Blu-ray external drive coming very soon for Xbox 360?

According to an Xbit Labs report, the popular Xbox 360 console will be getting an external Blu-ray disc drive, and "soon."

The report says that Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology Corp. has been contracted by Microsoft to begin manufacturing the drive and that it will sell for the cheap price of $100-150 USD, in an effort to stay competitive with the Sony PlayStation 3, which has a built-in Blu-ray drive.

Of course this isn't the first time that we have heard of Xbox 360 Blu-ray rumors but it is the first since June.

Microsoft did not comment on the report and has always maintained that their business model was geared towards digital downloads.

Source: www.afterdawn.com

"New Xbox Experience" coming November 19th

Microsoft VP John Schappert has confirmed today at the Tokyo Game Show event that the Xbox 360 "New Xbox Experience (NXE)" dashboard revamp is coming on November 19th to 26 countries and in 19 languages.

The NXE will completely transform the intrerface of your console but the biggest change is the move to cover flow-esque navigation, working the same way Vista's Aero task switcher does. From there you can cycle through various channels (avatars, demos, new movies, Netflix, etc) and it appears there will be an expansion of channels, from the current 5.

NXE will certainly include Netflix support with the ability to stream over 15,000 movies, concerts and TV shows to your 360. You can also "stream the movie with up to seven other consoles in a 'party' you can also haul around the dashboard, in and out of movies or games."

The NXE also adds Mii-like avatars where gamers can customize a character to look like them (or anyone else) including the face, hair, body and clothing and accessories.

More notably, NXE will give you the ability to copy your retail purchased game to the hard drive, which slows down load times and also saves your drive's laser in the long run.

NXE officially adds 16:10 plus 1440x900 and 1680x1050 widescreen VGA and HDMI support. Fans should applaud this as it will remove most black formatting bars and will offer high resolutions for VGA and HDMI users.

The new interface update will also include a new channel called "Xbox Live Primetime" which is basically a party game (think GSN) channel for XBL members.

Source: www.afterdawn.com

Jasper-equipped Xbox 360s arrive, manufacturing date, lot and team details revealed

According to the Xbox 360 DVD Drive Database, it appears Xbox 360s outfitted with the much-anticipated Jasper chipset have finally started showing up in stores and at online retailers.

The key things to look for when buying a new Xbox 360 with the Jasper chipset is a manufacturing date (MFR) as early as 2008-08-06, Lot 8031 and up, and Team CSON. (You may have to bribe your local GameSpot salesperson to poke his or her finger through the serial number window of 360 box to inspect the manufacturing date.)

For those unfamiliar with why Jasper’s such a big deal, the chipset features 65nm (nanometers) GPU and CPU chips that require less power and are expected to offer cooler, quieter operation - and consequently fewer RRoD (Red Ring of Death) failures.

Source: http://joeygadget.com

Microsoft says No to Blu-ray for Xbox 360

Against earlier reports Microsoft said yesterday that they are not talking to Sony about getting Blu-ray drives for the Xbox 360.

Reuters got the word from Aaron Greenberg, group product manager for Xbox 360 that Microsoft is not currently in talks with Sony or the Blu-ray Association to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience.

Microsoft is apparently betting entirely on digital distribution of media content. I think they will put themselves in a corner, only a handful people really have the bandwidth to get 1080p HD video over the net (you know who you are, you lucky Verizon FiOS customers).

The silver discs will still be with us for a long time. Blu-ray player prices are actually going up right now because there is no competition. This will drive even more customers to the Sony PS3 as it is still the best deal for a Blu-ray player - affordable and already future proof.

Source: www.i4u.com

Rumorang: Lite-On not manufacturing Xbox 360 Blu-ray drives, Microsoft insists

Microsoft has again flipped the 'light off' on the glowing promise of Blu-ray for Xbox 360. Of the latest reports spread from Digitimes that Lite-On would begin shipping Blu-ray drives for Xbox 360 later this year, Microsoft told Techradar: "Lite-On is not manufacturing Blu-ray drives for Xbox 360. As we have stated, games are what are driving consumers to purchase game consoles and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster game available."

Additionally, Microsoft used its swift denial as an opportunity to plug Xbox 360's Video Marketplace, saying, "For our customers who want a premium movie experience we offer the largest library of on-demand HD content available" ... and oh, don't forget, a budget-priced HD-DVD player!

Source : www.joystiq.com

New Xbox 360 Jasper chipset could lower prices and kill Sony off

Now that Xbox 360s with the new smaller and more reliable Falcon chipset are rolling off the production line, it seems Microsoft are already lining up a replacement. And this baby could potentially steal the Wii’s market, and leave the PS3 expensive and floundering.

The Mercury News Blog is reporting today that a new motherboard codenamed Jasper is being readied to replace Falcon by as early as next August, just in time for next year’s holiday shopping season.

Jasper consists of a smaller 65nm graphics card and smaller memory chips than the existing Falcon. The Falcon board was introduced as a way of reducing costs and also the chances of overheating, the cause of the so called Red Ring of Death that plagued early Xbox 360 consoles and is still costing the company money to solve.

It’s thought that the new Jasper chipset will further reduce this problem, and almost guarantee your beloved console won’t suddenly pack up and need to be sent for repairs.

The other advantage is of course the even lower costs of production, as the smaller graphics and memory chips will both lower how much it costs to manufacture each console. This could, and let’s face it, should be a saving that Microsoft passes on to its customers.

After the Falcon started shipping, the cost of an Xbox 360 was lowered by $50 so come next August that should be the least we expect to see happen.

If Microsoft can push Jasper out sooner than next August we could see two intriguing and important developments in the battle for console supremacy in the marketplace. For one, the Xbox 360 would come down in price nearer to the price of a Wii, and take it comfortably in to the realms of casual gamers everywhere. And secondly and most telling, unless Sony pull a severe price cut out of that top hat of theirs then the PS3 could be killed off as a contender for the top spot.

Seriously, if most people had the choice of a Wii or Xbox 360 for $300 or a $500 PS3, what would they do? We’re not talking hardcore gamers here, we’re now in the middle of kids and parents casual gamers heaven. The PS3 just wouldn’t be able to compete at that price and in that type of competitive marketplace.

Source: http://gamer.blorge.com

Bungie Teases new Title (HALO 4??)

UK, July 8, 2008 - Those mischievous scamps at Bungie have been teasing the internet, whispering suggestive statements at the end of its recent podcast about some major Bungie news coming this Monday.

Picked up by the ever vigilant Kotaku, the final minutes of the transmission feature an enigmatic interchange between Bungie's community lead Brian Jarrard Community and Luke Smith. 'Isn't there something going on on July 14th or something like that?' said Jarrard, 'Something that's sticking in my head for some reason. Guess we'll have to see.'

Next Monday happens to herald the start of the annual announce-fest that is E3, and a glance at our diaries confirms that Microsoft is holding its press conference that very day, but what could the mystery game from Bungie be? It's been heavily rumoured that the Peter Jackson Halo project could finally see the light of day, but Bungie has recently been touting numerous images of a mysterious avatar with a plunger that could well be a taster for its first steps outside of the Master Chief's universe.

Source: http://xbox360.ign.com

Leaked Info on 60gb Starter Kit and 20gb's Death

There has been a lot of speculation as to how the rumored 60gb hard drive would impact the established hardware in the Xbox 360 lineup. Thanks to some leaked info, we have the complete details. ... Below is a portion of an email being sent out to GameStop and Blockbuster buyers (logistical people handling what the store actually stocks). The email has the complete details on the 60gb hard drive and what will happen to the 20gb and 120gb hard drives. Email follows:

With the introduction of the 60GB Pro console in July, we have research that suggests it is very important to have a 60GB stand alone Hard Drive to go along with it to allow the consumer a full range of choices and values. In late October/early November (exact date TBD but most likely last week in October or 1st week in November), we will ship the Xbox 360 60GB Hard Drive, tentatively called the “Xbox 360 60GB LIVE Starter Pack”. This will be an excellent value price at and ERP of $99.99 with an 18% retail margin that contains:

· 60GB Hard Drive

· 3 Months of Xbox Live

· Xbox 360 Wired Headset

· Xbox 360 Ethernet Cable (same one that is included with Pro and Elite)

Positioning: For Xbox 360 Arcade and Core console owners, the Xbox 360 60GB Live Starter Pack offers all of the components to get onto Xbox LIVE and jump in to on line multiplayer gaming and Marketplace content downloads at an incredible value.

With the end of life of the 20GB Hard Drive and the price drop of the 120GB Hard Drive to $149.99 in September, this new 60GB hard drive will fit very well into our “Choice and Value” pillar and will fit nicely into our accessory line up. Exact SKU/UPC/Set up info will come soon and once we nail down the exact MSD, I will let you all know immediately.

SOurce: http://xboxfamily.com

Rumor: Forza 3 will have 2 discs, 400 cars, more

We know there is a certain section of the readership that hates our guts for posting rumors, but frankly, we really don't much care. We do our best to show exactly where rumors come from, and always leave it to you to make the decision about their truthfulness for yourselves. This next one came from the same survey page that the "Xbox Avatar" rumor came from, and has all sorts of goodies in it.

The page states that Forza 3 will ship on two discs, have some sort of "assist system", will be loaded to the brim with content (400 cars, 100 tracks, etc) and will have car deformation. Really though, the biggest news here is the possible hint (if the survey page is to be believed) that the game was constrained by the limitations of the DVD format ...

Source: www.xbox360fanboy.com/

Rumor: 20GB Xbox 360 is out, 60GB is in

TrustedReviews is pretty confident about their latest "world exclusive" – they say the Xbox 360's 20GB hard drive is going the way of the Core system (read: dying), and in its place we'll have a 60GB Pro system. While the site is sure their info is on the money, they're not sure about when we can expect this new drive (before the end of Microsoft's fiscal year, says their source, which ends June 30). Will the hard drive-less Arcade console replace the missing 20GB model? They can't be sure, but they do say the boys in Redmond are considering adding another SKU to their increasingly complex product lineup. Something in between the Arcade and the 60GB? Or perhaps something with built-in Blu-ray

Source: www.joystiq.com

Ninja Gaiden 2 rated 18 (a first for the series)

The BBFC has rated the upcoming release of Ninja Gaiden 2, and have decided to tag the game with an 18 rating. This is the highest rating the series has got since its debut. According to the BBFC the work was passed with no cuts made.

In the past the board chose to give both Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden Sigma a 15 when they rated those games. PEGI also gave the original Xbox title a ‘16′ back in 2004, but they work on a different scale.

So what does this mean for the content of the game then? Well, according to the BBFC it means the game “contains strong, bloody violence,” although I guess that revelation is not news to most. To tell the truth we could not find a header image for this news item that did not have blood!

Conversely, the last three Ninja Gaiden games have all being rated “M” by the ESRB in the US, so this one is likely to follow suit. However, the OFLC in Australia still only rate games up to a maximum of MA15+, which means Ninja Gaiden 2 could very well get banned or heavily edited down under if their board sees the same rise in violence the BBFC did. They previously blocked Ninja Gaiden Black getting a release in the country.

Source: www.darkzero.co.uk

New Xbox 360 Jasper chipset could lower prices and kill Sony off

Now that Xbox 360s with the new smaller and more reliable Falcon chipset are rolling off the production line, it seems Microsoft are already lining up a replacement. And this baby could potentially steal the Wii’s market, and leave the PS3 expensive and floundering.

The Mercury News Blog is reporting today that a new motherboard codenamed Jasper is being readied to replace Falcon by as early as next August, just in time for next year’s holiday shopping season.

Jasper consists of a smaller 65nm graphics card and smaller memory chips than the existing Falcon. The Falcon board was introduced as a way of reducing costs and also the chances of overheating, the cause of the so called Red Ring of Death that plagued early Xbox 360 consoles and is still costing the company money to solve.

It’s thought that the new Jasper chipset will further reduce this problem, and almost guarantee your beloved console won’t suddenly pack up and need to be sent for repairs.

The other advantage is of course the even lower costs of production, as the smaller graphics and memory chips will both lower how much it costs to manufacture each console. This could, and let’s face it, should be a saving that Microsoft passes on to its customers.

After the Falcon started shipping, the cost of an Xbox 360 was lowered by $50 so come next August that should be the least we expect to see happen.

If Microsoft can push Jasper out sooner than next August we could see two intriguing and important developments in the battle for console supremacy in the marketplace. For one, the Xbox 360 would come down in price nearer to the price of a Wii, and take it comfortably in to the realms of casual gamers everywhere. And secondly and most telling, unless Sony pull a severe price cut out of that top hat of theirs then the PS3 could be killed off as a contender for the top spot.

Seriously, if most people had the choice of a Wii or Xbox 360 for $300 or a $500 PS3, what would they do? We’re not talking hardcore gamers here, we’re now in the middle of kids and parents casual gamers heaven. The PS3 just wouldn’t be able to compete at that price and in that type of competitive marketplace.

Jasper may only be a chipset, but could it kill Sony off as the games hardware top dog?

Rumor: Xbox 360 slimming down in 2009 [update]

Since it won't go anywhere near the Wii Fit balance board and is extremely likely to die during a heated workout, your obese Xbox 360 isn't going to get thinner in its lifetime. No, that's what the "Xbox 540" replacement is for, claims TG Daily. The site reckons that Microsoft will release a "mid-cycle refresh" of the system in Fall 2009, one built around a new and more compact "Valhalla" internal chipset. (Have we introduced you to Jasper yet?)

The shrinking of innards will reportedly allow a redesign of the system's exterior, much like the PlayStation 2's second iteration. Our fancy next-gen games may be getting bigger on the screen, but much like our Wiis, it seems we'll end up with something smaller to play with. On. Play games on.

Source: www.joystiq.com

Report: Xbox 360 Jasper chipset contracted for production, Valhalla on deck

Reports that Xbox 360's Jasper chipset will begin shipping in August continue to hum along, as China Economic News Service has named three Taiwanese companies that have been contracted to manufacture, test and package the pair of 65nm microprocessors in preparation for a summer rollout. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) will build the chips, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering will test and package them, and Nanya will supply flip-chip packaging substrates (which sure do sound important). The Jasper combo will ideally use less power, simplify cooling and, most importantly, cut back on the console's jibba jabba.

Industry analysts have also pegged TSMC as the primary candidate for Valhalla chipset production (in addition to the Jasper contract, TSMC has also built 90nm chips for an older version of Xbox 360). Valhalla is rumored to be a single super-chip that combines the properties of a 65nm CPU and 65nm GPU, and is expected to be incorporated into Xbox 360 hardware in the fall of 2009.

Source: www.joystiq.com

Even more problems with MS customer service

Microsoft just can't seem to do much right on the customer support front. So much so that we're rather tired of hearing about it. This time however, the story has more than a few new wrinkles that made it insightful enough to take a second look. The story begins with a review of the whole crazy situation and in it the author remains relatively fair and calm. Then comes the fifth paragraph, and specifics about repeat failures begin to surface.

Things like the fact that the 3-year warranty won't extend to any problem other than the RROD for any replacement console that you are sent by Microsoft. Things like the fact that if Microsoft sends you a replacement console that does not function, you're then stuck with the original 1-year warranty that came with your first 360. Basically, if your 360 RROD'd between 366 and 1095 days after purchase (just over one year to three years) then Microsoft will send you a replacement console. But if that one has something wrong with it other than the RROD, then it'll cost you $100 to send it back to Microsoft to get it fixed. Remember kids, it's wrong to screw people over if you're not a multinational corporation.

Source: www.anandtech.com

360 outselling PS3 in UK after GTA IV Release

GTA IV’s status as one of the premier battles between Microsoft and Sony continues in the European theatre, as Chart-Track has reported that sales of the game have reached 1.3 million in the UK, with 750,000 copies on the 360 and 570,000 on the PS3. When looking at hardware figures Chart-Track examined sales of both consoles from four weeks before the launch of GTA IV, to four weeks afterward. The data shows that hardware sales have risen 47% on the 360, compared to a meager 8% on the PS3.

In order to not let Microsoft get too cocky, some have pointed out that the PS3’s hardware boost came a little bit before the GTA IV hype with the release of GT 5 Prologue, a PS3 exclusive title. Looking even further back, and taking the first 21 weeks of 2008 into account, sales of the PS3 in the UK are 10% ahead of the 360. There’s still something to be said for the lead in 360 hardware sales during the launch of GTA IV, showing that at least in the UK there is not the same kind of PlayStation brand affinity associated with Rockstar’s series that exists in North America.

Source: www.xbox360.thegamereviews.com

Grand Theft Auto receives acclaim

Highly anticipated video game Grand Theft Auto (GTA) IV has received a string of near-perfect reviews ahead of its worldwide release.

The game is expected to break records for the fastest-selling game of all time and many shops opened their doors at midnight for gamers.

The game has been classified as 18 in the UK and Mature for US gamers.

US regulators have reminded parents that the title is not designed for children under 17 years old.

In the UK, 41 shops are understood to have put the game on sale at midnight, including outlets in Stevenage, Hertfordshire; Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire; Hammersmith, in west London; and Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent.

Reviews for Grand Theft Auto IV have been unanimous in their praise.

UK-based games website Eurogamer called it "game of the year" and handed it a 10 out of 10 review score, while the New York Times said it delivered a "new level of depth for an interactive entertainment experience".

Source: www.news.bbc.co.uk

Next Xbox 360 Designs are "Opus" and "Valhalla"

The original Xbox 360 motherboard is called the Xenon with both a 90 nm CPU and 90 nm GPU, there has been system cooling revisions to it. Next was Zephyr motherboard with HDMI that was introduced with the Xbox 360 Elite and and some had newer "heat pumps". Currently on the market is Falcon with a cooler 65 nm CPU but still the same hot GPU as the Xenon.

It's well known that the next Xbox 360 motherboard is going to be Jasper and it going to have both a 65 nm CPU and a 65 nm GPU. Jasper is going to be a major advancement in reliability since it is going to run much quieter than previous Xbox 360 systems. Jasper's reliability is in part to the fact that there is no place on the motherboard that is going to be running as hot or as much power as previous Xbox 360 systems, also it might run a lot quieter since it will not need as much power. When Microsoft hired IBM and ATI to provide the original Xbox 360 CPU and GPU Microsoft put it in the contract so that the Xbox team will own the technology for the chips and can make subsequent reduced cost revisions to the chips. The Xbox one had leased technology from Intel and Nvidia and that is one of the main reasons for the change in CPU and GPU venders. Jasper is very real and they are testing prototypes right now. Word from Redmond is that progress on Jasper is going well and on schedule and you can expect it fall of 2008. My birthday is in October and I am probably going to upgrade to a Jasper Xbox 360 if my Xenon lasts that long.

Source: www.8bitjoystick.com

Xbox Jasper 65nm chips all lined up

MICROSOFT has lined up all the chips it needs to build its upcoming Xbox revision named Jasper.

Jasper is due this summer and features chippery shrunk from 90nm to 65.

IBM is supplying 65nm Xenon microprocessors for the box. Now, according to CENS, TSMC is to build 65nm graphics chips and north-bridge chips for its latest version of XBox360 game consoles Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (ASE) will do the packaging and Nanya PCB Corp. has a hand in the deal too.

The Chinese wire says Microsoft has booked foundry capacity for some 10,000 300mm wafers at TSMC.

It also says a further Xbox, with integrated GP and CPU and named Valhalla, is set for autumn 2009

Source: www.theinquirer.net

Army of Two Cheats and Codes

Hint: Heavy-Armored Guards
Heavy-Armored Guards are a pain to kill in this game, since you have to shoot them from behind to damage them. However, the powerful fifty caliber sniper rifle can knock back and knock down these guards. When they’re on the ground, they’re prone to any attack.


Hint: Refill Your Ammo
If you're running low on ammunition (or have run out completely) on any of your currently-equipped weapons, wait until Mid-Mission Shopping, which is an option multiple times on almost every stage in the game. Change your weapons when this option comes up, and the new gun or guns selected will be fully stocked with ammunition.


Hint: Briefcase Locations
Below are the locations of all fourteen intel briefcases in the game. Please keep in mind that they can only be collected one time, so if you've collected a briefcase, it won't appear again on a subsequent playthrough. On the flipside, however, if you didn't collect them on your first playthrough, they'll be there on subsequent playthroughs until you do.

Afghanistan

* 1.) Look behind the initial M-11 missile you encounter. There's a small path going uphill near it. That's where this intel briefcase is.
* 2.) Kill the first heavy armor guard you encounter (there will be a cutscene), and search the platform area nearby. The briefcase is on top of a short set of stairs at the back end of the platform.
* 3.) In the area adjacent to Brian Hick's cell, you will find this briefcase.

Iraq

* 1.) Right before climbing up the ladder in order to take out Ali Youseff's Helicopter, grab the briefcase at the bottom of the ladder.
* 2.) After calling in the air-strike on a nearby bunker, seek out a large tent near the dividing wall. The briefcase should be against the wall near the tent.
* 3.) Right before you meet Ali Youseff, there are some metal platforms with armed guards on it. Kill all of the enemies, and then climb up the steps to the platform's second level. Climb another ladder to a third level, where the briefcase is located.

Aircraft Carrier

* 1.) After landing on the ship's main deck, run to the right of the control tower. The briefcase is nearby.
* 2.) When you enter the hangar to use one of the parked planes to blow through a door, seek out some missiles. Look behind them, as they obscure the location of this briefcase.
* 3.) After setting the missiles to blow up the ship in the final hangar, look around to find a sort of makeshift basketball court. Behind the farthest basket is this briefcase.

China

* 1.) After arriving at the dam, head towards the first control tower. Across the dam is a similar control tower, where the briefcase is located.
* 2.) After you arrive at the village and co-op snipe some enemies, choose to take the rightmost path. When you come across the first house you can enter, do so, climbing to the second floor to find this briefcase.
* 3.) When you arrive at the factory, don't enter it immediately. Instead, search around and behind the factory to find this briefcase.

Miami

* 1.) Once you've opened the gates to the luggage area, you'll need to head to the control room. There's a smaller office near the control room where this briefcase is located.
* 2.) When you're on the third floor of the SSC Tower and must operate a lift, ignore the lift and run to the far end of the third floor, where the final of the fourteen briefcases is located.


Unlockable: Free Weapons & Difficulty
Too cheap to buy the weapons? You can unlock access to all the basic weapons by beating the campaign on professional difficulty, or just the primary weapons (assault rifles, shotguns, etc.) by beating the game on any other lesser difficulty.

To unlock professional difficulty, do as the game tells you -- beat the game's campaign on either recruit or contractor difficulty.


Unlocked weapons are only available at their base (no upgrade) version. Hint: Panda Express (Money Farming)
Not really interested in dying over and over again because of the lack of cash in the early stages and don't mind the monotony of MMMORPG farming? Try a new campaign in China. The first objective pays $30,000 and can be cycled quickly (about 3 minutes with co-op snipe). The checkpoint is back down the hill next to the hovercraft. Once you get the checkpoint (saves your money), quit and restart the stage. Tedious but effective. You only wish you could make $10,000 per minute.

Instant Messaging Comes to Xbox 360

Redmond , Washington—Your Xbox LIVE® friends list is about to get a whole lot bigger. Microsoft Corp. today announced the launch of Windows LIVE™ Messenger on Xbox 360™, connecting friends across Xbox 360 consoles, Microsoft® Windows®-based PCs and Windows Mobile®-powered devices.

With this update to Xbox 360, friends and families can easily connect and chat directly from their television using Windows Live Messenger, a network of more than 20 billion relationships and more than 260 million active accounts.
Beginning the week of May 7, 2007, the Xbox 360 Spring Update will provide Xbox 360 owners worldwide with access to Windows Live Messenger features, broadening the communication options on the Xbox LIVE social network.

Connected Experiences
Members of the six-million-strong Xbox LIVE community currently send more than two million text and voice messages a day and can now use Windows Live Messenger to text chat with up to six people on their contact list at one time, while playing games, listening to music, or watching movies. Text chat adds to the variety of options friends and families already have to communicate with on Xbox LIVE, including voice and video chat.

Current relationships on Windows Live Messenger and Xbox LIVE will be unified on Xbox 360 and users will see at a glance if their existing friends on Windows Live Messenger have Gamertags, instantly expanding the breadth of connected experiences they can share online.

"Bringing the largest IM community in the world, Windows Live Messenger, to Xbox 360 makes sense, as Xbox LIVE has really become the largest social network on television," said Jerry Johnson, product unit manager of Xbox LIVE at Microsoft. "For our growing community of six million on Xbox LIVE, using Xbox 360 is a very social, connected experience. They are using Xbox 360 to play games, music, and movies while simultaneously communicating with one another through video, voice, and text chat. With this announcement we are simultaneously expanding the access of Xbox LIVE users to existing friends and family while introducing Windows Live Messenger users to the benefits of Xbox 360."
Other New Features
Beyond Windows Live Messenger, the Spring Update for Xbox 360 includes hundreds of new features and enhancements including:

* A richer Achievement notification pop-up will showcase the name of the unlocked Achievement and the Gamerscore value without needing to leave the game to check the Achievements list.
* Enhanced family settings features for Xbox LIVE communications enable different defaults for video chat and voice chat.
* A new Xbox LIVE Marketplace blade lets Xbox LIVE members access the content they seek—whether it is game content or TV shows and movies (available in the United States)—from one place on Xbox LIVE.
* Updates to Xbox LIVE Arcade allow owners to quickly see which Xbox LIVE Arcade games their friends are playing and join in the fun. Xbox LIVE members can also compare progress of leaderboard scores and Achievements directly with all friends on their friends list.
* Expanded "Tell a Friend" capabilities make it easier than ever to boast about Achievements and high scores.
* A new option in Auto Downloads provides faster access to the entire collection of free, trial-version Xbox LIVE Arcade games.
* New progressive download controls provide easy access to optimal viewing options by letting people fast-forward, rewind, pause and resume as their video is downloaded from Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
* Extension of the background download functionality will allow owners to set their Xbox 360 console to turn off automatically after downloads are complete.

The Spring Update is free beginning the week of May 7, and will be easily accessible to every Xbox 360 owner through Xbox LIVE or on Xbox.com.

You may not even notice all the new features, but they are all designed to enhance your Xbox LIVE experience. Some of the other features in this upgrade include:

* When the user is in the dashboard and an Xbox 360 game is in the console, then the name of the game is displayed in the tray icon of the dashboard. If the user highlights the tray icon, then achievements and Gamerscore are displayed for that game based on the signed-in user.
* Integrated support for the new Xbox 360 text input device. Note that this device includes a new wired headset.
* Playback progress bar indicates download completion.
* Switchable aspect ratio now available during video playback (Auto to Letterbox, Zoom, Stretch, Native).
* Player and friends lists now quickly show session presence information for quick identification of users that are joinable.
* Added H.264 video support: Up to 10 Mbps peak, Baseline, Main, and High profiles with 2 channel AAC LC.
* Added MPEG-4 Part 2 video support: Up to 5 Mbps peak, Simple Profile with 2 channel AAC LC.
* Shows folder hierarchy for video content played from all devices.
* Bookmarks are stored for each video that the user plays, remembering the user's last location in the file as well as the aspect ratio that the user chose for that file.
* Video trick modes (fast forward, rewind, chapter skip) can now be used while downloading Video Marketplace content.
* Skip forward and backward functionality has been improved to skip to the next or previous chapter. Each video is divided into 10 "chapters" allowing you to quickly skip around video content.
* The information bar that is turned on via the On-Screen Display (OSD) now shows you exactly where you are in the playback of the video file. In addition, it will also show for Video Marketplace content how much of the file has been downloaded and where the "chapters" exist in the file.
* Windows Media protected content (WM-DRM) can now be streamed from the PC to the console. If the WM-DRM license is missing or corrupted, then a specific error message is displayed to the user. Bookmarking is also stored for protected content.
* When a user selects an item for download from Marketplace, then the system will determine if there is sufficient disk space for the item and, if not, will ask the user to delete content on the HDD. The system provides a sorted by size list of videos, game trailers, demos and arcade content to aid the user in the deletion process. The same list of items are also available from within memory so that users can quickly see which items are consuming the most disk space.
* The console will block the user who attempts to download content onto a storage device that will never have the capacity to store the item without deducting any points associated with the content item.
* The screensaver is disabled when playing photos from any source.

Grand Theft Auto IV Cheats Unveiled?

Most people believe in playing a game like Grand Theft Auto IV without cheats or other artificial advantages; such is the way of the dedicated and honorable player. However, after playing it straight for a while, you might want to toy around with some uber-awesome cheats.

Now, the game isn't out yet - another couple of days; it'll be on store shelves - but it seems a set of cheats has already been released over at Wiki Cheats. We have no idea if these are accurate, but if they are, you've got the inside track to automatic mafia greatness. Check 'em out-

Weapons Tier 1: Press R1, L2, R2, L1, Up, Down, Left, Right, Up

Weapons Tier 2: Press R1, L2, R2, L1, Right, Down, Left, Up, Right, Down, Left, Up

Weapons Tier 3: Press R1, L2, R2, L1, Right, Down, Left, Up, Right, Down, Left, Up, Right(2)

Run Quickly: Press R1(2), Left, Right, L2, Square, Triangle, L1, Circle

Invincibility: Press R1, Circle(2), L2, R2, Triangle, X, L1, Right

Health: Press R1, L1, L2, Square, R2, Left, Right, Left, Right

Money: Press Up, Down, L1, L2, Left, Right, R1, R2, Square

We're not sure if the last two give you unlimited health and money, or if you just get a certain amount every time you perform the cheat. But that invincibility code is just plain sweet, and now we'll be on the lookout for the "Infinite Ammo" cheat...

Source: www.xboxnerds.com

Rock Band: 3 Million Units Shipped, 10 Million Songs Downloaded

According to GameDaily, Viacom (parent company of MTV, which owns Harmonix), has announced that Rock Band has managed to ship "more than three million bundled units" since its launch last November. That's certainly a healthy number, and one that likely rivals - if not trumps - Activision's competing title, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. On top of this, Harmonix has revealed that over 10 million songs have been downloaded off the Internet, which only proves that those downloadable packs are both highly sought-after and extremely lucrative. And much like Grand Theft Auto IV and Take-Two, Rock Band's success has caused Viacom's Media Networks division to leap.

"Media Networks revenues rose 16% to $2.02 billion, principally driven by strong sales of the music video game Rock Band," Viacom said in an official statement. "...our Rock Band video game is continuing its successful tour and is emerging as a valuable long-term franchise. We expect to further that success with the upcoming release of Rock Band on the Wii home video game system and our launch in Europe," commented Philippe Dauman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom.

Without any doubt, the music genre of video games, once a budding new category in the interactive entertainment world, now contains several of the most popular games in history. And Rock Band definitely qualifies.

Source: www.xboxnerds.com

GTA IV Soundtrack Launching on May 20

Rockstar Games announces the May 20th release of Liberty City Invasion: Music from and Inspired by Grand Theft Auto IV produced entirely by The Evil Genius Green Lantern

Today, Rockstar Games and Future Green Entertainment are proud to announce the release of an original production album from The Evil Genius DJ Green Lantern featuring music from and inspired by Grand Theft Auto IV.

Containing eight brand new tracks crafted exclusively for DJ Green Lantern's "Liberty City Invasion" radio show on the in-game radio station “The Beat,” as well as eight new songs directly inspired by Grand Theft Auto IV, The Evil Genius DJ Green Lantern has created an epic urban soundtrack. This special album release features an incredible lineup of hip-hop, reggae and R&B superstars including heavyweights Busta Rhymes, Wyclef, Fat Joe, Styles P and Fabolous as well as up-and-coming artists Mavado, Uncle Murder and Future Green Entertainment’s own Johnny Polygon, Qadir and more.

Singles include “Where’s My Money” from Busta Rhymes and “Nickname” from the brand new artist Qadir. The perfect summer anthem “I’m So Fly,” featuring Fat Joe and Fabolous is inspired by Grand Theft Auto IV and while included on the album is not in the game.

“The Grand Theft Auto games have always featured stunning soundtracks and the amount of eclectic music in Grand Theft Auto IV goes above and beyond anything we have been able to do before” said Sam Houser, Founder and Executive Producer of Rockstar Games, "DJ Green Lantern’s contributions give the soundtrack a true New York flavor and we’re excited to be releasing his full album to fans.”

“From making mixtapes, to being on the radio, to touring with the biggest artists on the planet, and then for the biggest video game title to solicit me to create exclusive music is something most people could only dream about, it’s like a graduation,” said Green. “Rockstar Games understood what I bring to the table as far as not just presenting music, but creating music.”

Green Lantern originally came to prominence in the mixtape scene by consistently featuring exclusive self-produced music with hip-hop superstars like Eminem, Jay-Z, The Beastie Boys, Mike Shinoda's Fort Minor, D-Block, Busta Rhymes, Mobb Deep and many more. This led to an acclaimed career as a proper music producer in his own right which has yielded such Billboard hits as "Number One Spot" by Ludacris and "In The Ghetto" by Busta Rhymes featuring Rick James as well as the street hits Akon "Ghetto" feat. Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac, Uncle Murda's "Bullet, Bullet," and many more. Green Lantern can be heard every week nationally on his Sirius Satellite Radio show.

The Evil Genius Green Lantern makes his official production album debut with the release of Liberty City Invasion: Music from and Inspired by Grand Theft Auto IV. It will be available at all major digital retailers on May 20th with a physical release coming soon.

Grand Theft Auto IV is currently available for the Xbox 360 and the PLAYSTATION 3.

Source:www.xbox360.gamezone.com

GRID's Multiplayer Details Confirmed

Fierce 12-Player online races with full car damage

Reflecting the ethos, spirit and attitude of the offline game, GRID will bring the world of motorsports to life online as Codemasters today announced that the game's multiplayer content will feature 32 exhilarating online race events on 80 circuits at 15 intercontinental locations.

Featuring up to 12-player events with incredible full car damage, GRID's online multiplayer races will see gamers competing in aggressive races on iconic city streets and famous championship circuits across Europe, the U.S. and Japan.

"GRID online is the ultimate expression of what the game is all about - collision-packed, aggressive, wheel-to-wheel racing," said Ralph Fulton, Chief Game Designer, GRID. "Our wide range of motorsport disciplines, stunning locations and full damage 12-player races make for a uniquely spectacular race experience and our immersive new ranking system rewards player skill and deepens the challenge online."

Players will earn fear and respect by taking their custom paint jobs online and competing in a huge range of racing disciplines - from drifting around Yokohama Docks, charging through the mean streets of Detroit, racing touring cars around Spa-Francorchamps to competing in chaotic demolition derbies.

Only the purest race experience is at the heart of GRID's gameplay design, so in online multiplayer, everything is geared towards maximizing the player's time spent on track and minimizing their time spent in lobbies. Players can rapidly find the event they want and a slick voting system, matchmaking mechanism and seamless host migration means gamers find competitive races quickly and sessions stay together longer.

An innovative new online ranking system charts players' progress as they advance from Junior Rookie to Legend, with experience points being awarded based on a wide range of achievements, from events won to beating higher ranked opponents.

As players rise through the rankings, online leaderboards record the fastest laps for each track and gamers can download ghost cars to test out their skill against the best in the world in Test Drive mode or check out the competition in Spectator mode. Players can also fully customize their game including switching damage on or off, enabling catch-up mode, setting driver aids and allowing public and private games.

GRID is coming June 3rd for the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION and Games For Windows. A Nintendo DS edition will follow. GRID playable demos - featuring two online multiplayer events - are now available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace, PLAYSTATION Network and, for the Games For Windows demo, please visit www.grid-game.com

Source: www.xbox360.gamezone.com

Gears of War 2: More Emotionally Affecting than Bioshock

In an interview with OXM U.K., voice actor Carlos Ferro, who personifies Dominic Santiago, says the story of Gears of War 2 will be "more emotionally affecting than Bioshock."

"Beyond it," Ferro says. "I said it. It's going to be more emotionally effecting than Bioshock. A lot happens."

Hopefully that will convince New Line Cinema to finally green light the big screen adaptation of Gears of War. 2K Games already reached an agreement for BioShock to be developed as a feature film by Universal Pictures, with Gore Verbinski, director of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, slated to direct and produce the movie and John Logan, Academy Award-nominated writer of Gladiator, The Aviator and Sweeney Todd, in talks to write the screenplay.

Source: www.teamxbox.com

Rumors persisted today that the Xbox 360 would be slimmed down for 2009.

Putting the PlayStation 2 on a diet worked for Sony, but Microsoft today squashed rumors that it was planning to shed a few pounds off the Xbox 360's bulk in 2009.

Late Tuesday night, TG Daily said an "Xbox 540" or sorts would arrive in 2009 to reinvigorate the Xbox line, much like the slim versions of the PS2 and PSP had done for those systems.

Microsoft, however, moved quickly Wednesday morning with an outright -- albeit strangely worded -- denial.

"While we don't normally comment on rumors like this, we can tell you that we have no plans to release a new console in 2009," a rep said.

Even so, rumors have persisted this year that Microsoft is working hard to streamline the insides of the Xbox 360, as part of an effort to combat the console's notoriously high failure rates.

"No new console" is tricky. It might mean no to a completely new console, but a redesigned one... why not?

Source:www.gamepro.com

Microsoft denies 'motion sensor' Xbox 360 update

Xbox 360 motion rumors persist

A purported list of Xbox 360 Spring Update features surfaced on Tuesday, lending further credibility to rumors that Microsoft will release a Wii-like motion controller for Xbox 360.

The list of features, obtained by Kotaku from a tipster claiming to be close to an Xbox insider, includes "options for motion sensor devices" and the ability to "store installation data on Storage Device for faster loading" among other things.

In response, a Microsoft official told Joystiq on Wednesday: "We don't comment on rumors or speculation, but what we can tell you is we've never seen this list before."

Rumors of an Xbox 360 motion controller surfaced in late 2007, something Microsoft did not outright deny.

In April, an anonymous developer told MTV News that Microsoft was hastily planning to launch a Wii-like controller later this year, in an effort to compete with the raging success of the Nintendo Wii. Ambiguous comments from both Microsoft and third-party tech companies since then have done little to diffuse the rumor.

Microsoft is currently the only console maker not supporting some kind of motion controls. The Wii uses them for primary input, while the PS3 recognizes secondary gesture-based movements on select games.

Source: www.gamepro.com

Rumored Xbox 360 Spring Update Touts "Motion Sensor" Features, Game Installs

If Microsoft follows the same schedule it did last year, the Spring system update for the Xbox 360 should be right around the corner. Today, an alleged and wholly unconfirmed list of changes included in the "Q2 2008" update was sent to us, supposedly forwarded from an internal source. The full list—which is after the jump—features about 80 new feature additions, tweaks and changes but was purported to be incomplete and subject to change.

Some are simply interesting as curiosities, such as an option to purchase Xbox Live memberships for charities and the addition of a Media section for audio delivered through feeds, such as podcasts. Others sound more feature robust, such as Windows Live Mail integration and an expanded "Inside Xbox" with news, weather, entertainment, help and community features.

Perhaps the most interesting additions are "Calibration options for motion sensor devices" for the Dashboard and "Support for titles to store installation data on Storage Device for faster loading" for Games. If true, the former would lend further credibility to frequent rumors that Microsoft is planning to introduce a motion controller for the Xbox 360. The ability to store installation data on a hard drive—as is done with some PlayStation 3 games—would certainly be a welcome option, if that's how the wording should be interpreted. Continue on for the full list of rumored updates.

Xbox LIVE
1. Option to delay sign-in to Xbox LIVE upon booting console (to allow user to set Online Status).
2. Option to promote Child Account from Family Settings.
3. Disallow Child Accounts (over 18) to override Family Settings by launching Privacy Settings through a title.
4. Option in Family Settings for Child Accounts to enable child-oriented/non-mature advertisements.
5. Introduce a group chat (4) for Private Chat and conferences through Video Chat.
6. Support to indicate media being watched to gamercard status (video content from Marketplace only).
7. Extend height for Bio field in Personal Profile, easier navigation through text.
8. More fields present in Personal Profile - recent achievements, interests, games, movies, links, custom section.
9. Compact Personal Profile for new fields (navigating to field will open it up).
10. Mandatory option to delete duplicate titles from gamercard (excludes Games for Windows - LIVE). User disconnected from Xbox LIVE when booting any title until action complete.
11. Option to remove payment information from gamertag.
12. New payment methods for international users.
13. Download History on Account Management better organized - games, genre, type, download date, miscellaneous.
14. Long descriptions of items on Marketplace can be scrolled using right stick.
15. Better organization of free content on Marketplace.
16. Option to 'ping' when testing connection.
17. Allow re-connection to Xbox LIVE if Ethernet cable is re-inserted whilst powered on.
18. New strip colors available to developers, staff gamercards.
19. New corner icon available to ambassadors.
20. Re-introduce Messages button for Inside Xbox updates only.
21. Option to store up to 10 messages permanently on server (excludes invites, status messages).
22. Increase character limit for text messages between friends only.
23. Option to disable invites from non-friends or all players.
24. Option to disable invites from titles not on gamercard (excludes demos).
25. Option to have smaller items moved up in Active Downloads.
26. Automatically re-connect to Xbox LIVE if disconnected unexpectedly (set intervals).
27. Option to download gamer picture (if available) from a gamercard being viewed.
28. Display random tips to replace static text on Xbox LIVE and Games blades.
29. New button on Marketplace for optional dashboard features - uses Storage Device memory.
30. Option to donate Microsoft Points to anybody with a Windows Live ID.
31. Option to purchase Membership for charities (includes benefits).
32. Integrate file-sharing for selected titles on Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows - LIVE.
33. Disable notifications to friends of user repeatedly signing into service (set period).
34. Option to see 'snippet' of text message in notification.
35. Windows Live Mail integration - includes support for Xbox LIVE Vision.
36. Web feeds integration - text, images, audio. Includes support for specific item codes on Marketplace.
37. Option to display gamer picture or standard picture as display picture in Windows Live Messenger.
38. Support for headset, Xbox LIVE Vision in Windows Live Messenger.
39. Support for limited 'winks' that display on dashboard interface. Option to disable 'winks' and 'nudges' added.
40. Notifications separate from Windows Live Messenger to Xbox 360 notifications.
41. Disable multiple languages from being used in any Xbox LIVE editable fields.

Games
1. Option to delete titles from gamercard with 0 gamerscore and 0 achievements (excludes some titles that will be re-added to launch another title).
2. Organize My Games at the Games Library section better (includes disc-based titles) - sort by genre, platform (Games for Windows - LIVE), percentage completion.
3. Support to display friends leaderboards for disc-based titles.
4. Show dates of an achievement unlocked when comparing.
5. Preload Games Library upon dashboard bootup for faster access.
6. Game updates now shown as items in Memory, increased amount of updates on Storage Device.
7. Option to delete game updates, removed 'cheat code' as no longer needed.
8. Support for more titles to display banner when accessing guide in-game.
9. Option to re-introduce awarded gamer pictures from titles that do not have their own re-introduce feature (requires saved game).
10. Disable gamer pictures from being awarded from trials.
11. Support for titles to store installation data on Storage Device for faster loading.
12. Synchronization to achievements offline/online that were deleted and then re-added from developers.

Media
1. Option to hold LT and RT for rewinding/fast-forwarding video content.
2. Option to delete individual music tracks from storage device.
3. Option to rip music CD at different quality.
4. Copy non-protected files (pictures, music, videos) from USB storage devices, CDs and computers to proprietary storage devices.
5. Support for menu, top-menu features on video content downloaded from Marketplace.
6. Section added for audio delivered through feeds (podcasts). Option to stream, download to Storage Device.
7. Support added for video titles/description to gamercard status.

Dashboard/Miscellaneous
1. Option to navigate quickly out of several menus back to respective blade home (applies to Games, Media, System).
2. New blade trim styles added.
3. Introduce expanded Inside Xbox as a portal to news, weather, entertainment, help and community features.
4. New sounds for various functions (notifications, blades, navigation).
5. Calibration options for display/sound.
6. Calibration options for motion sensor devices.
7. New effects for Xbox LIVE Vision and dashboard background.
8. Disable changing of Theme when on Memory to prevent 'hanging'.
9. Preload recent, limited items upon dashboard bootup on Memory.
10. Faster loading of Themes section on guide.
11. Option to see what items will not work offline due to DRM license changing from Memory.
12. Option to automatically associate new DRM to items downloaded for free.
13. Indicate 'charging' status on guide when Play & Charge kit is connected.
14. Option to change text colors on guide to better contrast some backgrounds.
16. Language improvements.
18. Word censor updated for fields.
19. Privacy Settings/Family Settings updated for new features.
20. Voice, picture messages can be read at Xbox.com (Gold accounts).

source:www.kotaku.com

GameStop: Xbox 360 has 2-1 advantage over PS3 in GTA 4 sales

For those of us already enjoying Rockstar's very excellent Grand Theft Auto IV for the Sony Playstation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360, here's some more news about the multiplatform war: it seems that, according to GameStop's stats on the first week sales of the massive sandbox game, the Xbox 360 version has been outselling the PS3 version at nearly a 2 to 1 ratio. This is surprising, considering that the Grand Theft Auto series has been strongly identified with the PlayStation brand. What does this mean, then?

For Xbox director of product management Aaron Greenberg, this means good news. His e-mail statement to N-Gai Croal's Level-Up blog:

I think many people have been surprised to see how well GTA IV is selling on Xbox 360 given the history of the franchise. These sales results add GTA IV to a long list of franchises that have switched over from Playstation to find a new home on Xbox 360 similar to what happened last year with titles like Madden and Guitar Hero.


As you have covered on Level Up in the past, the majority of third party franchises are being developed first on our platform so they end up playing best on Xbox 360 and when you combine that with Xbox Live, we expect this trend to continue as more multiplatform releases hit the market. With that said, it is fantastic to hear that we beat PS3 two to one on Grand Theft Auto sales from a major retailer like GameStop.

Peter Dille, senior VP of marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), however, has another take on it:

GameStop probably does a little bit better with the early adopter crowd. There's a larger installed base right now on Xbox 360 than on PS3. So it's not surprising that there's going to be more selling on Xbox 360 than PS3. Having said that, we're really excited about the ratio. If I had an installed base advantage of 3-1, I wouldn't be crowing too much about a 60-40 sales advantage. We think it's not as high as what GameStop's telling you, if you look at [the full picture on] the national level.


They're outselling us, but not by that same margin, and it's because of their installed base lead. With an installed base lead that's close to 3-1, if you're bragging about a 60-40 software split, it's clear evidence that the Playstation 3 consumer is overindexing on GTA IV, and the Playstation brand loyalty that we've been talking about is bearing itself out in the marketplace as we speak.

Certainly some fighting words coming from both sides. How about you, dear reader? Do you think we should really base a game's success on just sales, or how it actually offered an entirely new experience to the people who played it? Updates as we get them, and you can let us know what you think through the comments below.

Source: www.xbox360.qj.net

65 nm GPUs for Xbox 360 now in production, Xbox ‘540’ coming in 2009

Taipei (Taiwan) – News about refreshed Xbox 360 consoles are trickling, which is about time given the fact that the console will celebrate its third birthday later this year. The Taiwan Economic News is reporting that first wafers with 65 nm GPUs are leaving the production lines, joining the 65 nm Xenon CPU. Rumors about a Blu-ray Xbox 360 remain alive and we are hearing first information about a possible mid-cycle refresh for the console, which will include the ‘Valhalla’ SoC.

It has been almost a year since Chartered has begun taking the Xbox 360 Xenon CPU from 90 nm to 65 nm and it really was just a matter of time until other hardware would follow. According to the Taiwan Economic News, TSMC has initiated first wafer starts of the 65 nm Xenos GPU and Northbridge. Microsoft apparently has ordered 10,000 300 mm wafers from TSMC at this time.

As it is the case with any die-shrink, Microsoft should see substantial economic advantages from this move, supporting the company’s ongoing strategy to reduce the production cost of the console (the reduction of the Xbox 360 production cost has been one of the key reasons why Microsoft’s entertainment division has been able to notably increase its profits over the past seven quarters). If the 65 nm Xenos "v2" scales down linearly from 90 nm, the new die size should be around 125 mm2, while the eDRAM chip will remain at 70 mm2. The new production process should yield about 35% more GPUs per wafer than before.

TSMC will continue to be in charge of the wafers, while Nanya will be delivering the flip-chip packaging substrates. ASE combines the silicon and substrate and is responsible for QA.

Quite honestly, we were a bit surprised to hear that Microsoft did not decide to die-shrink both the CPU and GPU at the same time, especially because two different foundries are manufacturing the chips. However, our sources at TSMC explained that Microsoft has the same production philosophy as Nvidia: Wait for a manufacturing process to mature and then run the initial wafer order. Apparently, the transition was simulated in detail by ATI and the tapeout happened without problems, at least according to our sources close to ATI. Keep in mind that ATI is only a contracted partner for Microsoft: Both the CPU and GPU are officially Microsoft parts, and the Ballmer-Gates company is the only one in the console segment following through with such a strategy.

The Xbox 360 is scheduled to ship in an "all 65 nm" package (Jasper platform) this August. Consumers won’t notice the refresh, unless Microsoft decides to put a Blu-ray drive into the Xbox 360. We were not able to receive a confirmation either way, and we keep digging to find out if the Asustek subsidiary Pegatron will manufacture regular Xbox 360’s or units with an integrated Blu-ray drive. In any case, Celestica, Pegatron and Wistron will have a busy summer cranking out millions of refreshed Xbox 360 consoles.

A more dramatic and perhaps visible change will happen next year: TSMC plans to begin producing the Valhalla chip, which will be the foundation of the mid-cycle refresh of the Xbox 360, thus called ‘Xbox 2.5’ or simply ‘Xbox 540’ (360+180), in fall of 2009. We learned that this new chip is apparently much more than a die-shrink and end up as a system-on-a-chip design. This change is likely to enable to redesign the Xbox 360 casing and go towards a slim-design, much like what Sony did with the Gen1 and Gen2 PS2. We believe that TSMC will use a 45 nm process for this Multi-Chip-Module package (CPU+GPU+eDRAM).

There are also some interesting pieces of information that Microsoft is shopping for a more efficient cooling solution – efficient in more ways than just one: Several people close to the cooling industry told us that Microsoft approached them and asked for better and cheaper cooling than what is used in the Xbox 360 right now. Some may claim that the current Xbox 360 cooler design is already as cheap as it gets, but we have no doubts that Microsoft will find a way to drop the cost once again.

Codemasters Acquires F1 Licence

UK, May 9, 2008 - Codemasters today revealed it has acquired the Formula 1 licence, ending Sony's four year ownership of the franchise and paving the way for a new series of current generation F1 titles across all major formats.

Chris Deering, chairman at Codemasters said, "[Our] success and recent innovations in the racing game space makes the company more than appropriately tuned for the challenge. The combination of FORMULA 1's new momentum of expansion and Codemasters' contemporary technology and past experience is the breaking of a new dawn for the sport, on the track and on the HD game screen."

Having remained dormant since last year's Studio Liverpool PlayStation 3 title Formula 1 Championship Edition, the news comes following murmurings that Sony were effectively being priced out of the licence by Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Association. Any future title will mark the first time an official Formula One title has been seen outside Sony hardware since EA offered up Formula 1 Career Challenge in 2003.

As of yet it is unknown when we can expect the first fruits of the new deal, though a statement today suggested it will utilize the EGO engine that Codemasters has put to good effect in the forthcoming GRID game.

Source: www.ign.com

Xbox 360 Jasper comes in next august 2008

Jasper is the code name for the next motherboard for the Xbox 360. It will becoming next August, in time for next year’s holiday season. Jasper is going to have a 65-nanometer graphics chip from ATI Technologies, as well as smaller memory chips.ATI uses TSMC to make its chips out of Taiwan, and TSMC hasn’t been the fastest at moving to 65-nm manufacturing.
Both Falcon and its predecessor Zephyr (used in the Xbox 360 Elite) have different thermal solutions than the original Xbox 360. You’ve seen the heat sinks in the cut-out photos posted elsewhere. The Microsoft engineers believe those heat sinks will be sufficient as a solution for keeping Xbox 360s from overheating. From their point of view, you don’t have to wait until Jasper to get a reliable machine.
Jasper would be more reliable than Falcon on heat issues, and Falcon will be more reliable than its predecessors. The Falcon board has the same old 90-nm graphics chip on it. And many have pointed out that the big heat problem in the Xbox 360 is due to the graphics chip. The Falcon board will likely give off less heat. But the real serious heat saver looks like it will come with Jasper.

Source: www.blogs.mercurynews.com

GTA IV: Biggest entertainment launch of all time

GTA IV has become the most lucrative entertainment launch of all time – dwarfing best-ever releases in music, video and literature.

Take Two has confirmed that GTA IV sold six million units globally in its first week – with an estimated retail value of more than $500 million.

The title sold approximately 3.6 million units on its opening day with a retail value of approximately $310 million globally.

The previous biggest entertainment launch week was that of cinema blockbuster Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End (2007), which took $404 million at the Box Office.

"We knew Grand Theft Auto IV would break new ground in terms of the player's experience, with its compelling story line, extraordinary gameplay and action that ranges over a broad urban canvas. Now, it has broken sales and rating records as well,” said Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of Take-Two.

“Grand Theft Auto IV's first week performance represents the largest launch in the history of interactive entertainment, and we believe these retail sales levels surpass any movie or music launch to date. We congratulate the entire Rockstar team on creating a must-have experience that takes the legendary Grand Theft Auto franchise to a new level."

"Rockstar's goal is to make each new title in the Grand Theft Auto franchise even better than those that preceded it, and Grand Theft Auto IV is a smashing success on that score,” said Ben Feder, Take-Two's Chief Executive Officer.

“Grand Theft Auto IV makes full use of the power of next generation technology, and offers players an experience unique in the interactive entertainment medium. This game sets a new standard in the industry, with critics hailing it as both an artistic and technological masterpiece,

Source: http://www.mcvuk.com

Ninja Gaiden 2 first DLC: costume details, artwork revealed

Team Ninja and Microsoft Game Studios' Ninja Gaiden 2 has been receiving a lot of attention lately as we creep closer to its June 3 and June 6 launch in North America and Europe respectively. If you've pretty much been ignoring all the hype, then here's a little bit of information that might make you pay attention.

The first batch of the game's downloadable content will include three costumes for Ryu Hayabusa, each costume pack being made available for 200 MS Points. Slated to be available starting July, the first of the three costumes is pictured to the right - the Fiend Hayabusa costume.

The Fiend costume is said to be inspired by the Falcon, which is the Hayabusa's family namesake and acts as a symbol of Ryu’s vengeance and fury. While it may seem demonically twisted, it is still the same Ryu Hayabusa who fights for his clan's honor

If that wasn't enough to catch your attention, the first 39,000 people in Europe who pre-order the game will be getting a code which will allow them to download this Fiend Hayabusa costume for free, exclusively at launch. No word yet on whether or not this promo will also be available to North American gamers, but we can always hope.

Source: www.xbox360.qj.net

Microsoft Says 360 GTA4 Outselling PS3 2-to-1 in U.S

For months leading up to its release, when gamers and industry analysts could manage to get their minds off of simply wanting to play it, the question on the minds of many was: Who would benefit more with the release of Grand Theft Auto IV, Sony or Microsoft? Just a few days after its release, both platform holders have already begun to claim the results in their favor -- or at least to spin the perception that the results are in their favor.

According to Next-Gen.biz, Microsoft is claiming that since GTA4's release on Tuesday, the Xbox 360 version has been outselling the PlayStation 3 version in the U.S. by a two-to-one margin. "What we've heard anecdotally from our retail partners is that the Xbox 360 version of the game is outselling the PS3 version by a margin of two-to-one," said Aaron Greenberg, director of product management for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. "That mirrors what we saw with pre-orders, but it continues to hold true at retail, at least for the first couple of days. It's a great sign."

The key word in that quote, though, is "anecdotally". Neither Microsoft nor Sony (nor Rockstar, for that matter) have released official sales numbers yet, but that didn't stop Sony Computer Entertainment America from denying Microsoft's claims. In a response to Next-Gen, a Sony representative stated the two-to-one ratio "doesn't line up" with what Sony has heard from their retail partners, although the rep declined to elaborate on just what exactly their partners were telling them until official sales numbers are available.

So either Sony's and Microsoft's respective retail partners aren't sharing information with each other, or someone's dishing some misinformation. Both platform holders are also claiming boosts in their respective console's sales -- but again, neither has released hard numbers to back it up. When asked if the April NPD numbers would confirm a spike in 360 hardware sales, Greenberg responded that "I think we'll have solid performance in April, but I think you might actually see a bigger impact in May."

Which means conclusive hardware results, according to Greenberg, won't be known until the May NPD numbers are released in June. But even then, the question of who really benefited most from the release of GTAIV might still be inconclusive, as this is only concerning North American sales. The full answer will only be revealed once worldwide software sales figures come in, as well as hardware numbers -- and it'll also depend on how success is measured (selling more copies of the game, or selling more hardware? Or both?).

So basically, expect both Microsoft and Sony to eventually claim victory one way or another, no matter what the numbers say.

Source: www.1up.com