Category: Xbox 360

Major Nelson Covers Up for Steve Ballmer: No Blu-Ray for Xbox 360

As I expected, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer misspoke when he said Blu-ray was coming to Xbox 360. Marketing guy Major Nelson just issued the following statement:

I wanted to clear something up. Steve was referring to Blu-Ray accessories for the PC. As we have said in the past, we have no plans to introduce a Blu-Ray drive for the Xbox 360.

Steve Ballmer 2

After that, the Major went into marketing overdrive and started talking about how 1080p streaming is the future of entertainment. I’ll spare you those remarks.

As I mentioned in the comments to the original story, I was expecting this to happen. Ballmer has a history of misspeaking on Microsoft consumer products. While it’s easy to say that he was speaking quickly and the quote was taken out of context, I just don’t think he completely understands that part of Microsoft…or maybe Nelson was just worried about him raining on the 1080p streaming parade (play conspiracy theorist now!)

[Thanks to Sandrock323 for pointing this out!]

Source

Dragon Age: Journeys Unlocks Content for Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age Journeys 3

BioWare has revealed that playing the Dragon Age: Journeys Flash game unlocks content for Dragon Age: Origins for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. That’s right, all three platforms! Here’s a juicy tidbit from BioWare’s blog:

By completing certain accomplishments in Journeys, you can unlock 3 items for use when you purchase a copy of Dragon Age: Origins for the PC, Xbox 360 or PS3. By playing DAJ while signed in with your EA account, these items will automatically be added to your inventory in DA:O when you sign in with that same account. These entitlements work across all three platforms.

That’s a very, very clever way to get people to sign up for an EA account.

Are you going to play Dragon Age: Journeys? If so, are you going to take advantage of the bonus items for Dragon Age: Origins?

Source

Coffee Talk #9: Is Peter Molyneux Hurting Project Natal?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Manny Ramirez taking a shower while his team is still playing, Barnes & Noble’s Nook e-reader, or Google’s upcoming iTunes competitor, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Peter Molyneux is one of the most polarizing figures in game development. He talks big and dreams big, but a lot of gamers believe that his games do not live up to the hype. Whether it’s deserved or not, he has a reputation for over-promising and under-delivering. With that in mind, is he really the best person to be pushing Microsoft’s motion controller, Project Natal?

Fable III

Molyneux recently revealed that Fable 3 will have support for Natal. He mesmerized the crowd at E3 2009 with his Milo virtual indentured servant boy demo for Natal. Microsoft seems happy with having him be one of the project’s faces, but I question if he’s the best man for the job. There’s no doubt that he’s one of the most ambitious and creative people in game development, so it’s easy to argue that he’s a good choice for an ambitious and creative endeavor like Natal. However, he has that pesky reputation. A lot of hardcore gamers already have issues with Natal, so maybe using the “over-promising under-delivering” guy to push it isn’t the smartest thing to do.

What do you think? Does Molyneux’s heavy involvement with hurt or help Project Natal? Is it better to have a dreamer like Molyneux pushing the project? Or would it be wiser to use a high profile developer that delivers results that are much closer to their hype?

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Says Blu-ray on the Way for Xbox 360

Blu-ray logo boxMicrosoft CEO Steve Ballmer says that a Blu-ray accessories are on the way for Xbox 360, though he was quick to point out that the console will be emphasizing on-demand movies. In a recent interview with Gizmodo Ballmer said:

Well I don’t know if we need to put Blu-ray in there — you’ll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories.

Our immediate solution for Blu-ray-quality video on an Xbox 360 is coming this fall with Zune Video and 1080p instant-on HD streaming. As far as our future plans are concerned, we’re not ready to comment.

After betting on the wrong horse with HD-DVD, there really wasn’t much of a choice for Microsoft. While a lot of gamers are satisfied with streaming or downloading movies, some customers prefer the superior video quality of Blu-ray, while others rather have physical media instead of a digital download.

Are any of you surprised that Blu-ray is coming to Xbox 360? Will you be picking up a Blu-ray peripheral for your console?

Source

Datel Whines About Microsoft’s Stance on Xbox 360 Memory

Datel Xbox Memory Card

Datel was unhappy to learn that Microsoft’s Major Nelson warned Xbox 360 gamers about using “unauthorized memory”. The good Major said that gamers that continue to use unofficial memory units will not be able to access their profile or game saves. A Datel rep told CVG:

If the Major Nelson blog is to be taken at face value then we’re disappointed to see that Microsoft are taking these steps to prevent customers from exercising their freedom of choice. Everyone is looking for ways to make their cash go further at the moment and we believe that Max Memory offers a good value, high capacity, alternative to the official Memory Unit.

I’m split on this one. On one hand, gamers should absolutely have a choice. On the other hand, there are a lot of crappy third-party peripherals out there and many of them aren’t certified by Microsoft. Also, Datel’s Xsata memory card has been used by gamers to hack save files and add unearned achievements. If you’re going to sell a product that can be used to violate Microsoft’s terms of service then you shouldn’t whine when you get shut out.

Source

Microsoft Exploring Xbox Live Affinity Program

It looks like Microsoft is going the Club Nintendo route and will be implementing an affinity program in the near future. Such programs can be used effectively to retain customers and build brand loyalty. Kotaku got its hands on one of the invites for the pilot. Here’s an excerpt:

This is an exclusive pilot rewards program. That means that the people who get in get stuff. Cool stuff. You want cool stuff, right? Sure you do, we all want stuff. Especially cool stuff. Well, you’ve only got until October 21, 2009 to let us know you want cool stuff, because after that, the doors close and someone else gets the cool stuff.

Xbox Affinity

I’m an absolute sucker for affinity programs. Whether it’s fast-food joints, grocery stores, airlines, etc., I almost always get a card and almost always spend more than I ought to trying to gain points. There’s a 99-percent chance that Microsoft will sucker me into this one too.

What do you think of programs like this and Club Nintendo? Do they make you more loyal to the company? Do you think Microsoft will loudly introduce some really cool benefits so that it can quietly raise the price of Xbox Live?

Source

Coffee Talk #7: PS3 vs. Xbox 360 — The Race to #2

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Joe Girardi’s interesting bullpen management, the sexy Motorola Droid for Verizon, or what games you’ll be buying this week, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

By now, most of you will have had time to think about the September 2009 NPD Group console sales figures. Sony did very well for itself, selling loads of systems thanks to the PS3 price cut and the introduction of the PlayStation 3 Slim. While the Nintendo Wii will end up being the sales winner this console generation (barring some catastrophe like Romulans attacking Earth to steal every Wii on the planet), some feel that second place is up for grabs.

PS3 vs Xbox 360

Xbots will argue that the 360 has way too big a lead in North America. The company will continue to sell its exclusives and sell more third-party games thanks to a larger installed base. Improvements to Xbox Live will cement the console’s position of having the best online console-gaming experience.

Members of the Sony Defense Force will point out that this is a marathon, not a sprint. This console generation is far from over and Sony has superior first-party games lined up for 2010. With the console’s price cut, the PS3’s capabilities — Blu-ray playback, built-in Wifi, etc. — clearly make it a better value than the 360. With better games and better hardware that’s now at a competitive price, it’s only a matter of time until the PS3 surpasses the Xbox 360.

Certainly there are still too many variables, too many years, and too many unannounced games that will shape the remaining years of this generation, but it’s still fun to play analyst. So pretend for a few minutes that you’re Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter or EEDAR’s Jesse Divnich. I want to know which console you think will end up grabbing the silver medal this console generation. Do you think it’ll be Microsoft’s Xbox 360 or Sony’s PlayStation 3? Pick a side and state your case (please!).

Continue reading “Coffee Talk #7: PS3 vs. Xbox 360 — The Race to #2”

NPD Console Sales Figures Top 10 Games of September 2009

NPD Group has issued its console software sales data for September 2009. Did MTV Games prove that all you need is love and a cool Gretsch peripheral? Or did Activision trounce it with the more varied Guitar Hero 5? Do any of you doubt that Halo 3: ODST did some major damage? Was Batman strong enough to take on the entire Marvel Universe? Let’s take a look!

The Beatles Rock Band

  1. Halo 3: ODST (Xbox 360): 1,520,000
  2. Wii Sports Resort (Wii): 442,900
  3. Madden NFL 10 (Xbox 360): 289,600
  4. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (Nintendo DS): 258,100
  5. The Beatles: Rock Band (Xbox 360): 254,000
  6. Madden NFL 10 (PlayStation 3): 246,500
  7. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (Xbox 360): 236,000
  8. Batman: Arkham Asylum (PlayStation 3): 212,500
  9. Guitar Hero 5 (Xbox 360): 210,800
  10. The Beatles: Rock Band (Wii): 208,600

    I’m relieved that The Beatles: Rock Band did better than Guitar Hero 5. I don’t have anything against GH5, but I needed to know that America had the good taste to support The Beatles. I’m a little bummed that Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 didn’t perform better, but I’m also not surprised. At the end of the day, the chart was dominated by balls (Madden) and guns (Halo). While millions of people are (what I like to call) balls-and-guns gamers, that’s just not my thing. Seriously though, it’s not so much about the genre, but two strongly established brands performing extremely well in September.

    What do you think of NPD’s September sales figures? Anything surprise you?

    NPD Hardware Sales Figures for September 2009

    NPD Group has issued its console hardware sales data for September 2009. How big of a difference did Sony’s PlayStation 3 price cut make? Was Microsoft able to do some damage control? Did the Wii — which still continues to dominate the field — continue its slide? Let’s find out!

    Console Wars!!!
    Console Wars!!!
    • Nintendo DS: 524,200
    • PlayStation 3: 491,800
    • Wii: 462,800
    • Xbox 360: 352,600
    • PSP: 190,400
    • PlayStation 2: 146,000

    Ah, there’s nothing like a price cut to make the console wars more interesting, eh? The $100 price reduction and the introduction of the PS3 Slim helped Sony achieve some nice numbers. It will be interesting to see if it can hang onto the momentum for the rest of 2009. Although the Wii’s pace has cooled off, it’s still selling well and adding to a huge installed base. The Nintendo DS? That portable console has yet to encounter any kryptonite.

    What do you guys and dolls make of the September numbers?!? Is this the start of Sony’s big comeback? Or it it just a temporary thing, like some Microsoft executives suggest?

    Assassin’s Creed Movies Hitting YouTube on 10/27

    Assassins Creed 2

    VentureBeat has a great feature on Ubisoft’s upcoming Assassin’s Creed short films that are being used to hype Assassin’s Creed 2 and expand the game’s brand. Taking over the front page of YouTube in eight countries on October 27th, the first of three short films is a huge deal. The site reported:

    Assassin’s Creed: Lineage, created by acclaimed Hollywood special effects studio Hybride Technologies (which Ubisoft acquired last year) and Ubisoft Montreal’s Ubisoft Digital Arts (UDA), will make its global debut on Oct. 27 on the front page of YouTube in eight countries.

    The movies, which total about 38 minutes in length, feature live actors working in front of green screens. The same actors did voice work on Assassin’s Creed II. Their faces were digitzed and used in the game. The films tee up game, which takes place in Florence and Venice during the Italian Renaissance.

    While the movies were expensive to make, they can help transform Assassin’s Creed into a mainstream franchise instead of one that’s revered only by gamers. While it remains to be seen if AC will get that kind of crossover appeal, Ubi is doing everything in its power to make it so. With the Prince of Persia movie already in production, it would be remarkable if Ubi could add another mainstream feather to its cap.

    Continue reading “Assassin’s Creed Movies Hitting YouTube on 10/27”