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Xbox Live players are getting the chance to play against movie stars, as Microsoft teams up with film maker Paramount Pictures. Via the Xbox Movie Showcase users will be able to download extras from upcoming blockbusters Mission: Impossible III and Nacho Libre. The package includes high definition movie trailers and graphics for use with Xbox games. Gamers can win the chance to play stars via Xbox Live contests. Users will be able to enter for the chance to play celebrities including Jack Black, the star of Nacho Libre, through contests also available for download. Social community Microsoft said that the launch of the Xbox 360 console had boosted the number of players that go online to play. More than half of all Xbox 360 owners have used the gaming and entertainment system it said. It added that the Xbox Live service now has a regular daily audience of more than two million people. Since it launched over 10 million downloads have taken place via Xbox Live. The Xbox Movie Showcase will feature downloads that make the Xbox Live interface match the style of Mission Impossible or Nacho Libre. The showcase is the first marketing programme between a movie and Microsoft's XBox Live, the companies said. Mission Impossible: III is another outing for agent Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise. The Nacho Libre film features Jack Black as a cook in an orphanage who moonlights as a wrestler to raise funds to help take care of the orphans. Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| Episodic outing for horror game The new version looks set to be a frightful affair The Xbox 360 version of classic horror title Alone In The Dark will resemble a TV series rather than a game. Atari said the game is being produced in short episodes like a TV show. Each episode will take between 30 and 40 minutes to complete. Each one will end with a cliffhanger to keep people hooked and anticipating the next segment. The game will be published in late 2006 and continues the theme of suspense and horror seen in its earlier outings. |
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| Microsoft ramps up Xbox 360 plans By Alfred Hermida Technology editor, BBC News website in Los Angeles Microsoft has spelt out its plans to take a convincing lead over rivals Sony and Nintendo with its Xbox 360 console. It says it will have sold 10 million units before the other consoles are in the shops. The software giant showed off forthcoming games, such as Fable 2 and Halo 3, in Los Angeles ahead of this week's E3 games expo. It also revealed ambitious plans to extend its online gaming network to PCs and mobile phones. The Xbox 360 hit the shops last November and since then Microsoft has ramped up production to meet demand. HAVE YOUR SAY I'd like to about the online services the new consoles offer S Murray Sony's PlayStation 3 is due out in November, while Nintendo also plans to release its Wii console by the end of the year. "Before our competition even enters the marketplace, we will have a 10-million-unit head start with Xbox 360," said Microsoft boss Bill Gates during a surprise appearance at the event. "It's a number we only dreamed about a year ago." Halo tease Microsoft is hoping to build on this through a range of new releases over the coming months. These include the third-person shooter Gears of War and the child-friendly Viva Pinata. Among the new games unveiled was Fable 2, a sequel to the best-selling title for the original Xbox. And Microsoft teased fans with a trailer for the sci-fi first-person shooter Halo 3, confirming the title would be out sometime in 2007. The original Halo helped to boost sales of the first Xbox and fans are eagerly looking forward to its latest incarnation. As part of its efforts to attract more gamers, Microsoft announced that Grand Theft Auto 4, the latest instalment in the blockbuster series, would be available in October 2007 for the console. The game will also be simultaneous available for Sony's Playstation 3 console. But the game's maker, Rockstar, has signed up with Microsoft to provide new content for the title via Xbox Live. Going retro A total of 160 Xbox 360 titles will be available in time for the holidays. Aside from shooting and racing games, the company has struck deals to bring retro classics such as Pac Man, Contra and Frogger to the 360. "These are more than games, they're our shared heritage," said Peter Moore, head of Microsoft's game business. The games will be accessible via the Xbox Live online network. This is now being extended to PCs running Windows Vista and mobile phones using Windows. The service, called Live Anywhere, is due to debut next year. At its news conference, Microsoft showed how it would let gamers see if their friends are logged in either on their console, PC or mobile phone. Essentially, the company is creating an online gaming community powered by Microsoft devices and software. "We really think this is a unique contribution and that Microsoft is probably the only company that can pull this off," said Mr Gates. Alfred.Hermida-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| Games making waves at E3 Games ranging from fantasy adventures to intense shooters have been tempting fans at the E3 games expo in Los Angeles. THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWIIGHT PRINCESS (WII) Nintendo fans rejoiced when the Japanese games giant showed off the latest Zelda title. It will come in two versions, one for the GameCube and one for the new Wii console. The Wii version makes uses of its unconventional motion-sensing controller. At the Nintendo stand, devotees queued for hours to get a first taste of Twilight Princess. The lucky few were able to wave the controller in the air for a touch of swordplay. Or try their hand at fishing by flicking the control to cast the line. Zelda is a key title for Nintendo and will be one of the launch titles for the Wii. GEARS OF WAR (XBOX 360) Microsoft made a big noise with its bloody Gears of War third-person shooter, due out later this year. The game boasts photo-realistic graphics as the developers have tried to make it look and feel like an action movie. The game pits human against a race called the Locust Horde which has emerged from the bowels of the Earth. It is firmly aimed at gamers who like their firefights with a heavy dose of gore, but tries to avoid being a mindless shooter. HEAVENLY SWORD (PLAYSTATION 3) One of the most promising playable PlayStation 3 games at E3 was Heavenly Sword, a third-person title with a red-haired beauty at the centre of the action. The fluid and detailed visuals of the game were impressive, as the heroine of the game battled wave after wave of enemies in an arena. The makers are striving to create a game high on drama and emotion, but which is also exciting to play. Heavenly Sword is a flagship title for Sony and it due out around the time of the launch of the PlayStation 3. WORLD OF WARCRAFT: THE BURNING CRUSADE (PC) One of the busiest stands belonged to Blizzard, makers of the phenomenally successful World of Warcraft. The massively multiplayer online game now has some six million subscribers worldwide. At E3, attendees were able to get hands on a major expansion of the game, called The Burning Crusade, due out later this year. Among the surprises for fans were details of a new species called the Draenei, descendents of a fierce, demonic race. HALO 3 (XBOX 360) It was nowhere to be seen on the show floor and it is not out until 2007. But an epic trailer for the new Halo game produced a big buzz among fans. Halo 3 is the final instalment in the best-selling series. It was formally announced by Microsoft at its pre-E3 news conference, where the trailer was first played. It showed the hero of the game, Master Chief, back on Earth as alien Covenant forces battle humans for control of the planet. The cinematics have impressed fans, especially since the trailer was generated within the game. |
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| E3: Mass Effect Is First Of Three Bioware's new SF role-playing game Mass Effect, which debuted at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles last week, is the first game in a proposed trilogy. Set 200 years in the future, Mass Effect puts players in a vast galactic community threatened by a legendary agent gone rogue. David Faulkner, the game's lead programmer, told SCI FI Wire that players can customize the main character and added that Mass Effect is designed to deliver a unique gameplay experience. "You can actually make Cmdr. Shepard ... exactly the way you'd like to," Faulkner said. "Players can choose from many variations in everything from race to gender. You can even choose from different backstories, which affect who your character is now and responses and such." The game centers on Cmdr. Shepard, who is the first human Specter, a sworn defender of galactic peace, and his quest to neutralize the rogue agent. Shepard leads a squad that includes two characters who can also be customized by other players. As Shepard and his squad venture into the galaxy, there are other dangers to reckon with, and a secret threat is revealed as the game progresses. Mass Effect takes players to planets filled with surprises, and they can explore on foot or in customizable all-terrain vehicles. Players can engage the enemy with weapons that can also be modified. Faulkner showed SCI FI Wire a game level that featured a battle on a distant planet with destructible environments. Shepard ordered his two squad members to flank an enemy patrol and cover him while he blew up an overhang, which exploded and fell on the enemy. BioWare designers are planning to release downloadable content via Xbox Live between iterations of the game to lengthen the overall game experience. The downloadable content will link the stories between sequels. Mass Effect will be released exclusively for Xbox 360 this holiday season. |
| QUOTE (willowroolz @ May 18 2006, 11:50 AM) |
| Mass Effect is one of the games I am really looking forward to :thumbsup: |
| QUOTE (willowroolz @ May 18 2006, 11:50 AM) |
| Mass Effect is one of the games I am really looking forward to :thumbsup: |
| QUOTE (goth willow fan @ May 18 2006, 11:52 AM) |
| Wonder what it will be like in HD :ponder: :whistling: |
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| Sega sets sights on game giants The mention of Sega is likely to spark off memories of playing Sonic the Hedgehog on the Megadrive for many. But those glory days are long behind a company that abandoned its console hopes in 2001, after disappointing sales of its Dreamcast machine. Instead Sega is trying to reinvent itself as a software powerhouse, building on its iconic games and expanding its range of titles. At last week's E3 games expo in Los Angeles, the company showcased the games it hopes will fuel its resurgence. On its stand the latest versions of Sonic the Hedgehog and Virtua Tennis rubbed shoulders with new games like The Club and Chromehounds. "We need our key heritage brands like Sonic, like Virtua Tennis," said Sega UK managing director Alan Pritchard. "But we also need to bring new IP [intellectual property], new creativity, different types of gaming experiences, to the marketplace," he told the BBC News website. Foot in the door Sega has ambitious plans to become one of the top five games publishers, rivalling the like of Activision, Ubisoft and THQ. Sega is a bit like Disney. It is associated with being fun. It is safe, clean Alan Pritchard, Sega UK It is going through a process of reinvention since it fell on hard times in 2003 and was eventually taken over by Sammy of Japan. Gone are the days of the Dreamcast. Instead Sega is focused on making games for a variety of consoles by Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft. "When we relaunched in 2003, it was easier to get a foot in the door with an iconic, historic background," said Mr Pritchard. But the company entered the games market at a time when its competitors were already well-established. It has failed to come up with a blockbuster title like Grand Theft Auto for the PlayStation 2 or Halo for the Xbox. It hopes to catch up with its rivals in making games for the next generation of consoles. Film appeal The Japanese company recently strengthened its position in the Western games market by spending $68m on two development studios. It snapped up the London-based Sports Interactive, behind the Football Manager series of games, and the San Francisco-based Secret Level, which is making a new version of the Sega classic Golden Axe. "Acquisition is part of our future strategy," said Mr Pritchard. "We can present Sega as a global publisher. We can demonstrate success. That was very difficult to do three years ago." Sega is also one of the few game companies bucking the financial trend of its competitors. Earlier this week it announced that yearly net profits rose by 31%. Operating profits in the consumer games division are also up, helped by sales of its Shadow the Hedgehog game. Going into the future, Sega is looking to build up the variety of games it produces, including trying to get the rights for more film adaptations. It is dipping its toes into this area with a game for the Nintendo DS and GameBoy based on the Paramount film of Charlotte's Web. "Because it is very young and has a slightly female bent, it sits very well under the Sega banner," said Mr Pritchard. "But there have been some discussions recently on grander projects." Mature games One of the challenges for Sega is balancing its family-friendly reputation with the pressure to make new games such as Condemned: Criminal Origins for the Xbox 360. Condemned was a visceral and gory crime game, rated as an 18+. "Sega is a bit like Disney," explained Mr Pritchard. "It is associated with being fun. It is safe, clean. "Condemned was the most severe game we've made. We need to be careful in those areas, but I don't think there are areas we would not look at. "We've rekindled the Sega brand successfully and plan to revisit the Sega branding to take it into next generation and beyond," he said. Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| Microsoft plans Xbox 360 upgrade Marketplace is due for a major upgrade Microsoft is preparing for a major overhaul of its Xbox 360 dashboard. The upgrade is due to be released in the coming weeks and will be available as a download via Xbox Live. Among the planned changes are better menus for the Xbox Live Marketplace which offers game demos, video downloads and more. The new version will also include a way to queue downloads, letting you do something else on the console while downloading in the background. |
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| New lease of life for Half-Life 2 Episode One will be available to download and in shops The follow-up game to Half-Life 2 is due to be released on Thursday. Half-Life 2: Episode One will be offered as a download as from 1800 BST (1700GMT). It will also be available in the shops. The game picks up from where Half-Life 2 left off, following the adventures of scientist Gordon Freeman in City 17. Half-Life 2 has sold more than four million copies across the world, and earned over numerous accolades as game of the year. |