by Rainier on April 6, 2006 @ 3:07 a.m. PDT | Filed under
News
It's official, Microsoft Game Studios announced that it has purchased U.K.-based Lionhead Studios, known for titles such as Fable, The Movies, Black & White, and will begin creating X360 and Windows exclusive products.
by Rainier on April 5, 2006 @ 4:57 a.m. PDT | Filed under
News
In something that looks eerily familiar to Sony's legal woes with Immersion, The Register is reporting that Lucent is going to court with Microsoft for alleged unauthorized usage of its MPEG2 decoder in the Xbox 360. Back in 2003 Lucent had already tried to sue Microsoft for the same reason, but was unsuccessful due to a technicality (typo in the patent's wording), which has since been adjusted. The complaint was filed with the US District Court in San Diego on March 28.
by Rainier on March 21, 2006 @ 9:09 a.m. PST | Filed under
News
Microsoft today provided details on the new games and entertainment experiences available to gamers this coming spring. The Xbox 360 games portfolio expands this spring with new next-generation titles from leading developers and publishers that cater to every genre, age, skill level and budget.
by Rainier on March 20, 2006 @ 1:43 p.m. PST | Filed under
News
Microsoft today delivered a pre-release version of the first XNA Studio tools and unveiled the XNA Framework to attendees of the GDC 2006. Microsoft also announced that the company is opening its Xbox Live Server Platform to game developers and publishers, allowing them to innovate and extend the Xbox Live experience in their titles.
by Rainier on March 17, 2006 @ 3:22 a.m. PST | Filed under
News
Microsoft and Epic Records signed a one year exclusivity agreement to make artist content and high-definition music video downloads free for all X360 gamers. Over the next year, Xbox 360 and Epic Records will showcase 12 up-and-coming artists through the Artist of the Month program via the Xbox Live service.
by Rainier on March 3, 2006 @ 9:31 a.m. PST | Filed under
News
A little while ago it was said the updates were on hiatus, but it seems they are back in business. Microsoft issued the following statement, "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."
by Rainier on Feb. 27, 2006 @ 10:34 a.m. PST | Filed under
News
Microsoft today announced the lineup for the Windows Vista operating system, scheduled for release later this year. Vista will bring clarity to accomplishing everyday tasks, instantly let you find what you want, enjoy the latest in entertainment, improved safety of personal information, stay connected at home or on the go, and help ensure PCs are up-to-date, more secure and running smoothly.
by Judy on Feb. 9, 2006 @ 5:01 p.m. PST | Filed under
News
According to its sources, GameIndustry.biz reports that British developer
Lionhead Studios is in acquisition talks with platform holder Microsoft and French publisher Ubisoft. Electronic Arts has ruled out the possibility of acquiring the studio behind
Fable and
Black & White. None of the parties were willing to comment, although Lionhead did confirm the talks, which occur frequently.
by Rainier on Jan. 30, 2006 @ 12:18 p.m. PST | Filed under
News
As promised last week, Microsoft has released a mandatory update to the X360 dashboard. No new features, just a bunch of fixes and tweaks to address problem users reported since its launch, such as improvements to the Xbox Guide, save game logic improved, empty friends after muting people in backwards compatible Xbox titles, more detailed messaging for unreadable disk or region errors, the option to only delete the profile and to leave all save data, and several other adjustments...
by Rainier on Jan. 27, 2006 @ 7:00 p.m. PST | Filed under
News
Xboxic received word that Microsoft is diligently working on a patch to fix various issues with the Xbox 360. "An inside source at Microsoft informed us that Microsoft is currently finishing off one huge update for the Xbox 360 that is going to put an end to all the common problems in both games and the system itself. It will contain fixes for all currently known lockups in games, missing or impossible to get achievements and a bunch of new functionality in the Dashboard." A Call of Duty 2 X360 patch is also expected to be released next week.
by Rainier on Jan. 18, 2006 @ 3:52 a.m. PST | Filed under
News
Microsoft announced an alliance with 4Kids Entertainment, the children's entertainment company known for properties such as Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokémon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to develop a unique children's entertainment property.
by Rainier on Jan. 16, 2006 @ 9:33 a.m. PST | Filed under
News
Last week Microsoft Xbox Corporate VP Peter Moore revealed in an interview with ITMedia that The Xbox 360 would support Blu-ray stirring up a lot of confusion and controversy. Now Microsoft has issued an official statement clarifying the quote and its corporate strategy. Read more for full article ..
by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under
E3 - Pre - E3 2004
News by: Corey Owen
Monday, May 10 – Microsoft kicked off E3 with a bang in front of a packed house at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. When Microsoft comes, they come big, and this year was no different. They had plenty of big announcements and several great in-depth looks at some of the upcoming blockbusters. All the big boys were there, including Jay Allard, Peter Moore, and Robbie Bach, each with a specific area of Xbox's future to discuss. So without further ado let's explore the future of Xbox.
They got off to a quick start, showing great-looking trailers for Fable,
by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under
E3 - Pre - E3 2003
Microsoft Corp. is introducing a series of enhancements for its Xbox videogame system, including music software and online-gaming options that underscore the software giant's plans to use videogames to move more broadly into digital entertainment, Tuesday's Wall Street Journal reported.
Presenting to members of the videogame industry assembled for a convention here this week, Microsoft described software that can let consumers record, mix and organize digital music on the Xbox. The company also announced enhancements to its online-gaming service, called Xbox live, that lets players set up online games and check scores from their personal computers and cell phones as well
by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under
E3 - Pre - E3 2009
During Microsoft's E3 2009 Media Briefing, it not only revealed that Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm are coming to Xbox Live, new Netflix and HDTV features and controller-free gaming, but also showed off a slew of titles such as Splinter Cell Conviction, Crackdown 2, Forza Motorsport 3, Halo: Reach and a bunch more.
The Beatles Rock Band
The show opened up with a demonstration of the newest entry to the Rock Band franchise, starring the original pop foursome themselves, The Beatles. The game's opening cinematic was a long and surreal trip through every thinkable Beatles reference, and then we got a demonstration of
by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under
E3 - Pre - E3 2003
Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. the world's leading third party video game accessory manufacturer, today announced a partnership with Microsoft to develop and manufacture the exclusive microphone and microphone adapter for Microsoft's Xbox(TM) Music Mixer, due for release November 1, 2003. A live demonstration of this product will be at the Mad Catz booth, located in the South Hall, booth #1524, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo May 14-16 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Xbox fans can turn their living rooms into karaoke clubs as they practice their vocal skills with the Mad Catz microphone and microphone adapter. The microphone
by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under
E3 - Pre - E3 2007
Microsoft got to kick off the festivities of the new, slimmer, slightly more disorganized E3. While there were no bombshells, the presentation was slick and aggressive. Journalists got to see new trailers, game demos, and some new information about release dates. Microsoft seems to be repositioning for a battle with Nintendo's red-hot Wii system, now that Sony's all but taken itself out of the race. This means a sudden change of emphasis onto appealing outside of the traditional gaming audience with which Microsoft's always done well. One of the few totally new games announced at the conference, for instance, was
by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under
E3 - Pre - E3 2003
"Halo 2" is the sequel to the highly successful and critically acclaimed game "Halo: Combat Evolved." In "Halo 2," the saga continues as Master Chief, a genetically enhanced supersoldier, is the only thing standing between the relentless Covenant and the destruction of all humankind.
Pushing the Xbox hardware to its very limits and utilizing Xbox Live in a way that Bungie believes will redefine online play, "Halo 2" will expand on everything that made the original game great. At its heart a compelling and captivating story, "Halo 2" makes revolutionary advances in design and technology.
Released in November 2001, "Halo:
by Rainier on Dec. 24, 2005 @ 7:43 a.m. PST | Filed under
News
Calling all Xbox Live gamers! You're about to experience a whole new level in entertainment. Yes, we're talking about the launch of Xbox 360, but we're also talking about the brand new, and free, Xbox Live Diamond Card, an unprecedented merger of your entertainment activities, online and off. Never heard of it? Well, read more to find out what you're in for...
by Rainier on Dec. 13, 2005 @ 3:13 p.m. PST | Filed under
News
American Technology Research analyst Paul-Jon McNealy said he believed Microsoft had 300,000 to 400,000 units for the launch in North America, around 300,000 for the European launch and 100,000 for Japan. He expects Microsoft to ship another 300,000 units in the next week in North America, which would put the total at about 1 million units. Additional shipments would be required at month end to reach McNealy's 1.5 million to 1.8 million target.
by Rainier on Dec. 7, 2005 @ 3:03 p.m. PST | Filed under
News
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will have to shop around for an X360 console this holiday season just like everybody else. "The Ballmer children do not have their Xbox 360 yet. I'm in the same boat as many of you," Ballmer said. "Thanks to the wonders of Sarbanes-Oxley, management does not get a free Xbox 360," he quipped at a meeting of technology industry executives. Sarbanes-Oxley means Microsoft would have to classify a free game console as income for Ballmer.
by Rainier on Nov. 17, 2005 @ 2:16 p.m. PST | Filed under
News
Last week it was revealed that Microsoft currently has over 200 Xbox titles that are compatible and working on its next-gen X360 console. This only being the case for North American versions of the console, the list for other territories was not yet available. Earlier this week Japanese gamers got a huge disappointment with only 12 titles, and today Europeans picking up an Xbox 360 will be able to play
over 150 Xbox titles. Remember this only works with the harddrive enabled system, not the cheap Core System, unless you upgrade. The process is made possible by software emulation, games will be playable in High Def. with antialiasing, which will be freely downloadable, burn on cd and insert in the X360, or install automatically through Xbox Live.
by Rainier on Nov. 14, 2005 @ 8:56 a.m. PST | Filed under
News
Microsoft today announced that 18 Xbox 360 games, and 13 Xbox 360 accessories will be available in North America on Nov. 22, while Europeans will be able to pikc up 15 Xbox 360 games, when the system launches in Europe on 2 December. Read more for details ...
by Rainier on Nov. 8, 2005 @ 1:57 p.m. PST | Filed under
News
Microsoft today announced that retailers nationwide are beginning to sell various Xbox 360 games, accessories, and Xbox Live retail offerings in advance of the November 22 console launch. Eager fans are encouraged to check with their local retail stores for information regarding specific Xbox 360 product availability. Reports have come in that PGR3, Perfect Dark Zero, and Kameo are available left and right.
by Rainier on Oct. 17, 2005 @ 1:44 p.m. PDT | Filed under
News
Firaxis Games today announced the appointment of Bretton Wade as Director of Technology. He'll be responsible for directing the development of game and graphics technology that will enable the teams at Firaxis to reach new heights in delivering stunning game play experiences on next generation consoles and personal computers.