News Archive 2005 / 2006

• Chartered to produce 65nm Xbox 360 CPUs for Microsoft

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing announced that it has signed an agreement with Microsoft to manufacture CPU products using 65nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game consoles. This announcement follows Chartered’s manufacturing of 90nm SOI CPUs for the Xbox 360 through an agreement with IBM.

[digitimes]

• Codename: Panzers Coming To Xbox 360

German publisher 10Tacle Studios, again setting its sights on next-gen games, announced with Hungarian developers Stormregion that they're bringing the popular RTS Codename: Panzers to Xbox 360...

[xboxtoday.ca]

• Microsoft confirms HD-DVD drive for Xbox360

Microsoft has confirmed that it will be announcing more details of a HD-DVD drive for the Xbox360 at this years E3 expo in Los Angeles...

[pocket-lint]

• First Taiwan-developed Xbox 360 game to launch in June

FunTown, a Taiwanese producer of PC games, is expected to launch the Xbox 360 version of the traditional Chinese gambling game Mahjong in June of this year, the first among Taiwanese producers of Xbox 360 games, according to senior sales manager Grace Chou for Entertainment & Device Division of Microsoft Taiwan.

[digitimes]

• OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast (Xbox)

OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast is arcade-style racing defined. Well, defined as a compilation of a previously released Xbox titles and an arcade-only update with a few new features thrown in. A game like that -- a game that isn't really offering something new -- is obviously geared toward people who love the series.

[gamespy]

• 360 Gamer Gets "BioShock" Exclusive

A hulking Protector monster from BioShock dominates the cover to 360 GAMER issue eight, with an art style echoing back to the pulp science fiction magazines of the Fifties and Sixties that served as one of BioShock’s many inspirations. The extensive nine-page feature grants readers unprecedented access to this next-generation title, including exclusive never-before-seen screenshots and production concept sketches, along with an exclusive interview from BioShock’s executive producer Ken Levine, the man behind the critically-acclaimed System Shock 2 and Freedom Force series.

[xgp]

• World Cyber Games to pimp Xbox 360 and Windows

The World Cyber Games on Thursday announced that Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 and Windows will sponsor the global tournament through 2008.

In addition, Microsoft will provide hardware, software, and marketing support for the events.

[punchjump]

• PC Alone in the Dark to launch with Xbox 360 version

Alone in the Dark first appeared on PC in 1992, and fourteen years later it is returning, complete with an original gameplay structure, said to make the game appeal to a much wider audience. Atari hopes the game will go beyond expectations for a next-generation title and that it will re-establish itself as the genre leader. It certainly won't be easy, with the survival horror genre now packed with quality franchises such as Resident Evil and Project Zero.

[pro-g]

• Brothers In Arms Hell’s Highway For 360

Ubisoft has announced the production of Brothers In Arms Hell’s Highway for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC gaming platforms.

As the third iteration of the popular Brothers in Arms series, Hell's Highway is set for a holiday 2006 release where it will include a completely overhauled online infrastructure to coincide with the improved gameplay and graphical elements.

[xboxadvanced]

• Microsoft Plans Further Regional Xbox 360 Launches

According to a report in British newspaper The Financial Times, Microsoft is planning to launch the Xbox 360 console in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Africa within the next eighteen months.

[gamasutra]

• Xbox360 gamers to get HD movie trailers...

Xbox360 gamers in the US will soon be able to catch the latest Paramount movie trailers such as Mission Impossible III and Jack Black’s Nacho Libre in High Definition.

[pocket-lint]

• Top Spin 2 - Xbox 360

When Top Spin arrived on Xbox in 2003 a legion of new tennis fans were born. The game was innovative, fast-paced, great fun, and brought together the technical elements of tennis alongside the intensive gameplay that’s synonymous with this ‘middle class’ sport.

[hexus]

• Lost Planet Updated Impressions (Xbox 360)

If Capcom’s latest showing of Lost Planet is any indication, the first-quarter 2007 title is right on track. Proof came in a visit to TeamXbox.com, when Capcom showed two solid levels from the third-person shooter, which served up battles against the game’s two main adversaries, the Akrid and Snow Pirates.

[teamxbox]

• Wrestling Ladies Hit the 360: Rumble Roses Xbox 360 Review

If you are a fan of wrestling, you already know that the Divas are now as popular as the male superstars. From endorsements and even the cover of popular Men's magazines, the ladies of the ring are now a staple of the industry. Of course many still argue that the whole Diva concept is nothing more than eye candy to get male viewers to tune in or attend the events.

[xboxsolution]

• Battlefield 2: Modern Combat Ships

Today, EA has announced that Battlefield 2: Modern Combat has shipped to stores across the nation for the Xbox 360. This is the first next-gen installment of the Battlefield franchise, and it will drop players right into the front lines with a new physics engine, environmental damage modeling, improved AI, and breathtaking visuals.

[talkxbox]

• Datel Drops XSATA 360

Datel announced today the release of a new product for the Xbox 360, dubbed the XSATA. The device allows users to access their 360's HD from their PCs via a USB 2.0 cable. Using free file management software like Xplorer 360, files can be transferred to and from the 360's HD, freeing space on the 360's somewhat small 12GB user partition. The XSATA sits between the HD unit and the 360 itself, and allows for access by both the 360 and PC while installed.

Moving demos, saves, and other media to and from the 360 is a cool idea, though as many have discovered, many files and the 360 are locked to the console or Xbox Live account, meaning sharing the data you pull from the 360's HD may be a bit tricky.

[ign]

• Burger King Confirms Xbox 360 Game Dev

Turns out that despite all those breaking into people’s homes, running across football fields and trying to shove people off high rises, the King isn’t as cheerful a guy as one might suspect.

[kotaku]

• 2K Sports Announces Major League Baseball(R) 2K6 for Xbox 360

2K Sports, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today that Major League Baseball(R) 2K6 for Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the only official MLB(R) video game for the platform, is now available in stores across North America.

[businesswire]

• X-Men: The Official Game Hands-On (Xbox 360)

With a list of X-Men related titles under their belt, Activision is gearing up for its latest mutant release that coincides with this May’s big screen blockbuster X-Men: The Last Stand. Developed by Z-Axis, X-Men: The Official Game will be released May 16, just over a week before the movie opens up in theaters across the nation. Serving as a bridge between X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: The Official Game takes place between the events of the two films. We had the chance to spend an evening with the game on both the Xbox and the Xbox 360 last week in San Francisco to bring you our hands-on impressions.

[teamxbox]

• Microsoft starts music video downloads via Xbox360

Microsoft has announced an agreement with Epic Records to offer exclusive artist content and high-definition music video downloads free for all Xbox360 gamers for a year.

The move clearly shows that Microsoft is hoping to use the games console and more than just a gaming machine and could be the company’s backdoor entry into the music video and more importantly movie download business.

[pocket-lint]

• 'The Specialist' hacks Xbox 360 firmware...

A hacker, codenamed "TheSpecialist" claims that he has installed his own custom firmware into the Xbox 360.

He now claims to be able to 'create bootable backups of the originals, circumventing the Xbox 360’s content checking by ignoring the required disc signatures that are present on retail games.'

'The Specialist' reveals that Microsoft didn't sign the firmware, meaning he has full access to the intenal hard drive.

[hexus]

• Halo 3 no more -- meet Forerunner

An Xbox.com forum poster, DM Duo Maxwell, is claiming to have reproduced, in its entirety, an exclusive Game Informer article from the upcoming April issue that reveals details about Bungie's next project—Duo Maxwell did not supply an actual scan because Xbox.com does not permit images that violate copyright laws. According to the post, Bungie's next project will be a Halo game for the Xbox 360, currently codenamed, Forerunner. In Halo lore, the Forerunners are a technologically advanced race that mysteriously vanished from the universe.

[joystiq]

• Microsoft to pimp Viva Pinata to Xbox 360

Microsoft and 4Kids Entertainment on Wednesday announced the introduction of a new property for the Xbox 360 called Viva Pinata.

Viva Pinata is a social video game where players can customize, create, and maintain a living garden of piñata animals that grow in real-time.

The game will allow owners to host more than 60 species of wild piñata and interact with others via Xbox Live.

[punchjump]

• College Hoops 2K6 for Xbox 360 Now Available

2K Sports, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., announced today that College Hoops 2K6 for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft is now available at retailers across North America. As the only college basketball game available for Xbox 360, College Hoops 2K6 delivers a truly authentic collegiate experience, showcasing superior next-generation graphics, unmatched gameplay, all of the fan-favorite features found in the current-gen versions and an updated and expanded roster of teams and players.

[giw]

• Ridge Racer 6 trial demo drops to Xbox 360

Namco's Ridge Racer 6 for Xbox 360 is now available as a trial download via the Xbox Live Marketplace.

The 600MB download features 21 vehicles and the Harborline 765 race track.

[punchjump]

• THQ Delivers The Outfit for Xbox 360

THQ and gaming studio Relic Entertainment today said they’d shipped The Outfit, a World War II focused third person, squad-based combat game. It is priced at $59.99 and available for Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

[designtechnica]

• Final Fantasy XI Preview (Xbox 360)

Square-Enix hosted its third Final Fantasy XI Fan Fest at the Santa Monica Pier this past weekend, and despite the unseasonable weather (a chilly 50 degrees and mostly overcast with blasts of rain throughout the day), it didn’t deter fans from coming to the event to meet other players, try out some of the game’s new features, listen to developers chat about their plans for future expansion and get their hands on the Xbox 360 version for the first time. TeamXbox.com was there to bring you the details.

[teamxbox]

• World Cup Xbox 360 screens

"The FIFA World Cup will be the single most watched sporting event by a worldwide television audience, bringing together football fans from around the world," said Joe Nickolls, lead producer of the game. "Our game, 2006 FIFA World Cup celebrates this passion by capturing all of the national rivalries in-game, enabling fans to play their heroes and be a part of 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany."

[boomtown]

• BioWare Working On MMORPG For Xbox 360

BioWare, the creators of some amazing RPG's including the Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic franchise has announced today that they have begun work on a Massively-Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG). The game is being developed by its newly opened Austin, Texas studio. The Austin team will be headed up by James Ohlen whom happens to be BioWare's Creative Director. He has previously worked on Knights of the Old Republic, Neverwinter Nights, as well as Baldur's Gate.

[xboxtoday]

• Xbox 360 Bundles Starting To Ship

Giving credence to reports that Xbox 360 shortages are coming to a close, Game Stop has several bundles up for grabs for lower prices with a promised start of shipping date set for Friday, March 17.

[igniq]

• Fight Night Round 3 Xbox 360 review

A boxing game… very fitting that it was the first game in quite some time to give me actual physical injuries. Certainly the blisters on my fingers are less impressive than the bone crunching knock downs present in the game, but during the course of playing I think I’ve figured out the whole video games causing violence issue once and for all.

[boomtown]

• Datel Announces 360-to-PC Transfer Kit

Datel has announced a rather nice new utility for the Xbox 360. Aptly titled the Transfer Kit for Xbox 360, Datel's creation is a software and USB dongle package that allows a user to transfer saved games from the Xbox 360's memory card to the PC.

[ign]

• Revealed: Secret XBox 360 Game is a Table Tennis Game from Rockstar Games

The secret new Xbox 360 game announcement today is: table tennis. And the developer: Rockstar Games. Rockstar games, makers of the notorious series of Grand Theft Auto games where you can kick prostitutes to death and steal cars and shoot people - even to the tune of a lawsuit for a hidden sex scene, is rolling out a game on TABLE TENNIS. Say wha dawg? It seems the guys at Rockstar love a little ping pong and so their next title is taking on the little green table - no hos, pimps or guns to be found.

[realtechnews]

• Sneak Peek: Xbox 360 USB Camera Add-on

It looks as if Microsoft is getting set to release a new USB camera peripheral for the Xbox 360 in the not too distant future. According to documentation obtained by IGN, the USB camera is aimed at improving the user's gaming experience, but it also adds several new potential capabilities to an already powerful home media hub.

[ehu]

• Strike Force Red Cell to shoot Xbox 360

Graffiti Entertainment, LLC on Monday announced that it has acquired the North American publishing rights to the first-person shooter Strike Force Red Cell.

The shooter is a counter-terrorist game offering for the Xbox 360 and PC.

[punchjump]

• Japanese relaunch for Xbox 360 in June?

Internet rumors declare that Microsoft is planning a relaunch in Japan for its console flag bearer, Xbox 360. The launch in Japan was shadowed by hype from Sony's and Nintendo's next-generation consoles, and as expected was rather hard to hit it big. As the German website GameFront reports are stated in ComputerAndVideoGames.com, "MS is planning a major relaunch for the console in the Land of the Rising Sun beginning on June 29."

[afterdawn]

• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Review...

When I first heard about Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (GRAW), I was worried about the future of the franchise. Previous entries in the Ghost Recon franchise were all about fighting outdoors in vast expanses and infiltrating remote outposts, but this game takes place primarily in urban Mexico City.

[vggen]

• Hitman: Blood Money sets sights on Xbox 360

In a stealth attack maneuver worthy of Agent 47, the fourth iteration of Eidos' Hitman series, dubbed Hitman: Blood Money, will be released on Microsoft's next-gen Xbox 360 system, in addition to the previously announced PC, Xbox, and PS2 platforms. The real coup de grâce is that it will be released alongside those versions this spring!

[joystiq]

• TOMB RAIDER LEGEND XBOX 360 TRAILERS...

GameSpot has blown the competition clean out of the water with the release of five sensational new movies showcasing Tomb Raider Legend on Xbox 360. Sporting an incredible 1280x960 Ultra HQ resolution and weighing in around 50Mb per item, the clips feature Lara Croft in all game sectors.

[trc]

• Bandai making 360 mech game

According to the latest issue of Famitsu, Bandai is currently making a new Xbox 360 mech game titled Zegapain XOR for a summer release in Japan. The game is being developed by Cavia, best known as the studio that worked on Square Enix's Drakengard series. Cavia is also working on two other Xbox 360 titles: an action game titled Bullet Witch, and a role-playing game named Cry On, which is being produced by Hironobu Sakaguchi's Mistwalker.

[gamespot]

• Microsoft patents motion-sensing tech!

It looks like Microsoft likes the Revolution controllers too, as the company has registered patents for motion sensing technology which many assume will go into future Xbox 360 controllers (or even PC stuff).

[ign]

• Odd Xbox 360 Dashboard Upgrade

The March 2006 Xbox 360™ update will prepare your Xbox 360 console for future system and title updates. This free* update is available to all Xbox Live® members. Your console will be updated the next time you sign in to Xbox Live...

[playfeed]

• Elder Scrolls Release Date Announced For Xbo 36

Bethesda has announced that their hugely anticipated game, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, will be available in stores in North America and Europe during the week of March 20 for the Xbox 360 and PC.

[xboxtodayca]

• Xbox 360: Roundup and Review

In the ensuing war of the third-generation video-game consoles, Microsoft launched the first volley this past November with the release of its Xbox 360. Despite ample publicity, the Xbox 360 has come under scrutiny. A much-hyped launch fell short of meeting demand with limited quantities of the console available and individual stores seeming to define their own rules as to how units would be sold.

[upi]

• Xbox 360 Burnout Revenge golden

To date, there are three racing games available for the Xbox 360: Need for Speed Most Wanted, Project Gotham Racing 3, and Ridge Racer 6. However, the fourth racing game for the console is generating a lot of interest, despite being already available--and highly acclaimed--on the Xbox and PlayStation 2. That game would be Burnout Revenge, the first next-gen installment in the high-intensity racing series from publisher Electronic Arts and developer Criterion Games, which went gold today.

[mtv]

• Far Cry Instincts Predator Xbox 360 video & new screens...

The second wave of Xbox 360 redux releases have thus far put the initial wave to shame. Enhancements made to GUN and Tony Hawk's Underground: American Wasteland pale in every fathomable comparison to the upcoming new 360 versions of Burnout Revenge, Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII, and of course Far Cry Instincts Predator.

[themanroom]

• Final Fantasy XI Xbox 360: A Work In Progress...

Square Enix has come a long way since the company first released Final Fantasy XI over two years ago. The game has a solid community of over 500,000 players, with an Xbox 360 version on the way next month. While it varies a bit from other Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs), it does a lot of things right. I've spent a good deal of time with the Xbox 360 beta and from my preview, you can see that I'm enjoying myself. However, the skies are not always clear in Vana'diel and things are not always great in Final Fantasy XI.

[gamedaily]

• Battlefield 2 Modern Combat slips into April...

"The launch of Digital Illusions' game Battlefield 2 Modern Combat for Xbox 360 will be in April 2006," reads the press release. After checking out EA's UK press site it would seem that the game is now set for an April 14 release, across Europe at least. No reason for the delay has been given, but at least this gives gamers a bit of breathing space in March as it was looking like a pretty busy and expensive time to be a gamer.

[pro-g]

• First look at Superman Returns: The Videogame on Xbox 360

So who doubted EA's Tiburon studio, most famous for the legacy that has become Madden NFL games, could pull off a superhero game? The first glimpse of Superman Returns: The Videogame that showcases an epic battle versus Metallo should help quench those fears. It will draw from not only classic villains over the past 60 years of comics but also the new Brian Singer-helmed film to create the first multi-dimensional open-world super hero experience.

[themanroom]

• Analyst: Xbox 360 Inventory Increasing, MS Ahead of 4-5M Target

Could the long Xbox 360 hardware drought be coming to an end? Analyst P.J. McNealy conducted a retailer survey and the results reveal that the inventory situation is improving. McNealy expects MS to top its own 4-5 million shipment target for this June, and to reach 10-12 million by the end of 2006.

[gamedaily]

• EA fires more Battlefield 2 to Xbox 360

EA on Friday released new images from its Xbox 360 offering, Battlefield 2 Modern Combat.

The images reveal close-ups of the enhanced detail that will grace the Xbox 360 version of the game.

[punchjump]

• CoD 2 Xbox 360 update soon...

The news comes in a post on the Xbox.com forums, Call of Duty 2 developer Infinity Ward has discussed the patch currently being tested for Xbox 360. Here is the post...

[boomtown]

• Xbox 360 Review: Full Auto

Back when the Nintendo 64 and Playstation were butting heads, Activision's marketing team released an ad campaign for Vigilante 8. The tagline was simple: "Blow sh*t up." What a shame that line was wasted on a game where the only thing exploding were the cars instead of holding it back for Full Auto. That singular line describes this superbly crafted action title, its hook, and the appeal.

[blogcritic]

• Test Drive Unlimited New Xbox 360 Screenshots

Test Drive Unlimited is the ultimate automotive experience for car and bike enthusiasts alike. Visit the most sophisticated car and bike dealers to purchase new vehicles or simply take them for a spin. Collect and trade rare performance parts and customise each vehicle to make it one-of-a-kind. Test Drive Unlimited challenges players online to experience the most exotic and fastest vehicles on more than 1000 miles of diverse Hawaiian roads.

[itvibe]

• THQ announces MotoGP '06 for Xbox 360 due this summer...

"It's exciting for us to present Xbox 360 owners with the most exhilarating racing experience available and one that genuinely raises the bar of photorealistic gaming. The developer, Climax, has combined an unprecedented level of detail, sense of speed, and the very latest MotoGP season content to create a game that will appeal to MotoGP fans as well as those gamers craving the most thrilling racing experience on Xbox 360."

[itvibe]

• 86 Xbox 360 Titles Set For Release In 2006

Provided you’ve managed to get your hands on an Xbox 360, you might be getting tired of the titles available for this first machine on the next-gen console scene. If boredom is setting in and dust is starting to collect on your console, you’re in luck. Joystiq is reporting a list of 86 new releases set to debut during 2006 for the 360.

[igniq]

• GAME offer promotion on Xbox 360 games - 99p!

GAME are offering Xbox 360 games at only 99p! The catch is that you'll have to trade in two existing Xbox 360 games to take advantage of the special offer. The offer started yesterday and runs until next Thursday. It's available at all GAME stores.

[hexus]

• Datel to release portable 4GB HDD for Xbox 360

Datel, makers of the 4GB PSP HDD, have announced a similar peripheral for the Xbox 360. The portable 4GB hard drive, which powers directly from the 360, connects via USB 2.0 and features a glowing green power button.

[joystiq]

• 'Ninety-Nine Nights' enough to raise Xbox 360 sales in Japan?

Microsoft is counting on the game to drive sales of Xbox 360s in Japan after sales of consoles in the first month fell short of those in the failed launch of the original Xbox four years ago.

[cnet]

• Call of Duty 2 Patch Now Available

Many gamers have had the horrible luck of having their single-player campaign save files corrupting – essentially making them unusable. While this might not be a big deal on the default difficulty level, for those gamers putting in 15+ hours in Veteran, starting over from scratch is the equivalent of hot poker in the eye.

[teamxbox]

• 360 Burnout Revenge coming 3/7/06

In addition to Burnout Revenge's ship date, EA also revealed that it will help hype the game via a campaign reminiscent of Nintendo's DS Japanese download kiosk program. Starting tomorrow, retailers such as Best Buy, GameStop, Wal-Mart, Target, and Circuit City will offer a Burnout Revenge download for free via their in-store Xbox 360 kiosks. To get the download, Xbox 360 owners must bring in their memory cards and insert them into a kiosk.

[gamespot]

• Team Ninja’s plans For Xbox 360

Team Ninja's Tomonobu Itagaki appeared in the latest issue of Famitsu Xbox 360 in not one, but two interviews in which he discusses his teams plans for the Xbox 360.

[xboxaddict]

• 360 Resident Evil 5 far off, Chromehounds coming along...

Japanese publishers talk Xbox 360 development: Konami targeting US audiences, AQ Interactive considering 2-3 more titles, Capcom cautious.

[gamespot]

• Xbox 360 Live Update Fixes Bugs, Freezes Hacking

A new mandatory update for the Xbox 360 has been released over Xbox Live. The update, available upon signing on to the Xbox Live service with a 360, offers a few minor bug fixes, as well as a seal over a minor security hole that would-be system hackers had been experimenting with.

[gamasutra]

• EA preps Battlefield 2 for Xbox 360

EA on Friday offered a sneak peek of its upcoming Xbox 360 offering, Battlefield 2 Modern Combat. The multiplayer war combat game has seen critical and retail success on the PC.

The Xbox 360 version will feature 24-player battles via Xbox Live, more than 30 military vehicles and more than 70 weapons.

[punchjump]

• Top Spin 2 Xbox 360 screenshots

We've got 10 additional Top Spin 2 screenshots featuring a number of the different playing venues as well as players. All are, of course, taken from instant replay angles and not actual gameplay.

[themanroom]

• Xbox 360 in short supply, consumers and analysts are not thrilled...

Microsoft Corp said that it was delaying the launch of its next generation gaming console Xbox 360 in Australia due to supply problems. These same problems forced Redmond to scale down the sales forecasts for the next three months, but the software giant said that it would be selling 4.5 million and 5.5 million consoles by the end of June.

[earthtimes]

• New "Burnout Revenge" Xbox 360 screenshots!

As it stands, other than the obvious visual and audio enhancements, the big changes on Xbox 360 will be the inclusion of a Save and Share system where you can upload your favorite saved wreck highlights to Xbox Live, and a Live Revenge mode where you can call out rivals and track your history against them - also on Xbox Live.

[themanroom]

• Over 10 Taiwan Firms Developing Xbox 360 Titles

According to Microsoft Taiwan, more than 10 local developers are currently working on Xbox 360 titles. Most titles are expected to arrive months after the March 2nd launch of the console in that country however.

[vggen]

• Fight Night Round 3 Xbox 360 screens...

Who would have thought that a boxing game would be so popular? If I look at my Xbox Live friends list on any given evening I'll see at least a quarter of them playing the Fight Night Round 3 demo recently released via the Xbox Live Marketplace.

[boomtown]

• Geometry Wars Leads Xbox 360 Arcade Downloads

In an official statement to consumer website IGN, Microsoft has revealed details of the most popular downloads on the Xbox Live Arcade service for the Xbox 360 console, one of the most consistently praised aspects of the Xbox 360 launch.

1. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
2. Gauntlet
3. Smash TV
4. Bejeweled II
5. Zuma
6. Bankshot Billiards 2
7. Outpost Kaloki X
8. Mutant Storm Reloaded
9. Joust
10. Wik: Fable of Souls

[gamasutra]

• The Godfather: Xbox 360, PSP Versions Delayed

With a title as important as The Godfather, Electronic Arts has to get things right, which is why the company officially delayed the game last year at its annual July Hot Summer Night event. Today, Electronic Arts has again delayed the Xbox 360 and PSP versions, while staying on schedule for an Xbox, PS2, and PC March release.

[ign]

• Xbox 360 to get HD-DVD optical drive...

It turns out the Xbox 360 will get a next-generation optical drive after all. Microsoft announced last week at the Consumer Electronics Show that it will release an external HD-DVD drive for the Xbox 360 later this year.

[kvue]

• Stream DivX movies to your Xbox 360 using Media Center

This article shows how to stream DivX (and XviD) movies to an Xbox 360 using a Media Center. For the picky people, it doesn't actually stream DivX ... it converts to WMV on the fly to stream. The core process for accomplishing this is taken from a thread found on the Xbox forums...

[hexus]

• Microsoft: No Blu-Ray for 360

Microsoft stated today that the company is fully committed to HD-DVD and has "absolutely no plans" to support other formats such as Sony's Blu-Ray technology.

[ign]

• EA to bring Medal of Honor Airborne to Xbox 360...

This upcoming Winter I'll get the chance to pick my landing zones in every mission of EA's newly announced Medal of Honor Airborne, the latest entry in their fabled World War II first-person shooter series, Medal of Honor. Unlike typical FPSers, Airborne puts you in the shoes of a member of the 82nd Airborne Division who is repeatedly dropped behind enemy mines.

[themanroom]

• OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast!

Outrun has been pleasing driving fanatics ever since the series' debut back in the mid-80's, so it should be no surprise that the brand still continues to make magical shower waves today.

[gamedaily]

• Rockstar to drop brand new game to Xbox 360

Take-Two Interactive on Wednesday said that it will drop a title based on a new brand to Xbox 360.

The undisclosed game is expected to be released in fiscal 2006.

[punchjump]

• Interpreting that Xbox 360 Live statistic

During the Bill Gates keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas yesterday, Microsoft announced that over half of all Xbox 360 owners are using the console's Xbox Live service. If this is true, the company has increased the usage of Xbox Live service tremendously from the estimated 10% usage rate for the original Xbox.

[joystiq]

• Pulse LINK to Demonstrate Wireless Connectivity Between Xbox 360 and HDTV Display

Demonstrations include the industry's first wireless DVI/HDMI equivalent; ultra-low latency wireless HD gaming between an Xbox 360 and a HDTV; wireless PC to HDTV Flat Panel connections; and the first ever UWB over coax solution capable of supporting IEEE 1394 S400 (400 Mbps) throughput for whole-home connectivity.

[teamxbox]

• Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XI begins beta...

Xbox 360 owners will soon get the opportunity to take a sneak peek at the world of Vana'diel, because the Final Fantasy XI beta testing period for Microsoft's new console has officially begun. Gamers can register for the beta now at Square Enix's PlayOnline Web site, which handles all subscriptions for Final Fantasy XI.

[gamespot]

• CES: Street Fighter 2 Available on Xbox Live Marketplace by March

During Microsoft's Keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show, Corporate Vice President Peter Moore announced that there would be 20 Xbox Live Arcade titles available by March. While the Xbox Live Arcade showing has been fairly weak since launch, this announcement includes one of the most popular fighting games of all-time. Yes, Capcom's Street Fighter 2 will be one of the titles soon available for purchase in the Xbox Live Marketplace.

[vggen]

• Robotron: 2084 Review (Xbox 360)

Way back in 1982 a little game called Robotron: 2084 was released upon the world and video games were never the same again. While the contours of the industry have undoubtedly changed quite a bit in the past twenty-four years that doesn’t necessarily mean that Robotron has lost any of its luster in the eyes of gamers.

[teamxbox]

• Bill Gates Announces External HD DVD Drive for Xbox 360

Highlighting key consumer products such as Xbox 360™ and offering the first broad demonstration of the consumer features of Windows Vista™, Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates showed how the company is delivering on its vision for a digital lifestyle where devices, services and applications work together seamlessly.

[teamxbox]

• New 'Quake' shakes up Xbox 360

In Quake 4, developed together by id Software and Raven Software and published by Activision, you play the role of Marine Matthew Kane (as always, he seems to be an excellent soldier but completely mute). An alien race known as the Strogg is attempting to gather humans to be made into more Strogg and it’s up to you and your fellow soldiers to launch an assault on the evil alien race and stop them for good.

[wham]

• Japan only: Xbox 360 Tetris

One of the games that may have slipped under the radar for the Xbox 360 is Tetris: The Grand Master Ace. The game was a Japanese launch title and is currently not available in North America.

[joystiq]

• Halo 3 for Xbox 360 rumors flying once again...

While no official date has been given on when Halo 3 will be available for the Microsoft Xbox 360, many feel that it will be launched the same time as the Sony PlayStation 3.

[gameshout]

• Nissan unveils car equipped with Xbox 360...

Car manufacturer Nissan has joined forces with US computer giant Microsoft to create a concept car that will allow motorists to play the Xbox 360 game console when parked.

[999today]

• CES 2006: Xbox 360 gets liquid cooling!

Since the Xbox 360's launch, there have been complaints by some buyers about overheating problems. While there have been some inventive do-it-yourself solutions, CoolIT Systems will offer a retail liquid cooling solution in the future. The company will be showing off a liquid cooled Xbox 360 at the CES 2006 show in Las Vegas and could enter the retail market if enough interest is shown, TG Daily was told.

[tgdaily]

• 2005 Xbox 360 success?...

So was the Xbox 360 2005 launch a success in your eyes? Were you happy with the games?

[joystiq]

• Vampire’s Rain On Xbox 360

One of the first titles announced by newcomer Japanese publisher AQ Interactive at its product unveiling press conference earlier this week was Vampire's Rain, a horror-themed action-adventure being developed by Artoon (Blinx, Blue Dragon) and produced by Naoto Oshima (Sonic the Hedgehog). The latest issue of Famitsu has an update on the title, which is in development both for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

[xboxaddict]

• "MotoGP URT" Xbox 360 screenshots...

Bizarre Creations' Project Gotham Racing 3 raised the bar for photo-realistic racing environments, even this early in the Xbox 360 lifecycle with litte competition. THQ's MotoGP Ultimate Racing Technology, being developed exclusively for Xbox 360, looks to give PGR3's New York City and Las Vegas a run for its money in 2006.

[themanroom]

• Xbox 360 mod chips almost available!

ACCORDING TO cdrinfo.com, a mod chip for the Xbox 360 is likely to show up "within weeks."

They go on to say that a "member of a hacker group" implied that they will be done making the first mod chip in a couple of weeks.

[inquirer]

• XBox 360 FFXI Beta

Square Enix Ltd. and Future, the international special-interest media company are delighted to announce a deal that sees the next issue of Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine exclusively covermounting the FINAL FANTASY® XI Beta version for Xbox 360...

[myth-games]

• Far Cry Instincts for Xbox360?

A new GS Xbox 360 list shows Far Cry Instincts as an upcoming game for the newest next-gen console. It could be a listing error, but a new Far Cry or Instincts remix could be in the works.

[joystiq]

• Secret Game in Xbox 360 Advert!

The latest Xbox 360 advert has a hidden game within it that can be accessed by pressing the red interactive button on your digital remote.

[gi]

• Xbox 360 to Be Able to IM Mobile Phones

Jason Langridge, Enterprise Mobility Solution Specialist at Microsoft UK division, has revealed that the software giant is working on a new feature that will allow Xbox 360 users to send instant messages using the MSN Messenger infrastructure, thereby reaching any device running the program, including cell phones.

[teamxbox]

• Hackers find first Xbox 360 cracks!

Only weeks after the introduction of the Xbox 360, hackers appear to have cracked their way into the software that runs the Microsoft game console. A group called "Team PI Coder" claims to have found a way to extract the source files of Xbox 360 games as they get loaded onto the console. The glimpse at game code represents the first move toward hacking the Microsoft device, said Steve Manzuik, a security product manager at eEye Digital Security.

[gamespot]

• Xbox 360 Doesn’t Have True HD Functionality?

Phil Harrison, the president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, has claimed that the Xbox 360 “doesn’t have true HD functionality” and that consumers looking for such functionality will have to wait for the PlayStation 3 to arrive.

[teamxbox]

• Ridge Racer 6 Xbox 360 Review

No you are not imagining things. One of Sony's most well-known series by Namco, Ridge Racer has landed on the Xbox 360! Now I know deep down inside Bill must be laughing at the fact that Namco's arcade racer is now on the 360 and you know what he has a right too.

[xboxsolution]

• Xbox 360 Core System is critical to global market - Moore

Peter Moore has reiterated Microsoft's conviction that Xbox 360 will exceed expectations in Japan, and has spoken in more detail about the importance of offering a "Core System" alternative outside the region - both in terms of price-sensitive regions at launch, and as the system matures throughout its life cycle.

[gi]

• Microsoft expects Xbox 360 shortages to continue...

Shortages of Xbox 360 consoles in the U.S. and Europe aren't expected to be resolved anytime soon, a Microsoft Corp. executive said Saturday after the company launched the console in Japan.

[infoworld]

• Lik-Sang Selling JPN Xbox 360

Lik-Sang will soon be offering Japanese region Xbox 360 consoles for sale. The problem is, certain games will be region locked, meaning you won't be able to play US/EU games on a Japanese 360.

[myxbox360]

• 360 backward-compatibility update re-released

When Microsoft first released the backward-compatibility list for the Xbox 360, many gamers were shocked by some names that weren't on it. Nowhere to be found were three of the top franchises for the original Xbox: Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, and Splinter Cell.

[yahoo]

• IBM Reveals Details of Xbox 360 CPU Design

IBM has made public a Fall Processor Forum 2005 paper that explores the customized IBM PowerPC processor designed exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system.

[teamxbox]

• The Chronicles Of Narnia in High Definition on Xbox 360!

Walt Disney Pictures / Walden Media and Microsoft are offering a unique opportunity to watch The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe trailer in 720p High Definition and 5.1 surround sound on Xbox 360™, the next-generation defining video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

[xboxsolution]

• Smash TV Review (Xbox 360)

Without much setup, players are dropped directly into the action as the game’s announcer begins the game and the participant enters the arena. Smash TV is composed of a series of levels that are made up of rooms that have doors on each wall of the room. Players will be able to decide the path they take to the marked destination on the map.

[ign]

• Where are you, Second 360 Shipment?

There has been a buzz on the net since Microsoft has shipped the Xbox 360 out wondering when stores would be restocked with new units. Microsoft has claimed to shipping out new 360s every week, but so far the US has been totally dry.

[ign]

• Solid gold Xbox 360 face plate

An anonymous auctioner is selling a solid 24kt gold Xbox 360 face plate on Ebay. The starting bid: A whopping $36,000. We presume it’s the going rate for a gold bar maybe. From the auction: “This is a pure 999.9 solid gold bar that has been cast into the shape of a functional Xbox 360 face plate. The IR receiver, ports, and buttons are all functional!”

Xbox 360 RC: We believe this is regular faceplate that has been spray painted. You will notice in the photos that the reverse side is never shown.

[joystiq]

• UK Charts: Xbox 360 is UK's fastest-selling home console!

Microsoft's Xbox 360 has pipped the record set by Nintendo's GameCube in May 2003 to become the UK's fastest-selling home console at launch despite serious stock shortages, with Perfect Dark Zero the best-selling title on the new platform.

[gi]

• Xbox 360 To Launch In Singapore On 2 March 2006

“The future of gaming is coming. On 2 March 2006 consumers from Singapore will wake up to a new world of digital entertainment as Xbox 360 delivers sheer power, graphically stunning games, rich online gaming capabilities, and features for enjoying music, movies and photos. Xbox 360 delivers high definition gaming and entertainment experiences that simply can’t be matched,” said Tony Boatman, SEA group marketing manager of the Entertainment & Devices Division at Microsoft.

[hardwarezone]

• GAME CEO predicts "much bigger success" for Xbox 360

Lisa Morgan, deputy CEO of GAME, was on hand to chat about the importance of the launch, the impact on the Christmas market - and the type of consumer who's picking up an Xbox 360 from the first shipment.

[gi]

• Xbox 360 Windows Media Center Setup Guide

As you probably know already, the Xbox 360 can connect to both computers running Windows XP Service Pack 2 and a Windows Media Center PC. Connecting to a Windows XP SP2 computer will allow you to stream music and pictures from that machine while connecting to a Windows Media Center PC will provide the additional functionality to watch, record, pause and replay live TV, watch videos, and buy music and movies online.

[teamxbox]

• Postbox Games to Offer All Xbox 360 Launch Titles

Postbox Games Ltd, a UK video game subscription rental service, is pleased to announce that it will offer all available Xbox 360 titles to its members on 2nd December when Microsoft launch their new games console.

[gi]

• Samsung's Graphics Memory Powers Xbox 360

Samsung Electronics said today it is providing the majority of graphics memory for the launch phase of Microsoft Corporation's state-of-the-art Xbox 360 multimedia console.

[teamxbox]

• Xbox 360 game Call of Duty 2 a top-seller

Call of Duty 2 is the top-selling Xbox 360 game at Amazon.com, followed by EA's Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Madden NFL 06, Microsoft's Project Gotham Racing 3, and Perfect Dark Zero.

[punchjump]

• Microsoft Xbox 360 Crash Fix Found!

A gamer who got fed up with his new Xbox 360 crashing every 20 minutes has fixed the problem by raising the power supply off the ground with some string. Dan, or 'goldeneyemaster' as he is known, said he thinks the main reason that the xBox 360...

[sda-asia]

• Xbox 360 To Be Called "Gunjuro" In Japan?

We know that Microsoft is planning for a worldwide launch of its next-generation console, the Xbox 360. That's no news, that's common fact. However, it's also a known fact that Microsoft will probably have a lot of problems with the marketing and sales of its products in Japan, where Sony and Nintendo reign supreme.

[playfuls]

• Microsoft loses $125 on every Xbox 360!

Microsoft is paying a 31 per cent subsidy on its premium Xbox 360 that, according research firm iSupply.

[vunet]

• Xbox 360 might be region free...

Although it had been confirmed in September that the Xbox 360 would be region locked for both games and DVDs, it now appears that may be only partially true. According to CVG, “word from Japan says that a handful of American Xbox 360 titles do not have a region lock, and work fine on a Japanese region console.” These titles included Call of Duty 2, Condemned, Gun, and Tony Hawk: American Wasteland.

[joystiq]

• American Xbox 360 owners see Blue Screen of Death

Microsoft has said some Xbox 360 owners are reporting problems with the new video game console that debuted in North America earlier this week.

"We have received a few isolated reports of consoles not working as expected", Microsoft spokeswoman Molly O'Donnell told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Xbox 360 dedicated sites are reporting that some systems had crashed during regular play as well as during online game play using the Xbox Live service.

[pocket-lint]

• Bill Gates Worries About Xbox 360!!

From Boomtown we have quotes from Microsoft bigwig Bill Gates who is having trouble sleeping in wake of potential 360 issues which may crop up. He also ponders who may be controlling the lions share of the market in 2007...

[ign]

• Activision's Xbox 360 Game Impressions

Activision is the second busiest publisher for Microsoft's Xbox 360 (behind EA with their four sports games and Need For Speed: Most Wanted). While Activision doesn't have any exclusive title for the console, two of them aren't going to be showing up on any other console platform. We've played all four Xbox 360 launch games from the publisher and here's our impressions, including if they are worth the extra $10.

[gamecloud]

• Call of Duty 2 Xbox 360 launch trailer...

Call of Duty 2 should look awesome on an HDTV with the sound coming out of a nice surround system. Get in the mood with this CoD 2 trailer in celebration of the Xbox 360 version's launch.

[boomtown]

• Top 10 Reasons to get an Xbox 360!

Countering attacks from PC and Playstation IGN, 360.IGN gave it's top 10 reasons to be an early adopter for Microsoft's latest system. It's starting to get nasty!

[ign]

• Ridge Racer 6 Review (Xbox 360)

As previously mentioned, Ridge Racer 6 is an arcade title through-and-through, with no signs of a racing simulator anywhere. There are no officially licensed cars, no fancy physics and handling engine, and no affiliation with any of racing’s sanctioning bodies. What you will find in Ridge Racer 6, however, is drifting, and lots of it. [excerpt]

[teamxbox]

• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 Review (Xbox 360)

As with the rest of the EA Sports lineup, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 bears the same name as its last-gen Xbox release, but brings a bit of a different experience to the tee box. Boasting an upgraded graphics and physics, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 is looking to trump its last-gen sibling, and make gamers believe that with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06, it really is “in the game”. Let’s see what the next-gen holds in it for golf fans the world over…

[teamxbox]

• Xbox 360 to launch in Australia on 2 March 2006

Mark 2 March 2006 on your calendars Aussie Xbox fans - that's the date Microsoft has pegged for the local launch of its next generation console, the Xbox 360.

[cnet]

• NBA 2K6 Review

A picture may be worth the proverbial thousand words, but they don’t mean sheet when it comes to knowing how a videogame will play. Yeah, screenshots of sweaty NBA players are all well and good, but it’s ultimately the gameplay that will separate the men from the boys, even on the graphically-gifted Xbox 360 hardware.

[teamxbox]

• Perfect Dark Zero Review (Xbox 360)

It’s almost a shame that certain games, no matter how different they may be, end up being compared with one another. That’s exactly the case when it comes to Perfect Dark Zero and Halo, mainly because they are both first-person shooters and secondly, due to the fact they are launch titles for their respective consoles. News flash: Perfect Dark Zero IS NOT Halo, nor does it try to be. Once you get that notion into your head, then you’ll be better suited to actually enjoy everything that PDZ has to offer.

[teamxbox]

• Microsoft Xbox 360 Media Center Extender

The Xbox nation can't play games round the clock. ("Wanna bet?" someone's already saying.) For those other times, the new Microsoft Xbox 360 offers the ability to stream, in high-definition video and surround-sound audio, all manner of music, photo and video files, TV, and recorded TV, from a Media Center Edition PC located elsewhere in the house. It's a nice benefit if you're already buying Xbox 360. But Microsoft stopped one decent remote control and a couple features shy of making media streaming a killer side benefit of its second-generation Xbox.

[abc]

• Project Gotham Racing 3 Review

The sport of drifting is quite popular in the states now, which leads me to believe that Project Gotham Racing 3 will have a huge following as it speeds onto the Xbox 360 in a few days.

[teamxbox]

• Dolby Surrounds the Xbox 360

Dolby Laboratories (NYSE: DLB) announced today that the new Xbox 360TM video game and entertainment system from Microsoft will support Dolby® Digital surround sound for both games and movies. This next-generation game console includes both interactive Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound for game play, as well as Dolby Digital decoding for video playback.

[gi]

• Xbox 360: Video Overview

To answer many of your questions and to provide a visual presentation of the system, we've cobbled together a video presentation worthy of your viewing pleasure. In this feature we'll walk you through all aspects of the console, from the case design to the various ports and what they do. We discuss the basic console functionality, what the faceplates are all about and how they attach and detach, and we talk more in-depth about the HD performance of the machine.

[ign]

• Take-Two ships three for 360!

Gamers who like to crash the boards, ride on boards, and check people over the boards, won't be bored with today's news from Take-Two Interactive. 2K Sports, a subbrand of the Grand Theft Auto publisher, announced that its trifecta of Xbox 360 launch games--Amped 3, NBA 2K6, and NHL 2K6--has shipped to retail stores.

[gamespot]

• Both Halos in 720p on Xbox 360!

The Xbox 360 hardware will give both games a boost, enabling the games to run in widescreen at 720p, with full-scene anti-aliasing. The Bungie team has pointed out that there are no actual graphical updates to geometry or textures. However you're going to benefit from the high resolution if you run the games via a HDTV of VGA monitor, especially in split-screen multiplayer games.

[gi]

• Microsoft fights to prevent Xbox 360 shortages

Xbox UK boss Neil Thompson has admitted that there could be Xbox 360 shortages this Christmas - but promises that Microsoft is doing all it can to get the consoles into shops as soon as possible.

[gi]

• Bejeweled 2 and Zuma Featured in Xbox 360 Live Arcade

PopCap Games announced today that Bejeweled 2 and Zuma, two of its most popular games, will be available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft when that system ships in North America on November 22.

[teamxbox]

• Microsoft Sees Up to 3 Mln Early Xbox 360 Sales

Microsoft said it expects to sell as many as 3 million Xbox 360s in the first three months after its launch -- a strong start in its battle to dominate the market for next-generation gaming consoles.

[reuters]

• Xbox 360 games now shipping!

GameSpot is reporting that Kameo: Elements of Power is being delivered to pre-purchasers today. The game is expected to be in stock this week at retailers like EB Games, along with Perfect Dark Zero and Project Gotham Racing 3.

[joystiq]

• Xbox 360 old-game support needs hard drive

Microsoft has posted a list of 212 Xbox games that are backward-compatible with the Xbox 360 - but only next-generation consoles with a hard drive...

[theregister]

• Xbox Live Marketplace to see 400+ items on Xbox 360

Microsoft announced Tuesday that the Xbox Live Marketplace will have more than 400 pieces of content to download at the launch of the Xbox 360.

The Xbox Live Marketplace is a hub for microtransactions that will include content for games and entertainment like movie trailers and music.

[punchjump]

• Logitech Announces Harmony Remote for Xbox 360

Logitech announced today the Harmony Advanced Universal Remote Control for Xbox 360, providing gamers and home-entertainment enthusiasts with a single remote that can completely control their game console and any other components in their entertainment system. Specially designed for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment console from Microsoft, the newest Logitech Harmony remote joins what has become the most popular brand of advanced universal remotes in the U.S. marketplace.

[teamxbox]

• Xbox 360 to launch with 18 titles...

Among them are many of the latest iterations in proven franchises, including Electronic Arts' Madden NFL '06, "NBA LIVE '06" and "Need for Speed Most Wanted," as well as Activision's "Call of Duty 2" and "Tony Hawk's American Wasteland."

[cnet]

• Xbox 360 Backward Compatible With 200 Games at Launch!

Microsoft released a surprising roster of backward compatible Xbox games today featuring more than 200 Xbox titles that will be accessible via the Xbox 360 day one, Tuesday, November 22.

[ign]

• Xbox 360 to see Quake 4 on Nov. 18

Activision confirmed Friday that the company's Xbox 360 launch shooter, Quake 4, will drop to retail on Nov. 18 to be available for purchase on the console's launch day.

[punchjump]

• Get your Xbox 360 “golden” launch ticket

Wal-Mart has begun receiving launch instruction packages, which are intended to prepare each of its outlets for the chaos that might ensue when the Xbox 360 drops at midnight on November 22nd. Employees have been instructed to distribute numbered tickets (as many as the store has 360 units) starting at 10:00 PM on the 21st.

[joystiq]

• Xbox 360 Zero Hour – Your Chance to Be There!

Over the past few days you’ve no doubt noticed the “Countdown to Zero Hour” emblazoned all over the TeamXbox.com homepage. What exactly is “Zero Hour” you ask? It’s only the biggest Xbox 360 party of the year!

[teamxbox]

• Xbox 360: Zero Hour Launch Event

Microsoft announced details of the Xbox 360 launch event, “Xbox 360: Zero Hour,” where thousands of gamers from around the world are invited to make the pilgrimage to an undisclosed location in the Mojave Desert to witness the dawning of the next generation of gaming.

[teamxbox]

• Fable 2 tidbit revealed

It's no secret that Lionhead satellite studio Big Blue Box is hard at work on the next Fable game; after all, a Microsoft rep did inadvertently spill the beans earlier this year. However, today UK gaming site C+VG uncovered a little bit of information on the sequel to the best-selling Xbox RPG of 2004...

[palgn]

• Xbox 360 Launch FAQ

We sort out the rumors about the Xbox 360, and give our opinions on the launch title lineup. A must read!

[ugo]

• Xbox 360 and iPod interoperability? Sort of...

If you play "Project Gotham Racing 3" on an Xbox 360 after the console hits stores early next year, Microsoft invites you to use tunes straight off your iPod as an alternative to the game's sound track.

[cnet]

• Xbox 360 "sell-out conspiracy"

Gamespot are today reporting that with Microsoft already admitting publicly that they underestimated the challenge of the worldwide launch shortly to be attempted by the new Xbox 360 console, numerous unit shortages and supply problems are already being predicted, and more.

[ferrago]

• Word on the Street: Xbox 360 Launch Numbers

With less than three weeks until we hit Xbox 360 D-Day, the reports of shortages, surpluses, in coming shipments and pre-orders are rolling in...

[kotaku]

• Xbox 360 launch units still available at Amazon!

Amazon.com restarted pre-orders for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console late Friday evening for launch units scheduled to ship on Nov. 22.

[punchjump]

• Condemed to make Xbox 360 launch

Sega of America said Thursday that the first-person thriller Condemned: Criminal Origins will ship on Nov. 22 to coincide with the launch of the Xbox 360 console.

[punchjump]

• Xbox 360 Lounge opens in Tokyo

In the Omotesando area of Tokyo, known for chic boutiques and pricey eateries, Microsoft today officially opened its Xbox 360 Lounge.

[gamespot]

• Amped 3 Confirmed for Xbox 360 Launch

2K Sports, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, announced today Amped 3 is a launch day candidate for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

[teamxbox]

• Microsoft announces Xbox 360 Hour Tour for UK gamers

Microsoft has confirmed the location and dates for its forthcoming Xbox 360 Hour Tour, which kicks off in Scotland this month ahead of the next-generation console's December 2 launch.

[gi]

• Xbox 360 Live’s TrueSkill ranking system!

Can’t stand losing your standing in Halo 2 because the rest of your team members either disconnected or couldn’t hold their own in a fight? Then the new TrueSkill ranking system in the 360 version of Xbox Live might be for you.

[joystiq]

• Xbox 360 Dashboard

Last week we were invited out to take a look at final debug hardware for the Xbox 360. Microsoft reps demoed a near final build of Kameo: Elements of Power, while they showed off just what the next generation console is capable of. By now many of you have probably seen the Xbox 360 controller with a new button in the center of it. This button allows direct access to the dashboard.

[businessweek]

• Elder Scrolls IV missing Xbox 360 launch

In a conference call with analysts today, Take-Two Interactive announced that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is being delayed until the second quarter of its next fiscal year, which runs from February to April 2006. While this is still technically within Microsoft's 14-week "launch window" for the Xbox 360, it means that the game will not be on sale when the console arrives in stores on November 22.

[gamespot]

• Xbox 360 kiosk a hit and miss...

The Xbox 360 kiosk is an information hub that best demonstrates all the features that the console has to offer. Each setup includes an HDTV LCD screen and a wired 360 controller. The main interface features 'blades' that each offer distinct information about the console, including hardware, games, and Xbox Live.

[punch-jump]

• 1UP.com Giving Away an Xbox 360 Every Day in November!

1UP.com, Ziff Davis Media Game Group's online home for gamers, today announced that it is giving away an Xbox 360 every day through November 2005. 2K Sports is sponsoring the giveaway and including several of their hottest new games with the prize package. All members of 1UP.com are eligible to win, and anyone can become a member of 1UP.com for free. A new winner will be chosen each day by random drawing.

[prnewswire]

• New Tiger Woods 360 videos

Xboxyde has just released two videos of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006 for Xbox 360. Those northerners among us who’ve packed up their clubs for the winter can revel in 75MB of full-motion goodness from Tiger’s next-gen debut.

[joystiq]

• Xbox 360 preview of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat

Modern Combat also delivers the Battlefield franchise’s trademark multiplayer action, delivering fierce 24 player online battles for the Microsoft Xbox 360 game console.

[gameshout]

• EB Games restarts Xbox 360 pre-orders

EB Games' online division, EBgames.com, has restarted pre-orders for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console. EBgames.com had stopped taking orders for launch quantities several weeks earlier.

[punch-jump]

• IBM opens up on Xbox 360 innards

The Xbox chips are based on IBM's 64-bit PowerPC processors but have been modified for game playing during the two years IBM has been working on the project. Three PowerPC cores made up of 165 million transistors form the processing engine of the device...

[bbc]

• Microsoft cautious on Xbox 360 shipments, warns of profit impact

The latest financial report from software giant Microsoft shows that the firm's overall profits continue to soar, although major losses are expected from the Xbox 360 in the coming months, and Xbox revenues are declining sharply.

[gi]

• Xbox 360 Launch Event Details!

Microsoft released today further details regarding the Xbox 360 launch event, which will take place at a yet-unnamed location in the middle of the desert. There will be thousands of gamers there from around the world, celebrating the launch of Xbox 360.

[team-xbox]

• USK website hints at Xbox 360 launch line-up

GamesIndustry.biz has learned that the website for USK, Germany's videogame ratings board, is displaying a list of all the Xbox 360 titles it's been testing since the end of August.

[gi]

• Microsoft Makes A Forecast For Xbox 360 Sales

Microsoft forecast that it will sell about 4.5 million to 5.5 million Xbox 360 video game consoles in the fiscal year that ends June 30, 2006. That's the first indication of how many units the company expects to sell as sales kick off in North America on Nov. 22.

[mercury-news]

• Blizzard scotches rumours of Xbox 360 announcements

World of Warcraft developer Blizzard Entertainment has flatly denied rumours that it is planning to unveil an Xbox 360 version of the immensely popular MMOG at its Blizzcon event this week.

[gi]

• Microsoft updates official Xbox website to promote 360

Microsoft has revamped the official Xbox website to provide a comprehensive guide to Xbox 360 hardware, software titles and online services ahead of the console launch.

[gi]

• Rare working on two new 360 titles, says Moore

Speaking to MTV News, Moore said that Microsoft plans to "leverage Rare's incredible ability to broaden the demographic that are attracted to the consoles." He added that the new games, both of which have already been in development for almost two years, will be officially announced in the spring.

[gi]

• IBM unveils Xbox 360 processor details...

IBM has unveiled details of the unnamed processor that will slot into Microsoft's Xbox 360 game console due out on Nov. 22.

The processor, which is based on IBM's 64-bit PowerPC architecture, comes with three cores, or calculating engines, that each run at clock speeds greater than 3GHz, IBM said.

[china-view]

• Xbox World 360 nets exclusive Football Manager blog

Future's Xbox World 360 has secured the signature of best-selling management game, Football Manager 2006. In a transfer coup of Owen-to-Newcastle proportions, the masterminds behind the game have signed to contribute regular blogs to the magazine's thriving site.

[gi]

• Wal-Mart pulls plug on 360 kiosks

Xbox 360 kiosks placed in Wal-Mart stores across the country have been shut off, said a Microsoft spokesperson contacted this afternoon. The reason, according to Microsoft, is due to the console causing interference with Wal-Mart's wireless "hand scanner" inventory system. Microsoft has acknowledged the problem as being "minor" and says a software solution is in the works to correct it.

[gamespot]

• Xbox 360 For Dummies!

The creators of the best selling “For Dummies’ series have written a book for the not so savvy Xbox users entitled “Xbox 360 For Dummies” The book is a basic how-to manual for the Xbox 360.

[xboxcircle]

• Halo 1 & 2 to be “upgraded” on Xbox 360

1up has pointed out an interesting quote in the latest Bungie Weekly update. Besides detailing the new Dead or Alive 4 addition, Spartan 458, the update also alludes to “how Halo one and two look on 360, and it’s all good news.”

[joystiq]

• Xbox 360 Controller for Windows Installation Images

We just picked up an Xbox 360 for Windows controller the other day - you know, the one that is the exact same wired 360 controller that will be available for the Xbox 360, but at a price of $5 more because it comes with Windows XP installation software?

[playfeed]

• Xbox 360 Japanese Launch Details

Microsoft's Japan division is preparing for the Japanese release of Xbox 360, which will follow the US release by a couple of weeks. Leading up to the December 10 release day, Japanese audiences will be exposed to MS's next generation box through a variety of methods, including commercials, events, and in-store displays.

[xboxcircle]

• Inside scoop on Xbox 360 kiosk rollout details...

An MS rep (who chooses to remain anonymous) has tipped us off to the rollout plans of the Xbox 360 kiosk in all the major U.S. gaming retailers. Here are the details...

[joystiq]

• Xbox 360 hands-on preview

Ok, technically I was just one of many journalists at yesterday’s press preview event, but I did get a chance to spend a couple of hours with the Xbox 360. I wasn’t exactly blown away with every title I saw, but overall I walked away impressed. We’ll have a full review of the 360 once we get the review unit they’ve promised us, but for now a few quick initial impressions...

[engadget]

• Xbox 360 supply tight!

By mid-October, those consumers who had not already pre-ordered or reserved an Xbox 360 system were finding it difficult to guarantee taking one of the units home on launch day, Nov. 22.

[vbo]

• More Playable Xbox 360 Titles at IGN Live

IGN Entertainment has announced more Xbox 360 titles to be playable at "IGN Live," the ultimate gamer festival taking place October 22-23, 2005, at the Anaheim Convention Center. Fans will get a chance to play these exciting games on actual XBox 360 consoles a month before they hit store shelves, and only at "IGN Live."

[teamxbox]

• Xbox Live, Xbox.com Schedule Transition For Xbox 360

Both Xbox Live, Microsoft's unified online service for the Xbox console, and Xbox.com will be undergoing planned downtime on October 24, according to an official statement released by Microsoft. The services will be offline in order to implement upgrades, which will be in place when both Xbox Live and the website return on the 25th.

[gamasutra]

• GameStop up next for 360 kiosks!

For all the clamor from Microsoft about the Xbox 360 being the biggest thing in home entertainment since the TV dinner, the company sure is being quiet about when the public can get some hands-on time with the machine. In the past few days, Wal-Marts across the country were prominently displaying demonstration kiosks for the console, supposedly with playable samples of Call of Duty 2 and King Kong.

Today GameStop followed suit with its own kiosks for the concave console. According to one GameStop employee, a company e-mail sent out to the near 2,000 stores stated that Xbox 360 stations would begin appearing at the outlets starting today, with the goal being that each store have a station within a month. Consistent with reports, GameSpot was told that playable demos of Call of Duty 2 and Peter Jackson's King Kong would be included.

[ign]

• Xbox 360 Controller for Windows in Stores

By now you've probably read or heard about just how comfortable and easy to use Microsoft's Xbox 360 controller is. So far you've most likely been limited to looking at pictures and detailed descriptions of how the buttons are laid out, but now you'll actually get a chance to get your hands on it. Microsoft announced today that the Xbox 360 controller for Windows is available at stores across North America.

[ign]

• JOYTECH North America Unveils Xbox 360 Peripherals

JOYTECH North America, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, and a leading designer/manufacturer of third-party video game peripherals, today announced its new line of accessories designed specifically for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Available this fall, JOYTECH's product line up will include the first Microsoft-endorsed Xbox 360 audio-visual control center, as well as Xbox 360 racing wheel, controller and faceplates.

[teamxbox]

• Xbox 360 Web Integration

Major Nelson is reporting a new "gamer card" feature that will be added to the Xbox.com website as soon as next week when the site is re-launched. There will also be an upgrade to the Xbox.com forums.

[xboxcircle]

• Xbox 360s playable at Wal-Mart today?

A reader in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin wrote to tell us that his local Wal-Mart has a playable Xbox 360 on display with demos of Call of Duty 2, Kameo, and King Kong. There are also looping videos of other games. We called that Wal-Mart to confirm and were told by the person working in electronics that this is in fact true. According to him, “Wal-Marts are going to be the first stores to have Xbox 360s.” He said that a Microsoft representative came by and just decided to set up an Xbox 360 in Sun Prairie.

[joystiq]

• Analyst lowers 360 sales projections...

In a memo sent to investors this morning, Mike Wallace of UBS Securities recast his estimates of Xbox 360 units that will make it on to retailer shelves this holiday season. Wallace adjusted his estimates southward by almost 50 percent, from a previously stated 2.5 million units to 1.5 million units. Though the drop might seem shocking to some, Wallace says such developments are par for the course. "This is not surprising, nor out of the ordinary," Wallace said. "Hardware launches are always tough and usually come in below initial expectations."

[gamespot]

• id Software Rings In On The Xbox 360

During an appearance on G4 Tech TV last night, four owners of id Software makers of the world renowned Doom game series chimed in with their thoughts about the Xbox 360 game console.

[xboxcircle]

• Microsoft bullish on Xbox 360; sees PS3 in 2007

Neil Thompson, Senior Regional Director for Microsoft’s Home and Entertainment Division in Northern & Eastern Europe, recently told trade paper MCV that the company would be ready to compete when the Playstation 3 launches in Europe - a system he feels could be delayed to spring 2007.

[punchjump]

• Microsoft updates Windows Media Centre Edition to support Xbox 360

Free update provides digital media streaming via next generation games console

Microsoft has announced an update to its Media Centre Edition of Windows, enabling customers to stream music, videos, movies, television and photos to any television set or device via the Xbox 360 console

[gi]

• Microsoft Selects National Instruments Solution to Test Xbox 360 Controllers

National Instruments announced today that Microsoft Corp. selected an NI LabVIEW and PXI-based test solution for its Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system controllers. The virtual instrumentation solution, originally developed in Microsoft's design validation lab, was recently deployed to the production line for the functional test of every Xbox 360 controller.

[teamxbox]

• Microsoft hopes to win women over with new Xbox

In the coming weeks, Microsoft plans to introduce a marketing campaign to expand the appeal of the new Xbox 360 game console beyond the young men who are the Xbox's biggest fans.

[detnews]

• Microsoft opens up 360's Xbox Live Arcade

Microsoft has finally confirmed the launch games for the Xbox 360...sort of. Speaking at the Digital Life tech show in New York City, Microsoft corporate vice president Peter Moore announced the list of games that will be available on the Xbox Live Arcade service for the Xbox 360 through the holiday season.

[gamespot]

• Play Xbox 360 Games at IGN Live

IGN Live was already set to be huge, but today we have even more exciting news to announce. The big news is that IGN's first live event at the end of October will feature playable Xbox 360 titles on the show floor. Yes, that's right: you'll be able to play Xbox 360 before everyone else.

[ign]

• Xbox 360 FFXI's beta detailed

Microsoft Japan officially announced today that beta testing of Final Fantasy XI for the Xbox 360 will begin with the console's launch in Japan on December 10. Gamers that purchase the limited edition Xbox 360 package will also receive a free FFXI beta test disc, while supplies last.

[gamespot]

• RealNetworks to pimp casual games for Xbox 360

As terms of an antitrust settlement between Microsoft and RealNetworks, RealNetworks will offer digital games through MSN Games and Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360.

[punchjump]

• Microsoft To Open Xbox 360 Lounge!

The Xbox 360 Lounge will be located in Tokyo's up-market Aoyama district. It is scheduled to open its doors to guests on November 1 and for general visitors the following day. In addition to Xbox 360 consoles, the center will also have a 70-seat cafe, according to Microsoft.

[pcworld]

• First look: Xbox 360 accessory packaging

XBOX365 has posted some images of shrink-wrapped and ready to ship accessories for that new Microsoft console...

[joystiq]

• Allard Discusses Xbox 360 Launch Hardware, Software

Consumer game website Eurogamer has conducted an interview with Xbox corporate vice president J Allard at the recent X05 event in Amsterdam in which he has spoken in detail about the Xbox 360’s global launch, as well as fears over stock shortages due to the near-simultaneous worldwide launch of the next-gen console, which is due to debut on November 22 in North America, December 2 in Europe and December 10 in Japan.

[gamasutra]

• First Download-Only Game Announced for Xbox 360

The first download only title for the forthcoming Xbox 360 console has been announced. Marble Blast Ultra is made by indie developers GarageGames and will become available sometime around the worldwide launch of the console towards the end of the year.

[spong]

• Xbox 360 kiosks in adidas stores

Two global brands at the leading edge of youth culture, Xbox and adidas, earlier this week announced a long-term strategic alliance at X05, the Microsoft Xbox brand experience for the games and entertainment industry. The worlds of sports and entertainment merge as both companies enter into a series of planned activities and initiatives...

[gameinfowire]

• X05: What Does Europe Think Of The Xbox 360?

Japan is going to be a very important market where the Xbox 360 has to gain market share. Shane Kim, general manager of Microsoft Game Studios, said he was quite aware of that when I chatted with him at X05...

• Microsoft Licenses Princeton Digital Reverb for Xbox 360

Princeton Digital and Microsoft have entered into a joint development and licensing agreement to develop professional quality audio processing software for Microsoft’s Xbox 360. Under the terms of the licensing agreement, Microsoft will include a custom version of the Princeton Digital reverb, the Reverb2016/360, with the Xbox Software Development Kit, thereby adding a powerful, flexible and natural sounding reverb to the game developer’s audio toolkit.

[teamxbox]

• Third-Party Publishers Announce Xbox 360 Launch Titles

The mystery of which titles Xbox 360 games will launch day-and-date with the system, and which will be part of the "launch window" has been resolved a little further, as a new Reuter report has illuminated the plans of many third-party developers for the North American system launch, concretely scheduled for November 22 in North America.

[gamasutra]

• Oblivion will launch with 360

On Nov. 22, you’ll be able to pick up a copy of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion along with your new Xbox 360. This was confirmed at X05 by Pete Hines, Bethesda’s VP of PR and Marketing.

[joystiq]

• Peter Moore Talks 360, Japan, Blu-ray, PSP & More...

Microsoft's corporate VP of worldwide marketing and publishing for Xbox believes the 360 will succeed in Japan and he explains Microsoft's thinking on offering one SKU in Japan versus two in the U.S. and Europe. Refreshingly, Moore also had some nice things to say about Sony and Nintendo while at TGS.

• Dead or Alive 4 creator says Xbox 360 “best on earth”

Tomonobu Itagaki of Team Ninja told his interviewers at Tokyo Game Show that he thinks “Xbox 360 is the best game console on the earth. It’s better than PlayStation 3.

• Playlogic to Publish Captain Blood for Xbox 360

Playlogic Entertainment announced today the acquisition of Captain Blood for Xbox 360 and PC. “Captain Blood” is a pirate action game based on Rafael Sabatini’s novel, “Captain Blood: His Odyssey,” about the notorious Captain Peter Blood.

• Activision CEO pledges 40 Xbox 360 titles in 2006

Activision CEO Robert Kotick has announced plans for his company to release 40 Xbox 360 games next year—that’s more than 3 games a month! Interestingly enough, the Activision website—which is only compatible with Netscape and IE—lists only two Xbox 360 titles, Call of Duty 2 & Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland; in addition, Activision has only 36 current-gen Xbox games.

• Treasure Promises Shooter for Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 won't be without its shoot 'em ups -- that's for sure. Treasure, the maker of Radiant Silvergun, widely regarded as one of the greatest shooters ever created, has announced that its top secret Xbox 360 project is an original shooting game. The game is currently without a release date.

[ign]

• Microsoft pledges annual price cuts for 360

With more than two months to go before the Xbox 360 launches in Europe, a top Microsoft executive has announced that yearly price cuts are planned for the console.

Xbox 360 is due to launch in Europe on December 2, priced at £209.99 for the basic "Core System". For another £70 consumers can purchase a package which also includes a hard disk, media remote, wireless controller and other extras.

• Xbox 360 To Be Region Locked

At the Tokyo Game Show 2005 Microsoft confirmed that the Xbox 360 will be region locked for both games and DVD movie playback. This means thatusers will not be able to play games or watch DVD movies from another region other than the the one their Xbox 360 is locked to.

• Xbox 360 production line video surfaces!

It seems that someone over at forum based news site, League of Amateur Gamers, has managed to get their hands on a marketing video of the Xbox 360 in production. Currently the site is down due to excessive traffic (who ever thought a factory would be so interesting) but other sites are now hosting the video in all its low resolution glory.

• TGS 2005: Microsoft Keynote Address

Mr. Back's presentation was entitled "The Dawn of a New Era," and of course centered on high definition gaming and the so called HD Era. He stressed that the Xbox 360 will be the first next-generation console to hit the market and the first system that the public will be able to experience first hand. In more sweeping remarks he talked about Microsoft's approach to the digital lifestyle in general...

• Origen Xbox 360: Sept 15th Update...

Well, it seems that those two rabbits are no longer friends as the latest update to the Origen Xbox 360 website has put two rabbits apart. Also, two new fruits have poped up, making for a total of four pairs. The latin phrase that appeared with last week's update has also disappeared from the tree.

• TGS 2005: Microsoft Press Conference

Microsoft kicked-off its Tokyo Game Show presence with a thunderous press conference, encompassing worldwide launch dates, Japanese pricing, and details on upcoming games for all territories. In addition to the big announcement about the official launch date -- Tuesday, November 22 in North America, Friday, December 2 in Europe, and Saturday, December 10 in Japan -- we learned some other interesting details on backward compatibility, the launch line-up, and HDD support -- and we even saw a few demos.

• Microsoft to Stagger Xbox 360 Launch

Microsoft will stagger the international debut of Xbox 360, with the North American, Japanese, and European launches each separated by seven to ten days, according comments by Chief Xbox Officer Robbie Bach at the Reuters Technology and Telecoms Summit in Tokyo.

• No credit card required for Xbox Live on 360, Euro pricing unveiled

Xbox 360 owners in Europe will pay 59.99 Euro (GBP 39.99) per year for a Gold Xbox Live membership, Microsoft has announced, and the company has also done away with the need to input credit card details to access the service - a move that's likely to meet with a positive response.

• Bizarre's Breaking Xbox 360!

A common theme amongst next-generation videogames so far has been developers tossing thousands upon thousands of creatures onscreen at once to test the limits of the hardware. Bizarre Creations, the overseas guys and girls behind Project Gotham Racing 3, are doing the same thing, but only to see if they can break Xbox 360.

• The Unbreakable Console: Xbox 360...

An Xbox engineer, by the name of Chris Satchell, claims that Xbox will have levels of encryption and security that "the hacker community has never seen before". Either he is very good or he is the most naive engineer I have ever seen.

• Treasure stickin’ to 2D on Xbox 360, other next-gen titles?

Here’s what a rep for the company that made Ikaruga and Gunstar Heroes had to say about the matter: “There is no major difference in terms of gameplay for the games that we develop regardless of whether it is for console or handheld because they are all based on 2D action.” Then, ”...we take pride in developing our games with an elite and dedicated staff, which is small, so it will take longer to develop an Xbox 360 title.”

• Sonic The Hedgehog to blur Xbox 360 / PS3

Sega of America and Sega Europe said Friday that the company is developing a brand new Sonic The Hedgehog game for the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360, scheduled to drop on the character's 15 anniversary in 2006.

• Microsoft unveils new Xbox Live pricing

Microsoft on Thursday unveiled its pricing plan for the next-generation version of its online multiplayer video game service, Xbox Live.

• More Xbox 360 launch titles using SpeedTreeRT

Five new titles expected to form part of the software line-up for the launch of Microsoft's Xbox 360 console will feature realistic foliage generated using middleware system SpeedTreeRT.

• Joanna Dark to Infiltrate Xbox 360 With Perfect Dark Zero

Microsoft Game Studios and Rare announced today the Perfect Dark Zero Limited Collector’s Edition for the upcoming release of the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system.

Future launches website for Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine

Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine promises to change the face of games magazines forever. The magazine, coverdisc and website will interact like never before, with the website elaborating on the content of the magazine and a unique code on the coverdisc allowing readers to access a wealth of specialist content and exclusive features through the website.

[gi]

Microsoft Building Xbox 360 Store in Tokyo?

A construction site wearing a giant Xbox 360 logo has been spotted in Tokyo. Microsoft seems to be creating a building for some use with the Xbox 360 on Omotesando Street. The building in question is covered by a huge sheet bearing the Xbox 360 logo on the front and side. Reports state that the building is three stories high with not much construction remaining. Could this be an Xbox 360 store that will be ready in time for the console's launch?

[talkxbox]

Origen Xbox 360: Sept 6th Update

We all know the reproductive rate of rabbits is notorious and it was a no brainier that at some point our mysterious rabbit would be joined by more bunnies. Well, that happened today, Sept. 6th and in addition to the new rabbit, two new fruits (we don’t think they are apples) have also popped up between the leaves of the Origen Xbox 360 tree.

[teamxbox]

Rumour: Project Gotham Racing 3 to Miss Xbox 360 Launch

"Interestingly, when asked about the game's prospects going up against the very impressive looking Project Gotham Racing 3 at the launch of the Xbox 360, the developers had a nonchalant attitude because none of them actually expect PGR3 to make it as a launch title. In fact, most of the EA developers said they expected it would launch as part of the second wave of titles for the console"

[igniq]

New Xbox Live Pricing For 360 Leaked...

...These brochures divide the Xbox Live service into five distinct gold membership categories, and feature escalating prices depending on the amount of extra premiums you'd like. The most expensive of these Live bundles is the $69.99 12 Month Premium Gold Pack, which includes toppings such as $20 bucks off an Xbox 360 game, 200 points to spend on the Xbox Live Marketplace, and a headset.

[1up]

Xbox 360: Final Xbox 360 Xenon Development Kits Arrive

Cliff Bleszinski, Lead Designer at Epic Games, has updated his developer blog revealing that the final version of the Xbox 360 XeDK (Xenon Development Kit) has arrived. This means that developers now finally have the same silicon found in the retail Xbox 360 consoles that will be available to consumers this Fall.

[teamxbox]

Xbox 360 to Launch November 15?

...According to the manager, Microsoft is planning to celebrate the Xbox's fourth anniversary in a very special way. That's right, the Xbox 360 will ship on November 15, 2005...???

[dailygame]

Xbox 360 – World’s First Unrestricted Hardware Access

Yesterday, in a swanky venue in Covent Garden, London, Microsoft fed us very delicious hors d'oeuvres, before Englishman Chris Satchell of Microsoft Advance Technology Group opened up the machine Microsoft wants you to buy this Christmas.

[spong]

Xbox 360 accessorized by Intec

Intec, a manufacturer of gaming accessories based out of Miami, Florida, today announced its Xbox 360 product lineup. While many gamers will be interested in what things they'll be able to pimp out their Xbox 360s with, it's one particular sentence that will pique most gamers' interest.

[gamespot]

Wal-Mart offers 2 (or 3) Xbox 360 bundles starting at $579

On Wal-Mart’s web site, you can currently find ”3” bundles offered for Xbox 360 pre-orders, with the first two options pointing to duplicate links for an Xbox 360 Live Bundle costing $579.16, while the last one points...

[joystiq]

Xbox 360: New Details from GDC Europe

At the Game Developers Conference Europe 2005, Microsoft delivered an interesting lecture on Xbox 360 development, revealing some new info on the The Guide, Xbox Live, and other features that debut with the Xbox 360. Andre Vrignaud, Director of Technical Strategy for Xbox Live, explained attendants many new features that Microsoft has developed to make things easier for game developers.

[teamxbox]

Xbox and Mountain Dew to give away an XBox 360 every ten minutes in US

Consumers in the US will have the chance to win an Xbox 360 every 10 minutes over the next nine weeks thanks to a deal the console maker Microsoft has done with soft drink Mountain Dew.

[pocket-lint]

Microsoft to Open Xbox 360 Store in NYC?

The Seattle Times reports today in its print edition that Microsoft Corp. may open a retail store in New York City's Times Square with a four-story space at One Times Square being a potential location for the store.

[teamxbox]

Infineon to supply Xbox 360 memory

Infineon will supply Microsoft with high-density memory for the upcoming Xbox 360, executives with the computer memory maker confirmed Monday.

[zdnet]

Valve talks Half Life and Xbox 360

THE LATEST issue of Computer Gaming World is hitting subscribers with a bonanza of information from videogame super giants Valve. According to Half-Life 2.net forum users who received their subscriber copies early the magazine outlines some extremely interesting bits of information from the company, truncated by Evil Avatar...

[inquirer]

Xbox 360: Xenon Development Kit Biopsy

The guys at SmartXX got their hands on three Xbox 360 XeDKs (Xenon Development Kits) and could not resist opening and completely dissecting the units. This is the first time that we get to see the Xbox 360 innards this close, with full details on the Xbox 360 CPU, GPU, system memory and peripherals, including the HDAV cable and the Xbox 360 headset and how it connects to the Xbox 360 controller.

[teamxbox]

Gamestop's Xbox 360 Omega Bundle!!

For those of you who've been following the updates on Xbox 360 bundles, here's the latest, most ridiculous new development. Gamestop.com is now offering what they've termed The Omega Bundle which they're selling for, you may want to sit down for this, $1,999.69. Regardless of why they made it 69 cents instead of 99, that's still a crapload of money, so what would gamers get if they had such a giant chunk of change to spend?

[ign]

Microsoft clarifies 360 compatibility confusion

Microsoft has spoken out about the confusion over Xbox 360's backwards compatibility after an official document was leaked onto the net this week. US marketing materials claimed the core version of the 360 would not play existing Xbox games without a hard drive. Finally Microsoft has confirmed this will be the case - kind of.

[virgin]

Xbox 360 event to be held before Tokyo Games Show

MICROSOFT IS CONTINUING to court the Japanese market in anticipation of the Xbox 360 with which they are hoping to break the market and avoid another flop as the original Xbox was there.

They have announced that they will be holding a special Xbox 360 event on September 15th, a day before the start of the Tokyo Games Show in which the Xbox 360 will also be making a big splash.

[inquirer]

Kynogon announces Kynapse for Xbox 360

Kynogon, the developer of RenderWare A.I. announces that Kynapse SDK is available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Kynapse state-of-the-art A.I. SDK is now combined with the power of Xbox 360. Game worlds are alive, populated with credible characters; players face realistic opponents and are accompanied by convincing allies.

[ign]

OrigenXbox360.com - Another MS Viral Marketing Site

In a move that feels very much like OurColony.net and ILoveBees.com, it looks like Microsoft has registered another domain to serve as a viral marketing campaign. OrigenXbox360.com is an enigmatic website which features a running countdown in the background and a mysterious image of a tree and rabbit.

http://origenXbox360.com

[gamefirst]

TimeShift makes quantum leap onto Xbox 360

Atari doubled its announced Xbox 360 support today with news that the fourth-dimensional first-person-shooter TimeShift is headed to Microsoft's new platform in spring of 2006. The game was previously announced for the PC and Xbox, and those versions of the game will warp into stores in spring and summer of next year, respectively.

[gamespot]

Xbox 360 - $299 Core System vs. $399 premium edition

You've read the all the PR, now listen the strategy behind the Microsoft Xbox 360 launch. In Punch Jump's Hot Coffee Talk Podcast #2, the Crew talks about the $299 Xbox 360 Core System vs. the $399 premium edition and Microsoft's behind-the-scenes strategy to win the next-generation console wars.

[punchjump]

Allard Uses Online Chat To Explain Xbox 360 Decisions

Microsoft corporate vice president and chief XNA architect J Allard has taken part in a one hour online chat session aimed at answering question from fans, following the announcement of the Xbox 360 pricing structure and two separate versions of the hardware bundle.

[gamasutra]

New details on Xbox 360 accessories...

A leaked Xbox 360 brochure reveals new details on accessories for Microsoft's next-generation console.
The Xbox 360 wired controller will be compatible with Windows XP-based PCs. The wired controller will be included in the Xbox 360 Core System and utilize USB connection. Both the wireless and wired controllers will also feature adjustable vibration feedback.

[punchjump]

GC 2005: Xbox 360 Sells For Two Prices

Confirming long-standing rumors of two different Xbox 360 set-ups, Microsoft today officially announced two differently-priced SKUs for the North American and European markets. The Redmond, WA company will offer a premium system for $399.99 and a core set-up for $299.99.

[ign]

Xbox 360 may not always have a hard drive, confirms Allard

Microsoft's forthcoming next-generation console may not always ship in a configuration with a hard drive, key Xbox executive J Allard has confirmed, with developers being warned not to rely on the component for their games.

[gi]

Xbox 360: Top 10 most important launch titles!

Prodigious Gaming has chosen—in its opinion—the 10 most important launch titles for the Xbox 360. With upwards of 40 games appearing in the launch window, which titles are key to a successful launch?

[joystiq]

Xbox 360 Launch Window and Available Titles Explained

Speaking to SPOnG last week, Microsoft’s Xbox VP Peter Moore offered what is the most candid explanation to date detailing what we can expect during the launch of Xbox 360.

[spong]

Xbox 360 to offer compatibility for Apple iPod, Sony PSP, and Nintendo DS

The game console will offer 3rd party hardware integration and support for allowing devices such as Apple iPod, and gameplay for the Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS. This will allow games to be played online through the Xbox 360 and with other 3rd-party devices.

[gameshout]

Soccer Manager confirms Xbox 360 release

SEGA Europe Ltd and Sports Interactive are today proud to announce that Soccer Manager 2006 will make its debut on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft during the spring period, 2006.

[gameinfowire]

Microsoft's New Xbox 360 Will Only Use Licensed Controllers!

Microsoft is taking steps to derive as much profit out of the gaming market for their new Xbox 360, as possible. In its latest move, Microsoft has unveiled a new royalty program tied to the release of Xbox accessories.

[all]

Xbox 360 to side with HD-DVD?

In a not so surprising turn of events, Microsoft's Bill Gates has hinted that future versions of the upcoming Xbox 360 may include a drive that supports HD-DVD.

[igniq]

Microsoft 360 Launch Seen On Track

Piper Jaffray said the launch of Microsoft's (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) Xbox 360 is on track to launch in November in the U.S. and Europe, and will likely ship "a couple of weeks later" in Japan.

Microsoft management wouldn't provide launch quantities, but the research firm estimates that 1 million units will ship in the U.S., 400,000 in Europe, and 200,000 units in Japan by the end of 2005.

Piper Jaffray expects 15 games to be available at the console's launch and 25 to 40 games before the end of the year. The research firm noted that there are more than 160 Xbox 360 games in development worldwide.

[forbes]

Keyboard controller add-on for Xbox 360 revealed!

A Microsoft presentation about the Xbox 360 in Spain has revealed a new peripheral for the console - a miniature keyboard which fits onto the bottom of a standard joypad and allows the use of text messages and chat during play.

[gi]

Half Life 3 for Xbox 360?

According to images posted on the Internet, which revealed, among many things, some details on the XNA technology, on one of the slides, Valve’s name accompanied by Half Life 3 showed on a slide.

[softpedia]

Microsoft to side with HD DVD for Xbox 360

WITH MICROSOFT and Toshiba having jumped into bed together it has come as no great surprise that Bill Gates announced that the Xbox 360 is to incorporate HD-DVD, one of two formats vying for the position of the successor to DVD...

[theinquirer]

Final Fantasy XI 360 at German Games Conference

Square Enix has announced that the Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XI will be shown at the Games Conference which is to be held in Leipzig, Germany from August 17 to 21. There will be presentations at the Square Enix booth in the NGL Gaming Arena, as well as the Microsoft Xbox booth.

[rpgamer]

DemonWare delivers first Network Middleware for Xbox 360

DemonWare today announced that it is providing support for the Xbox 360 and multiplayer titles being released on the platform....

[gi]

Namco unveils Ridge Racer 6 for Xbox 360

At the Xbox Summit 2005, Namco announced that it is developing Ridge Racer 6 for the Xbox 360. No trailers were shown at the summit, although its logo and a number of screenshots of a car model were shown to the press.

[gamespot]

Xbox Summit 2005: Xbox 360 Accessories

Microsoft had a number of accessories on display, all in mockup packaging. Here's a list of what we saw, with the product names listed exactly as they were listed on the packaging:

Wireless controller
Memory Unit (includes case)
Rechargeable Battery Pack
Play & Charge Kit
Quick Charge Kit
Wireless Network Adapter
Hard Drive
Universal Media Remote
S-Video AV Cable
VGA HD AV Cable
Component HD AV Cable
Face Plates

[ign]

Xbox 360 to feature parental control system

The Xbox 360 will feature a parental locking system that can be used to prevent children from accessing games unsuitable for their age range, according to Japanese website Mainichi.

[gi]

Microsoft offers a sneak peek at Xbox 360!

At a media briefing in Dublin on Thursday Microsoft confirmed more than 25 titles to launch with its next-generation console, with a further 160 in development. Games planned for the Xbox 360 include flagship title Perfect Dark Zero, a prequel to the Rare game Perfect Dark; Kameo, a family-orientated game; Project Gotham Racing 3; Dead or Alive 4; Quake 4; FIFA 2006; and Ghost Recon 3...

[theregister]

Resident Evil 5 confirmed for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Japanese publisher Capcom has officially confirmed information from the latest issue of Famitsu, revealing that Resident Evil 5 is currently in production for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with no mention of a Nintendo Revolution version.

[gi]

Dead or Alive Planned for Xbox 360 Launch

Tecmo's Team Ninja studio is currently working to make sure that Dead or Alive 4 launches with the Xbox 360 in Japan...

[ign]

Xbox 360 pictures "leak" onto gaming forum

Pictures purporting to be of a working Xbox 360 console have been posted to a number of American gaming forums, with the poster reporting that he has booted up the system, used the dashboard and played Xbox title Halo 2...

[gi]

Shadowrun on the Xbox 360?

The statement appears to be an unofficial announcement of the revival of Shadowrun exclusively for the Xbox 360. The original title was a pen and paper RPG that was turned into a Super Nintendo game in 1993 and a Genesis game in 1994...

[ign]

Xbox 360 Launches Nov 4?

The Xbox 360 launches November 4, according t/o a story over on Xbox 365. The site is reporting that the got the information off of the Microsoft Partner site. They say that Microsoft accidentally announced the system’s launch date.

The Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system places you at the center of the experience. Available this holiday season, Xbox 360 ignites a new era of digital entertainment that is always connected, always personalized, and always in high definition.

[kotaku]

MS, Marvel sign exclusive deal for MMOG Xbox 360

Microsoft Corp. and Marvel Enterprises Inc. announced a licensing agreement, giving Microsoft exclusive rights to put Marvel characters into massively multiplayer online games developed for Microsoft's next-generation Xbox 360 console.

[xin]

Designing The Look of the Xbox 360...

Gamasutra had the chance to talk to San Francisco-based Astro Studios and discuss the process behind the design of the Xbox 360's look and feel.

[teamxbox]

IBM preparing to build ATI R500 for Xbox 360

ATI WON'T BE making R500 chips for Microsoft's Xbox 360. ATI's job was to design those chips and to give the designs back to Microsoft to get them produced.

[inquirer]

Xbox 360 to be Offered in Black!

Images of black Xbox 360s have been popping up around the interweb, and we are liking the idea of color options for the 360. Maybe not at launch, but it seems as though the 360 will be offered in alternate colors at some point.

[talkxbox]

New images of House of the Dead 4 show 360-based Chihiro 2?

According to gossip breaking in Japan on Sunday, these grabs are taken from a new arcade board, known as Chihiro 2 or Chihiro 360, depending on what you read and where. And yes, you guessed it, the system allegedly used Xbox 360 innards to power the coin-op zombie blaster. Potentially sexy stuff, we're sure you'll agree.

[spong]

GameStop Taking Xbox 360 Pre-Orders!

GameStop stores have started to take pre-orders for Microsoft's next-generation console, the Xbox 360, even though there is no specific release date or price available yet.

[advancedmn]

The Xbox 360 Launch Line-up According to TeamXbox.com

We at TeamXbox.com all have our opinions on what would make a stellar launch title lineup. That’s why we thought it would be fun to play Microsoft for a day and come up with our own launch title predictions, coming at you with from a few different angles....

[teamxbox]

Xbox 360 to ship preloaded with free game?

Well, sorta. Jeff Minter of LlamaSoft has created a little project he likes to call, Neon. The quasi-game is a descendant of 1984’s Psychedelia, a visualization tool. Neon will allow up to four players (and 360-controlled AI) to tweak on screen visualizations in real-time.

[joystiq]

SEGA Partners With Secret Level To Create Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Content

SEGA® of America, Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. announced a partnership with Secret Level, a San Francisco-based development studio, to recreate a classic SEGA franchise for PlayStation®3 (PS3) computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360TM video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The deal signifies an expanding SEGA network of development partners creating Western content for current and next-generation hardware platforms.

[gi]

Xbox 360 to Feature Force Feedback?

One item of concern for diehard racing game fans is whether the Xbox 360 will support "true" force feedback for peripherals such as racing wheels. Up to this point, Microsoft has been non-committal, neither confirming nor denying the feature.

[teamxbox]

Xbox 360 Makes Japan Spin on 7/25

By now, we're sure Xbox 360 fans have heard some buzz about a big Summer event where Microsoft Japan will spill the miso about its plans for the 360 in the Japanese market. Today, we received final details on the event.

Mark your calendars for July 25. Starting at 1:30 PM on that day, Microsoft Japan will hold the Xbox Summit 2005 in Tokyo. Over the course of one and a half hours, the company promises to unveil the new Xbox 360 Japanese lineup and share final details on the system's Asian launch.

[ign]

Microsoft ships Xbox 360 beta kits to developers

New hardware is much closer to final console specifications, but not quite finished yet

Updated versions of the development hardware for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console have begun shipping to studios at last, replacing the Apple PowerMac G5 based systems which were used to demonstrate games at E3 in May.

[gi]

Team Ninja chief concerned by Xbox 360 DVD media capacity

Speaking to Japanese magazine, Famitsu, Itagaki has expressed concerns over the limited capacity DVD offers in the era of High Definition. He feels developers will struggle to fit High Definition pre-rendered sequences onto the 9GB format, being particularly problematic for Japanese developers who prefer to use pre-rendered over real time cut scenes.

[pro-g]

The Pain of Shenmue 3 for Xbox 360...

A fresh wave of hope and pain has arisen in the past 24 hours, with Shenmue 3 being touted for Xbox 360. According to the rumour mill, Microsoft will announce the game at some point in July. You will be able to read what details we glean about said announcement here.

[spong]

Xbox 360 to be ‘open source’?

The latest rumor comes directly from Billy Boy’s lips as he tours Japan. Mr. Gates has implied that Microsoft is considering an open source option for its next-gen console.

[joystiq]

Konami president reveals Xbox 360 exclusive title

Konami president Michihiro Ishizuka has revealed that the publisher is currently working on an all-new title for Xbox 360, hinting that it will be exclusive to the platform.

[gi]

Softimage Announces Support for Microsoft Xbox 360

Softimage, Co., a subsidiary of Avid Technology, Inc., today announced support for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system with the release of the .FX plug-in - a free effects creation tool for SOFTIMAGE®|XSI® software, the 3-D animation element of Avid's integrated computer graphics solutions for game development.

[ign]

APB Broadcast to Xbox 360

Webzen announced Tuesday that All Points Bulletin (or APB), its massively-multiplayer online action title, is in development for the Xbox 360, as well as PC.

[ign]

Halo 3 to Support 50-person Multiplayer?

A new pack of Halo 3 rumors is spreading on the net . Here’s a run down of what a friend of an uncle of a Bungie employee is reporting (Yeah, it’s that reliable).

[kotaku]

Xbox 360 Might Incorporate HD DVD Drive

Today, at a joint news conference in Tokyo, Microsoft and Toshiba announced they will strengthen their joint development of PCs and consumer electronics goods and will work together on HD DVD technology.

At the press conference, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates revealed that the Xbox 360 video may incorporate in the future the next-generation DVD format developed by Toshiba.

[teamxbox]

Gargoyles on Xbox 360!

According to reports out of Japan, Microsoft has signed on another Japanese developer for Xbox 360. Little-known 3rd party developer Gargoyle Mechanics is reported to be working on one new game for the system. Unfortunately, the information leak ends there.

[ign]

Developer signs deal for Xbox 360 games

Scottish games developer Real Time Worlds has signed a partnership agreement with Microsoft which will see a number of exclusive titles developed for the new Xbox 360 system.

[stuff]

Moore: MS Will Sell 10M Xbox 360 Units in 12-16 Months...

Speaking at the ELSPA International Games Summit, Xbox corporate VP of worldwide marketing and publishing Peter Moore said that Microsoft will not fail to take advantage of its first-mover advantage. Moore said MS will sell 10 million Xbox 360 units worldwide within 12-16 months of the console's launch. Analysts, though, still see PS3 coming out on top eventually.

[gamedaily]

Samsung Readies Xbox 360 Memory Chips

Samsung Electronics announced today it has began mass production of its 1.6Gbps 512-megabit graphics double data rate 3 (GDDR3) dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chip, which will be used in the Xbox 360.

[teamxbox]

ATi: ‘Xbox 360 Technically Superior to Any Other Console Planned for the Next Five Years’

In a recent interview with German magazine Gamestar, ATi has made some of the boldest claims to date regarding the base-level power of the Xbox 360 console, for which ATi is the GPU supplier.

[spong]

XBOX 360 May Get World Of Warcraft

Blizzard is known for making outstanding PC games in almost any genre, but now it may try to dominate the console world as well. With it's recent success with World Of Warcraft, Blizzard may be looking to expand it's user base. And what better place than the next generation of consoles that will have better online functionality in the form of the next XBOX Live?

[gameshout]

Xbox 360 Interview, XNA framework and Wi Fi explained

"The XNA framework, if you're familiar with that, is a framework we're developing across both Xbox and Windows. The whole intent of it is to make game development more straightforward, more efficient, more effective. We have an Advanced Technology Group, and it's their job to go out there and give guidance to developers about how to make the best of the CPU..."

[gamerlounge]

Nvidia to save Xbox 360's incompatible ass!

Since long before the unveiling of Microsoft's Xbox 360 at E3, questions have been asked concerning backwards compatibility with regular Xbox games. At E3, Microsoft confirmed the "best selling" Xbox titles will be compatible with the Xbox 360. That was a far cry from Sony's promise of total backwards compatibility with its PS3, as far back as the 1st PlayStation.

[igniq]

Xbox 360 Project Gotham Racing 3 announced...

Microsoft Game Studios unveiled some details about the racer, which not only rewards the drivers for finishing first, but also for the driving and skill. Powerslides, 360s, and two-wheeling are all given points which boosts the gamers' ranking.

[gameshout]

Microsoft starts Perfect Dark Zero site for Xbox 360

Microsoft is ready to re-introduce Johanna Dark in the brand new Xbox 360 game, Perfect Dark Zero. To start the buzz the company has opened a new community site, PerfectDarkZero.com, that will provide users with new images, information, and wallpaper.

[cvg]

INTERVIEW: J ALLARD ON XBOX 360

Microsoft corporate vice president J Allard is currently responsible for driving the Washington, Redmond giant's Xbox 360 "into the HD Era by creating experiences that are always connected, always personalized and always in high definition," states his company biog. Allard was also a founding member of the Xbox platform project and additionally as chief XNA architect oversees Microsoft's XNA initiative -"an ecosystem of interchangeable, interoperable software tools and technologies from Microsoft, middleware and game development companies."

[cvg]

Microsoft launching digital music biz, Xbox 360 is the hub!

Microsoft has finally decided to jump on the digital music bandwagon, appointing Xbox boss Robbie Bach to head the questionable project. Bach’s mission: “to make Microsoft’s new Xbox a hub for handling digital music.” And while this is all well and good, the system better be capable of uploading/downloading its music to the iPod, which currently controls 80 percent of the digital music player market.

[joystiq]

ASTRO on Designing the Xbox 360

When the first images of the Xbox 360 were leaked prior to its official unveiling, the feedback was mostly positive. That's good news for Brett Lovelady, whose ASTRO Studios was tasked with designing the first of the next-gen consoles. We spoke with Brett about the design approach, appealing to Japanese consumers and more.

[gamedaily]

Saint's Row For Xbox 360 An evolution in open world gaming

THQ Inc. and critically acclaimed development studio Volition, Inc. recently announced Saint's Row. An evolution in open world gaming, Saint's Row provides an unprecedented amount of freedom to experience the game as the player sees fit. The game, based in the fictional urban surroundings of Still Water, is action adventure with its core as a third-person shooter. Scheduled to release worldwide on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in 2005.

[gameinfowire]

Final Fantasy XI Coming To Xbox 360

Square Enix Co., Ltd. a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software including two of the world's most popular franchises Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, recently announced that Final Fantasy XI will be released on Xbox 360, Microsoft's next-generation gaming console, and Xbox Live, the company's premier online gaming service.

[gameinfowire]

Dead Rising For Xbox 360

Capcom recently announced their first title in support of the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment systemfrom Microsoft with Dead Rising (working title), a survival horror game that brings new meaning to the phrase “retail hell.” Dead Rising follows the harrowing tale of Frank West, an overly zealous freelance photojournalist on a hunt for the scoop of a lifetime. In pursuit of a juicy lead, he makes his way to a small suburban town only to find that it has become overrun by zombies. He escapes to the local shopping mall, thinking it will be a bastion of safety but it turns out to be anything but.

[gameinfowire]

Japanese Xbox 360 Launch to have 20 Games...

The Xbox 360 will have twenty titles available at launch at its debut in Japan - that’s according to Munetatsu Matsui, editor-in-chief of the highly respected Famitsu Xbox mag, speaking in a round table discussion in the current issue.
Microsoft are clearly targeting Japan as an important market this time around after its disappointing experience in the current gen.

[xbox365]

ATI: Xbox 360 Will Have Better Graphics Than PS3

It seemed the general consensus after E3 last month was that Sony's PlayStation 3 would be slightly more powerful than the Xbox 360, but ATI says its GPU (Xenos) will have the advantage over rival Nvidia's RSX chip. The key, claims ATI, is that RSX doesn't have the unified shader architecture that Xenos does.

[gamedaily]

Logitech to Offer Licensed Products for Xbox 360

Logitech announced plans to manufacture officially licensed peripherals for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Logitech currently makes a family of award-winning controllers for Xbox, featuring gamepads, a steering wheel and a headset.

[gameinfowire]

Seagate to Supply Hard Drives for Xbox 360

Seagate Technology has been chosen as a strategic supplier of hard drives for Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. Back in 2001, Microsoft awarded Seagate a multi-year contract to provide hard drives for the Xbox.

[teamxbox]

Trinigy Pledges Xbox 360 Support

Trinigy GmbH, a market-leading independent developer of 3D Games Middleware, today announced that future versions of the Vision Game Engine will fully support Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

[avault]

Xbox 360 to retail at $299, according to analysts

According to GameIndustry.biz, analysts at investment bank UBS estimate the manufacturing cost of Microsoft's Xbox 360 at $375, while the company will retail the next-generation console for $299.

[punchjump]

Microsoft Chooses VMC as Xbox 360 Game and Console Tester

VMC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Volt Information Sciences, Inc. (NYSE:VOL) and a global leader in games testing, today announced an agreement with Microsoft Corp. to provide game and a variety of console and peripheral testing services for the Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

[dp]

Xbox 360 shortages a possibility!

Speaking exclusively to MCV, UK Xbox boss Neil Thompson has revealed that there could be shortages at the launch of the Xbox 360. He does, however, insist that this will be down to Consumer demand rather than poor supply. Thompson said:

"We feel as a company we've done the groundwork to get to a point where we can do the global release; we feel we're going to deliver and have a great Xmas."

[pro-g]

News - Xbox 360 to have downloadable games...

The official word from Microsoft on downloadable content for Xbox 360 is that it will have downloadable game content, trailers, and demos, some free and some for a price. What has not been mentioned before is that the Xbox 360 will have downloadable games.

[gaf]

Details on Xbox 360 launch accessories

We know that Microsoft wants to usher in the "HD-era" with the Xbox 360, but not everyone`s ready to dish out the needed cash. In order to fully take advantage of HD, there are a number of strings attached, especially in terms of cables.

When the Xbox 360 ships in the fall, it appears Microsoft will actually be helping consumers out; the machine will come packaged with component cables, reports News.Botros.Net . Of course, the standard composite cables will also make an appearance.

[manda]

£399 Xbox 360 on Play.com

Although Play.com's tentative listing of the Xbox 360 is based more on conjecture no doubt than industry fact, they've been selling gaming products long enough to take an educated guess, which is why their £399 price point (nearly $800 US) is likely to have many gamers and commentators worried.

[ferrago]

id Software Announces Quake 4 for Xbox 360

id Software recently announced that it is bringing Quake 4 to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The game is currently in development by Raven Software in cooperation with id Software.

[gameinfowire]

DOA Code: Cronus coming to Xbox 360

Dead or Alive Code: Cronus was originally announced for the Xbox at the Tokyo Game Show back in 2002, but after three years of silent development, the game is getting a platform change. In an interview published in the latest issue of Famitsu Xbox magazine, Tecmo producer Tomonobu Itagaki revealed that Dead or Alive Code: Cronus' development has been shifted to the Xbox 360.

[gamespot]

Activision's Xbox 360 Game Lineup

Activision, Inc. announced that the company is currently in development on three titles and working closely with id Software on a fourth game for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

[gameinfowire]

Xbox 360 keeps its voice...

Despite additions to the Xbox 360, you'll still be able to trash talk your friends via the new console. That's because Microsoft is keeping the same voice recognition software found in the original Xbox for its next-generation game and entertainment device.

[cnet]

Xbox 360 games set to retail at $60?

According to video game e-tailer EBgames.com, Microsoft's Xbox 360 games will retail for $59.99, ten to twenty dollars more than standard video game pricing. The retailer lists over 30 Xbox 360 titles with a preliminary launch date of November 1st, all of which hold the $60 price tag.

[punchjump]

Price and launch date for Xbox 360 in Europe revealed by mistake?

"This is probably the case of Play.com, which probably couldn’t hold it in anymore, and offers for sale Xbox 360 at the price of 399 pounds, the presumed launch date being November 29 2005. " [excerpt]

[softpedia]

Xbox 360 game box design revealed?

Is this the look of the cover that will read ”$59.99” come November of 2005? No, FFXI isn’t coming out in November, but this is a possible sample of what the box design will be. It’s certainly elegant in its simplicity. Nice logo, unobtrusive.

[joystiq]

Need For Speed Most Wanted Announcement And Xbox 360 Screenshots

Electronic Arts announced that Need for Need for Speed Most Wanted, from the makers of the hit Need for Speed Underground franchise that has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide, currently is under development at EA Canada.

[gameinfowire]

Todd Holmdahl gets grilling on Xbox 360...

Todd Holmdahl has been interviewed over at Extreme Tech on the Xbox 360. Holmdahl is responsible for the hardware development and manufacturing of the Xbox 360 (among other duties). Extreme Tech question Todd on things like 1080p support, what he thinks of the PS3 specs but more so on other hardware aspects aside from the usual CPU and GPU.

[igniq]

Allard Confirms Xbox 360 Price Range...

In an interview with TheStreet.com, J Allard, Corporate VP and Chief XNA Architect, stated that the Xbox 360 would launch at a price around the same range as the original Xbox, which went for about $300 USD.

[xa]

Bioware plans 2 Xbox 360 games; one of them Jade Empire 2?

Continuing the Xbox 360 support announcements, Bioware revealed that it currently has two games in the works for Xbox 360 in an interview with Gamespot that was published...

[gaf]

Midway working on 7 Xbox 360 projects; PS3 games as well

A Midway executive refuted claims that the company is not supporting Microsoft's Xbox 360 by commenting, "We have no less than seven Xbox 360 games currently in development in our internal studios targeted for release in 2006-8." One of these titles was confirmed to be Stranglehold, a martial arts game and sequel to Hard Boiled, John Woo's 1992 action movie. A PlayStation 3 version was also confirmed to be in the works.

[gaf]

In-Game Screens for Perfect Dark Zero on Xbox 360

As Microsoft has emerged from E3, so too have screenshots of several games emerged that hadn't previously been available.

Two days ago, DailyGame showed you the first screens from Project Gotham Racing 3 (see them here). Today, we have the first five screenshots from Perfect Dark Zero, Microsoft's scheduled launch title for the Xbox 360.

[dailygame]

Logitech announces plans to support Xbox 360

"One of the best ways for gamers to take advantage of the graphics, games and processing speed of Xbox 360 is with first-class peripherals," said Fred Swan, Logitech's director of strategic marketing for interactive entertainment. "Like our current controllers, the products for Xbox 360 will be designed to give gamers the edge they want -- and need -- to be the best."

[gaf]

The scoop on the Xbox 360's embedded OS

When the Xbox 360 was launched two weeks ago amid much brouhaha over its custom-designed IBM PowerPC-based CPU with 3 symmetrical cores running at 3.2GHz each, WindowsForDevices.com wondered aloud, "What OS runs inside the Xbox 360?"

[wfd]

NBA 2K6 First Look (Xbox 360)

At the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), we had a chance to sit down with 2K Sports and take a look at some of their flagship sport titles, running on approximately 1/3 of the Xbox 360’s power. Taking a short peek at NBA 2K6, this is what we saw.

[teamxbox]

Amped 3 First Look (Xbox 360)

We all expect our favorite videogame franchises to progress from title to title, but that isn’t always the case. Fortunately for Microsoft Game Studios, the Amped series followed a nice progression from its freshman to sophomore year; unfortunately for Microsoft Game Studios, XSN is but a distant memory.

[teamxbox]

Gratis Internet Launches free360Xbox.com

Although Microsoft's Xbox 360(TM) recently announced gaming console is not yet available to consumers, visitors to http://www.free360Xbox.com can acquire one completely free of charge, via pre-order, simply for trying an online offer from a variety of respected national advertisers and for referring friends who do the same.

[yahoo]

Xbox 360 aspires to break Japan

Hironobu Sakaguchi is a name unknown to many outside his native Japan.

But he is something of a legend in his homeland, having created the original Final Fantasy games.

The fortunes of Microsoft's new console, the Xbox 360, in Japan, rest largely on his shoulders.

[bbc]

Mistwalker’s Xbox 360 RPG duo

Ex-Square/Enixer, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and his newly founded Mistwalker studio debuted two impressive titles, both for the Xbox 360, at this year’s E3. Lost Odyssey follows the exploits of a 1000-year-old man during a mystical industrial revolution. While Blue Dragon is intended for a younger audience and features original monsters crafted by Akira Toriyama.

[engadget]

Xbox 360 faceplates start trading on eBay

Limited edition faceplates for Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) yet-to-be released Xbox 360 gaming console began appearing on online marketplace eBay Inc. (EBAY.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday, hours after the software giant hosted a major launch party for its new gaming console.

[reuters]

E3 2005: Xbox 360 Connects with PSP

At Microsoft's Pre-E3 Press Conference, it was revealed that the Xbox 360 enables gamers to connect all sorts of peripherals to the new system. Want to steam music from your Ipod through the 360? Easy enough. How about uploading images from your digital camera? Assured. What about having your PSP make sweet, sweet connectivity with the Three-Six-Oh? Yeah, you can do that too.

[ign]

Media Center and Xbox 360 joined at the hip!

The new Xbox is, of course, primarily aimed at hard-core gamers, not people who want to sit back and watch movies. But Microsoft is betting that even die-hard gamers like to take a break once in awhile.

That is why Microsoft is touting, among other features, the built-in ability of the Xbox 360 to play movies, TV shows and music that are stored on a Media Center PC in another room.

[news.com]

E3 2005: Xbox 360 Conference Reaction...

Monday saw Microsoft's annual Pre-E3 Press Conference. The full unveiling of Xbox 360 was on everyone's mind. When the smoke cleared, the audience seemed to all have the same reaction. "Huh. So that's that." What did the IGNXbox editor's think of Microsoft's conference showing? We polled three editors to find their thoughts.

[ign]

Microsoft confirms Perfect Dark Zero, others for Xbox 360

Microsoft's head of Xbox marketing says the new console will launch with around 25 games, including Rare's N64 follow-up, Kameo, and Project Gotham Racing 3.

[gamespot]

XBox 360 Redefining the Console?

Game Girl Advance has up an editorial arguing that, in effect, Microsoft has already won the next round in the console wars by shifting the battlefield. Looking at Gamasutra's rundown on the 360's multimedia and Live components, its easy to see why jane says that the 360 isn't really a console anymore.

[slashdot]

Pre-E3 2005: Xbox 360 The Connection

When visiting Microsoft, we began our discussion of the next iteration of Xbox Live by sitting down with the General Manager of the Game Developer Group, Chris Satchell. Online play has become a huge reason to own an Xbox, and the company is hoping to carry this momentum over to the Xbox 360.

[ign]

Pre-E3 2005: Xbox 360 Gears of War

As far back as June of 2004 we had slight glimpses of Unreal Engine 3. The demo included some foreboding architecture, a scary amount of detail, and a few shots of one ugly creature. Until now we simply referred to this artwork as a technical demo or an unannounced title using the new engine. But after visiting Microsoft to get a preview of their 360 lineup, we can safely say that these assets are from a new game from Epic called Gears of War.

[ign]

Xbox 360 makes its debut!

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - After months of teases, hints and leaks, Microsoft has finally --officially -- unveiled its next generation video game machine.

The Xbox 360 will go on sale during the 2005 holiday season in North America, Europe and Japan, offering high-definition graphics, multimedia functionality and a dramatically different online plan. Despite a rumored November launch date, though, Microsoft declined to give a specific launch date or price -- and added it would not reveal those at next week's E3 video game trade show, either.

[cnn]

Xbox 360 & Next-Gen Live Specifications Leaked

Tim Grube writes "Gaming Horizon is reporting that the Xbox Live 360 specifications and console specifications have been leaked. Xbox Live on the next generation is said to have two version, a free one and a subscriber one. The Xbox 360 iself will have a DVD-RW, be Wi-Fi Ready, contain 3 USB ports, and have 512 GDDR3 RAM."

[slashdot]

Utada Sides With Xbox 360!

Utada describes the event as "an interesting night," as she viewed The Killers live and got a first chance to see Xbox 360. One part of the show caught her attention, though. As the MTV crews from throughout the world walked down the red carpet to make their appearance at the show, all-of-a-sudden, Utada spotted the hosts of MTV Japan! She was asked to turn to the camera and say "Xbox 360' [excerpt]

[ign]

Xbox 360 stands up at MTV reveal party!

Somebody call security. An attendee at the Xbox reveal party in Hollywood was able to snap a quick camera phone picture of the final Xbox 360 hardware, peripherals, and the remote control. The photos were leaked to enthusiast gadget site Engadget on Saturday.

[punchjump]

Close up shot of the Xbox 360’s controller...

The leaked Xbox 360 pics keep on coming this afternoon. The latest is a close up shot of the new console’s controller that gives us a good look at that little silvery thing in the middle, which besides sporting the Xbox 360’s logo, is also supposed to be some new kind of button or something or other (if we knew exactly what it was we’d tell you).

[engadget]

MTV: Xbox 360 coming in November!

A promotional page for next week's cable-TV unveiling pegs the month that Microsoft's next-generation console will be released.

[gamespot]

Edge’s 150th to Debut Xbox 360

Edge Magazine is bragging that they will be the first game magazine in the world to dish the dirt on the Xbox 360. The mag was apparently given access to the next gen console even before the MTV debut was announced. The resulting article will be in the magazine that hits newsstands on May 17.

[kotaku]

Xbox 360 Hands-On Report from MTV Taping

The first leak from the MTV taping of the Xbox 360 launch is in, courtesy of the proverbial friend of a friend of friend. The tipster says that the debut unit was loaded with Perfect Dark Zero (which reportedyly looked like a prettier version of Time Splitters), along with impressive versions of Unreal, Quake and Brothers in Arms. All of the games had the sort of graphics details that would make you drool.

[kotaku]

Bill Gates accidentally leaks out launch details for Xbox 2

It is a tough guess to make that whether the leak was intentional or Bill made a rare mistake in public. Microsoft has been quite secretive about their plans of launching the upcoming Xbox 2 gaming machine. Big speculation is going around the Internet predicting whether the gaming machine would make it to the retail stores this year or will it be delayed to 2006.

[techwhack]

Team Ninja's Xbox 360 work revealed

Team Ninja has divulged a few snippets of in for on their projects for the next-gen console. Speaking to Japanese magazine Famitsu recently, Tomonobu Itagaki let it be known that work on Dead or Alive 4 was taking up "90 percent" of the studio's time.

[ferrago]

XBOX 2 CONTROLLER CLOSE-UP...

Ourcolony.net is at it again, drip-feeding morsels that continue to fuel the fires of speculation surrounding Microsoft's Xbox successor. It's control pad day today, with a new image from the marketing/viral campaign website seemingly giving us a fresh glimpse of Xbox 360's pad - albeit a prototype version...

[cvg]

Xbox 2 planned as digital media hub

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has announced the firm’s plans for a successor to its Xbox games console, which will act as a Windows-style digital media hub.

[netimperitive]

Gates says Xbox 2 will beat Sony

Bill Gates has said that the much-awaited successor to the Xbox gives Microsoft a chance to beat Sony for the first time.

Speaking at a meeting of business journalists, Microsoft's chairman said those working on the console were convinced it can take top position.

[bbc]

Samsung and Microsoft team up for Xbox2

Samsung Electronics and Microsoft Corp announced an alliance to elevate gaming to the next level through high-definition technology. Microsoft has chosen Samsung as the exclusive HDTV worldwide marketing partner for the next-generation Xbox high-definition (HD) gaming platform.

[softpedia]

MS VP Confirms X360 Controller Compatibility With Longhorn

An interesting bit of information has today emerged from Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2005, as Microsoft Senior Vice President Will Poole confirmed in a presentation that Xbox360 controllers will be fully compatible with the next version of the Windows OS, currently code-named Longhorn (although with the length of development, perhaps Longhaul would have been more appropriate.)

[tvg]

OVER 15 TITLES TO BACK UP XBOX 2 AT LAUNCH

Microsoft is to support the launch of its next-gen console Xbox 2 with around 15 to 20 titles, many of which are new instalments in established franchises, if latest reports are to be believed.
Rumour/speculation on the Washington, Redmond giant's plans for its initial Xbox 2 game line-up is dancing on the tiles at IGN. It's stated that Rare's long-awaited and hotly anticipated Perfect Dark Zero is a potential launch game, with half-a-dozen racing titles additionally revving engines in preparation for roaring off the start grid.

[cvg]

IS THIS THE XBOX 2 MEMORY CARD?

We've uploaded the memory card image to this page and you can see it top-right. There's not really a fat lot else to say other than it appears to be 64Mb in size and will allow you to port around save games and profiles when you pop over to your mate's house. A bit redundant possibly if there's a removable hard drive? Well maybe not if there's a couple of flavours of Xbox 2 as the rumour mill suggests.

[cvg]

Xbox 360 final hardware design leaked!

A new image of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has surfaced on web forums this evening, where it is believed an industry insider leaked the image.

Sources we spoke to who have already seen the hardware themselves confirmed that this image - despite being a render rather than a photo - is indeed the official finalised design of Xbox 360.

[gamesradar]

Pics of Xbox 360 emerge!

MORE INFORMATION is out on the web today about the next-generation successor to the Xbox.

TeamXbox has managed to track the clues from viral marketing campaign OurColony down to a couple of photos of the new machine. It appears to sport a silver design and stand vertically.

[the inquirer]

NEW NINJA GAIDEN FOR XBOX 360?

If you're talking about Xbox killer apps then Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden has to be up there with the Halos and the Project Gothams. Released exclusively on Microsoft's machine last year, Ninja Gaiden revitalised the third-person slash 'em up and showed an impressive mastery of the Xbox hardware.

[cvg]

CIRCLES, RINGS, AND COLOUR SCHEMES: MORE XBOX 360 CLUES

As if we didn't already have enough cryptic next-gen info to pick over thanks to ourcolony.net, now Microsoft has sent out a media invite for its grand pre-E3 Xbox 360 unveiling on May 16 - and it's packed with clues.

[cvg]

THQ BACKS XBOX 360

Publisher THQ has announced that it will be supporting Microsoft's Xbox 360 when the next-gen console hits shelves, currently thought to be before the end of the year.

THQ's internal studios Relic Entertainment and Volition have already signed up to create new and Xbox 360-exclusive content. That doesn't mean they won't be developing for any other format, but does mean that any Xbox 360 project they create will be exclusive to Microsoft's next-gen system.

[cvg]

OurColony.net Xbox 360 Speculation...

There has been a lot of buzz and controversy surrounding a new community based web site, OurColony.net. Many people believe this site to be the work of 4orty2wo Entertainment employed by Microsoft in a big Ad campaign to promote their Xbox 360 gaming console. Of course, Microsoft denies such allegations. Just what is OurColony.net all about? OurColony.net is an Alternate Reality Game where members are given riddles and puzzles in the form of challenges and encouraged to work as a team, or colony, to solve it.

[gearlive]

Xbox 360 seen in UK!

British sources have confirmed that the next generation Xbox is indeed called Xbox 360, that the logo is a simple, round nexus, and that the console itself has a concave design. And it's white. Maybe.
Advertisement

Many rumours have been circulating in the past months regarding Microsoft's next generation system, but let us now lay them all the rest. The name of Xbox's successor is Xbox 360, we can confirm, and the design of the machine is indeed a concave shape.

[eurogamer]

Microsoft Unveils List of Publishers Committed to xbox 360

While the launch of the next generation gaming console from the world’s biggest software developer and tech giant Microsoft is nearing, they recently unveiled the list of Publishers who are already committed to this gaming device. Microsoft announced their “all-star line-up” consisting of well-known names like EA, Rockstar, Ubisoft, and Vivendi.

[techwhack]

3 Million xbox 360 Units at Launch?

Microsoft expects to sell over 3,000,000 Xbox (vote for your favorite name on your right) 2s this holiday season with a price tag of around $249-299 each.

More from Forbes:
The research firm, which rates Microsoft at "outperform," expects xbox 360 to be available for retail sale in October or November at a retail price of about $249 to $299.

[ve3d]

Microsoft reveals international air times for xbox 360 unveiling

The half-hour MTV special which will show off the xbox 360 for the first time on May 12th in the USA has been confirmed for broadcast in a number of international territories on the following day.

The show, titled MTV Presents: The Next Generation Xbox Revealed, was announced yesterday and will be presented by Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood, with a live music performance by The Killers.

[gi]

FIRST IMAGE OF PROJECT GOTHAM 3 ON xbox 360

Is this the first image of Project Gotham Racing 3 on xbox 360? Well quite possibly and fairly probably, but in the end who really knows or dares to guess?

We could add: who cares? But we do dammit, if only they'd stop arsing around and start fessing up. Honestly, trying to get a straight answer out of anyone from the big three at the moment is like pulling teeth from a particularly tetchy tiger with terrible toothache.

[cvg]

Xbox 360 set to launch on MTV May 12

Microsoft is set to unveil their next console to the world via a worldwide broadcast on MTV on May 12 2005.

Check your diaries to make sure you have some free time on May 12th 2005. Microsoft is to reveal their next console in a half an hour show that will be broadcast globally on all MTV stations. This comes four days before the industry giant was expected to announce its new console at the customary pre-E3 conference on May 16th.

[pro-g]

Xbox 360 controller pics go live?

SUPPOSED pictures of the controller for the next-generation Xbox have turned up online...

[theinquirer]

Quake 4 And Other Xbox 360 Titles Emerge

More Xbox rumours and speculation, yet these with a little more credence than some of the others. Xbox Advanced reports are that a number of xbox 360 titles are already being planned.

[igniq]

xbox 360 teaser website revealed?!

According to self-appointed internet detectives and conspiracy theorists, Microsoft has begun the initial stages of yet another one of its viral advertising campaigns, just as it did with Halo 2.

[gamesradar]

xbox 360 Launch Lineup May Shock The Industry

In an interview with the official Xbox magazine of Japan, Mr. Yoshiki Okamoto says there are many other ‘big name’ game developers getting behind the next gen Xbox. He said, “When announced, the lineup of launch games for the console may shock the industry.” Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy), Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Space Channel 5), and Yoshiki Okamoto are all legendary game creators in Japan.

[gearlive]

First look at xbox 360 hardware?

Have those canny Microsoft execs launched a viral ad campaign to introduce xbox 360 news? Possibly. Be prepared to chase around the web once more...

[pro-g]

Big Japanese Support For xbox 360

Support from Mistwalker, Game Republic and Q Entertainment suggested good things for the next generation Xbox in Japan, but there's apparently much more. In an interview posted at the official Japanese Xbox site, Game Republic chief Yoshiki Okamoto suggests that Microsoft is working with companies besides these three on next generation development.

[ign]

xbox 360 HARD DISK CONJECTURE DISSECTED

This is a subject that has been much discussed before, with various dark hints, conjecture and additional rumours adding petrol to the bonfire. Will xbox 360have a hard disk? Will it not? Will it be removable, will it be fixed? Will it come in a number of flavours and sizes depending on which xbox 360 edition you buy?

[cvg]

Fable and Project Gotham headed to xbox 360

Several of the biggest Xbox franchises are already planned for xbox 360, according to Microsoft Game Studios boss Shane Kim, who has confirmed that Fable, Halo and Project Gotham Racing are all en route to the next-gen console.

[gi]

Microsoft xbox 360 to have downloadable content

LEAKED INFORMATION suggests that Microsoft's xbox 360 will feature downloadable demo content from day one, with Xbox Live being groomed to provide gamer's first introduction to the content available with the new system.

[theinquirer]

JAPANESE GAMING LEGENDS LORD OVER xbox 360

In a recent interview with Famitsu, former Capcom Exec Yoshiki Okamoto and Rez/Lumines/Space Channel 5 creator Tetsuya Miziguchi have talked about their thoughts and plans for the xbox 360.

[cvg]

Iron Phoenix Team Goes xbox 360

IGN has learned InterServ International, the development team behind the 16-player online fighting game Iron Phoenix, has plans to develop for the xbox 360/Xbox 360.

[ign]

Battlefield gets 2 console

The Battlefield series will also appear on next generation consoles, with an xbox 360 version on the cards, and developer Digital Illusions confirming it is already hard at work on two titles for PS3 and xbox 360.

[eurogamer]

InterServ Talks About xbox 360 Title

InterServ International, a game developer more well-known for its work with the upcoming Iron Phoenix from Sammy Studios recently hinted it has already obtained the rights to develop games for Microsoft's upcoming next-generation Xbox console.

[experiencegaming]

Customisable xbox 360 Dreams Revealed

It is very likely that Microsoft will stun the gaming world by making different Xbox 360 options available on a per-region basis, according to a recent interview from the UK.

Speaking to leading trade publication MCV this week, Xbox frontman J Allard made an allusion that the next-generation Xbox - which SPOnG now believes will be called Xbox 360 - will come in various forms rather than a standard unit as was expected.

[spong]

New xbox 360 details emerge...

MCV, the UK videogames news site, is reporting that one million xbox 360s will be available in Europe this year, with 1.5 million being available by the end of March 2006. This news comes from a source at a major US publisher.

[pro-g]

InterServ: Taiwan's only developer of games for Microsoft Xbox2

InterServ International, a producer of 3D game software in Taiwan, has obtained the right to develop game software for Microsoft Xbox2, according to company managing director Sheree Tsao.

Of all Asia developers, only InterServ and a handful of South Korean game developers have attained the right to develop games for Microsoft for Xbox2. InterServ is developing Condor Trilogy Online, its first Xbox2 game software compatible with on-line game platform, Tsao noted. InterServ plans to launch the product in 2006.

[digitimes]

New game from Riddick Developers announced (xbox 360, PS3)

Starbreeze announced that they are working on a next generation title called 'The Darkness'. It's based on a movie adaptation of a comic book (yes, another one) and is scheduled to be released on next-generation consoles in 2006.

[pro-g]

New xbox 360 screens looking Unreal!

Following on from confirmation that Epic Games would provide the Unreal Engine 3 and tools for xbox 360 game development, Interactive Data Visualization's much-touted SpeedTreeRT has been officially planted (sorry) directly into the roots (sorry again) of Unreal Engine 3, and will be used by developers using Epic Games' toolsets to create xbox 360 software.

[gamesradar]

Project Gotham 3 to have custom track support?

In an interview with the CVG website, J Allard, Microsoft Vice President and XNA Chief Architect, talked about what is possible in next generation Xbox titles. Speaking specifically about Project Gotham Racing he mentioned the possibility of custom tracks. "There's a little track editor but the track editor is just a drive through town. You can do that on a console, the next-generation Xbox can do that very well," said Allard.

[pro-g]

Next Generation Ubisoft titles announced - xbox 360

• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 3
• Peter Jackson's King Kong
• Splinter Cell 4
• Killing Day

[pro-g]

Data Sharing for xbox 360/360 - The Return of Cartridges?

Rumors continue to circle about what we can expect for the next generation Xbox.  The latest culmination surrounds a new data technology never been used in video games before.  It is a data sharing technology that would help the development of the ‘backwards compatible’ gaming with system.  But that’s not the only thing they have in mind; the technology would also incorporate gaming like never before.

[gearlive]

Tomb Raider for xbox 360

Hidden away in Eidos's annual report is mention at Gamespot that the publisher is working on a new Tomb Raider for the Xbox Next and PSP:

Then came the following bombshell, "This [delay] will enable further development work to be undertaken on these titles (including additional versions of Lara Croft Tomb Raider for the next generation PSP and xbox 360 platforms) and allow the Company to take advantage of more favorable release windows."

[ve3d]

A wish list for xbox 360!...

Never mind the hardware. To really turn heads, here's what Microsoft needs to do.

[cnn]

Exclusive: xbox 360 Focus Group Names Machine, Offers Glimpse of Marketing Future

SPOnG is now pretty much certain that the finalised name for the xbox 360 is actually Xbox 360, with one of our staff infiltrating a top-tier focus group held by Microsoft for its new Xbox last night.

[spong]

Is this the xbox 360/360/Next/Xenon’s launch screen?

Dan M just sent this pic from cq-ef.net that may be the next Xbox’s launch screen. It’s unverified as of now, of course. And will probably remain so for awhile (like E3-awhile). It is a bit suspicious that it’s called “Xenon Launcher”.

[joystiq]

GDC: Allard's xbox 360 keynote video, 'Guide' screenshots

A video recording of J Allard's GDC 2005 keynote, in which the XNA chief spoke of xbox 360's "High Def" future and identified key elements of Microsoft's next-generation strategy, is now available from Eurofiles.

[eurogamer]

Everything You Wanted to Know About the xbox 360...

This fall -- probably November-- Microsoft will launch its next-generation system, codenamed Xenon. The Redmond, Washington-based software company that built its wealth and power on word processors, operating systems, and office tools, knows that being the primary technology in your living room is now more important than being just the center of your parents' study.

[ign]

xbox 360 Live images revealed

First ever pictures of Microsoft's next-gen Live service released...

They say a picture speaks a thousand words and in the case of these brand new, first-ever next-gen Xbox Live pics, we're compelled to agree.

[gamesrader]

Xbox2 details announced

Microsoft Corporate VP J Allard has some announced details of the xbox 360 at Game Developers' Conference in San Francisco.

Allard said an “HD Era” in games will be fuelled by gamers wanting to be connected, in high-definition to personalised games at all times. Software inside the xbox 360 to help gamers reach these new experiences in the form of a game "guide" would include:

Gamer Cards: "Gamer Cards provide gamers with a quick look at key Xbox Live information. They let players instantly connect with people who have similar skills."

Marketplace: "Browseable by game, by genre, and in other ways, the Marketplace will provide a one-stop shop for consumers to acquire episodic content, new game levels, maps, weapons, vehicles, skins and new community-created content."

[techdigestuk]

Microsoft sets stage for xbox 360

Allard showed a few software and online service changes planned for the next Xbox, code-named Xenon. In the main, though, he stuck to big-picture themes, particularly the shift of video entertainment to high-definition content. [excerpt]

[news.com]

Gamebryo 2 To Support xbox 360

NDL announced today that Gamebryo 2 will fully support the xbox 360 console. Gamebyro is a 3D graphics engine and tools that enables game developers and publishers to focus on creating stunning content and gameplay while saving development time and cost.

[gaminghorizon]

Microsoft Enlist Unreal Engine 3 For Xbox2

Microsoft Game Studios set to harness the power of Unreal Engine 3.0 for next-generation Xbox titles...

Microsoft Game Studios today confirmed that it would utilise Epic Games Unreal Engine 3.0 tools and technology for future games, marking the latest adaptation in the well-known middleware package as an early leader in the next-generation stakes.

[tvg]

Xbox2 goes core to core to core with PS3

Microsoft's second version of its Xbox console will feature a CPU with PowerPC cores, according to GameSpy, which claims to have scooped the specifications. ,Expectations that the console would be formally announced at the Game Developer Conference in San Francisco this week were quashed last month.

[theregister]

xbox 360 Specs

The espionage division of Gamespy uncovered the "guts" of the Xbox Next. Here are a few interesting bits:

• CPU - Xenon's CPU has three 3.0 GHz PowerPC cores. Each core is capable of two instructions per cycle and has an L1 cache with 32 KB for data and 32 KB for instructions. The three cores share 1 MB of L2 cache. Alpha 2 developer kits currently have two cores instead of three...

[ve3d]

XNA to Reduce Development overhead for xbox 360

Microsoft thinks that developer tools will keep xbox 360 development difficulty roughly on par with Xbox

For those that have not heard of XNA, the synopsis is that it is a tool set that should allow developers to have a very similar code base for PC, Xbox and xbox 360 games.  Generally the introduction of new consoles means that there is a steep learning curve involved making initial development efforts much more difficult (and I would imagine that this would be especially true for smaller developers who do not have the same amount of resources).

[neoseeker]

xbox 360 developers to be given free rein

Following the recent announcement that Japanese development luminaries Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Hironobu Sakaguchi and Yoshiki Okamoto are all working on titles for Microsoft's xbox 360/Xbox 360/Xbox whatever in God's name they end up calling it, Kim said that "We always give our partners almost all of the license that they need. We don't want to tell any of our partners what kind of game they should be making.

[pro-g]

Bungie Doubles Halo Resources for xbox 360 Debut

According to a report in the Seattle Post, Bungie Studios is considerably upping its resources for the next Halo game, doubling the team for what is expected to be one of the most lavish videogame productions since Sega’s Shenmue.

The development team will see an increase in size from 65 people to around 120, a huge number for a single project, even in today’s increasingly costly world of videogame production.

[spong]

More Japanese Game Luminaries Pick xbox 360

In another creative coup for its next-generation Xbox® platform, Microsoft Corp. today announced that esteemed video game developers Yoshiki Okamoto, president and CEO of Game Republic Inc., and Tetsuya Mizuguchi, chief creative officer and producer of Q Entertainment Inc., have aligned with Microsoft Game Studios to develop exclusive next-generation Xbox games.

[xbox2news]

Mizuguchi & Okamoto Pledge Microsoft Allegiance

Microsoft’s recent surge within Japan was today boosted with confirmation that noted developers, Yoshiko Okamoto of Game Republic and Tetsuya Mizuguchi of Q Entertainment, plan to develop videogames exclusively for Microsoft Game Studios and the Xbox2.

[tvg]

xbox 360 In Motion

Final Fantasy father Hironobu Sakaguchi made a surprise announcement last week that his new development studio, Mistwalker, would be working with Microsoft on the development of two RPGs for the next-generation Xbox. Upon hearing the news, we immediately started imagining what we could expect from the new titles.

[ign]

FAQ: The next video game consoles?

Microsoft--The next Xbox is code-named "Xenon." What it will be called when it hits stores is the subject of rampant speculation, with Microsoft reportedly wanting to avoid the obvious xbox 360 because that would be one less than PlayStation 3. Favorite names in the rumor mill include Xbox Next, Xbox 360 and Xbox HD. Microsoft has registered domains for xboxnext.com and xbox2.com; xbox360.com belongs to British squatters. For simplicity's sake, we'll stick with xbox 360 until Microsoft offers something more definitive. [excerpt]

[zdnet]

Final xbox 360 Dev Kits with ATI R500 Hardware

The Inquirer is reporting that official, final xbox 360 development kits are set to ship early next year, upgrading the current PowerMac G5 + Radeon 9800 kits to something using ATI’s R500 graphic chipset. That means two things: the xbox 360 hardware should use R500-class hardware (duh) and the R500 is pretty close to being locked and loaded, meaning we could reasonable expect a new Radeon video card using the chipset around the same time next year.

[gizmodo]

xbox 360 to Break E3 Embargo – March Showing Mooted

SPOnG believes that Microsoft is set to surprise the gaming world by showing its xbox 360 console well before this May’s E3 show, slated for mid-May in Los Angeles.

According to two independent sources, the Redmond software giant has an xbox 360 conference of ‘significant importance’ slated for some point in March 2005, which SPOnG has been led to believe will include software and hardware being displayed to the public for the first time.

[spong]

Sakaguchi-san’s xbox 360 RPG confirmed...

“I’m excited about the two epic game titles we will be developing,” Sakaguchi-san said. “A number of talented creators have signed on to help develop these games, and I’m confident we will be able to create games that provide gamers with a new kind of thrill. Microsoft’s cutting-edge technologies in the next-generation platform will allow me to bring to life an array of ideas that I have had for many years,” Sakaguchi-san continued. “I want these games to be alive with a new vision for gaming and vividly depict new characters that will transcend the game, find a place in the hearts of gamers, and make time spent with my games a fond and long-lasting memory.”

[theinquirer]

Microsoft signs Japanese games wizard for Xbox2

SOFTWARE GIANT Microsoft has hired Final Fantasy author, Hironobu Sakaguchi, to make two games exclusively for its next generation Xbox console.

The Wall St Journal said that the games would likely appear soon after the xbox 360 is launched, but would be aimed at the worldwide rather than the local Japanese market.

[theinquirer]

xbox 360 Announcement Looms – Sakaguchi-san in the Mix

Although nothing of substance has leaked thus far, further speculation points towards a possible move towards Hironobu Sakaguchi’s MistWalker Studio. The team, largely comprised of former Square and Enix staff, is currently working on two unnamed projects for unspecified next-generation platforms. To date, only one piece of art, included in this news story, has been offered. [excerpt]

[spong]

xbox 360 set to feature removable hard drive...

Microsoft's next-generation Xbox console is set to feature a removable hard drive bay, according to online reports today, which will allow users to upgrade their entry-level systems to include mass storage capabilities.

[joystiq]

Microsoft considering a WLAN xbox 360/360, AND wireless TV connection?

Okay , you can take this a number of ways. First, what the hell do they mean by “connects to my TV wirelessly”? Do they mean connects to the Internet wirelessly? Or a media hub wirelessly? Maybe they just want to see if you would buy a wireless access point to play your Xbox Live! games. OR (the option we’re hoping for), Microsoft is looking into making the next Xbox wireless out of the box, as a media hub.

[joystiq]

Sega Announces First Game for xbox 360 and PS3

Sega today indicated that the next-generation Xbox and PlayStation will be available this holiday season. The news came in the form of Sega's announcement of its first next-gen game, a first-person psychological thriller called "Condemned." The game will appear in Winter 2005.

[dailygame]

xbox 360/Xbox 360 to sport wireless controllers?

The Inq keeps dishing it out on the xbox 360/Xbox 360. Last week they were spreading the word that Microsoft’s next-generation console was going to forego both Blu-ray and HD-DVD and just stick with a regular DVD drive in order to keep costs down, now they’re claiming that the next Xbox is going to come standard with wireless controllers.

[engadget]

Ballmer: xbox 360 'amazing'

"When you see the new Xbox, you're going to think it's un -- well, let me say it politely -- unbelievable. Just unbelievable. The graphics, what it can do, the way things look, huge innovation. Rumors are that we'll see that product sometime soon. I couldn't comment, of course, on those rumors. But it's an amazing, amazing innovation." [excerpt]

[seattlepi]

xbox 360 will release "in late October, early November"

It's been known in industry circles for months, but the news is now finally starting to leak. You'll be able to buy the next generation Xbox in both America and Europe in 2005, say experts.

[gi]

xbox 360 for Christmas 2005

Boldly stating "Microsoft is on course for a dramatic end-of-year roll out in the west" MCV goes on to say that the next generation Xbox will hit before Christmas 2005, with an almost simultaneous release in the West. The US will get xbox 360 first, followed by a European debut within weeks. And the source of this story? Well MCV is quoting "senior US retail sources".

[cvg]