AceyBongos' Xbox Life: Xbox Console News

Super Exclusive GTAIV Xbox 360 Console

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:20:08 GMT

Check out this bad boy - it's a super exclusive GTAIV Xbox 360 Elite console with the GTAIV cover art on the side. It's got a lovely glossy finish and it really is a thing of beauty - just a pity I'm not allowed to keep it...

Only one week to go...

Xbox 360 European Estimated Retail Price Drop Announcement

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:16:38 GMT

Hey - we've just announced that the Estimated Retail Price (ERP) of the Xbox 360 will be dropping in Europe as of Friday, March 14. Here are the new ERPs in Europe from that date:

Arcade: 199.99 Euro/£159.99 (drop of 80 Euro/£50)
Premium: 269.99 Euro/£199.99 (drop of 80 Euro/£40)
Elite: 369.99 Euro/£259.99 (drop of 80 Euro/£40)

Here's the press release we just sent out:

"EVERYONE’S INVITED TO EXPERIENCE XBOX 360 AS MICROSOFT LOWERS ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE IN EUROPE

With Estimated Retail Price Starting At €199.99/£159.99, Even More European Consumers Can Enjoy The Definitive High-Definition Gaming and Entertainment Experience

LONDON - Monday 10th March, 2008- Microsoft today announced it is lowering the estimated retail price (ERP) for its Xbox 360™ family of consoles in Europe. Now with an entry-level ERP of €199.99/£159.99, Xbox 360 is a mass market entertainment proposition with something to offer for every interest and budget.

From Friday, 14th March, Xbox 360, which includes a 20GB hard drive and one wireless controller, will have an ERP of €269.99/£199.99 – a saving of €80/£50 on the current ERP. The Xbox 360 Elite, which comes with a massive 120GB hard drive enabling consumers to store huge quantities of content downloaded from Xbox LIVE™ Marketplace as well as their own music, will have an ERP of €369.99/£259.99 – a saving of €80/£40. The Xbox 360 Arcade console, perfect for those wishing to make their first foray into the gaming and entertainment world of Xbox, will have an ERP of €199.99/£159.99 – a saving of €80/£40.

Xbox 360 is the number one next-gen console in EMEA, owning 42% of the market in terms of life-to-date revenue. Xbox 360 continues to enjoy the highest software attach rate of any game console in Europe with more than 7.0 games sold per console (PS3: 3.8; Wii 3.5) after 26 months on the market .

The new ERPs are part of Microsoft’s ongoing strategy to open up the ultimate in high-definition gaming and entertainment to an even wider audience, with an offering for everyone.

“Xbox 360 is now mass market in Europe,” said Chris Lewis, Vice President, Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business Europe. “We have reached and surpassed several key milestones that form part of our long term strategic plan to achieve critical mass in Europe; and our portfolio now offers the kind of mainstream entertainment experiences that secure wider appeal for Xbox 360. These factors allow us to execute on our strategy to widen the market for Xbox 360, as planned.

“We continue to offer intense, immersive gaming experiences for gamers – but now we’re priced in a way that will allow new consumers to find out for themselves why Xbox 360 is the ultimate in high-definition entertainment.” said Lewis. “History shows that €199/£159 is the price point where a console’s audience begins to expand, and with these new ERPs in place we’re ready to bring more consumers into the Xbox 360 world.”

Friend Get Friend Offer Update - 10 Free Games

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:57:07 GMT

If you took part in the 'Friend Get Friend' offer we ran before Christmas (the one where you and your mate both bought Xbox 360 consoles together) and you haven't received your 10 free Xbox LIVE Arcade games yet, don't worry. All the applications are being worked through and you should get your codes very soon.

Thanks very much for your patience, and we really hope you enjoy your games once you get them!

Xbox 360 Arcade Console Announced (Officially)

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:12:50 GMT

Guess what! There's a new version of the Xbox 360 coming out! I bet this is a total surprise to you...

For £199.99 (or 279.99 Euro ERP) you'll get the console with built-in HDMI and 256MB of memory, a wireless controller and five XBLA games - PAC-MAN Championship Edition, UNO, Luxor 2, Boom Boom Rocket and Feeding Frenzy.

Here's the official word on the spanky new Xbox 360 Arcade console:

"Just in time for the festive season, Microsoft today released a new Xbox 360 console that delivers games and content to everyone in the family for an estimated retail price of £199.99. Available in stores in the United Kingdom from Friday 26th October 2007, Xbox 360 ‘Arcade’ is the first Xbox 360 console to include five family-friendly games. Xbox 360 Arcade also includes a wireless controller, an HDMI connection to enable high-definition output if desired and 256MB of memory--useful for storing games and other entertainment content. At an estimated retail price of just £199.99, the Xbox 360 Arcade console will include the full versions of the five best-selling games from the Xbox LIVE® Arcade including “PAC-MAN Championship Edition,” (NAMCO BANDAI Games), “Uno,” “Luxor 2,” “Boom Boom Rocket™” (Electronic Arts), and “Feeding Frenzy."

Pretty sweet deal if you're thinking about picking up an Xbox 360 for the family this Christmas. Go on. You know you want to.

Halo 3 Special Edition Xbox 360 Priced, Dated

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:27:14 GMT

I know lots of people were a little concerned that the Special Edition Halo 3 Xbox 360 console wasn't mentioned in this week's price drop announcement. Don't worry...

"HALO® 3 SPECIAL EDITION XBOX 360™ CONSOLE PRICED, DATED FOR EUROPE

Limited Edition Xbox 360 Will Have Estimated Retail Price Of €399.99/£279.99, Available From 26th September

23rd August 2007: Microsoft® today announced estimated retail pricing and availability for the Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition Console, launched in anticipation of this year’s largest blockbuster gamer launch, Halo 3.

The Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition console, with an authentic Spartan green and gold finish, will carry an estimated retail price of €399.99/£279.99 when it comes to retail on 26th September. The Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition console comes with the following features:

Halo 3 Special Edition Wireless Controller
Halo 3 Special Edition 20GB Hard Drive
Halo 3 Special Edition Wired Headset
Halo 3 Special Edition Gamer Pics and Theme (Exclusive download via Xbox LIVE®)
Component HD AV Cable
Ethernet Cable
HDMI Port
Play & Charge Kit
Xbox LIVE Silver Membership
One-month Xbox LIVE Gold Membership"

Elite Transfer Cables

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:33:46 GMT

No doubt you've seen today's news on the Estimated Retail Price drop and the price announcement for the Elite Xbox 360 console, which goes on sale this Friday. If you're planning to upgrade and will need to transfer the data on your current 20GB HDD to it's cavernous new home on your Elite, you're going to need a transfer cable.

To get a hold of one you'll need to do the same thing that happened in the US: Namely log onto Xbox.com, fill out a form with your Elite's serial number, and then send it to us. You'll be able to sort this out after the Elite launches on Friday - I'll let you know when it's all up and running.

Upcoming Xbox 360 Estimated Retail Price Drop And Elite Prices Announced

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 07:02:34 GMT

HUGE news - so HUGE I even dragged myself out of bed early on a Monday morning to post about it.

The estimated retail price of the Xbox 360 in Europe will be lowered from this Friday, and prices for the Elite console and black Elite accessories out this week have been announced. All the details are in the pasted press release, but here are the essentials:

IMPORTANT - all prices are estimated retail prices (ERP) and are valid from Friday, August 24:

Xbox 360 Console: 349.99 Euro, £249.99
Xbox 360 Core Console: 279.99 Euro, £179.99
Xbox 360 Elite Console: 449.99 Euro, £299.99
Xbox 360 120GB HDD: 179.99 Euro, £129.99
Xbox 360 Black Wireless Controller: 44.99 Euro, £32.99
Xbox 360 Black Play and Charge Kit: 19.99 Euro, £14.99
Xbox 360 Black Rechargeable Battery Pack: 14.99 Euro, £9.99

Press release:

"MICROSOFT DROPS ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE FOR XBOX 360™ IN EUROPE, CONFIRMS ELITE AVAILABILITY

Xbox 360 Family Now Offers Fantastic Gaming Experiences For Every Interest and Budget

Monday 20th August, 2007- Microsoft today announced an estimated retail price drop for its Xbox 360 family of consoles in Europe, and welcomed a new member of the family – Xbox 360 Elite. With a product to suit every interest and budget plus the best line up of games of any console, the Xbox 360 range is poised to bring amazing gaming and entertainment experiences to even more consumers this Christmas. The lower cost opens the door to Xbox 360 for more people, helping to broaden the market for gaming and enabling more people to enjoy titles like Halo 3 (Bungie), Scene It? (Microsoft Game Studios), Bioshock (2k Games), Project Gotham Racing 4 (Bizarre Creations), Mass Effect (BioWare), Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (Bandai/Namco), Naruto (Ubisoft), Blue Dragon (Mistwalker/Artoon Co. Ltd) and more – all only on Xbox 360.

From Friday, 24th August 2007, new estimated retail pricing will come into effect for Xbox 360 in Europe. The Xbox 360, which includes a 20GB hard drive and one wireless controller, will be reduced by €50/£30 to carry an estimated retail price of €349.99/£249.99. The entry-level Xbox 360 Core console, perfect for those wishing to make their first foray into the gaming and entertainment world of Xbox, will be reduced by €20/£20 to carry an estimated retail price of €279.99/£179.99.

Xbox 360 Elite will carry an estimated retail price of €449.99/£299.99 when it launches in Europe this Friday, 24th August. It comes with a massive 120GB hard drive, enabling consumers to store huge quantities of content downloaded from Xbox Live Marketplace as well as their own music. The inclusion of a high-definition multimedia interface port (HDMI) is designed for the expanding groups of consumers with HD TVs and HDMI – it offers an alternative method for getting the incredible high-definition gaming and entertainment experiences that Xbox 360 has pioneered. A premium black finish marks the Xbox 360 Elite as the ultimate in entertainment devices and the ‘luxury’ option for seasoned gamers.

“We’re pleased to be able to offer Xbox 360 at a new, lower estimated retail price,” said Chris Lewis, Regional Vice President, Microsoft E&D Europe. “We pioneered the successful concept of multiple products for multiple categories of consumer. First-timers will love the Xbox 360 Core system, which offers an affordable entry into high-definition gaming. The Xbox 360, with its large hard drive and wireless controller, will appeal to casual and experienced gamers and families. The Xbox 360 opens up whole new avenues of entertainment for those who seek the ultimate gaming and entertainment experience.

“Whether it’s our lead in console sales, record-setting games and accessory attach rates or our leading online service, evidence is everywhere that Xbox is thriving,” continued Lewis. .”When you combine that momentum with these great-value offerings with our unbeatable Christmas game line-up, it’s clear that Xbox 360 is uniquely placed to take Europe by storm this Christmas.”

For the past year, Xbox 360 has been the number one console in EMEA, having obtained more than 30 percent of the market in terms of overall revenue (more than 45 percent in the UK, Netherlands and Sweden*). Xbox 360 continues to enjoy the highest software attach rate of any game console in Europe with more than 5.5 games sold per console since launch (PS2: 3.8; GC: 5.2; Xbox: 4.3 after 17 months on the market*).

As well as the Xbox 360 Elite console, a range of accessories with a matching sleek black finish will be made available including:

Xbox 360 120GB hard drive: The massive 120GB detachable hard drive allows gamers to not only save their games but also store video, music, pictures, trailers, levels, demos and other content available from Xbox Live Marketplace. It is designed for Xbox 360 owners who wish to upgrade to higher storage capacity. Estimated retail price €179.99/£129.99
Xbox 360 Wireless Controller: This award-winning, high-performance wireless controller, features the Xbox® Guide Button for quick, in-game access to friends and music. It has a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of 30 hours on two AA batteries. Estimated retail price €44.99/£32.99
Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit. Complete with a charging cable and a black rechargeable battery pack, the Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit allows gamers to recharge their Xbox 360 Wireless Controller without interrupting their gameplay. It is available for an estimated retail price of €19.99/£14.99
Xbox 360 rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery pack provides more than 25 hours of gameplay per charge. It is available for an estimated retail price of €14.99/£9.99"

What do you think of the new Estimated Retail Price and Elite pricing?

UPDATED: $50 US Xbox 360 Price Drop

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 06:54:42 GMT

If you haven't seen the news yet, the price of the Xbox 360 has dropped $50 in the US. That's across the Core, Premium and Elite range. You can read the full announcement over at GamerScore Blog.

No news on a European pricedrop at the moment.

UPDATE: Comment on pricedrops in other regions from Major Nelson's blog: "Regarding any global price drops I am told from the marketing folks that ‘Today we are announcing a price reduction in the U.S. We will announce other regional price decreases at the appropriate time.’"

Joining the Elite

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:32:52 GMT

Check this out:

Yes, that is an Elite X60, and yes, that is a Messenger Chatpad. And yes again, I am a lucky boy! I've got a loan of the Elite for a week or so to try it out. I'll update with my thoughts once I've had a proper go on it.

The Chatpad is also great - it's really easy to use and is a lot handier than a USB keyboard. I'm still really impressed with how you don't really notice it when you're gaming. More impressions of it soon too.

I hope they forget that I need to give it back... The Elite Xbox 360 console will be available in Europe from August 24 (no pricing has been confirmed yet), and the Chatpad will be available from September 7 for £24.99.

Console Warranty Extension Qs, As

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 09:21:40 GMT

Here are some interesting points from a Q&A we sent out to the Xbox Community Network sites on Friday:

What exactly does the new warranty cover?

Currently in Europe the Xbox 360 console is covered by a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty, however in most countries the Xbox 360 has a two year retailer warranty. If the console is out of warranty, there is a charge (105 Euro + tax) to have it repaired. It then comes with an additional one year repair warranty. With these changes, there is effectively a three year warranty with no charge for repair for general hardware failures indicated by the three flashing red lights error message on the console.

How does this new policy relate to Europe?

These new policies are global and are fully applicable in all European countries.

When will the new warranty come into place in Europe?

The new policies are now being instituted in our customer service centres around the world, which may take a few days to fully implement. I’d like to thank European Xbox 360 owners for their patience while we work through this.

Am I covered by this new policy if I have any other problems with my Xbox 360, like a noisy DVD tray or scratched discs?

The three year warranty specifically covers general hardware failures that are indicated by the “three flashing red lights” error message. The DVD tray is not likely to lead to that error message but can be covered under the regular console warranty.

In what circumstances will I get a refund for an out-of-warranty repair fee I have paid, and how long will it take to come through?

We will reimburse any customer who was out of warranty and paid for repairs due to issues indicated by the three flashing red lights error message. If this applies to you, you should expect to receive a cheque in 10-12 weeks.

Is this an admission that there are problems with the console?

No, the majority of our Xbox 360 owners report having a terrific experience with their consoles, but we are taking this action because we stand behind our products and are taking responsibility to ensure a great customer experience for all of our customers. We have been following this issue closely, and through ongoing testing have identified several factors that can cause a general hardware failure as indicated by three flashing red lights on the console. To address these issues, we have already made improvements to the Xbox 360 console.

How long will it take me to have my Xbox 360 fixed going forward?

Depending how far you live from our repair centres, the turnaround is usually 2 to 4 weeks. As we roll this new policy out, however, we expect an increased number of calls and repairs so turnaround times may be longer. Again, I’d like to thank any European Xbox 360 owners having their console repaired for their patience.

Check out your local Xbox Community Network websites for the full interview.

Bye Bye Beta - Halo Clean Hard Drive!

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 19:45:27 GMT

So the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta has gone off to the big Pillar of Autumn in the sky, leaving Master Chief fans all around the world crying into their Mjolnir. But look on the bright side - at least you can free up 1GB of memory on your hard drive!

Yup, the Beta has been gobbling up a fair portion of your space for a month now, so start afresh by deleting the file. If you downloaded the Beta using a code then it's simple - just go to the Games blade, choose Demos and More, select the Beta and choose Delete.

If you downloaded the Beta through Crackdown then you need to go to your System Blade, choose Memory, select your Hard Drive, select Games, find Crackdown, then delete the Halo 3 Beta file. Obviously, be careful not to delete any of your saved games or DLC!

Alternatively, you could leave it on there, build a little shrine to it, and spend the next four months weeping and gently rocking back and forward...

Thanks to exprohound for asking the question and Shaolin Munkeh for the tip.

US Says 'Ello to Elite

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 14:45:42 GMT

The US has just woken up to a new Xbox 360 - and this time, it's back in black. Yup, the Xbox 360 Elite console went on sale in the US today, bringing a whole new world of black console, HDMI port and 120GB hard drive to the Xbox experience. Yowzer, that little monkey would definitely look nice nestling under my black Samsung HDTV...

Here's the details from the US media alert:

"Shellacked in black with metallic detail, the ultimate console features a 120GB hard drive, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, HDMI and component cables, Xbox LIVE® headset, and an Xbox 360 wireless controller. For a great estimated retail price of $479.99 (U.S.), Xbox 360 Elite offers extensive storage room for a library of Xbox LIVE Arcade games and thousands of songs, as well as downloadable high-definition TV shows and movies available on Xbox LIVE, the number one online distributor of high-definition television and feature film content.

For existing Xbox 360 owners looking for greater storage capacity, the 120GB hard drive will also be sold as a stand-alone accessory for a suggested retail price of $179.99 (U.S.). Coordinating Xbox 360 Elite accessories, such as the black Xbox 360 wireless controller, Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit and the Xbox 360 rechargeable battery, will be available separately as well."

I know, I know. That's all good and well, but when do we Europeans get our hands on one? And for that matter, when is Video Marketplace coming out over here? Well, I can exclusively reveal... nah - you didn't think it would be that easy, did you?

The situation at the moment is that while we'd love to have the Elite console (and Video Marketplace) available in Europe right now, it's simply not possible for a bunch of reasons. Some of them are dull, some of them are frustrating, but they're all, unfortunately, valid. When I spoke to Mike Newey, Xbox Europe's Platform Marketing Manager, a few weeks back at the Elite announcement, he told me:

"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."

Unfortunately, that's all there is to say at the moment. I can't wait until I'm able to bring you more news on this, so thanks for your patience - and your enthusiasm to keep telling us what you want!

Enjoy Elite Day, America!

EDIT: Just noticed that GamerScore Blog has a brilliant Q&A about the Elite and the 120GB HD. An interesting read - check it out.

UPDATED: All Your European Xbox Warranty and Repair Questions Answered (Hopefully!)

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 19:28:45 GMT

Recently I've been getting a lot of questions from people asking what the deal is with Xbox 360 repairs in Europe and what kind of warranty you get for your repaired console. I've also seen quite a lot of confused or just plain wrong information on forums and message boards, so I thought it would be worth finding out exactly what's going on with Xbox 360 repairs and warranties.

I've had a chat with the Xbox Support team, and as it turns out we've just introduced a new repair and warranty procedure for Europe. The (hopefully) easily digestible version is: From now on we're giving you a new 12 month warranty on a repaired console if you pay to have it repaired after your warranty has expired. The repair cost is 105 Euro + tax or the GBP equivalent. However, if your console’s warranty has not expired when you get your console repaired you will get a new 90-day warranty or the remainder of your existing warranty - depending on which one is longer.

Check out the Q&A below for more details on how this might affect you. But remember - this policy is only applicable in Europe and is different from the policy in the US. Certain aspects of the US policy are not applicable in Europe, and vice versa.

Q: What is the current situation with warranties on repaired Xbox 360 consoles?

A: Xbox now has a new post-service warranty, which is applicable as of now. If we repair your Xbox 360 within the original warranty period, you will receive either the balance of your original warranty, or 90 days, whichever is longer.

If we repair your Xbox 360 after the warranty period has expired, while you will be responsible for the repair costs (105 Euro + tax), your repaired console will be returned to you with a new, one year repair warranty.

Q: What if I sent you my Xbox 360 for repair a few months ago – how is my warranty affected?

A: If your console was out of warranty and you paid for the repair, under the old policy you would have received a 90 day warranty on that repair. However, we have automatically increased all warranties on out of warranty repairs carried out before the new policy came into force to 12 months.

Therefore, if you paid to have your out-of-warranty console repaired a few months ago, you will now have a 12 month warranty on the repairs starting from when you received the repaired console. You don’t have to do anything to activate this – our systems will do it automatically.

Q: I have heard that there's an extended warranty program in place for Xbox 360 launch consoles in the US - does this apply to Europe?

A: There is no such extended warranty on console in EMEA. In North America last year, as part of our standard and ongoing process of analyzing repair data, we noticed a higher than usual number of units coming in for repair. Upon further investigation, it was further discovered that the bulk of the units were isolated to a group that was part of the initial manufacturing run of the console. Returns for repair were coming in for a variety of reasons and it was a higher rate than we were satisfied with. We made the decision to comp repairs for consoles manufactured before January 1 2006 in North America for a limited time, and provide refunds to the small group of customers who have already paid for repairs. Europe was not impacted.

Hope that helps and makes sense. If you have any more specific questions stick them into the comments below and I'll try to get them answered, but I can't guarantee anything.

IMPORTANT EDIT: The North American support team has been in touch with me to clarify one point - the policy of covering repairs for consoles manufactured before January 1 2006 in North America was a limited time policy, and no longer applies unless there are special circumstances. Here's the word:

"For a limited time, Microsoft offered to repair consoles that were manufactured before January 1, 2006. At the outset of the repair period, Microsoft stated that this was for a limited time only. At this time, Microsoft is no longer performing free of charge repairs for all consoles manufactured before January 1, 2006. The only exclusions to this would be consoles that are still within their warranty period or for customers who have Service Contracts in place."

Xbox 360 in India and Other Interesting Gaming Tidbits

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:50:14 GMT

While it's easy to get focused down on our own little part of the gaming world, we should all remember that gaming isn't just something Europeans, Japanese and North American people do. There are parts of the world like India where gaming might not make quite as much noise right now, but in a few years time there could be just as many people gripping joypads as there are here.

We launched the Xbox 360 in India last year (click here for some coverage I did and an amazing local TV advert) and since then it has apparently become the number one console in the country. Fair enough, Nintendo has no presence there at all and the PS2 is only available through one store in Mumbai. But the fact that Xbox 360 has a high profile and even its very own game specifically for the Indian market - Yuvraj Singh Cricket 2007 - shows that Xbox 360 is serious about making gaming big in this territory.

Gamasutra has a really interesting interview with Gunjan Bagla, the Managing Director of an Indian market research group about the impact of the Xbox 360 and the state of gaming in India. Here's a couple of interesting quotes, and the link direct to the article is below them.

"Nintendo has been absent and continues to be absent. While you will see the occasional GBA or DS that was bought overseas by a traveling Indian, or grey-marketed, I haven't yet seen a GameCube or Wii in a consumer location. Sony offered the PS2 through one dealer in Mumbai, though additional grey-market PS2 were readily available in major cities. The PSP and PS3 are not visible and Sony has not offered them through legal channels either. Microsoft made a big splash in Fall 2006 by launching the Xbox 360 just ahead of the major Indian holiday of Diwali. Today you can find the 360 at upscale retails stores in major cities."

"With the exception of Madden, most mainstream American titles can translate well into the Indian market. Most region-specific work is driven by the two big local fascinations: Bollywood, and cricket. For many years India has produced more movies than Hollywood; stars like Shah Rukh Khan and music composers like Bhappi Lahiri are higly admired. Mobile and PC games based on their characters have natural appeal to a vast audience. If you combine the American passion for football, baseball and basketball you begin to approach the depth of feeling that Indians share for the sport of cricket. It is not surprising, then, that Microsoft chose a cricket game as their first special Indian title. There are also other cricket based titles on most platforms that are liked in India."

Click here to discover more about the Xbox 360 and videogaming in India on Gamasutra. Heads-up from Kotaku.

Kotaku on Xbox 360 IPTV

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 11:51:04 GMT

I've had a few questions about how the IPTV service will work on Xbox 360 and when Europe will be getting it. While I hate to do this, here's the answer:

We haven't made any announcements about when the Xbox 360's IPTV service will be available in Europe.

Sorry! Still, I noticed that Kotaku has a really good piece about its first encounter with the IPTV service - which is code-named carbon if you're into that type of thing - in action. It includes stuff about the picture-in-picture features, how you'll be able to record footage onto your hard drive (again, we've made no announcements about a larger Xbox 360 hard drive etc.) and the quality of the service.

From the article, on the subject of hard drive size:

"When asked about larger hard drive space to hold all that programming, as well as game saves, trailer and demo downloads, Greenberg said that he thought the current hardware configuration with the 20GB drive would serve most families, but that those in need of more space would probably need a "potential upgrade." Not exactly confirmation of a new 120GB drive, but we all know it's coming."

And Kotaku's overall impressions:

"I'm hoping that that 120GB version of the 360 is announced soon, as I'm going to be fully on board with the IPTV service. It looks like an excellent replacement for folks looking for an alternative (or add-on) to satellite and cable subscribers, I just need that extra storage. I'm a bit of a digital content packrat."

Read the whole thing over at Kotaku.com.

Peter Moore's State of the Xbox Nation Report

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 11:08:22 GMT

With CES in full swing in Las Vegas, global Xbox head honcho Peter Moore (you know, the guy with the Halo 2 and GTAIV tattoos on his arms) sent me an email about where Xbox 360 is and where it's going in 2007. Well, I say he sent it to me. He also sent it to lots of other people, but I like to think I'm a bit special. Anyway, here's the email in full. Makes for some interesting reading. There are a few references to the Microsoft press conference which happened on Sunday night, so gloss over them.

Let me know what you think.

Peter Moore Writes... Connected Entertainment

These are truly exciting times for all of us in the Interactive Entertainment Business.

Fresh off a phenomenal holiday season, we now stand at the forefront of a company-wide vision of Connected Entertainment, articulated just moments ago by Bill Gates and Robbie Bach at this year's annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It's a vision to make entertainment more personal, more interactive, and more social, making it easier to connect with communities and share experiences. All delivered through one consistent, simple user experience.

I'd like to update you on several key announcements we made at CES in support of this vision of Connected Entertainment, but first let's take a moment to reflect back at how far we've come.

Where We've Been

In little over a year on the market we sold over 10.4 million Xbox 360 consoles in more than 37 countries, exceeding our commitment to pass the 10 million mark by the end of 2006. And in a market environment that saw strong launches by our competitors, Xbox 360 was the top choice this holiday season.

When we launched Xbox 360 in the Fall of 2005, we bet big on what we saw as three major market forces that would define the next generation of consoles:

* Social Gaming: Last generation, Xbox outpaced all consoles with a 10% internet attach rate. Now, we announced tonight that the Xbox Live community has eclipsed 5 million members, with over half of all consoles connected.

* High Definition: In late 2005 HDTV's were just entering the consumer mainstream. We met these early adopters with a primary reason to upgrade to HDTV with Xbox 360. Now, 2006 saw more growth in high definition entertainment than any year before, and our launch timing put us at the forefront of this growth.

* Digitally Distributed Content: We bet early on that consumers would demand a device capable of delivering high definition content straight to their living room. Now, over 100 million pieces of standard and high definition content have been downloaded from Xbox Live Marketplace.

By betting big and driving innovation on these market forces, we've delivered one of most powerful and complete gaming experiences of the next generation, giving consumers more access and more choice than ever before.

This holiday Xbox 360 owners had more than 160 games to choose from - the strongest first year line-up of games in console history, highlighted by our record-breaking attach rate of 5.3 games sold per console. Leading our line-up was the blockbuster hit Gears of War, which sold more than 2.7 million copies after only 8 weeks on the market and won numerous Game of the Year awards.

I'm especially proud of the continued success of Xbox Live Arcade, with more than 20 million games downloaded to date, including titles like Assault Heroes, Small Arms, DOOM, Street Fighter II, Uno and more. Opening up this new digital distribution channel plays a vital role in broadening the console market, and set an extremely high bar for our competition to match.

With Xbox Live we've created an online experience that's simple, easy and fun, and, with more than 5 million members, it's well on its way to our stated goal of 6 million Xbox Live members by June 2007. What's truly special about this growth, however, is the "stickiness" of this service. Once you join Live, you're hooked. The average Xbox Live Gold subscriber has more than 21 friends, and every day there are 2 million messages (text/voice/picture) sent across the Xbox Live network. These friend connections are key to our growth heading into the future.

Xbox Live also makes it simple to download entertainment content, with more choices available every day from a growing list of partners. Right now, over 70% of Xbox Live members are downloading content from Xbox Live Marketplace.

We've come quite a ways since launch, bringing together the right technology with the right content to create an unbeatable customer experience. But as we heard from the keynote earlier tonight, the best is yet to come.

Where We're Going

There was plenty to get excited about from the stage at CES for both Xbox 360 and Games for Windows.

The launch of Windows Vista marks the most significant event yet in our commitment to revive the Games for Windows brand. With gaming and graphics at its very core, more robust family settings, and games explorer, Vista is undoubtedly the best gaming OS ever made and a clear win for PC gaming enthusiasts and casual players alike.

For Xbox 360, we sold in excess of 10.4 million Xbox 360 consoles in 2006 and remain on track for 13-15 million units shipped by the end of FY07. We demonstrated our ability to turn our thought leadership into market leadership. Now in 2007, our challenge is to use our position as market leader to continue pushing the innovation envelope and connecting consumers ever more tightly to their games, their friends and their lifestyle.

2007 will quite simply be the best year for great games in Xbox history. As Robbie announced earlier this evening, this year we'll more than double the 160 games available today, with a truly remarkable amount of AAA quality titles to keep gamers engaged throughout the entire year including Lost Planet, Forza Motorsport 2, Crackdown, Mass Effect, Too Human, Shadowrun, Bioshock, Guitar Hero 2, Dance Dance Revolution Universe, Assassin's Creed, Blue Dragon, Project Gotham Racing IV, Grand Theft Auto IV, and the most anticipated title in gaming history ... Halo 3. This incredible slate of titles will keep gamers of all interests racking up achievements throughout the year.

Since the beginning, we've said gaming should be a social experience, where community matters and friends are just a blade away. Now, we're bringing the Xbox Live community to Windows this summer, enabling tens of millions more to join the fun and delivering on the promise made by Bill Gates at last year's E3. On stage we showed for the first time, through a game of Uno, what the Live experience will be on the PC, and how it enables casual and hardcore gamers alike to connect with their friends regardless of what platform they're on.

We also addressed a consumer demand that's growing louder and more intense every day: people want more high definition content, and they want to choose how it's delivered. We're meeting this demand with three ways to get high definition content on Xbox 360.

First, we offer the most affordable HD DVD player on the market that's selling out at retail. HD DVD is quickly becoming the format of choice for consumers, with an industry-leading projected annualized attach rate of 28 movies per player.

Second, we're the only gaming console to offer high definition downloadable movie and TV content, rocketing to the #2 internet download service and #1 where it counts - in the living room, and in high definition. With over 1,000 hours of content, we're posting content as fast as we can "ingest" it into the system, with high definition downloads leading the way. Just recently, COMEDY CENTRAL Senior Vice President Caleb Weinstein announced that "In nearly two months, Xbox Live has become our second highest performing digital distributor." Now, even more content partners are lining up to get into this service, including new addition Lionsgate will bring an all high definition movie line-up to our rapidly growing digital library.

Third, we're bringing the next generation of TV to Xbox 360 with IPTV. Shown for the first time running on a Xbox 360 at CES, IPTV unlocks the potential of TV with a much faster, easier and simpler experience. This combination delivers a complete connected entertainment experience as we saw on stage with voice chat and game invites sent and received while watching TV. And with DVR, you can accept an invite and get in a game without ever having to miss your favourite show. With over 16 partners testing or deploying this software in test markets, it won't be long until this 1-2 combination hits the mainstream.

With so much on tap, I expect us to continue to push the envelope on all fronts in 2007 - games and game development, Xbox Live, entertainment content, and allowing all these choices to connect in meaningful ways.

Here's to a spectacular 2007 and beyond.

Peter Moore

Xbox 360 At The Consumer Electronics Show

Sun, 07 Jan 2007 20:25:50 GMT

The bright lights of Las Vegas are about to cast their glow on some of the hottest technology out there over the next few days, as the Consumer Electronics Show kicks off. This yearly blow-out in the City of Sin is the electronics' industry's chance to show off all its coolest gear, so it's no surprise that the Xbox 360 will be there.

There'll be a few things to talk about after the Microsoft press conference this evening (Las Vegas time) so I'll bring you the news in the morning (Europe time). For now, why not head over to the CES website to find out more about the show that makes Las Vegas trade in poker chips for microchips.

Xbox 360 Price Pandemonium

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 11:58:01 GMT

There has never been a better time to buy an Xbox 360. Seriously. We've got well over 100 high-def games with titles that will appeal to everyone from little kids to big, burly hardcore gamers. Xbox Live has over 3 million people ready to become your friends or rivals. Gears of War is the must-have game of the year. Xbox Live Marketplace is stuffed to the gunnels with content. What are gunnels? I don't know.

And know retailers - in the UK at least - are going plum crazy to try and sell more Xbox 360s than anyone else on the high street. Over the weekend most big shops dropped the price of the Premium Pack from £279.99 to £249.99, and some are giving away extras with that to sweeten the deal to tooth-melting levels. My local Blockbuster is offering the Premium Pack, a copt of Project Gotham Racing 3 and £50 worth of rental vouchers for £249.99. This is ridiculous, and ridiculously good for you if you haven't bought one yet.

Even if you have, you might as well pick one up for someone as Christmas present. The gift of next-gen gaming at an amazing price - how could Christmas get any better?

Accessorise Your Xbox 360 - Wheel, Wireless Headset and Faceplates Out Now!

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 22:44:15 GMT

Need something to jazz up your Xbox 360's look? Then how's about getting hold of one of these new Xbox 360 accessories, all in stores across Europe (apart from the HD-DVD drive, which is UK, France and Germany only) now? They're the hottest accessories to be seen with this season - every console wants to wear them:

HD-DVD Drive: Enter the next-generation of DVD movie experiences with up to 6 times the clarity of standard DVDs. £129 in the UK or 199 Euro in France and Germany, complete with a Universal Remote and a copy of King Kong on HD-DVD. UNFORTUNATELY - because of high demand and the beautifully low price, the HD-DVD drive has sold out quicker than you can say "How much does a Blu-Ray drive cost?". UNless you have one on pre-order you may be waiting until more stock comes through.
Wireless Headset: Talk to your mates online without any of the untidy wires tethering you to your pad as if you were some kind of naughty dog. £34.99 in the UK or 50 Euro, but also in short supply at the moment. I blame Santa.
Wireless Steering Wheel: For £89.99 or 129 Euro you get the wireless wheel, pedals, and a copy of Project Gotham Racing 3 with added force feedback fun. Simply the most realistic racing experience you can have on your sofa. But guess what? Supplies are limited because everyone wants to get their hands on one.
Halo Series Faceplate: While away the hours you're going to spend waiting for Halo 3 by staring at Master Chief's dreamy image on your Xbox 360. £14.99 in the UK and 20 Euro where the Euro lives.
Viva Pinata Faceplate: Sweeten up your Xbox 360's face like you've smeared it with jam with the Viva Pinata faceplate. Same price as the Halo jobbie.

Our Christmas wishlists are pretty easy to put together this year, eh?

Dashboard Update Details

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:49:28 GMT

If you turned on your console today you'll have noticed there was a Dash update waiting to be installed. But what does it do? Thanks to Major Nelson, here you go:

Improved support for HD video output over VGA, including 1080p resolution

Improved plug and play performance for wired headsets when being used with wireless controllers

Changes made to recently played games list to improve accuracy

Xbox 360: Always improving.

Xbox 360 Accessories A-Go-Go

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 10:52:43 GMT

If you're anything like me you'll be hooked on buying accessories for your Xbox 360. I can't help it. They all look so nice and they make my life easier in such subtle ways. Also, it feels like I'm rewarding my console for being there, like buying flowers for your wife.

Anyway, you'll be aware that we've got some sweet new accessories coming along soon, so here's the heads-up from the press release we've just sent out with prices and release dates.

Available from 17th November:

Xbox 360 Faceplates. Consumers can customize their consoles with one of three new special-edition faceplates featuring images from their favourite games, including the “Halo” franchise and “Viva Piñata” (ERP €19.99 / £14.99*)

Available from 24th November:
Xbox 360 Wireless Headset. Providing the ultimate wireless experience, this headset integrates seamlessly with the Xbox 360 console to provide wireless voice chat capabilities, stylish design and superior voice quality over the Xbox Live network (ERP €49.99 / £34.99*)

Xbox 360 Wireless Wheel with Force Feedback: For true racing enthusiasts who demand unparalleled driving realism at home, this innovatively designed wheel combines form and function with the latest technology in wireless and force feedback. Consumers who purchase the wheel will also get a limited-edition force feedback version of “Project Gotham Racing 3” while supplies last (ERP *, available 24th November).

Coming soon (UK, France and Germany only):

HD DVD Player: Arriving at retailers in the U.K, France and Germany later in November, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player will retail for €199.99/£129.99 (estimated retail price)*. The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player comes with the Universal Pictures’ blockbuster film Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” on HD DVD (for a limited time) and the Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote.

Definitely up for the wireless headset and steering wheel, and that Halo faceplate might be finding its way onto my console's hooter. As for HD-DVD I think I'll hold off until I get an HDTV screen. Are you listening Santa?

Xbox 360 Video Download Service Launches in US November 22

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 08:15:14 GMT

Overnight we announced that starting on November 22 Xbox 360 owners in the US will be able to download over 1000 hours of standard and high-definition movies and TV shows direct to their console. How cool is that? But I know what you're thinking - what about Europe? Well, more on that later. For now, here's the deets from the US press release:

"Beginning Nov. 22, on its first anniversary, Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console in history to provide high-definition TV shows and movies directly to gamers in their living rooms. Xbox 360 gamers will have access to the full-length TV shows as downloads to own and movies to rent via download from the Xbox Live network, the worldwide leader in online distribution of high-definition gaming and entertainment content."

And here are examples of the types of movie and TV content that'll be available in the US before the end of the year:

“Robot Chicken” and “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” from Adult Swim
“CSI,” “Survivor” and “Star Trek” from CBS
Emmy and Peabody award-winning “South Park” and “Chappelle’s Show” from COMEDY CENTRAL
“The Real World” and “Pimp My Ride” from MTV
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” and ”SpongeBob SquarePants” from Nickelodeon
“Skyland” and “The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival” from Nicktoons Network
“M:i:III,” Nacho Libre” and “Jackass: The Movie” from Paramount Pictures
“Carpocalypse” and “Raising the Roofs” from Spike TV
“Race Rewind” provided by NASCAR.COM
Select episodes of the original season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series and the “UFC: All Access” shows from the UFC
“Breaking Bonaduce” and “Hogan Knows Best” from VH1
“The Matrix,” “Superman Returns” and “Batman Forever” from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

So how does it work? Well, you'll pay for TV shows using MS Points (they're priced at around 240 MS Points per episode) and then that content is yours to keep on your hard drive and watch as many times as you want. You only need a Silver account to so this. Movies work more on a kind of rental system - you pay 480 MS Points for an HD movie or 320 MS Points for a Standard Definition movie, it downloads to your hard drive, and then you have 14 days to watch it. Once you start watching it you must complete within 24 hours. After either of those time frames expires you can no longer watch the movie. Think of it like Blockbuster without the late fees or the need to brace the cold outside air. BRRR!

So, back to that question about Europe. We've made no announcements about this service in Europe, but I want to know what you think. Do you think it's cool? Would you use it? How much are you willing to pay? Do you have any concerns? What kind of content would you like to see? Do you have any questions you'd like answered?

Give me your opinions or ask your questions in the comments below and I'll compile them all together.

Xbox 360 Says HELLO to Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia!

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 23:07:59 GMT

Four new members of the Xbox 360 family today: Poland, Hungary, The Czech Republic and Slovakia. Welcome!

The local versions of Xbox.com are live in these countries now, except for Poland which will be live shortly. Thanks for your patience.

To access Xbox.com in your local country please follow the links below, or just type in www.xbox.com into your browser. The links in the International page haven't been updated yet so they'll still take you to the pre-launch sites, but we're getting this sorted.

Hungary: www.xbox.com/hu-hu

Czech Republic: www.xbox.com/cs-cz

Slovakia: www.xbox.com/sk-sk

Poland (updated soon): www.xbox.com/pl-pl

Welcome to the world of Xbox 360 - we're glad you're on board!

Isolated Fall Update Issues

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 10:31:24 GMT

There's been some noise online that a very small number of Xbox 360 owners have had a problem with the Fall Update that went live on Tuesday. It only affects a tiny minority of owners and if you haven't noticed anything then you're all good, but if you have experienced any problems you should call your local Xbox Support telephone number.

Major Nelson has more information on this - and brings news that there should be no further issues thanks to an updated version of the Fall Update.

Fall Update Available Now

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 10:30:33 GMT

It's ready. Get your Xbox 360 onto Xbox Live now and the Fall Update - complete with all 85 enhancements - will make your life better.

Click here for more information on the Fall Update.

Fall Update Drops in Tomorrow

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 17:02:28 GMT

Now that the clocks have goen back and there's a pleasantly autumnal nip in the air the time is right for the XBOX 360 FALL DASHBOARD UPDATE! I know it should really be called the autumn update here in Europe, but who cares eh?

So, at 10am GMT (or 11am CET) tomorrow, Tuesday 31 October, get your 360 onto Xbox Live and you'll be able to download the update straight away. There's a stack of stuff (over 85 individual changes!) coming down the pipe to make your Xbox life better:

Expanded HD Display and Video Playback Options

With 1080p resolution, gamers now have the ability to enjoy both game and video content in the best HD resolution currently available.
Expanded video playback options increase the ways gamers can enjoy video content on Xbox 360. It is now possible to stream WMV video from a Windows PC running Windows Media Player 11 or Windows Media Connect.
Gamers can now play video files from data CDs and DVDs, as well as from storage devices like USB 2.0 flash drives and Xbox 360 Memory Units.
Xbox 360 will support 50hz HDTV display modes, providing viewers greater choice in how they watch DVD and HD DVD content.

Xbox Live Arcade Enhancements

Keeping up to date on Xbox Live Arcade games is now even more convenient with the ability to automatically download newly released Xbox Live Arcade trial games. This eliminates the need to manually search for new downloads on Xbox Live Marketplace each time a new game trial is released.
Fast Enumeration of Games. You’ll see the games in your Xbox Live Arcade collection appear almost instantly. Get in and play right away.
With so many games to choose from, Xbox Live Arcade added new sorting options such as “Recently Played” and “By Category.” These enhancements make managing Xbox Live Arcade collections faster and easier than ever.
A new expanded Friends Leaderboard within Xbox Live Arcade allows gamers to compare themselves directly against their friends and view leaderboard details of their top-10 friends.
A new expanded Achievements View within Xbox Live Arcade lets gamers view their full Achievement details for their Arcade games including descriptions, icons, allotted Gamerscore and more, right from the Xbox Live Arcade dashboard interface.
The “Play Now” launch feature has been streamlined. Selecting “Play Now” after downloading a game in Xbox Live Marketplace now bypasses Arcade and takes you directly to the game.
Xbox Live Arcade now offers a “Tell a Friend” feature. Select this from the game info screen to send any friend on your friends list a message telling them about the Arcade game.

XNA Support

Amateur game designers will be able to test and play the games they create using XNA Game Studio Express on their Xbox 360 systems when it launches later this year (separate download and subscription required).

What's your favourite addition? I'm well excited about the new Arcade stuff since I play it so much, and the XNA support is brilliant too. 1080p support is a great step forward too and should quieten some of the AV-heads in the forums!

So remember - get the Fall Update tomorrow morning at 10am GMT or 11am CET. It is, of course, free.

Xbox 360 Launches in South Africa

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 17:50:30 GMT

After India got its hands on Xbox 360 last week, South Africa was the next country to enter the next-generation of gaming. The launch event took place at The Dome in Johannesburg on Friday night, and featured local celebrities Ian F and Kamza talking about their experiences with Xbox 360.

Later a live video link-up was established to a local retailer so the crowd could watch the first Xbox 360 sold in South Africa. Then during the weekend Xbox 360 had a huge presence at the annual rAge videogaming expo (South Africa's Leipzig Games Convention) and also at Woodstock, a music festival to the north west of Jo'burg. It was a huge launch weekend!

I'm going to try and get hold of some photos from the launch event, but in the meantime you should check out Waggy's Xbox World, a Space run by Dan Wagner, one of the guys from the Xbox South Africa team.

Welcome to South Africa and India!

Xbox 360 Launches in India - Advert Shows People Acting Like Cocks

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 17:32:28 GMT

With all the excitement of X06 a couple of other big Xbox 360 events might have flown under your radar recently. In the last week the console has launched in both India and South Africa, making the console a truly international machine and available on all 5 continents for the first time!

More on South Africa soon, but first India. The console launched on Saturday 24 September at a star-studded party in New Delhi. GamerscoreBlog has the full details including pictures, but I think the best thing about the Indian launch is the TV advert that the local team put together. It's about a sport called Porok played in remote regions of India, where two fighters assume the pose of a cock and try to nut each other outside of a ring. It's like sumo wrestling but with more headbutts. Check it out here.

It works on plenty of different levels - I'm just not sure what they are yet. Better than that, it's a right laugh. How do you think it compares with the Cops and Robbers ad we've just launched in Europe? It goes on air in the UK tonight, and just to remind you what it's like you can watch it here.