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February 29 REMINDER: FREE Halo 3 Tournament Sponsored By Samsung TV Content Available NowJust wanted to remind you that a free Theme and Picture Pack are both available for the Official Halo 3 Tournament Sponsored By Samsung TV now - you'll probably have noticed that adverts for the Tournament have been popping up on your Dash, so if you click on them you can check out more details on the Tournament and get the content. Otherwise just go to Themes and GamerPics on Marketplace and look for Samsung.
By downloading the content you not only get some quality new Halo 3 pics, but also register yourself to take part in the Tournament when it kicks off on March 18. It's all held over LIVE so you can take part without leaving the sofa!
Get more details and terms and conditions on the Official Halo 3 Tournament Sponsored By Samsung TV page on Xbox.com. And remember - BE LEGENDARY! Marketplace Update - 29/2Lots of free video content today. Spiderwick Chronicles is the big new family film coming to cinemas in March - more details at www.SpiderwickChronicles.com.
Video Store Update - 29/2In the mood for a new movie? New today on Xbox LIVE Marketplace Video Store:
UK/Ireland
France:
Germany:
In other movie news, have you seen the trailer for the new Indiana Jones movie? Watch it here. I like it so much I picked up the DVD boxset yesterday and watched Raiders of the Lost Ark last night. I don't mean to sound like an old bugger, but they really don't make movies like that any more, eh? Quality... February 28 Marketplace Update - 282GOOD NEWS! Handed in my nightclass essay last night so I'll have more time for, well, everything for a while! First stop is to get my GamerScore to 20K...
February 26 GamerScore Blog Does Condemned 2...If you're a shamed FBI agent with psychic powers and a sever dose of the heeby-jeebies, what's the logical next step? Go and work with the guys over at GamerScore Blog. Seriously. I spent some time with them recently and their office was at least as dark as some of the creepier sections in Condemned. And it did smell a bit like dead bird...
Anyway, the latest GamerScore video is a cracking comedy take on what would happen if Condemned 2's Ethan Thomas found himself working in Xbox HQ. Excellent work guys - all it needs is a dead body in a locker that JUMPS OUT AT YOU when you don't expect it.
And Condemned 2 is out on March 28. Given that the first game was one of my most memorable gaming experiences of the last few years I can't wait to get stuck into it. Insider Moves on Inside XboxApologies to those of you who don't have Inside Xbox yet, but I wanted to point out the new Insider Moves video feature that we posted yesterday. It's put together by Denny Atkins and Ryan Treit from the US Xbox.com team and it's a weekly video walkthrough showing you how to do some of the trickiest moves or unlock some of the toughest Achievements in Xbox gaming. It looks great and, more so than a lot of wlakthroughs or tutorials these days, actually offers some really useful content!
First up is the Millionaire's Club Achievement in Burnout Paradise, and keep your eyes peeled next week for more Insider Moves. As always, let me know what you think! February 25 GoldenEye on XBLA? Still Just a Rumour...If you’ve seen rumours that GoldenEye is coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade (and who hasn’t, because they’ve been going around for AGES) I’m afraid that they still remain rumours. I’ve asked around and here’s what the official word is:
“There is no truth to the rumor of plans to release Golden Eye on Xbox LIVE Arcade. While we share the gaming community’s enthusiasm over the possibility, we do not have the necessary rights to release the game on Xbox LIVE Arcade.”
While you, me and everyone else in Xbox would love to see GoldenEye on XBLA, anything you see confirming that it will be coming is only speculation. The fact is that there are currently no plans to release the game on XBLA. Sorry! Announcing The Official European Halo 3 Tournament Sponsored By Samsung - Be Legendary!Phew! I've been working on this for a while now and it's a relief to finally tell you about it!
I'm proud to bring you news of the Official Halo 3 European Tournament Sponsored By Samsung TV! This Tournament, which opens for registration TODAY, will pit the greatest Halo 3 players in 14 European countries against each other, with the ultimate winner scooping a beautiful new 40" Samsung Series 6 FHD TV, an Xbox 360 Elite console and a faceplate signed by the team at Bungie!
The Tournament will be open to Halo 3 players with Xbox LIVE Gold in the UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Austria and Switzerland.
Here's how it works:
Here's the press release we sent out this morning. Go and get your free downloads and if you're going to take part in the Tournament itself - BE LEGENDARY!
Prepare for Battle in The Official European Halo® 3 Tournament Sponsored By Samsung TV
Gamers challenged to compete against the rest of Europe and win amazing prizes sponsored by Samsung TV
London, 25th February 2008 – Microsoft® today announced the Official European Halo 3 Tournament Sponsored By Samsung TV as a chance for Xbox 360™ gamers from various countries across Europe to show their Halo 3 skills and be rewarded with some amazing prizes, including exclusive Halo 3 artwork, the new Samsung Crystal Design 40” Series 6 FHD TV and a brand new Xbox 360 Elite.
The Tournament will open for registration on February 25, 2008. From that date, all gamers need to do to sign up is head to the Xbox LIVE Dashboard, click on The Official Halo 3 European Tournament Sponsored By Samsung adverts, and download the exclusive free GamerPic.
Once gamers are registered, open play runs from March 18 to March 30. Entrants will need to perform on the three game modes that make up The Official European Halo 3 Tournament sponsored by Samsung TV Xbox LIVE Playlist – Slayer, King of the Hill and Oddball.
At the end of open play, the top ranked player from each European country will be crowned Halo 3 National Champion and will be rewarded with a piece of exclusive framed Halo artwork. They will also qualify for the European Final, where the 14 top ranked players from across Europe will clash in a one-off Xbox LIVE match to decide who is truly legendary.
For more information and terms and conditions please visit www.Xbox.com/Halo3Tournament from February 25. Xbox 360 HD-DVD Player - Further Price DropAfter Toshiba's decision to withdraw from the HD-DVD format and the statement from Xbox that I posted yesterday, I thought you'd like to know that from today the estimated retail price for the Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive will be only 49.99 Euro or £39.99. We won't be manufacturing any more and retailers will only be selling the stock they have, so if you want one at this ridiculously low price get your skates on. You will still be able to receive support and service for your HD-DVD drive.
At that price it's a bit of a bargain - there are currently over 500 HD-DVD movies available and there are plenty still scheduled for release in the coming weeks. To be honest I'm looking forward to building my collection if and when retailers start dropping prices on the flicks themselves... February 24 Xbox's Latest HD-DVD StatementI'm sure you've heard plenty about the HD-DVD situation over the past week. To clarify things from Xbox's point of view, GamerScore Blog has posted a new statement:
"As a result of recent decisions made by Toshiba, Hollywood studios, and retailers, Microsoft plans to withdraw from HD DVD. Xbox will no longer manufacture new HD DVD players for the Xbox 360, but we will continue to provide standard product and warranty support for all Xbox 360 HD DVD Players in the market.
As we stated earlier, we do not believe this decision will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace. HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room, along with playback of the DVD movies they already own." GDC Keynote Available on MarketplaceI've just noticed that you can download an extended edit of John Schappert's GDC keynote from Marketplace now. It features all the big announcements and it's available in all LIVE territories except Germany. Sorry guys.
Worth noting that it's 823MB, and you'll find it in the 'Independent Videos' section of the 'Game Videos' section. February 23 XNA Community Games Download Extended, And Clarity on the DealGamerScore Blog brings news that the deadline for downloading the XNA community games has been downloaded until Wednesday morning at 8am. Now, I must confess that I didn't realise there was a time limit on the downloads, so here's clarity from John Porcaro from the GamerScore team:
"If you haven't already downloaded these games from Xbox LIVE, you have until Tuesday, Feb 26th Midnight PST to download them. You can play them until March 9th, midnight PST.
Whacha waiting for?
Clarification for everyone: These games are just a taste of what's to come this fall. Consider this kind of a limited-time "beta" of the real service. The games will essentially "expire" on March 9, and you won't be able to play them." Marketplace Update - 23/2Few quick updates for you today:
Xbox LIVE Arcade Award Winners AnnouncedHere's a nice way to finish GDC week - the winners of the first Xbox LIVE Arcade Awards have been announced, and it's really good to see some amazing games being recognised. Over 26,000 votes were cast by the Xbox community and personally I'm delighted to see Pac-Man Championship Edition come out as one of the big winners. That's got to be one of the most under-rated games of all time and I was as guilty as anyone of not being all that excited about it... And then I played it!
Here's the rundown:
Xbox LIVE Arcade Awards – 2007 Winners
Congratulations to all the winners, and if you haven't tried any of these games then get your finger out! February 22 Marketplace Update - 22/2What a week! I'm pretty shattered after everything going on, but I'm really pleased with how Inside Xbox is looking and I'm definitely excited about all the announcements we made! Hope you've been enjoying it too and I hope you've liked the vids on Inside Xbox in the UK - look out for a really good one this weekend from the Canadian team. They went to the N+ launch event last week and interviewed the developers, who seem really cool and funny! All we need now is some European faces/voices on there, but we're working on that...
I've been playing some of the XNA Creators Club games too and they're quality - what about Dishwasher? That game's NICE! Have you watched the video with the guy who developed it on Inside Xbox? It's really funny.
Couple of games out today too:
February 20 Gears Of War On Xbox.com, Plus GDC Marketplace UpdateCheck out the Gears 2 trailer and get some cool wallpapers on Xbox.com now (not Germany): www.Xbox.com/games/g/gearsofwar2
Also up on Xbox LIVE Marketplace now:
Hot From GDC: Gears of War 2, Fable 2, Ninja Gaiden 2 and More!John Schappert, the head of Xbox LIVE, is just wrapping up his keynote speech at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The full press release about all the big news is below, but here's my picks:
Get on Xbox LIVE Marketplace now for the trailers, and if you're in the UK keep an eye on Inside Xbox tomorrow for vids from the show!
Microsoft Provides Thrilling First Look at Xbox 360 Blockbuster Portfolio for 2008, Announces “Gears of War 2” Ships This November
The world’s hottest developers pave the way for a banner year with a blockbuster lineup that includes “Gears of War 2,” “Fable 2,” “Ninja Gaiden II” and a rich mix of indie Xbox LIVE Arcade titles.
SAN FRANCISCO — Feb. 20, 2008 — Today at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2008, Microsoft Corp. provided an exciting glimpse at what promises to be another landmark year for games and online entertainment on the Xbox 360 platform and officially announced the launch of “Gears of War 2,” exclusively for Xbox 360 this November. Providing a dramatic close to Microsoft’s GDC keynote address, Epic Games Inc.’s lead designer Cliff Bleszinski announced that the epic saga of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad continues exclusively on the Xbox 360 this fall with “Gears of War 2.” This highly anticipated sequel to the 4.5 million-selling blockbuster “Gears of War” delves deeper into humanity’s struggle for survival against the nightmarish Locust Horde, and promises to take high-definition visuals to a whole new level.
In addition, acclaimed developer Peter Molyneux of Lionhead Studios took the stage to showcase exciting new multiplayer features for “Fable 2,” introducing dynamic cooperative play, a first to the franchise. Molyneux also announced that later this year, and before the launch of “Fable 2,” gamers can get a sneak peek at the game’s world when the “Fable 2” pub games debut as a stand-alone download on Xbox LIVE Arcade. When “Fable 2” launches, gamers will have the ability to transfer currency earned in the pub games directly to their character in “Fable 2.” This unique and first-of-its-kind experience, which can be found only on Xbox LIVE Arcade, will give the millions of “Fable” fans and gamers all around the globe the opportunity to jump into the “Fable 2” world with money already in the bank.
Tomonobu Itagaki also revealed new “Ninja Gaiden II” game-sharing features, including Ninja Cinema, which is enabled solely through Xbox LIVE, providing exciting and innovative entertainment experiences for the more than 10 million Xbox LIVE members worldwide by allowing players to record and upload their best ninja moves to Xbox LIVE.
“To our team the original game was just a tease, the appetizer to the ‘Gears of War’ characters and new style of gameplay. We were so amped to get to the next chapter, and dig deeper into the universe of this franchise,” said Cliff Bleszinski, lead designer for Epic Games. “‘Gears of War 2’ is an even bigger, better, and more badass experience than the first game, and we can’t wait to get it in the hands of eager gamers this November.”
This year, the most anticipated games will be found exclusively on Xbox 360, including the next chapters of top franchises such as “Gears of War,” “Fable” and “Ninja Gaiden,” as well as new titles such as “Too Human.”
With online multiplayer gameplay, downloadable content and ways to stay in contact with a global community, these forthcoming blockbusters harness the power of Xbox LIVE to create truly innovative and exciting entertainment experiences. Each game also comes packed with Achievements, so Xbox LIVE members can help add to the more than 1 billion Achievements already unlocked on the service to date. And, as with the “Fable 2” pub games, downloadable content in Xbox LIVE Marketplace allows gamers the opportunity to customize and enhance their gameplay experiences. Since the service launched, Microsoft has seen more than $250 million in digital revenue from Xbox LIVE Marketplace through the purchase of more than 20 billion Microsoft Points.
Xbox LIVE members have been using a large portion of those Microsoft Points in Xbox LIVE Arcade, which is the premier destination for digitally distributed, high-definition original and classic games. With over 116 games to choose from on Xbox LIVE Arcade, everyone’s invited to get instantly immersed in the fun. Xbox LIVE Arcade is also home to the world’s most innovative independent developers, with more than 25 independent studios serving as the creative fuel behind the original games that represent more than a quarter of the Xbox LIVE Arcade library.
The following titles represent a sample of games launching on Xbox LIVE Arcade in the near future from the world’s leading independent developers:
More From GDC: Community-Created XNA Games Come to XBLA!Also hot from GDC! XNA-created games coming to Xbox LIVE to be played and rated by the community, and seven are available right now! Get onto the Game Store on Marketplace to download them for free.
Xbox 360 Becomes First Video Game Console Ever to Invite the World to Create Original Games and Share Online With Millions Flood of community-created games to double leading games library.
SAN FRANCISCO — Feb. 20, 2008 — In a landmark announcement during the keynote address at the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC), Microsoft Corp. promised to soon allow Xbox LIVE members to play, rate and share community-created games. As the first in the industry to pioneer high-speed online gaming and high-definition games, Xbox 360 once again broke new ground by introducing a new, open distribution service for games created by the community and soon playable by its 10 million Xbox LIVE members. Community-created games on Xbox LIVE will quickly double the size of the Xbox 360 game library. By the end of 2008, Xbox 360 owners will have access to more than 1,000 games, making it the largest, most creatively diverse library across all next-generation platforms.
“The time has come for the games industry to open its doors to all game creators, enabling anyone to share their creations with the world,” said John Schappert, corporate vice president of LIVE, Software and Services for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “Our goal is to drive a creative and social revolution in games with the same transformative power that we’ve seen in digital music and video sharing.”
Inviting Everyone to Share Their Own Games With Millions
Demonstrating a look into the future potential of community-created games on Xbox 360, Chris Satchell, general manager and chief XNA architect at Microsoft, announced that seven games created using XNA Game Studio 2.0 would be available immediately for Xbox 360 owners to download from Xbox LIVE Marketplace:
An Xbox 360 community game created using Microsoft’s XNA Game Studio software and XNA Creators Club membership will be able to be submitted for distribution on Xbox LIVE. Each community-created game must then undergo a thorough peer-review process and be evaluated for accuracy in representation and appropriateness. Community game developers will be able to beta test the process this spring and will be able to distribute their games on Xbox LIVE by the end of this year. GDC Announcements Rolling InThe announcements have started - XNA-created games are coming to XBLA tonight, and the Zune will have games in the future. Check out Major Nelson for the latest as it happens.
And more from me soon... N+ On XBLA NowNinja! N+ is available on XBLA now for 800 MS Points, or you can get the trial game for free. 300 levels of platform action, coop over LIVE, a level editor, and apparently one of the most frustratigly addictive and brilliant experiences on XBLA yet - so much so that OXM in the UK gave it 10 out of 10!
Pop over to the N+ official website for more details and screens - although I have the feeling it's one of those games that plays better than the screenshots suggest!
You can also download 2 N+ Picture Packs (160 MS Points each) and 2 N+ Themes (100 MS Points each) now.
Should keep you busy until the GDC news starts to hit... |
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