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March 30 GTA IV - What Do You Think?I haven't been so excited about seeing a game trailer for ages, and if you haven't checked it out yet you can download the GTA IV trailer from Xbox Live Marketplace now or watch it on Rockstar's website here.
In typical Rockstar fashion only a few things about the game have been revealed: The setting is Liberty City (scene of GTA3 and also the starting city in the very first GTA game). The main character is an Eastern European bloke (or at least, the bloke in the trailer is - he might not be the lead character). And most importantly, the city looks more detailed and alive than ever.
What did surprise me though is the lack of an instantly recognisable soundtrack. I was expecting some kind of well-known, well-loved, but ridiculously cool pop song, but instead the trailer is set to the orchestral music of Philip Glass's soundtrack to the 1982 arty film Koyaanisqatsi. What? Exactly. Apparently it was a pioneering film in the use of timelapse photography, speeding up shots of life in New York to create scenes of total chaos as thousands of people and cars fizz around the screen - and the GTA IV trailer clearly references this in its cinematography. How very highbrow of you, Rockstar!
The references are pretty appropriate too, since Koyaanisqatsi, which is a Hopi word, literally translates as "life of moral corruption and turmoil, life out of balance". Sounds a bit like what you get up to in GTA, innit?
The choice of music also makes it difficult to pin down which time period GTA IV will take place in, although it looks to me like it's current day. I suppose GTA3 and the original GTA didn't really have a specific time frame - we just got used to the distinct sense of era thanks to Vice City's pastel pop and San Andreas's baggy-trousered beats.
I guess my overall impression is that it looks like GTA IV might be a little more serious and a bit darker than the last few games in the serious. I've always loved the sense of humour in the games so I hope it doesn't go too far the other way, but with the amazing new graphics maybe a more sombre tone will work better. Guess we'll just have to wait for Rockstar to throw us the next bone!
GTA IV has a release date of October 16 according to the game's official website. What do you think of the trailer? Spotted any clues? Heard any rumours? Got anything you'd love to see in the game? New (Old) Halo 2 Maps!Hang 'Em High and Derelict - two maps that will live forever in the memory of everyone who has played Halo multiplayer. And you're about to get a refresher course in old-school Halo action, because Bungie has just announced that recreations of these classic maps will be available for Halo 2 on April 17!
The remakes will be called Tombstone (Hang 'Em High) and Desolation (Derelict). You'll be able to play the maps on both the Xbox 360 and the original Xbox, and the download will cost you $4. That's not MS Points - you'll need to use a credit card to download them through the Halo 2 in-game download centre because of the original Xbox limitations - and you will need an Xbox Live Gold account to get them. I'm a wee bit confused by this at the moment to be honest, but Bungie's Frankie promises to explain it all better in his Weekly Update later today - click here to read his current update.
From the press release:
"The king of “Halo” maps has returned at last. Hang ’Em High, arguably the most popular multiplayer map for the original title, has been reimagined for “Halo 2” as Tombstone, with all-new graphics, features and a few hidden surprises. Now fans will enjoy the dangerous catwalks and trenches that made this the most requested “Halo” multiplayer map ever, with a modernized “Halo 2” flavor.
The second map, Desolation, is a symmetrical, Deathmatch-oriented map and a beautiful remake of the original Derelict. With new graphics and effects and a massive gameplay overhaul, the old favorite is now faster-paced and more balanced than ever — perfect for intense “Halo 2” combat." Bungie.net has screenshots too - go have a look! Chuffed then? I have to admit that I haven't played Halo 2 for about two years now, but all those people keeping it at the top of the most played Xbox Live game chart can't be wrong! March 28 Elite - What's the Deal With Europe?While I'm sure we're all delighted at the thought of the HDMI-sporting, 120GB hard drive-rocking, black suit-wearing Elite Xbox 360, I'm also sure we're all a little disappointed that the release announcement is currently US only. So what's the deal with the Elite Xbox 360 in Europe? Well, I managed to steal some time with Michael Newey, the Platform Marketing Manager for Xbox in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (which basically means he's the guy who looks after the console) to ask him some questions about the announce.
Here's some quick excerpts. The full interview has been sent out to our Xbox Community Network of websites, so keep your eyes peeled for it on your local Xbox Community Network.
"When will the Elite console be available?
Mike Newey: The Elite Xbox 360 will be available in the US from April 29. We have not announced release dates for the Elite console in Europe yet, but rest assured that as soon as we can let you know we will. Why can’t you tell us when the Elite Xbox 360 and accessories will be available in Europe?
Mike Newey: I really wish I could! But let me reassure European gamers that we’re definitely committed to bringing the Xbox 360 Elite to Europe and other regions around the world. I unfortunately can’t give you any more information at the moment about when this will be, but we will announce dates in those regions the moment we can. Why is the US getting the Xbox 360 Elite first? It feels like Europe always has to suffer when stuff like this comes up…
Mike Newey: While I know it’s not much comfort for European Xbox 360 fans, we’re introducing the Xbox 360 Elite console into North America first because there is already a large base of Xbox LIVE customers there who are already downloading HD games and entertainment. Because of that it makes more sense for us to introduce the Elite console in the US before Europe. That said, we know that gamers in Europe and around the world will be desperate to get their hands on the Xbox 360 Elite and its accessories. I wish I had better news for you, but all I can tell you right now is that we’re working very hard to bring the Elite console and accessories to Europe as soon as we can, and I’d like to thank European Xbox 360 fans for their patience and support." Hope that answers some of your questions. Let me know if you have any more and I'll see what I can do. Also, the full interview has loads of extra interesting stuff - you should try and check it out. Click here for a list of your local Xbox Community Network websites.
Oh, and I've just added some pics of the Elite console in the Gallery. Enjoy!
 Xbox Elite Announced (Really This Time)So the rumours were true - the Xbox 360 Elite is real. It's due in the US on April 29 and will be priced at $479.99. No announcements on when the console may come to Europe yet, but later today I should be able to bring you some comments on that. In the meantime check out GamerScore Blog for details and pics, and I'll have more later on. Xbox Live Still Down and Other IrritationsSo it looks like our scheduled downtime on Xbox Live is still ongoing. Apologies for the wait, especially if you're desperate to download The Shivering Isles.
As for me, I'm out of the country at the moment at meetings, so apologies that I haven't been posting. However, I did play Guitar Hero 2 tonight and I can confirm that it is the best thing since bacon crisps. Turned up to eleven. If there was an Achievement for looking like a grinning eejit in front of loads of people then I would have got it.
Hopefully be back online soon. Seriously worried about Mission 11k, but keep working on your scores even if I'm slacking. March 25 Take a Tour of The Shivering IslesIt's already the biggest game on Xbox 360, and when The Shivering Isles hits Xbox Live Marketplace on Tuesday The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is going to get even more epic. Priced at 2400 MS Points and promising to offer over 30 hours of new gameplay (including an additional 250 GamerPoints!), The Shivering Isles adds a whole new area to Cyrodiil for you to explore and conquer.
With so much new Oblivion goodness to explore and discover I thought I'd get in touch with Pete Hines, VP of Marketing at Oblivion developer Bethesda, to ask some questions about The Shivering Isles and give you an introduction to the biggest Xbox Live Marketplace download yet. And this is just an excerpt - our Xbox Community Network sites will be running the full version of this interview, which is almost as large as The Shivering Isles themselves.
Can you explain how the Shivering Isles are linked to the plot and world of Oblivion?
The events in Oblivion take place at the end of the third era, and the end of any era is always a time of big change in the world of The Elder Scrolls. Those changes take places in other places besides Tamriel, including the realm of Sheogorath, the daedric prince of maddness who resides in, and rules over, his own plane of Oblivion and very different from the one ruled by Mehrunes Dagon that you see in Oblivion. The big change taking place in Sheogorath's realm actually happens at the end of every era. It's called the Greymarch and it's basically the total destruction of everything in his realm, forcing him to start all over again every 1,000 years, which he hates. So, in an effort to put a stop to this Sheogorath believes he's found a way to get a mortal champion to help stop the Greymarch and save his realm, which is where you come in. How and where does the entrance to the Shivering Isles manifest itself in Cyrodiil? A doorway appears in Niben Bay, just outside of Bravil. Unlike the gates in Oblivion, this door allows people to enter the realm of Sheogorath and is not a portal for Sheogorath or the people who inhabit his realm to invade Cyrodiil (which would run counter to the events that takes place at the end of the main quest in Oblivion, plus, he's quite content where he is. ). Can players move between Cyrodiil and the Shivering Isles at their will? Yes, any time you want. With few exceptions, the items you have go with you as well. Certain special artifacts can't leave The Shivering Isles, horses can't enter Sheogorath's realm (Sheogorath hates horses)...things like that. Also, you crimes in one world don't convey to the other. So if the law is out to get you in Cyrodiil, the guards in Shivering Isles could care less and are only concerned with your actions and behavior while you're there. Give us an introduction to the landscapes of the Shivering Isles. The Shivering Isles are actually divided into two halves: Mania and Dementia, and both look very different from each other as well as anything you saw in Oblivion. Mania is bright and colorful and reflects the more creative side of Sheogorath...like an insane artist. Dementia is the darker side...brooding, depressing, you can almost smell the stink of decay. Tell us about New Sheoth – what kind of city is it and what will players find there? It's the only real city in the Shivering Isles and -- like the rest of the Isles -- is divided and has a Mania side (Bliss) and Dementia side (Crucible). It's also where Sheogorath's Palace is located, and so it's really a focal point for a lot of what goes on with the main quest. There are a lot of great miscellaneous quests to do and interesting NPCs to talk to and help, or kill. The Fringe looks like an interesting location – what is to be found there? The Fringe is basically the waiting room for Shivering Isles. It's where people must wait until Sheogorath deems them worthy to enter his realm. You can show your worth by figuring out how to defeat the Gatekeeper, who guards the entrance to the Shivering Isles from within The Fringe. Since he has the keys sown into his body, your first major task in the expansion is figuring out to win this fairly large boss battle. The Fringe also gives you a good taste for the kinds of personalities you're going to encounter throughout the expansion. What kind of enemies and NPCs will the player meet in the Shivering Isles? The enemies are all completely new. Some are creatures that have appeared in previous Elder Scrolls games, some are entirely new to the series. All of them are unique and offer some interesting challenges and twists for characters of all levels. From the Grummites and Baliwogs that regenerate their health when they are in water or it's raining, to the Scalon's that turn invisible before attacking, to the Gnarls that get considerably bigger and stronger when you attack them with magic...lots of new things to see and kill. There are, obviously, fewer NPCs in Shivering Isles than there were in the original game and so they all have a bit more personality and individuality than the NPCs in Oblivion. In addition to the folks you can meet and talk to, there are also the guards of Sheogorath's realm: Golden Saints (Mania side) and Dark Seducers (Dementia side), who hate each other. Similarly you'll come across Zealots and Heretics...or those that believe fervently that Sheogorath is a god, and those that don't (also fervently), although they do share common ground in that they're both nuts. Tell us about a couple of your favourite areas in the Shivering Isles. I really like Split, a settlement that has fallen victim to a meddling wizard who created two versions of NPC -- a Mania one and a Dementia one. None of the people are happy about their counterpart, and each side wants you to kill the other side. Also a big fan of Xedillian, one of the first places you go in the main quest. Can you give us a clue to some secrets players may run across as they explore the Shivering Isles? Well, it's pretty perilous ground because I don't want to give away any plot twists or spoil any surprises. Overall I think folks will really enjoy a lot of the little things in Shivering Isles and should take the time to talk to NPCs and hear what they have to say. Because there were fewer of them to manage than in the original game, they all have more personality, more interesting and unique things to say, and there are a lot of great moments just walking around and talking to people. You have to attack Sheogorath at least once, just to see what happens (save your game first). Beyond that, you'll have to uncover all the secrets for yourself. Finally – can Oblivion get any bigger, or is it time for a whole new chapter in the Elder Scrolls story? Shivering Isles is the only expansion we have planned for Oblivion. After this we'll be moving on to new projects. Don't forget - The Shivering Isles will be available for download on Tuesday March 27. Xbox Live is down for maintenance on Tuesday, so you'll have to wait until the service comes back up at around 2200 GMT before you can get it for 2400 MS Points. UEFA Champions League 2007 Q&AScotland 2, Georgia 1. Watched the game yesterday and spent the rest of the evening with a big smile plastered all over my face. We're now the FIFA-ranked 16th best team in the world and sitting top of Group B in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, ahead of Italy, Ukraine and France. I think someone needs to pinch me.
Anyway, speaking of football, EA's UEFA Champions League 2007 was released last Friday. Officially licensed as always and stuffed with all the razzmatazz of the world's premier club championship, if you want to play a next-gen version of CL 2007 then the Xbox 360 is the only place you can do it. And it's not just better graphics, sound and the chance to play over Xbox Live that the Xbox 360 version offers over it's last-gen pals - the exclusive Ultimate Team Mode lets you build a world-beating team from the grassroots up.
Recently I had the chance to fire some questions at Matt Prior, UEFA CL 2007's Executive Producer, to find out more.
What is it that’s so special about the Champions League, and how have you captured it in the game?
UEFA Champions League games have a very unique atmosphere and we went to great lengths to ensure we captured that atmosphere down to the most minor detail. We have taken in game presentation to the next level and replicated all the TV overlays so the game has a very authentic broadcast feel. All the advertisement boards are as they appear in a real game and we have over 50 unlockable balls including the current UEFA Champions League ball and all the balls from previous seasons too. There are also over 40 licensed boots available to unlock. The FIFA games look so good already – how can you keep improving on them? Graphically we use the same player models but we have created new lighting and all the presentation elements from the ground up. The game represents the best looking game we have ever produced and is a very authentic recreation of the UEFA Champions League tournament and atmosphere. How have you tweaked the way the game plays? Gameplay is based on our EA SPORTS football engine that you would have seen last year but we have fixed many issues and tuned many areas so you’ll notice a much improved gameplay experience. Player collisions were something we felt detracted from the gameplay experience previously so that is something we fixed as well as many other things. A lot of work was also done ensuring that player attributes worked perfectly and that differences were noticeable.
In Ultimate Team mode the gameplay cards and team Chemistry are key elements so it was important for us that if a user had a poor team with low team chemistry they really noticed it. As the user progresses through the game and gradually builds a better team with higher team chemistry they will really notice a big difference in the way their team plays. It was also important that when a user plays a gameplay card that boost or lowers attributes that the effect is noticeable. 
The Ultimate Team Mode sounds interesting – could you explain how this works? Playing ‘cards’ doesn’t sound very close to real football, so how does it capture the tactical ebbs and flows of the sport?
One way you can view the card mode is as a very visual manager mode. Not only do you have to make the right choice in terms of your line-up but you'll have to make sure you have your tactical head on when it comes to substitutions and formation changes. Plus you have the added ability to instigate acts usually outside of your control like harsh refereeing, player fatigue and moral boosts from the fans getting behind you. It is a fantasy mode but you have to test yourself again authentic football scenarios and gameplay. How does Ultimate Team mode work over Xbox Live?
We have also utilised the online capabilities of the Xbox 360 and have a trading area so if you can’t wait to find the card you want by buying packs, you can go online and trade with other gamers. It’s a great way to find that elusive player who is the key to improving your team chemistry or to look for a powerful gameplay card just before a big match. It’s also a great way to earn credits by selling players. It will be very interesting to see how much Ronaldinho and Rooney end up being valued for if they are traded online. Why is this mode exclusive to Xbox 360? The card mode actually requires a lot of computation power and it's also intrinsically linked to online. The Xbox 360 is the perfect platform to achieve the goals we set ourselves in terms of innovation. What other Xbox Live modes will UEFA CL have?
Other than the card mode you'll also be able to play one-on-one matches with gamers from all around the world. How many teams are in UEFA CL, and can I take a team that didn’t qualify to the final? We have a 127 teams in the game and quite a few of those are teams who are always on the cards to actually qualify. If you're a good gamer, you can definitely take any team to the final. And you have promised some challenging game modes for advanced FIFA players – could you tell us more about these? For the added test of your game playing abilities you can also play UEFA Champions League Challenge which enables you to play historic Champions League moment with modern teams. If you want to play as Liverpool and try and come back from 3-0 down at half time you can. Who would you pick for your Champions League Dream Team? I'd love to see Ashley Cole, John Terry, Nesta and Cicinho in defence. I'd take Aaron Lennon, Gerrard, Gatuso and Totti in midfield and then Ronaldinho and Drogba up front. Time for your prediction – who’d going to life the Champions League trophy this season and why? I think that Liverpool have a great chance at lifting the trophy again. They always perform on the big stage and have the talent to turn around any match. There you have it. You can find some screenshots and more details about UEFA Champions League 2007 here, and in the meantime I'm off to put a tenner on Liverpool... March 23 Jetpac Refuelled Rocketing Onto Xbox Live Arcade Next WeekWell chuffed about this - Rare's classic shooter Jetpac is now confirmed for Xbox Live Arcade next Wednesday, with both the original game and the all new Refuelled version included in the 400 MS Point package.
"In Jetpac Refuelled players must clear a path through hordes of aliens to refuel their ship and amass a fortune over the course of 128 hi-definition levels, complete with achievements, leaderboards and simultaneous multiplayer action. Compared to the original Jetpac, which included 16 levels, Jetpac Refuelled provides players with everything they loved in the classic, and much more.
“Jetpac Refuelled” can be played alone, or against another player on the same console or over Xbox LIVE. The game will be available worldwide for 400 Microsoft Points.
Game Features
I had a cheeky play of the Refuelled version last week and it's brilliant - I can definitely see me having some quality high score battles with everyone on my Friends list. Completely unrelated - I forgot to mention that I pre-ordered Guitar Hero 2 this morning (cheaper than a PS3, innit?). I can't wait to get it - I was watching a bit of the Kerrang channel on TV earlier and it was getting me all excited about thrashing through some proper metal with my wee plastic Xplorer. Are you getting it? Oblivion: Shivering Isles Release DetailsSo you may remember that the big expansion for Oblivion, called The Shivering Isles, is due out on Marketplace this coming Tuesday. It'll offer you around another 30 hours of Elder Scrolls goodness and it's priced at 2400 MS Points.
However, Tuesday also happens to be the day that Xbox Live is going down for maintenance. From 0800 to 2200 GMT Xbox Live, Xbox.com and the Xbox.com forums will all be down.
So when will you be able to download The Shivering Isles? I've asked Bethesda, and it turns out that you'll be able to get the expansion as soon as Live comes back online on Tuesday 27 March - so around 2200 GMT. That still leaves you a few hours to get stuck into it before you really have to go to bed, right?
More Shivering Isles goodness coming this weekend. Mitchell and Webb Do PS3/Xbox 360It just keeps coming. This is a sweet take-off of the Mitchell and Webb Apple/PC ads that are running in the UK right now, except in this effort by YouTuber Dangerousdave86 it's PS3/Xbox 360.
Picked this up from UK Resistance, which has some stunning coverage of the European PS3 launch. Check it out. Out Today on Xbox 360 - 23/3Here's the new games hitting the shops today, and it's a bit of a sporting Friday. Sony has just launched lots of PS3 games too, but you bought most of them on Xbox 360 about a year ago ;)
I've been down the shops already and now I'm kicking myself for not buying Virtua. What an eejit. Fancy a PS3?Because if you do, you can certainly have one. I've just been down my local shops (GAME, HMV, Comet, Blockbuster etc) and there is absolutely no shortage of consoles whatsoever - and not many people in store buying them. There were a couple of sales while I was in GAME, with both customers trading in their PS2s and a stack of games to cover the £425 cost.
My local HMV shifted around 40 pre-orders last night, and have about the same amount of consoles left in stock. As I've said before, you can spin this one of two ways (and I know which way Sony will spin it): Demand is not great, or the supply is so great that no-one is disappointed. In fact, the bloke in HMV told me that when the Xbox 360 launched and sold out instantly he had to deal with loads of disgruntled customers, so having consoles on shelves is definitely not a bad thing. Unless no-one's buying them, but we'll have to wait for the sales figures to see that.
Let's compare notes - have a look around your local area and let me know how easy or difficult it is to find a PS3. Xbox 360 Sinks PS3 in The SeineMore PS3 launch fun - this time from Paris. To celebrate the French launch of the PS3 Sony set up a huge barge on the River Seine in front of the Eiffel Tower. On top of the barge stands a huge PS3, and last night's launch event was held on the boat.
Of course, Xbox France couldn't just sit back and watch without having a little bit of fun...
Yup, that's a 30 metre barge bearing a 3 metre high message from Xbox - XBOX 360 LOVES YOU!
Apparently the PS3 launch event being held at the same time ont he Sony barge was a flop with less than 100 paying punters turning up. Security had been briefed for 3000. And at the flagship FNAC store (like Virgin Megastores) on Paris's Champs Elysses only 12 people reportedly turned up for the midnight opening.
Putting all my Xbox 360 bias aside, you've got to love the theatre of all this!
Shouldn't Have Kept You Waiting...More quality capers from the UK Xbox team last night at the PS3 launch event at the London Virgin Megastore. To ease the tired legs of those waiting, chairs were given out bearing the slogan 'Shouldn't Have Kept You Waiting' and a url: www.shkyw.org.
Go on, give it a click.
 PS3 Launch - Sony Gives Away 46" HDTVs to Waiting PuntersI'm sort of wishing I'd got into that sparse queue at the Virgin Megastore in London last night - turns out Sony gave each of the 'over 100' people waiting in line at midnight a free 46" HDTV and a free taxi home! Apparently everything Sony gaveaway at the event added up to over £250,000 worth of freebies... YOWZER!
A pretty sweet goodie, I'm sure you'll agree - but I do feel a bit sorry for the people who queued up to pick up their console everywhere else in the UK and Europe.
Right, off to see how many are on shelf in town.
Xbox Live Downtime Next TuesdayIt's that time again - we're going under the hood of Xbox Live to make sure that everything is working perfectly and get ready for all the cool things we'll be doing in the future. From 0800 to 2200 GMT Xbox Live, Xbox.com and the Xbox.com forums will all be offline. Of course, you'll still be able to play your Xbox 360 offline, so use the time to work on your GamerScore with all those single-player campaigns you've been neglecting.
The downtime is for maintenance, so don't be expecting new features and stuff when you get back online. The regular Dashboard Update will happen later this spring.
One other thing - you may have spotted that Tuesday was the intended launch day for the huge Elder Scrolls expansion The Shivering Isles. I'll try and find out when you'll actually be able to download the massive new chapter in the Elder Scrolls story - and I've got a cracking interview with Bethesda's Pete Hines that went out to the Xbox Community Network sites yesterday. I'll post some excerpts from it this weekend. March 22 Marketplace Update - 22/3Two wee updates for you tonight:
Man, I haven't had a chance to play at all this week. I'm getting seriously worried about Mission 11k - 600 points to go and I'm in Madrid all next week with work (which will be lovely, don't get me wrong, but I can't take my Xbox). Luckily TraceyBongos is away tomorrow night so I can possibly stay up all night caning Condemned or whatever. Signing off for the night - going to get up early and nip down the shops in the morning to see how many PS3s are about. Might be tempted to pick up Virtua Tennis 3 too... Xbox 360 + £146 of Beer = PS3This is genius: To 'celebrate' the launch of the PS3 in Europe Xbox's UK team sent CVG a stack of beer worth £146 - which just happens to be the price difference between an Xbox 360 premium pack and a PS3.
Reads the note that accompanies the lager:
"What would you purchase for £146...? (The price difference between an Xbox 360 and a PlayStaion 3). Well, for a start we thought you might like £146 worth of beer to kick start your weekend early."
And I particularly like CVG's plea to Sony:
"Sony - we need £146 worth of pork scratchings and kebabs. PRONTO!"
So what would you buy with the £146 difference between an Xbox 360 Premium and a PS3? Oh, and save us a couple of tinnies boys, will ya? PS3 Launch Washout?I'm not long back from the Virgin Megastore on London's Oxford Street, Sony's 'Official PS3 Launch Partner in the UK'. They opened their queue for the console yesterday and planned to let the huddled masses sleep in the basement of their store while staff brought them food, water and entertainment. They had five people there overnight.
As of lunchtime today the crowd had swelled to eleven. And when I got there at 6.30pm there was an impressive twenty-three people faithfully waiting in line. There actually seemed to be more staff on hand than actual punters waiting to buy the console. That sounds bad enough, but it's especially shocking since Sony had promised the first 150 people in line a FREE copy of Resistance: Fall of Man and PS3 goodie bags. Looks like there may be some spare copies of Resistance going around...
At the head of the queue was a sofa, a huge HD screen and a PS3, with a mic-toting bloke frantically trying to whip up a bit of excitement. One young guy was playing Ridge Racer 7 on the PS3, and I almost dropped my camera when the presenter asked him how it compared to the racing games he was used to playing.
"Rubbish," said the young lad. Priceless.
"I was hoping for something a little bit more positive," said the presenter, after he gathered his jaw off the floor. Yup, and I reckon everyone else involved did too.
The latest I've heard is that the store will not be keeping its doors open until midnight as planned, but closing to the public early, locking in the folks waiting in line, and presumably letting them dribble out onto the street at 12.01am.
Now, I know that Sony is going to be putting at least 200,000 PS3s into stores tonight and that it's sure to have the biggest console launch ever by sheer number of consoles available, but surely this blatant show of apathy is a disaster? Add it to the stack of negative PR that's been doing the rounds today (including Chris Moyles on Radio 1 saying that he was loyal to Xbox 360 and asking if anyone on his team wanted the PS3 he'd just had delivered by Sony) and it looks like the European PS3 launch could be the biggest - but quietest - launch in history.
I guess we'll find out tomorrow morning. I'm going to head to the local shops and see how many consoles they have on shelf, but for now here's my photos from the Virgin Megastore. Xbox Live Security RumoursI'm sure you've seen the rumours floating about regarding Xbox Live security concerns. The word from inside Xbox is that despite the reports there has been "no evidence of any compromise of the security of Bungie.net or the LIVE network."
Aaron Greenberg, the Global Product Manager for Xbox, recently posted a fuller account of the investigation on GamerScore Blog. Have a good read of it for more details and make sure you pay particular attention to the stuff about not giving out personal info:
"Despite some recent reports and speculation, we want to reassure all of our 6 million Xbox Live members that we have looked into the situation and found no evidence of any compromise of the security of Bungie.net or our LIVE network. There have been a few isolated incidents where malicious users have been attempting to draw personal information from unsuspecting users and use it to gain access to their LIVE account. We think this is a good time to remind our members that they should never give out any of their personal information.
Hope that clears up any questions you may have! |
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