Latest XBox 360 Gaming News
Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg responds to Sony's 'Move'
2010-03-15 11:01:00 by OXMMicrosoft's Aaron Greenberg has responded to Sony's unveiling of its 'Move' controller.
Click here to read the full article
KISS' Gene Simmons: 'I'm the voice of Guitar Hero 6'
2010-03-15 10:30:00 by OXMGene Simmons of KISS has 'unofficially' confirmed Guitar Hero 6 is on the way.
Click here to read the full article
Video: Split/Second: Velocity - Downtown gameplay 2
2010-03-15 10:17:00 by Eurogamer
Video: Split/Second: Velocity - Downtown gameplay 1
2010-03-15 10:14:00 by Eurogamer
Advertisement
Modern Warfare 2 map pack will cost 1200 MS Points
2010-03-15 10:13:00 by OXMThe first map pack for Modern Warfare 2, Stimulus Package, will cost 1200 MS Points.
Click here to read the full article
Mass Effect 3 will shift back towards RPG
2010-03-15 09:43:00 by OXMBioWare has dropped its clearest hint to date that it will be nudging Mass Effect 3 back towards RPG territory.
Click here to read the full article
Only 4% of 360 owners get all the achievements
2010-03-15 09:36:00 by OXMA panel at this year's GDC showed that only 4% of 360 owners get all of the achievements from their games (via Joystiq).
Click here to read the full article
News: Microsoft patents Xbox Live upsell idea
2010-03-15 09:09:00 by EurogamerDetects, offers, sells, installs content.
Microsoft has been spotted patenting an idea to upsell Xbox Live content to Xbox 360 owners.
Snappily titled "Automated Direct Bids to Purchase Entertainment Content upon a Predetermined Event", this "automated direct transaction and delivery system for digital content provides for automated detection of missing digital content or resources required for a player or participant to participate in a multimedia application in either a single player or multiplayer environment is described," explained the patent (spotted by Broke My Controller).
In other words, if a friend invites you to play a racing game and you don't have a certain track installed, Xbox Live detects this and asks whether you'd like the content. From there, without changing screens, the system will take the money required, install the content and start your game. You'll be able to chat with your presumptuous friend all the while.
 |  |
News: Epic "can do what we want" with Gears
2010-03-15 09:08:00 by EurogamerRein out it owns IP, not Microsoft.
Mark Rein has said that Epic Games is free to do what it likes with Gears of War.
"We own Gears of War. We can do what we want with it," Rein, who is vice president of Epic, told VG247.
"We have a great relationship with Microsoft, and they helped turn the game into a huge success for us, and we are pretty happy with the way things are going."
| |
Bowling: Improved CoD4 maps coming to Modern Warfare 2
2010-03-15 07:50:51 by QJ.netXbox 360 faceplate fetches US$ 200 on eBay
2010-03-15 06:10:17 by QJ.netModern Warfare 2 Stimulus Maps Priced at $15
2010-03-15 02:56:00 by 1UP
You could argue that the map pack being just $5 more than the price that most people were expecting (800 points) isn't really that big of a deal. But Activision and CEO Bobby Kotick have continued to amass a reputation as a company that cares about nothing more than money, and this decision isn't going to help that perception one bit.
Will you be buying the maps when they're released in just over two weeks? If not, is it because of the price or other reasons? Let us know in the comments.
After being revealed earlier today, Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling made an appearance on Major Nelson's weekly podcast earlier this evening to discuss the upcoming Stimulus map pack. On it, Bowling confirmed that the pack will be comprised of five maps (three new maps and two "slightly reworked" maps from Call of Duty 4) and also announced the price: 1,200 Microsoft Points, or $15. That's right, the map pack will actually cost one quarter of the game's price itself. The Battlefield guys are going to have a field day with this.
OXM agrees: Halo: Reach is the best Bungie's done
2010-03-15 02:07:06 by QJ.netShow #353: Wil Wheaton, MW2 Stimulus Package and Supreme Commander
2010-03-15 00:05:00 by Major NelsonHost: Larry Hryb, Xbox LIVE’s Major Nelson (Xbox LIVE ) (Twitter)
Co-host : e (Xbox LIVE ) (Twitter)
Co-host : lollip0p (Xbox LIVE) (Twitter)
Co-Host: Stepto (Xbox LIVE) (Twitter)
Special Guest Star: Wil Wheaton
Interview: Chris Taylor, Supreme Commander 2 (37:01 - 48:49)
Interview: Robert Bowling, Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Map Pack (48:39 - 1:00:51)
Going to South By Southwest? We are too! Listen to find out about the Xbox LIVE Community event.
Name the Game
Xbox 101 and more
Note: I’ve added the above show notes to the ID3 Lyrics data field. If your device supports displaying lyrics, you’ll find this useful
Links to some of the things mentioned in this episode:
Final Fantasy XIII- Limited Edition Bundle
Going to South By Southwest- Come to the Xbox Party!
Show Details:
| Duration (approx): | 1:32:58 |
| File size (approx) : | 42.5 MB |
| Format: | MP3 |
Listen now:
Click the player below to stream this show to your browser and listen to the show:
Subscribe:
Subscribe directly using your preferred podcasting tool:
| [iTunes] | Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3) Listen in iTunes? Submit a review |
| [Zune] | Subscribe to the Podcast directly in Zune |
Or, copy and paste this URL into a podcasting tool: http://feeds.feedburner.com/MajorNelsonblogcast
Download Latest Episode-> Download the latest episode to your computer or preferred device
GDC: Toriyama explains the themes of the Fabula Nova Crystallis trilogy
2010-03-15 00:00:00 by Xbox360Fanboy
Toriyama's main point during his presentation is that Agito and Versus won't be sequels to the recently released Final Fantasy XIII -- they'll both have their own unique set of characters, gameplay systems and overarching stories. The only thing connecting them is the "Crystal Mythos" motif -- a theme where the fates of ordinary humans are controlled by omnipotent gods. Players of Final Fantasy XIII should already be acquainted with this storytelling device.
The other detail about the series Toriyama mentioned was that, like XIII, the rest of the series will continue to focus on story-driven gameplay rather than allowing the player to explore an open world. For better or worse, it sounds like Versus and Agito will possess the same linearity for which XIII was frequently criticized.
GDC: Toriyama explains the themes of the Fabula Nova Crystallis trilogy originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
GDC 2010: EEDAR on Achievements, user behavior
2010-03-14 22:00:00 by Xbox360Fanboy
Probably the most interesting statistic that Divnich dropped: An average of only 4 percent of Xbox gamers actually managed to earn all of the achievements in any given game. When focusing only on major, "AAA" titles, that number drops to 2 percent. Meanwhile, less than 10 percent of consumers get more than 80 percent of Achievements. Furthermore, Divnich noted that only 27 percent of users manage to unlock more than 50 percent of Achievements.
Divnich concluded his talk by saying that developers should learn as much as possible from Achievements. He advised studios to use them as motivational tool for users noting that the number of unlocked Achievements tends to drop off at around 30 percent. He added that gamers who manage to unlock at least 80 percent of Achievements are typically motivated to unlock the remaining 20 percent.
Finally, Divnich stated that developers can use Achievements as a form of direct user feedback. By observing which Achievements are unlocked, developers can see the parts of a game that players enjoy. This, in turn, can help developers decide what to focus on in the sequel. Beyond that, Achievement monitoring could even help them decide whether to make a sequel at all.
GDC 2010: EEDAR on Achievements, user behavior originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Ensemble, Pandemic Blame Company Cultures for Studio Closures
2010-03-14 20:30:00 by 1UP
Paul Bettner, who worked at Ensemble Studios for 12 years before it was shut down by Microsoft in 2008, blamed their own internal "crunch culture" on the studio's demise. "The reality is that every single game we shipped took twice as long as we said it was going to take, and cost twice as much to make," Bettner said. "Microsoft is a public company, they answer to their shareholders, and we were simply too expensive."
Part of the problem, Bettner explained, was that a culture grew in Ensemble where "everyone was a workaholic" and "addicted" to repeated successes with the Age of Empires series, leading to high project costs and poor quality of life for employees. And, he argued, it's a problem that's industry-wide: "This is a horrible vicious cycle. We burn out all our best people. We destroy these precious artists, we wreck their families and we sacrifice their youth. So they leave, and they take all their experience with them," he said.
When a small studio is shut down by their big publishers, it's easy to jump to a reactionary conclusion that the big publishers are to blame. But speaking at the Game Developers Conference (via Eurogamer), staffers from two recently shut-down studios didn't blame their owners -- they blamed themselves.
Advertisement
Gene Simmons hinting at Guitar Hero: KISS?
2010-03-14 19:41:33 by QJ.netModern Warfare 2 "Stimulus Package" Adds 5 Maps, 2 from MW1
2010-03-14 19:41:00 by 1UP
The returning maps are Crash (you know, the one clearly inspired by Black Hawk Down), and Overgrown -- no doubt two of the most popular maps from the first game. The new maps, according to the description of the map-pack, include Bailout, "a multi-level apartment complex;" Storm, "an open industrial park littered with heavy machinery;" and Salvage, "a snowy junkyard fortified by stacked debris and crushed cars."
Infinity Ward has announced the Stimulus Package is set for release on March 30 on XBLM, but no PS3 or PC dates have been announced yet, nor has a price been set.
Thanks to an early posting on the Xbox Live Marketplace website (via Joystiq), we now know what to expect from the upcoming Modern Warfare 2 DLC add-on, apparently called "Stimulus Package." The DLC will add five maps, but only three are actually brand-new -- the other two are returning favorites from the original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
Ex-Infinity Ward Heads Join Hollywood Talent Agency
2010-03-14 18:19:00 by 1UP
To be sure, high-profile developers joining with a Hollywood talent agency is an unusual development. Whereas agents and managers work to negotiate deals between studios and talent in the film and television industry, the gaming industry is, as you surely know, drastically different: Developers almost always are full-time hires with a studio and have no representation.
As such, this is a fascinating move for Zampella and West and also demonstrates just how serious Hollywood takes the gaming industry these days (as if the countless questionable video game film adaptations in recent years didn't demonstrate that enough). Will it open the way to revolutionize how the industry works with talent agents representing every developer in the biz? Maybe not, but if you were just responsible for making a billion-dollar-grossing game and find yourself looking for a new home, having an agent sure couldn't hurt.
After being unceremoniously fired by Activision last week (and responding with a lawsuit alleging breach of contract), what's next for now-former Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West? To find that out now, you might have to have your people call their people. The LA Times reports Zampella and West have signed on with Creative Artist Agency, the biggest talent agency in Hollywood.
Portal 2 shows up on EA website, with pricing and pre-order details
2010-03-14 10:14:41 by QJ.netQ4 release for Mafia 2 (re)confirmed; Payne, Noire, Civ V still on hit list
2010-03-14 05:59:00 by Xbox360Fanboy
Q4 release for Mafia 2 (re)confirmed; Payne, Noire, Civ V still on hit list originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Medal of Honor trailer defines Tier One Operative (in case you were wondering)
2010-03-14 03:00:00 by Xbox360Fanboy
Continue reading Medal of Honor trailer defines Tier One Operative (in case you were wondering)
Medal of Honor trailer defines Tier One Operative (in case you were wondering) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Impressions: Mass Effect 2 DLC - Kasumi's Stolen Memory
2010-03-14 02:12:00 by Xbox360Fanboy
click to kazoomi
Donning a sleek bit of evening wear and a false identity, Shepard accompanies Kasumi to an exclusive party -- the kind that requires either a shiny invitation or a shady conscience. While the commander mingles, a cloaked Kasumi keeps an eye out for the hidden art vault that she believes holds her partner's grey box. What they eventually find encroaches upon spoiler territory (that's especially sensitive given the 90-minute length of the mission), but unsurprisingly triggers one of Mass Effect 2's intense combat sequences.
Continue reading Impressions: Mass Effect 2 DLC - Kasumi's Stolen Memory
Impressions: Mass Effect 2 DLC - Kasumi's Stolen Memory originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
How To Get Your Student Game Signed
2010-03-13 22:34:00 by 1UP
At a discussion panel at the Game Career Guide seminar during the last day of GDC 2010, developers who worked on Flower, The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom, and Portal discussed how they got their college student games noticed enough for publishers to give them jobs and put their games out commercially.
Portal
Puzzle Quest 2 Screenshots & Trailer
2010-03-12 22:47:31 by TeamXBoxLara Croft and the Guardian of Light Screens 3/12/10
2010-03-12 21:21:11 by TeamXBoxBattle vs. Chess is Coming to Xbox 360 via the LIVE Arcade
2010-03-12 20:35:00 by PlanetXBox360MotoGP 09/10 Screenshots 3/12/10
2010-03-12 20:27:26 by TeamXBoxLost Planet 2 Trailer
2010-03-12 20:22:49 by TeamXBoxBioShock 2 DLC Now Available
2010-03-12 20:07:19 by TeamXBoxAdvertisement
New HD Cinematic Trailer for Brink from Bethesda is Online
2010-03-12 19:50:00 by PlanetXBox360BioShock 2 Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack DLC is Announced
2010-03-12 19:00:00 by PlanetXBox360Lionhead Studios Releases All-New Fable III Screenshots
2010-03-12 17:57:00 by PlanetXBox360February 2010 NPD Results: Xbox 360 Outsells Wii and PS3
2010-03-12 02:15:00 by PlanetXBox360BioShock 2 Game add-on: Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack
2010-03-11 13:41:00 by Major NelsonContent: Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack
Price: 400 Microsoft Points
Availability: Not available in Japan
Dash Text: Opportunity Awaits! Expand your BioShock 2 multiplayer experience with a rank increase to 50 with Rank Rewards including a 3rd set of weapons upgrades. Plus, enjoy 20 new Trials, 2 new playable characters and 5 new Masks. Yes! We’d thought you’d like the sound of that! There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.
Add Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack to your Xbox 360 download queue
Edit: If you are a PC Gamer, you can from now until Monday, March 15th you purchase BioShock 2 for 25% off. PLUS: if you purchase the DLC as well, you’ll get an 800 point rebate. Details on the Games for Windows site
Trick My Ride Download & Win Sweepstakes
2010-03-11 00:00:00 by XBox.comGoing to South By Southwest? Come to the Xbox Party!
2010-03-10 19:12:00 by Major Nelson
If you plan on attending South By Southwest or if you live in the Austin, TX area we’ve got a couple of events next week that may interest you. First if you are attending the SXSW Interactive conference, make time for Xbox LIVE General Manager Marc Whitten (Gamertag: Notwen.) Marc will be presenting The Future of the Digital Living Room on Tuesday, March 16th at 12:30pm. Hit this session to hear Marc’s view on where entertainment is headed and what role the internet will play in the living room. I’ll be there with Marc to help facilitate his Q&A session at the end of the presentation.
Update: Due to a last minute schedule change, Marc will be unable to attend…but everyone else will be there!
Do you live in the Austin area but don’t plan on attending SXSW? No problem…swing by our Xbox Party at the Six Lounge from 3 until 5pm on Tuesday March 16th. I will be there along with Laura (lollip0p), Eric (DMZilla) and a few more from the Xbox team. Spend a few hours with us and enjoy the Salt Lick BBQ we’re providing (which I am told is quite good) and play some games! We’ll be bringing some upcoming Xbox LIVE Arcade titles for you to get your hands on including Game Room, Perfect Dark, Super Meat Boy (it is Texas…right?) and more.
This event is open to everyone 18 and over (SXSW passes are NOT required.) You won’t need a ticket to get in, but when we reach capacity, we’ll need to stop letting people in…which means no games or BBQ.
Take the afternoon off from work and plan to arrive early to make sure you get in.
Here are the details:
| Who: | Anyone in the Austin area over 18 |
| What: | Xbox Party at SXSW! |
| Why: | To play games, eat BBQ and meet some of the Xbox team |
| When: | Tuesday, March 16th from 3pm-5pm |
| Where: | Six Lounge. 117 West 4th Street, Austin TX |
Export to Outlook or iCal (.ics)
See you Tuesday.
Arcade: Scrap Metal
2010-03-10 14:24:00 by Major Nelson
Content: Scrap Metal
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox LIVE regions
Dash Text: (ONLINE INTERACTIONS NOT RATED BY THE ESRB) Drift around corners with guns blazing and take out legendary competitors in this fast-paced, top-down racing game. Fight your way through explosive, action-packed missions and defeat cunning bosses to add their vehicles to your garage. Customize your newly-acquired cars and then return to the track to blast through more enemies. Jump online with Xbox LIVE to race against your friends and crush their cars with the wheels of your monster truck in pulse-pounding online multiplayer matches. There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.
Add the free Scrap Metal demo to your Xbox 360 download queue
LIVE Activity for week of March 1
2010-03-10 04:42:00 by Major Nelson
You probably know what you friends are playing by just looking at your friends lists…but what about everyone else on Xbox LIVE? Let me answer that for you right now:
Xbox 360 Top LIVE Titles (based on UU’s)
1 Modern Warfare 2
2 Halo 3
3 Call of Duty: WaW
4 FIFA 10
5 Battlefield Bad Co. 2
6 Call of Duty 4
7 GTA IV (Purchase the full game for direct download )
8 Toy Soldiers
9 Gears of War 2
10 Left 4 Dead 2
11 Borderlands
12 Just Cause 2 Demo (Pre-order game)
13 Madden NFL 10 (Download the demo)
14 Forza Motorsport 3 (Download the demo)
15 Mass Effect 2
16 Halo 3: ODST
17 NBA 2K10
18 BioShock 2
19 Assassin's Creed II
20 NHL 10
Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions purchased)
1 Toy Soldiers
2 Trials HD
3 Castle Crashers
4 Battlefield 1943
5 UNO
6 Hasbro Family Game Night **
7 Marvel vs. Capcom 2
8 Magic: The Gathering
9 Worms 2: Armageddon
10 Duke Nukem 3D
11 The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom
12 Zombie Apocalypse
13 Marble Blast Ultra
14 Worms
15 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1989 Classic Arcade
16 Peggle
17 DOOM
18 A Kingdom for Keflings
19 Shadow Complex
20 Turtles in Time Re-Shelled
The above arcade list is based on full versions purchased.
**Combined sales of all Hasbro Family Game Night titles
Top Indie Games (Full Versions purchased)
1 Avatar Showdown
2 The Impossible Game
4 Avatar Drop
5 Shoot 1UP
6 Yet Another Zombie Defense
7 Curling 2010
8 Miner Dig Deep
9 Head Shot 2
10 Anger Management
11 Avatar Meet Up Live!
12 MotorHEAT
13 Avatar Golf
14 Avatar Boogie
15 Inside Lacrosse's CL2010
16 Soulcaster
17 ZP2K9
18 Soul
19 Beat Hazard
20 Dont B Nervous Talking 2 Girls
Original Xbox Top Live Titles (based on UU’s)
1 Halo 2
2 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2
3 Xbox Dashboard
4 Counter-Strike
5 Fable
6 Splinter Cell Chaos
7 Conker: Live Reloaded
8 Doom 3
9 Star Wars: Battlefront
10 SW: Republic Commando
These lists are based on global unique users connected to Xbox Live or in the case of Arcade and Indie Games, full versions purchased during the week.
Some content (and therefore the links) may not be available in all regions.
