouldn't be a viable business for third-parties.
"It doesn't sound likely to me, as the 360 is hardly as ubiquitous as, say, the DVD drive," said Pachter, speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz.
"I think it may be possible as a way to penetrate more difficult markets like Japan, but don't really see how it would work in practice in other markets.
"To add 360 functionality to another consumer electronics device, such as a Blu-ray player, the manufacturer would incur relatively significant additional cost. That would place the hybrid device at a disadvantage," he added.
The pre-E3 rumour emerged last week, suggesting that third-party manufacturers could help Microsoft reach the elusive Japanese market, as well as a more mainstream consumer who wouldn't be buying just a console, but a multifunctional home entertainment device.
EA has told Eurogamer there has been a "misunderstanding" about the Rock Band 2 date in Europe.
Word had originally pointed to a simultaneous European release alongside the US this September.
"There was a misunderstanding and there is no confirmed date for Europe," a spokesperson from EA told Eurogamer.
Rock Band 2 was unveiled yesterday and named its biggest features as the ability to carry downloadable songs between the first and second games, in addition to fresh instruments and more expansive party and online options.
The sequel will be a timed exclusive for Microsoft in the States, with other platforms due to follow later in the year.
The Q4 release puts it in direct competition with Guitar Hero World Tour, which also comes with drums, microphone, and guitar.
Treyarch has apologised for comments calling Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway "a crappy war game".
The Call of Duty: World at War developer said it found the statement made by an Activision representative "offensive", and that it had "nothing but respect" for its World War II competitor Gearbox.
"Over the weekend, we learned that some disparaging comments were made by an Activision rep at a recent Call of Duty: World at War press event. We want to let everyone know that we found those remarks offensive, and they do not in any way represent the feelings of any developer at this studio or at Activision," said "JD", Treyarch community manager, on the Xbox forums, as reported by Kotaku.
"We hold all of our peers in the development community in the highest regard. We have nothing but respect for the guys and gals at Gearbox."
The offending comments were made to Eurogamer Germany by Noah Heller, senior producer on COD5. He concluded that Hell's Highway wasn't "in the same league" after watching a trailer for the game.
"They're not a game we even think about when we're playing, we think about the best shooters, we play [Call of Duty 4] Modern Warfare, we play Gears of War, we play Halo. That's the competition. We want to look at the games that do great storytelling," Heller told Eurogamer Germany during a video interview.
"We don't want to look at someone who's just making a crappy war game."
Treyarch share the Call of Duty franchise with the franchise's originator Infinity Ward and developed the third in the series before working on the current fifth title.
Microsoft will drop the Australian arcade edition of the Xbox 360 by $50 to $349. That's in Australian dollars, in case you thought you missed a newsflash where the US invaded Oz.
The move now makes the Xbox 360 Arcade console the cheapest system on the Australian market. The Wii is selling at $399.
The console war is quite tight in Australia and New Zealand, according to IGN. Whilst the Wii is in the lead with 456,000 units sold, the Xbox 360 is only slightly behind at 410,000. The PS3 is still playing catch-up on 285,000.
Those of us in other territories shouldn't hold their breath for a price cut, however. When asked if this was the first step in an international pricing strategy, Australian Microsoft rep Jeremy Hinton replied:
"Today we're only announcing Australia and New Zealand and what you will see is that certainly over the next 12 months that price drops and price activity will not happen globally. We've been given more authority to do what's best for the Australian consumer."
The chatter surrounding a possible Xbox 360 price cut got a little louder today, as several news outlets have picked up on an anonymously-sourced Hollywood Reporter piece claiming that Redmond will drop the 360 Pro's price to $299 sometime before E3. That jives with all those leaked ads that hinted at a July 6th date, so we'll see soon enough -- and we'll bet you that extra $50 the $279 360 Arcade sees some price cut love as well.
While the axe that comes with Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is pretty sweet, if you were hoping to just get the game and use your Rock Band guitar, you're out of luck. Despite rumors that Activision had opened its doors to the Harmonix-made Rock Band guitar controllers, early users of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith are reporting that the Xbox 360 version game isn't being so friendly after all. The sad message: "An unsupported guitar peripheral has been detected. Connect either a Guitar Hero guitar or Xbox 360 controller and press START to continue." It's like they never even knew each other.
Electronic Arts celebrates the passion fans have for their national teams and all of the pageantry and excitement of the UEFA European Soccer Championship with the only official and exclusive licensed videogame of UEFA EURO 2008™.
UEFA EURO 2008™ features the world's best players and teams and all of the official stadiums that will be part of UEFA EURO 2008™. Take on the challenge of leading one of over 50 European national teams to glory as UEFA EURO 2008 recreates all of the drama and excitement of the official tournament in Austria and Switzerland. Play as your favorite country from qualification right through to a virtual reproduction of the championship tournament.
The UEFA games has recently ended but the excitement and thrills are still going on. Relive your favorte team's victory, or rewrite the history of the championship through UEFA Euro 2008.
The PlayStation3 version of this game has been chosen as a weekly special a few weeks ago and due to its popularity Play-Asia.com decides to bring it back, this time for Xbox360 players. The Asian version of UEFA Euro 2008 is sold at the bargain price of US$ 24.90 only.
According to importer YesAsia, the PlayStation 3 version of Soulcalibur IV will join the ranks of games requiring a substantial installation to the console's hard drive. How substantial? Substantial. About 6.5 GB worth of your HDD, with 2 GB of space on top of that allocated to save data. The latter disk space requirement makes some sense, as the game looks to have a fairly robust character creation tool, which we hope allows for a larger number of custom fighters than its predecessor. Regardless, 2 GB, if true, is still rather hefty.
Xbox 360 fans may also be in hard drive requirement heaven, as the official Xbox site indicates that Soulcalibur IV requires a hard drive to play. This could have huge implications if... wait, who doesn't have an Xbox 360 with a hard drive by now?
We've contacted Namco Bandai Games to verify this information, but have yet to hear back.
update
So it looks like the good folks over at Microsoft messed up. The page has now been updated to reflect the fact that the game actually doesn't need a hard drive
Team XLink released a new version of their global gaming network (that allows you to play system-link enabled games (incl. Xbox and 360) online for free):
What's the point?
XLink Kai(info) 7.4 began a few months ago to address the following issues:
1. Internationalization - the existing Kai UI does not support many languages and character encodings.
2. Platform Independence - Linux and OS X client software is no longer feature compatible with the Windows client
3. Unified Development - numerous versions and variants of the engine and client exist creating compatibility issues and fragmented development/support.
Team XLink prides itself as a 'Global Community' of gamers. To us, this means people who speak different languages, who use different Operating Systems, and who live all over the globe should be able to connect with one another and make Team XLink their home. Our year to year userbase growth and concurrent player statistics tells us we've been making excellent strides towards our global ambitions. Still, to truly move forward with the project, we need to address infrastructure and compatibility issues so that we have a solid platform that encourages further growth. Kai 7.4 addresses these issues and provides a solid foundation for future plan that simply would not be possible with the previous versions of Kai.
So what's new?
The biggest change to Kai is somewhat invisible--the code. Kai was designed primarily as a Windows-based system with compatibility for Linux/OS X (and other *nix systems) added later through the Kaid project and numerous third-party clients. This created a rift in development where any features added to the Windows Engine and Client needed to be added to Kaid and the third-party clients needed to be updated. A small change in the Windows client required all the other clients to be updated. Updates to the Windows engine (ex: new PSP MAC addresses) required Kaid be updated. As developer interest in Kaid and the many clients waned, it has become increasingly difficult to add any new features without breaking existing compatibility for those not using Windows. To address this, Kai 7.4 uses a single codebase and non-proprietary libraries so that the same code that compiles the Windows binary also compiles under Linux, OS X, BSD, etc. This required removing all the MFC code from Kai and replacing it with platform-independent alternatives like the Boost and wxWidgets libraries. With this unified codebase, future updates and changes will be made available on all supported Operating Systems at the same time.
The most visible change found in Kai 7.4 is the Client Web UI. Instead of designing multiple User Interfaces for every supported OS and every language we decided to drawn on the strength of existing cross-platform technology: the web browser. The Kai 7.4 engine contains a small web server which serves the client to your web browser (Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer(info), etc.) and communication between the web browser and the Engine is achieved using Ajax programming. Aside from the obvious elimination of platform compatibility issues, switching to a browser-based client has some wonderful side effects:
1. Updates and additions to the client are served immediately without the need to restart the Engine.
2. The client is 'skinable' allowing users to develop and share their own customizations.
3. Kai can integrate other web technologies such as streaming audio and video.
4. Kai can be controlled using embedded systems with compatible web browsers (ex: iPhone).
5. The Kai engine can be accessed and controlled remotely via the web browser ( chat from work/school :P )
Another notable improvement found in Kai 7.4 is the support for uPnP routers. Most modern routers support uPnP allowing on-the-fly port mapping. When started behind a uPnP router, Kai just works--no port forwarding or router configuration required.
Lastly, all language has been stripped out of both the Engine and the Web UI Client and replaced with language templates. Currently, English and Japanese translations are available; however, support for Korean, Spanish, and many other languages are being added as translation becomes available through the community.
This is basically how I think the xbox controller should have been in the first place. Its way more comfortable now and my gaming has improved too.
Its pretty obvious from the pics what Ive done. I moved the right hand stick to be level with the left and moved all of the buttons to the back. I happy with the way it came out.
Electronic Arts Inc. today revealed it has created platform specific experiences for its best-selling* FIFA Soccer 09 franchise from EA SPORTS. FIFA Soccer 09 has been designed and customized to deliver a unique gameplay experience that takes advantage of the hardware specifications of each available platform— the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, Wii home video game system, PC, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS, PSP system and mobile—when it is released worldwide this autumn.
"We have listened and responded to gamers and soccer fans around the world by building customized gameplay experiences for FIFA Soccer 09 on each platform," said Andrew Wilson, Vice President & Executive Producer for the franchise. "Everyone wants to play a soccer game that is customized to their system and delivers a unique and enjoyable experience. We understand that and have innovated features, created new modes and designed controls that are tailored to each specific platform."
With over 250 additions and enhancements to core gameplay, FIFA Soccer 09 on the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360 deliver an authentic soccer simulation that enables you to customize the game to suit your style and ability. New animation technology creates more responsive first-time shooting and passing, faster and more controlled dribbling, and improved trapping. New player momentum physics, which exploits the power of these platform engines, delivers realistic player collisions, authentic jostling for the ball, and more variation in tackling.
"We listened to our consumers to make the changes that they wanted," said David Rutter, Producer of FIFA Soccer 09 on the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360. "No other game has over 250 feature changes and additions focused on improving core gameplay. We have an absolutely authentic recreation of the real sport through attention to detail."
For the first time, go inside the game engine to customize the strategy and positioning of your teammates to decide exactly how your team will play in any situation. With new Custom Team Tactics you have all the tools to become a first-team coach. Adjust and customize tactical settings so CPU players and your team perform just like the real-world team plays and make strategic decisions to exploit your opponent's weaknesses, all on-the-fly. The popular feature innovation Be A Pro has expanded to a career mode called Be A Pro: Seasons where you can choose or create a professional player and then develop his skills at a single outfield position over four years with the ultimate goal of becoming a national legend. The matchday experience is now true-to-life with a referee and linesmen on the pitch. Plus, crowds, stadium atmosphere and commentary have all been regionalized in exact detail.
On the Wii, enjoy FIFA Soccer 09 All-Play one of two ways—a Wii-specific take on the authentic '11 vs. 11' simulation or over-the-top '8 vs. 8' arcade action within a stylized environment with Mii versions of your favorite superstars, like Ronaldinho and Wayne Rooney. Refined motion and point-and-play controls make playing FIFA Soccer 09 All-Play even more intuitive and perfectly balanced for gamers of any ability to enjoy fun, soccer action. Choose to play the style that best suits your skills from advanced controls for experienced players to new EA SPORTS All-Play controls that enables novice players to focus on fun using simplified controls with AI assistance.
"You've never played soccer like this before," said Kaz Makita, Producer of FIFA Soccer 09 All-Play. "Our new '8 vs. 8' Footii Match enables you to play an exaggerated style of soccer where the personality of your Mii comes to life. You can play with your Mii characters against or alongside some of the biggest stars in a truly unique soccer experience tailored specifically for the Wii version of FIFA Soccer 09."
FIFA Soccer 09 on PC now features leading-edge visuals that deliver graphics that exploit the power of hi-spec gaming PCs, as requested by PC gamers. Star players are featured in photorealistic quality with remodeled likenesses for ultra-realistic gameplay. FIFA Soccer 09 on PC also features customizable mouse gameplay controls that deliver deeper, more intuitive command over your squad. Plus, customizable widgets are now integrated into the menu system to connect you to the FIFA community and real-world soccer so you stay connected while playing FIFA Soccer 09.
"We are committed to investing and innovating to create a PC specific experience," said Producer Paul Hossack. "Gamers want a gameplay experience exclusively for PC and FIFA Soccer 09 on PC delivers this."
With 500 new animation sequences and all-new collision and shielding systems—representing the biggest innovations to the multiplatform EA SPORTS soccer engine in four years— FIFA Soccer 09 delivers more responsive, intelligent and realistic physical action on the PlayStation 2 system. The new collision detection system with 360 degree coverage enables players to behave according to their physical attributes where player speed, direction and strength determine everything from the severity of the collision to the outcome of possession. Changes to the animation system reward the skillful gamer during one-on-one situations between attackers and defenders. Tuned acceleration attributes enable swifter virtual players to possess quicker first steps and gain advantage in sprints. Plus, four new skill moves—scoop turns, rainbow flicks, heel-to-heel knocks and ball rolls—give you a total of 32 tricks in your arsenal to perform just like Ronaldinho.
FIFA Soccer 09 on the PSP system and Nintendo DS now include the innovative Be A Pro feature, including the unique Be A Pro camera that re-creates the rush and excitement of racing in on goal, designed exclusively for each system.
Additional major feature innovations for PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360 and PC will be revealed later this month and announced at the Leipzig Games Convention in August. Screenshots and product fact sheets can be downloaded at http://info.ea.com.
To learn more about specific features on each platform visit www.FIFA.ea.com.
FIFA Soccer 09, scheduled for worldwide release this autumn, is developed by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C. It has not yet been rated by ESRB or PEGI.
Ensemble Studios' Bruce Shelley says that "several demo stations" of Halo Wars will be available at E3. This is generally considered good news, because it means Halo Wars has gotten to the point where it's no longer held in captivity by the developers who don't want anybody to touch a thing. It also eases our fears of further delays following Ensemble's "when it's done" quote from last month.
We will certainly have hands-on impressions of the game at E3 and with luck, we'll be able to nail down a more solid release window. We keep hope alive that Halo Wars, built from the ground up for the Xbox 360, could finally figure out the RTS genre for consoles.
Lest you have no idea what Bungie Day is, that's Monday, July 7 (7/7, get it?). Yes, starting on July 7, Halo 3's newest map Cold Storage will be available on Xbox Live Marketplace absolutely free. Not only that, but Microsoft will also be lowering the price of the Legendary Map Pack from 800 Microsoft Points to 600 Microsoft Points. The best part of all is that these prices will become the permanent prices of the content. In other words, Cold Storage and the Legendary Map Pack price drop aren't part of the limited time, one day only Bungie Day goodies that will be on Marketplace. Joy!
In celebration of Bungie Day and the release of Cold Storage, a special 48-hour free for all playlist is going up. Specific details are sparse, but Bungie's Luke Smith promises that players will be able to control "Rockets, Invis and Snipe." Mmmm ... sounds nice and spammy. Finally, "one last thing" about Cold Storage is set to drop some time today on Bungie.net. Keep your eyes glued to X3F for whatever that may be.
Welcome to this week's Games Update, our weekly summary featuring all new product arrivals from the last seven days.
Plenty US version games are released this week, this includes the much awaited Final Fantasy Tactics A2: The Grimoire of the Rift. Once again, explore the realm of the fantasy and meet familiar characters such as Vaan and Penelo during your travels.
After coming out from the world of fantasy, step into the world's best tennis players's sports shoes, try out their signature moves and styles in Top Spin 3. This tennis game brings the generations of top tennis players together, so feel free to revive the veterans and pitch them against the current stars.
Rise to stardom in the rock music sphere after winning the tennis championship. Guitar Hero: Aerosmith features the performances of the top bands and hit songs. Like tennis players, the legendary band has their distinctive moves and playing technique, be sure to try them out on the guitar.
Step off the stage and enter the Phantom Fortress with Naruto and your team of ninjas. Battle your way through the hallways and your opponent's team with the coolest techniques, brought to you by one of the most finely designed battle systems.
Travel back time to the WWII era in Hellboy: Science of Evil and Operation Darkness. Hitler and the Nazis are back, this time with insane plots or regiments of supernatural creatures to back him up. Bring these plans down with your superpowers as Hellboy or your own team of elite soldiers in Operation Darkness.
As for Japanese games, Intial D Extreme Stage [Asian and Japanese versions] came out this week after five long years. Race through the mountain paths as your favourite character in your favourite car. This time, there are even more cars, race courses and racers to choose from.
Chill yourself out with Nanashi no Game in this summer heat. This game blends horror within your reality seamlessly by making use of the life-like images and surround sound. Figure out the mysteries of the game before the end of the week to escape your otherwise inevitable death.
Lastly, a sleek, red hot PlayStation2 console has arrived. Although the PlayStation3 is already out, it is a good idea to own a PlayStation2 console as there are still plenty of cool PlayStation2 games out there and more are releasing, as you will see in the preview.
As usually, here's a summary of all new releases from this week, followed by a quick preview of what is expected to be hot next week.
Xbox360™
Alone in the Dark US US$ 64.90
Battlefield: Bad Company US US$ 64.90
Battlefield: Bad Company Gold Edition US US$ 79.90
Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath US US$ 49.90
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith ASIA US$ 59.90
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith US US$ 64.90
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Bundle US N/A
HORI Fighting Stick EX2 (Soul Calibur IV Limited Edition) US US$ 79.90
Hail to the Chimp US US$ 44.90
Hellboy: Science of Evil US US$ 64.90
Operation Darkness US US$ 64.90
Supreme Commander US US$ 64.90
Top Spin 3 US US$ 64.90
PlayStation3™
Battlefield: Bad Company US US$ 64.90
Battlefield: Bad Company Gold Edition US US$ 79.90
Boku no Natsuyasumi 3 (PlayStation3 the Best) JPN US$ 38.90
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Map Download Special Limited Edition) JPN US$ 79.90
Enchant Arm (PlayStation3 the Best) JPN US$ 34.90
Game Controller Logicool Chillstream (Black) JPN US$ 24.90
Game Controller Logicool Chillstream (Silver) JPN US$ 24.90
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith US US$ 64.90
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Bundle US US$ 129.90
HORI Fighting Stick 3 (Soul Calibur IV Limited Edition) US US$ 69.90
Hellboy: Science of Evil US US$ 64.90
Initial D Extreme Stage JPN US$ 74.90
Initial D Extreme Stage (w/ English manual) ASIA US$ 59.90
Ninja Gaiden Sigma (PlayStation3 the Best) ASIA US$ 34.90
Ninja Gaiden Sigma (PlayStation3 the Best) JPN US$ 38.90
Overlord: Raising Hell US US$ 64.90
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PlayStation3 the Best) ASIA US$ 34.90
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PlayStation3 the Best) JPN US$ 38.90
Top Spin 3 US US$ 64.90
Nintendo Wii™ Akko de Pon! Ikasama Hourouki JPN US$ 49.90
Alone in the Dark US US$ 54.90
Big Beach Sports US US$ 34.90
Charging Twin Station US$ 24.90
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith US US$ 59.90
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Bundle US US$ 129.90
Jawa: Mammoth to Himitsu no Ishi JPN US$ 59.90
Rock Band US US$ 59.90
Top Spin 3 US US$ 59.90
PlayStation2™
Alone in the Dark US US$ 44.90
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith US US$ 59.90
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Bundle (2 Wired Guitars) US US$ 159.90
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Bundle (Wireless) US US$ 129.90
L no Kisetsu 2: Invisible Memories JPN US$ 64.90
L no Kisetsu 2: Invisible Memories [Limited Edition] JPN US$ 89.90
PlayStation2 Console Cinnabar Red (SCPH-90000CR) JPN US$ 179.00
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters JPN US$ 49.90
Simple 2000 Series Vol. 123: The Office Love Jikenbou - Reijou Tantei JPN US$ 25.90
xxxHolic: Shigatsu Tsuitachi no Izayoi Sowa (Best Collection) JPN US$ 34.90
Nintendo DS™
American Girl: Kit Mystery Challenge US US$ 34.90
Cake Mania 2 US US$ 24.90
DSVision Starter Kit (w/ MicroSD 512MB Card) JPN US$ 39.90
Farm Life ASIA US$ 32.90
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift US US$ 44.90
Gourmet Chef US US$ 34.90
Headphone DS Lite US US$ 9.99
Midnight Play Pack US US$ 24.90
My Weight Loss Coach US US$ 44.90
Nanashi no Game JPN US$ 48.90
Panpaka Panya-San JPN US$ 39.90
Pinky Street: Kira Kira * Music Hour KOR US$ 49.90
Riku to Johan: Kaeta Nimai no E JPN US$ 48.90
Top Spin 3 US US$ 34.90
Sony PSP™ Bleach: Heat the Soul 4 (PSP the Best) JPN US$ 29.90
Bleach: Heat the Soul 4 (PSP the Best) ASIA US$ 24.90
Hellboy: Science of Evil US US$ 39.90
Minna de Dokusho: Meisaku & Suiri & Kaidan & Bungaku JPN US$ 39.90
Namco Museum Battle Collection ASIA US$ 14.90
Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress US US$ 44.90
PC Games
Belief and Betrayal (DVD-ROM) ASIA US$ 34.90
King Mania ASIA US$ 14.90
Kung Fu Panda (DVD-ROM) ASIA US$ 31.90
Sins of a Solar Empire (DVD-ROM) ASIA US$ 37.90
Super Star Mahjong ASIA US$ 14.90
Trainz: The Complete Collection (DVD-ROM) ASIA US$ 37.90
Game Guides and Books
Alone in the Dark: Prima Official Game Guide US US$ 19.90
Arcadia Magazine [August 2008] JPN US$ 12.90
Battlefield: Bad Company: Prima Official Game Guide US US$ 19.90
Codes & Cheats Summer 2008 US US$ 9.90
Famitsu Wave DVD [August 2008] JPN US$ 16.50
Fate/complete material I Art material JPN US$ 52.90
Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness Official Complete Guide JPN US$ 24.90
Hellboy: The Science of Evil: Prima Official Game Guide US US$ 19.90
Mana Khemia 2: Ochita Gakuen to Renkinjutsushi Tachi Official Perfect Guide JPN US$ 31.90
Mugen no Frontier: Super Robot Taisen OG Saga Perfect Bible JPN US$ 24.90
Musou Orochi: Maou Sairin Character Setting Sourcebook JPN US$ 24.90
Sengoku Basara 2 Burning Soul JPN US$ 9.90
Sengoku Basara X Official Visual Guide JPN US$ 19.90
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Nia Fan Book JPN US$ 27.90
And here we were thinking Epic was just going to let Gears of War 2 slip quietly onto the market with a minimum of fuss (ie PR). Guess not. No sooner do we get a ton of multiplayer shots than we get some singleplayer shots (well, a few, the rest are more like postcards for game environments), showing what the game will look like when you're not running around cussing at strangers and racking up cheap shotgun kills.
All you Nerds worried about wasting Mounds of time waiting for Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise should stop being such Airheads. The anticipated sequel will be Star-bursting onto the scene on Sept. 2 in North and Latin America and Sept. 5 in Europe and the UK. That leaves plenty of Paydays for you Smarties to save up the $59.99 you need to buy it. That's not a Whopper of a price ... much less than the 100 Grands it would take to travel to ... Whatchamacallit ... Mars.
No sooner does Sony (briefly) improve the PS3 user interface with the much-talked-about version 2.4 firmware update, than some at the company feel cocky enough to start badmouthing the competition's interface. Speaking to Next-Gen, PlayStation Network Director of Operations Eric Lempel took the bait in taking a few moments to compare Sony's redesigned PlayStation Store to Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace. "I think if I look over at the competitors' UI they may have some issues just displaying content," Lempel said, "and scrolling up and down lists isn't the easiest way to find things." Tell that to McSweeny's, why don'tcha?
Lempel also pointedly pointed out that the PlayStation Store interface has "a lot of room with virtual shelf space to put a lot of things," a not-so-subtle jab at Microsoft's recently announced plan to de-list some Xbox Live Arcade games. "Depending on what type of UI you have you can accommodate a lot of titles," Lempel continued, "and specifically with our new store redesign which launched back in April we have a great ability to merchandise a wide variety of titles." That's all well and good, assuming your PS3 is currently working.
A little ninja scampered across our screen to bring news that Metanet, developer of N+, has three level packs for the Xbox Live Arcade version of the game ready and waiting. According to a post on Metanet's blog, the downloadable content has already been submitted to Microsoft for certification, although it has yet to receive a release date.
The post also reveals that one of the three packs will be free, and that, in total, the DLC-drop contains more than 750 new maps (roughly 300 of which are mutliplayer levels). The maps are reportedly "a lot better than the ones that came with N+" due to the fact that Metanet has "had more time to learn what works." We know what works: 750 more reasons to love the stylish and seductively simple ninja platformer.
Like the rumbling of thunder in the distance, an unstoppable force is audibly and rapidly approaching us. Soon, a cacophony of clicks will ring through our ears, the reverberating result of posting an article which not only concerns Halo 3, but prominently features the word "free." What have we done?
Bungie's Luke Smith has announced via Bungie.net that "Cold Storage," a chilly new multiplayer map for everybody's favorite cyborg shoot-em-up, will be downloadable -- for free -- from the Xbox Live Marketplace beginning Monday Bungie Day, July 7. The map will be implemented in regular rotation in playlists that require the Legendary Map Pack, which will also drop from 800 MS Points ($10) to 600 MS Points ($7.50) on the same day. If you haven't tried those environments out yet, now's the time to join in on the gradual extermination of Earth's population.
Ninja Gaiden 2 will receive Mission Mode as DLC on July 25, according to a post on NeoGAF. Mission Mode, if similar to the original iteration introduced in Ninja Gaiden Black, drops Ryu into an arena setting and lets him go on a flippin' awesome ninja killin' spree. There is currently no price attached to the new Mission Mode DLC.
The possibility of a Mission Mode should come as good news to NG II players who don't find dressing up Ryu like a Ken doll a worthwhile activity. But, let's be honest, if it's anything like the original Mission Mode, shouldn't it have been shipped with the game or, and we're hoping this is the case, at least be free?
Another retailer has shown that Microsoft is planning to drop the price of the Xbox 360 20GB model — formerly known as the "Pro" — to $299, as a Best Buy employee has forwarded us (obligatorily blurry) cell phone pics of an upcoming weekly ad. The model currently retails for a suggested price of $349 in the United States.
The ad, photographed off-screen from the Best Buy computer system, is said to run the week of July 13th. That matches up with previous price drop rumors from Kmart and an unnamed "major retailer."
Out with the old, in with the NEW. The weekly Media Create sales chart is packed with new Japanese releases, with Derby Stallion DS snatching first place from Tales of Symphonia. It's a big week for the Wii and Nintendo DS overseas, as a ton of new titles for Nintendo's hardware platforms sell and sell big.
This week's chart is potentially less good news for the PSP, as two of its big sellers — Super Robot Taisen A Portable and Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G — fall out of the top ten. Will this spell the end to PSP hardware dominance in Japan?
01. Derby Stallion DS (DS) - 148,000 / NEW
02. Tales of Symphonia: Knight of Ratatosk (Wii) - 137,000 / NEW
03. Daigasso! Band Brothers DX (DS) - 120,000 / NEW
04. Hisshou Pachinko * Pachi-Slot Kouryaku Series DS Vol. 12: CR Neon Genesis Evangelion - Shito, Futatabi (PS2) - 55,000 / NEW
05. Higurashi no Nakukoru ni Kizuna: Dai-Ichi-Kan - Tatari (DS) - 42,000 / NEW
06. Wii Fit (Wii) - 34,000 / 2,292,000
07. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) - 34,000 / 566,000
08. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) - 31,000 / 1,508,000
09. Mario Super Sluggers (Wii) - 31,000 / 89,000
10. Mobile Suit Gundam: Operation: Troy (Xbox 360) - 28,000 / NEW
11. Ken to Mahou to Gakuen Mono (PSP)
12. Sengoku Basara X (PS2)
13. Super Robot Taisen A Portable (PSP)
14. Bleach: The 3rd Phantom (DS)
15. The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match (PS2)
16. DS Bimoji Training (DS)
17. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP)
18. Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball Portable 3 (PSP)
19. Battlefield: Bad Company (Xbox 360)
20. Disgaea: Hour of Darkness (DS)
21. Ookami to Koushinryou: Boku to Horo no Ichinen (DS)
22. Bokura no Telebi Game Kentei (DS)
23. Wii Sports (Wii)
24. Aria the Origination: Aoi Wakusei no El Cielo (PS2)
25. World Neverland Olerud Okoku Monogatari & Pluto Kyouwakoku Monogatari 2 in 1 Portable (PSP)
26. The Tower DS (DS)
27. Taiko Drum Master DS: Seven Island Adventure (DS)
28. Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou! (DS)
29. Wii Play (Wii)
30. DS Yamamura Misa Suspense: Maiko Kogiku - Kisha Katherine - Sougiya Isa Akashi - Koto ni Maru Hana Sanrin: Kyoto Satujin Jinken File (DS)
What are you playing this weekend? On a Thursday? Sorry, but we got some independence to celebrate. That's what we'll be doing all day tomorrow instead of hunting for game cakes, posting crazy wild speculation and bringing you the freshest of Tifa hentai. We'll be shootin' guns, lighting M-80s and stuffing our fat faces with saturated fats and washing it all down with a frosty cold... well, you know. We might even find some time to do a few posts. In fact, I'm pretty sure of it.
We might even play some games! Playing through Too Human has given me a loot gathering itch that only Diablo II and/or Phantasy Star Online can scratch. Say, that reminds me. This weekend is a free Day of Defeat: Source weekend, meaning you can game on Valve's dime should you have a Steam account. Have a good one, America!
"Well of course they did," you're probably saying to yourself after reading the above headline. "Practically every game on the Xbox 360 has 3D graphics. When is this news from, 1987? HA! HA! *snort*." Don't be such a smartass, hypothetical reader! We're talking about stereoscopic 3D displays, such as those being used by Ubisoft's upcoming Avatar game or Texas Instruments' upcoming DualView TV.
In an excerpt from an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, XNA General Manager Chris Satchell revealed that Microsoft actually looked into using this stereoscopic technology for gaming, but determined the need for special glasses made the idea impractical. "I think it is hard to be mainstream with asking people to wear headgear to play games," he said, thus explaining the failure of Hat Hat Revolution. That said, Satchell hinted at "some very interesting technology being developed that can overcome this obstacle, and it will be interesting to see where this leads." Oh, we all know where this leads, all right.
Guitar Hero World Tour is going to let players make their own songs, so it only stands to reason that Rock Band 2 will as well, right? Right? Not according to Alex Rigopulos, the CEO and co-founder of Rock Band developer Harmonix.
Speaking to CNN, Rigopulos states that his company "wanted to do [song creation] right." He adds that Harmonix is "taking a radically different approach" to player-created tracks – presumably he means from the way Guitar Hero World Tour dev Neversoft is handling it – and will "take more time to do it." So, Rock Band 3 with a song creator it is then, right? Right? http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/no...r-rock-band-2/
The PSP is still sitting pretty at the top of the Japanese hardware chart this week.
There's a fair bit of distance between Sony's handheld and two Nintendo platforms, according to Media Create data, while the Wii and DS are just hundreds of sales apart.
In fourth place is PS3, with sales continuing to drop following the launch week Metal Gear Solid surge. The final tally was 17,973 unit, which is 2000 less than last week.
Significantly below is the ageing PS2, rumoured to be getting yet another redesign later this year.
And finally Xbox 360 did all right this week, relatively speaking. More than 5000 units were shifted - that's around double the usual figure.
The software chart points to Gundam: Operation Troy and Battlefield: Bad Company doing well for the platform.
We all know Microsoft won't comment in rumour and speculation but it looks like the publisher is readying a new Halo unveiling for E3 in a few weeks. But will it feature everyone's favourite Chief? Not so, a source tells CVG.
According to a rumour on Sarcastic Gamer, the fourth instalment is already in development: "A very good and anonymous source tells us that Halo 4 is already in full development over at Bungie." Unfortunately there was no further info available on the franchise's movements.
But we've done a little digging of our own and reckon a new Halo game could be revealed at this year's E3.
Whether or not it'll be the Peter Jackson project or the previously rumoured third-person prequel, remains to be seen. Believe us we've tried poking, threatening, starving and even tickling to find out more. But nothing...
At the end of May we revealed that, even though most of Microsoft's E3 line-up had been blown all over the internet, there were still two unknown announcements. "According to well placed sources close to Microsoft, the publisher has two more 'big' Xbox 360 games to be revealed for its 2008 line-up." We're now certain that a new Halo title is going to be one of them. Speculate below.
As foretold, here are the first screens of zombie love, zombie bowling, zombie rock and roll, zombie sumo, zombie apple picking Ai sareru yori ai shitai: House of the Dead EX. The game looks more causal and more crazy. It's jammed pack with mini-games that are controlled by the gun and the foot pedal — mini games, and that's not in a pejorative sense! This series spin-off looks fun and totally fitting for arcade play. We approve, SEGA, we really do.
Criterion has pushed the Xbox 360 "Cagney" update for Burnout Paradise back by four days.
It appears there may have been a hold-up in authentication, with the only explanation on the developer blog claiming Microsoft has it and will release it on 14th July.
The PlayStation 3 version is therefore unaffected and will go live next Thursday as expected. However, no Game Calendar events will happen until "Cagney" is live on both formats. Details of the first calendar events are expected next week.
"Cagney" will be the third significant update to Burnout Paradise so far. Inside it are three extra modes: Road Rage, where four of you race through checkpoints while four others try to stop you; Stunt Run, where you do tricks at the same time to rack up points; and Marked Man, where you all gang up on one person to take them down before they can complete the course.
On top of this are 70 new FreeBurn challenges to get stuck into, a Hunter Olympus and secret Criterion car, fresh liveries, custom soundtrack support on PS3, and a host of bug-fixes asked for by you lot.
Criterion has additional updates "Davis" (with motorbikes and a day-night cycle) and "Eastwood" (with a new island) planned for August and autumn, respectively.
Smash Bros. Brawl, which also debuted at No1 in the UK chart earlier this week, was followed by fellow Wii exclusive titles Wii Fit and Wii Play.
The Xbox 360 version of Battlefield: Bad Company and DS exclusive Guitar Hero: On Tour, both of which were new entries, rounded off the top five for the week ended June 29.
Metal Gear Solid 4, which had held the top spot for the previous two weeks, slipped five places to No6, while the PS3 version of Battlefield: Bad Company debuted at No7.
Grand Theft Auto IV for PS3 was down two places to No8, while DS Pokemon titles Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness/Explorers of Time, which were new last week in third and fourth, slipped to ninth and tenth respectively.
01. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
02. Wii Fit (Wii)
03. Wii Play (Wii)
04. Battlefield: Bad Company (360)
05. Guitar Hero: On Tour (DS)
06. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)
07. Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3)
08. Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3)
09. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness (DS)
10. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time (DS)
Over half of the titles in the Japanese software top 10 are new entries this week, according to Media Create data (translated by NeoGaf members).
Top of the pops is a new horse racing game called Derby Stallion DS. This appeared back on N64 and has apparently been floating around in one guise or another for over a decade.
The most significant new entry, though, is Wii role-playing game Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World at two.
DJ music game Daigasso! Band Brothers DX (DS) debuts at three, followed by Shinseki Evangelion Pachislot Vol. 12 on PS2 at four. No idea.
We're similarly clueless about DS fresher Higurashi no Nakukoru ni Kizuna: Dai-Ichi-Kan at five; some sort of adventure game, apparently.
Following that is Wii Fit at six, Metal Gear Solid at seven, Mario Kart Wii at eight and Super Mario Baseball at nine.
Rounding off the chart at 10 is the unusual sight of an Xbox 360 title - in this case Gundam: Operation Troy. Might explain why sales of Microsoft's console doubled this week.
Overall the DS accounted for 24 games in the top 40, followed by Wii with nine, PSP with eight, PS2 with five, and Xbox 360 and PS3 with two.
This is also the first week Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G has spent outside the top 10, by only managing to finish at 17.
Here's that top 10 in full:
Derby Stallion (DS) - 148,000
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (Wii) - 137,000
Rock star and noted media violence expert Noel Gallagher used a recent public appearance to speak out against the influence of violent video games, according to the BBC. While accepting an award at London's Silver Clef Music Awards, Professor Emeritus Gallagher mentioned games as one possible cause for the prevalence of youth-oriented knife violence throughout England.
"People say it's through violent video games and I guess that's got something to do with it," said Gallagher, whose wide-ranging, cross-cultural sociological studies on the relationship between media exposure and real-world violence have changed the way we all look at this complex problem. "If kids are sitting up all night smoking super skunk [cannabis] and they come so desensitised [sic] to crime because they're playing these video games, it's really, really scary," he added while adjusting the Amalfi Prize hanging around his neck.
Gallagher is the best-selling author of Burning the Razor's Edge: How Super-Skunk Smoking and Our Knife-Obsessed Media Landscape are Turning Our Kids to Crime.
features
Engaging and disturbing cinematic story: Massively scoped worlds, memorable characters, and an epic storyline play out like an intense and unsettling blockbuster action film.
Fire team co-op action: All game modes, levels, and scenarios are designed for cooperative fire team play (A.I. or human).
Unprecedented visuals: Gears of War ushers in the next generation with unprecedented visuals.
Hyper-realistic and intense combat: The battlefield is a lethal place—to foolishly stand out in the open is to die.
Xbox Live® action: Gears of War will embody the next-generation Xbox Live experience and extend it even further.
Gears of War Extras: Map Packs 1 & 2, Theme - Emergence Day, Gamer Pics - Gears of War, Emergence Day
Main disc region free!
Bonus disc works on US/Canada NTSC/UC consoles only!
description
With over 30 Game of the Year awards and more than 4.7 million copies sold, Gears of War is one of the most popular and critically-reviewed Xbox games of all time. This two-disc version includes the complete Gears of War experience, including the previously released multiplayer map packs, the Annex game mode and the ability to earn up to eight additional multiplayer Achievements for a total of 1250 possible Gamerscore. Gamers will also get a taste of the highly anticipated sequel, "Gears of War 2", through trailers and other extras. Gears of War thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind's epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet.
Now that Blizzard has Activision, undisputed masters of *ahem* "getting the most out of a franchise", looking over their shoulders, would a console port of Diablo III really surprise you, were it to happen? OK, no, look. Calm down. I said were it to happen. Because while it's not confirmed, or even strongly hinted at, it may happen. May. Because Blizzard's Rob pardo has said that it's a "theoretical possibility", and that "of our major franchises, [it's] the one that's most console friendly, for sure". Pretty sure he's talking about the 360 and PS3, there. Can't see Mii support and friend codes really fitting with the whole gates to hell thing.
More than 25 million of the video-game industry's most sophisticated and family-friendly consoles have been sold in the United States in the past 2 1/2 years.
But there are only marginal signs that the machines - designed to foster games as a mainstream pastime in a majority of homes - are making any inroads with households that traditionally have been without consoles.
The game industry's signature event, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), takes place this month in Los Angeles in the midst of booming hardware and software sales, driven heavily by interest in Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. The industry is on pace to top last year's record $18 billion in sales by $3 billion to $5 billion, according to the market research firm NPD.
The robust spending, however, seems mostly to be coming from consumers who owned a previous generation of console, such as the PlayStation 2 or original Xbox. Some industry insiders hoped the new consoles, led by the populist appeal of the Wii, would dramatically expand the pool of game-playing Americans. But that appears to remain down the road at best.
Research companies calculate that 40 to 42 percent of U.S. households are using at least one game console. According to some sets of research, that represents little or no growth in recent years.
"We're looking at very slow growth," said David Klein, executive vice president of Centris, a Los Angeles research firm.
Centris measures the current percentage of homes with consoles at 40, unchanged from this time of year in 2006, and up by just 1 percent over 2005.
Adams Media Research puts the percentage at 40.9, up from a 2005 figure of 36.3.
Michael Arrington, one of the firm's analysts, noted in an e-mail that it's likely "most new consoles are going into homes that are either replacing an existing console or adding a second (or third) unit."
The implications for the game industry, whose challenges include rising development costs, are sweeping. An expansion of the game audience offers continued revenue growth, or at least a hedge against a spending slowdown by existing fans.
The tech-laden nature of the latest consoles - which feature broadband Internet capabilities - gives them broader home entertainment potential. And the wider the cultural acceptance of games, the less vulnerable the industry is to social and political critics concerned about violent or adult content.
Nintendo's hot-selling Wii is based on an easy-to-use, one-hand remote control that's meant to entice consumers without previous game experience. Nintendo declined to comment on any internal research it has, although anecdotes abound about the Wii being a hit with moms, dads and grandparents.
Still, that word-of-mouth enthusiasm may not be translating into much real expansion.
"The problem with any consumer survey of that nature is you can get all kinds of wacky results when you try and extrapolate out to (the) U.S. as a whole," industry analyst David Cole of DFC Intelligence said by e-mail.
"You can look at how much the console systems actually sell, but that doesn't account for duplicate households," Cole said. "If you look at most new console purchases today, they are going into households that already own a game system from a previous generation (yes, even Wii buyers)."
The Consumer Electronics Association puts the percentage of households with consoles at 42, the same as a previous peak in 2005. But the CEA's growth projections are notably upbeat. Its research foresees the percentage hitting 44 by the end of the year, up from 37 in 2007, and it expects 27 percent of the people purchasing a console this year to be first-time buyers.
For whatever market growth there is, noted Arrington of Adams Media Research, it's likely the Wii is "doing the most expanding into existing homes that haven't ever . . . taken the console plunge. PS3 and Xbox 360 are being bought almost entirely by folks that are already comfortable with 'doing the console thing' "
Talking to Gamasutra Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg, director of product management for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live, has been commenting on Microsoft's attempts to attract casual gamers, suggesting that Wii customers are "going to want to graduate to an Xbox 360 experience" over time.
When asked about Nintendo's de-emphasizing of hardware power with the Wii, with Gamasutra's interviewer suggesting that "...if they keep going down this path, they don't really need to make a Wii 2", Microsoft's Greenberg pointedly suggested:
"Everyone says that eventually the novelty will wear off, right? I think that a lot of the people that are buying that console today are not people that have generally bought consoles in the past, right?
You see they're not buying games on it, right? They're buying it, it's like something they break out when people come over, and it's maybe a fun thing, but it's almost like the same people that buy a karaoke machine, you know? They're not really buying it for games, they're just buying it as a novelty."
Fans of Criterion's vehicular vehicleslaughter sim Burnout Paradise were supposed to receive the title's third major update this coming Thursday, codenamed "Cagney". The vaudevillian actor-turned-downloadable content will give Paradisians the opportunity to play through more than 70 events online in FreeBurn mode -- unfortunately, Paradisians of the Xbox 360 variety will have to wait a bit longer than their PS3 counterparts to enjoy the free update.
Unsurprisingly, the source of the hold-up is the rigorous Xbox Live certification process, which took longer than Criterion had expected. Their new release date for "Cagney" is the following Monday, July 14 -- though this delay won't affect PS3 owners. Nor will it affect DS owners, restaurant entrepreneurs, professional poker players, the current Dalai Lama, or the actual James Cagney, who is, in fact, deceased.
Police have released a 911 call from a man claiming that his roommate had been shot and killed by someone.
Officers went to the home at 204 North Greenmount Avenue, where one man was arrested for aggravated murder.
The victim has been identified as 24-year-old Johnny Robert Hyde, Jr. The caller told the 911 dispatcher that he may have been shot in an argument over a video game system.
The caller told 911 that his roommate confessed to killing Hyde sometime late Tuesday night. The caller said his roommate, 30-year-old Mark Burwell, wanted to turn himself in.
Crime scene investigators recovered a weapon that may have been used in the shooting in a dumpster near the house.
Police Chief Steve Moody said, “The 911 communication operators who took the call did a great job of gleaning as much
Burwell was taken into custody. He pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder with a death penalty specification.
In the 911 call, the roommate talked about a possible motive. The caller said that Johnny was trying to steal his X-Box when he just shot him as he was trying to get out of the door.
Moody said, “There is an indication this was over the X-Box, but of course, that is a statement form the defendant.”
The case will eventually be turned over to the grand jury. At this time, Burwell is being held on a $250,000 bond.
We would love to get excited for the upcoming video game adaptation of the sixth installment in J.K. Rowling's wildly successful series of books -- unfortunately, our ambitions of striding through Hogwarts' hallowed halls have been sullied by previous lackluster Harry Potter titles from Electronic Arts. To make sure Half Blood Prince is as faithful and entertaining as it can possibly be, we've written up a quick cheat sheet for the game's developers to inform them which elements from the source material should be included when the game hits store shelves in November.
Epic wizard duels -- Awesome.
Magical puzzles -- Entertaining.
Exciting quidditch matches -- Compelling, if handled properly.
Collecting "Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans", "Chocolate Frogs", "Fizzing Whizbees", or any other form of magical confection -
