xbox

Xbox 360 fall dashboard update details revealed

Starting December 4, Xbox 360 owners will be able to download the latest dashboard update from Microsoft. While we announced earlier in the month that this update would allow users to download original Xbox titles, this update will also add various additional features to the console's interface. Since dashboard updates are only released bi-yearly, they are usually packed with a hefty amount of changes and this fall update is no different:

Xbox LIVE Arcade hits: Best-selling Xbox LIVE Arcade games like Marble Blast Ultra and Lumines LIVE will be available at permanently discounted prices. New video features: Support for full-screen video previews and, more importantly, support for the DivX video codec (version 5.0 and higher). Inside Xbox: A direct newsfeed from Microsoft outlining up-to-the-minute information regarding Xbox LIVE and the Marketplace. Enhanced parental controls: New features include a timer that can limit the amount of time a child can play per day or week.… Read more

The 2007 Jaded Fanboy Awards

It's been a very good year for gamers, with AAA titles hitting nearly every console, and only about half of them were sequels. Crusades-era assassins, art deco genetic misfits, physics-bending lab rats and futuristic soldiers have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the standard plumbers, elves, and bounty hunters we've seen every year, and these fresh faces have kept my consoles warm and spinning. I could just plop all of those games up on an ordered list and call it a day, but I'm taking a different tack in summarizing this year in gaming.

Welcome to the first Jaded Fanboy Awards. The JFAs are completely unofficial awards (read: I am completely making these up without any sort of procedure or votes or other such nonsense) that don't look at the best or worst games of the year, but instead unique or noteworthy in their own ways. These aren't "Best ofs," "Tops," or "Must-buys," but instead games that simply stick out.

And the winners are...… Read more

Microsoft sued over 'Halo 3,' Xbox 360 problems

Some people take their games very seriously. Randy Nunez is seeking class-action status along with $5 million in damages plus costs and attorneys' fees because his version of Halo 3 wreaks havoc on his Xbox 360. Ever been tempted to sue Microsoft? You do the math.

Read the full story at Ars Technica.

Report: PlayStation 3 price cut helping console recover

Over at the San Francisco Chronicle this morning, Ryan Kim has a story contending that Sony's oft-maligned PlayStation 3 may well find much-needed new life in the wake of its recent price cut and the release of some new titles.

Sony better hope so. The PS3, which a year ago this reporter predicted would win the console wars, has been the troubled electronics maker's worst nightmare. Sales lag far behind Nintendo's Wii and Microsoft's Xbox 360, and the available games have been less than inspiring.

But now, Sony has lowered the price of the top-end, 80GB … Read more

Sony finally 'gets' gaming again

Has it finally happened? Has Sony finally found the solution to its year-long Playstation 3 problem? It certainly looks that way.

According to the company, Sony has cut its software development kit prices in half to $10,250 in North America, $8,600 in Japan and $11,250 in Europe. And while this may not mean much to some, to me it indicates a startling change of course by a company that had heretofore lost sight of what is important in this generation.

And although I've beaten on Sony quite a bit on Digital Home, this change in policy -- namely, price reduction -- could spell trouble for both Microsoft and Nintendo.… Read more

'Guitar Hero III' users reporting problems with their axes

Even as Activision and its RedOctane publishing arm have had a great couple of weeks of sales of their recently released hit, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, some fans of the game have been complaining about its quality control problems.

On forums and on game blogs, some users are reporting that wireless versions of the game's guitar aren't working properly.

"I was having some real problems once I hit tiers 4 and 5 on medium," wrote Mark Methenitis on his blog, Law of the Game. "I found that the red and yellow buttons were … Read more

Vintage game downloads will only work for Nintendo

If you've been following the world of video games, you've probably come across an interesting piece from Team Xbox that claims a new update to the Xbox 360 will allow us to download old Xbox games.

And while I think this is a smart move on Microsoft's part -- everyone seems to want to play old games -- I just can't see how it would benefit the company that much.

According to reports, the first wave of available games will include Halo, Fable, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and Burnout 3. Interestingly enough, these games were also some of the more popular titles released for Microsoft's former console, which leads me to believe Microsoft is looking to turn this into a PR victory after the first month of downloads. After all, would anyone really download Kabuki Warriors for just one more thrill?

Regardless, Microsoft may be showing its hand too early. Simply put, I just don't think anyone wants to download games that were released five years ago and hold little value. More than anything, I think people want to download games that came out a decade ago to go back to the good ol' days and finally come to the realization that some of the best games ever released really did come out then.… Read more

Xbox 360 Fall dashboard update to add original Xbox downloads

Microsoft has announced that the next dashboard update for the Xbox 360 will add the ability to download original Xbox games to your hard drive. Sounds like owners of the 20GB may want to consider upgrading.

Starting December 4, Xbox 360 owners will have the option of shelling out 1,200 MS points (that's $15) for each game they'd like to download to their hard drive. As of right now, there's no word on the average size of these games so we're left wondering exactly how much space we're going to need to free up and whether or not buying these older games used is a better option (you can still find most of these games for under $15 used).

While there's no word yet of other enhancements the fall update will feature, you can see a list of the first round of games appearing on Microsoft's new service after the jump.… Read more

Episode 603: Dancing with the Google

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