Microsoft has announced more details about its Xbox Live Arcade “Block Party,” which is … right around the corner. Next month’s lead-up to the launch of the Xbox Game Room will see a promotion similar to the one offered during last year’s Summer of Arcade, and then some.
For Xbox Live Silver members that purchase all three Block Party titles released next month — Toy Soldiers, Perfect Dark and Scrap Metal – and then download the free Game Room “client,” Microsoft will credit your account 400
($5). So, 3200 ($40) spent on the participating XBLA titles will get you back five bucks. If you’re a Gold member, though, the deal gets a little sweeter: Purchase the three titles, download Game Room, and you’ll get the 400 refund and a free month of Xbox Live Gold service (worth $4 and change if you’re an annual subscriber) credited to your account.
A free “everyone’s a Gold member” (no, not that Goldmember) weekend is also scheduled, permitting Silver members to play the three Block Party releases online (but only the Block Party releases) from 12pm ET on Friday, March 26 through 12pm ET on Monday, March 29.
Stay for the entire XBLA Block Party and receive parting gifts originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft has just sent off a handful of screens for the upcoming Lionhead adventure, Fable III. Featured in the images is a gruff-looking anti-hero, who has clearly lost more than a few followers from a slew of evil decisions. The pirate-hat wearing character isn’t all bad, though; one image shows the gun-toting maniac playing with his son. We presume, that is. Unless of course kidnapping is a brand new Fable III feature.
X10: Welcome back to Albion, Fable 3 screens emerge originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Downloadable crew member Zaeed won’t be out on Microsoft’s console until later in the week; Normandy Crash Site available now.
Get the full article at GameSpot
While the news has been coming for some time now, you always need to break out a confirmation to make everything official. And it’s now official: Xbox Live is on its way to mobile phones.
The service will be known as “Xbox LIVE Games” (catchy!), and looks to be available only on phones operating a mobile version of Windows.
This is outlined in the pic above, taken from internal Microsoft marketing material. And it’s got us scratching our heads.
While the wording never mentions “exclusive” or “only”, what’s troubling is that, well, only Windows phones are listed. No mention of other phones, nor of Microsoft’s own Zune handheld music player, either.
If this service – which was teased recently via a job advertisement – does indeed run on Windows phones and Windows phones only, a much-maligned and minority section of the smartphone market, it will have been a colossal waste of everybody’s time.
We’ve reached out to Microsoft for word on some of the finer details, including whether it is indeed restricted to Windows phones, and will update if we hear back.
We were really hoping that Nintendo and Microsoft could rally after their near-bottom finishes in former annual iterations of Greenpeace’s green business practice rankings — after all, we bet they’re pretty sick of getting beat by Nokia. (Ewwww!) Unfortunately, this latest “Guide to Greener Electronics” report (.pdf link) looks a lot like all the previous ones: Nintendo finished dead last, and Microsoft finished not far behind. Sony, on the other hand, finished a bit closer to the middle of the road.
Nintendo gets bashed for its increased greenhouse emissions and for failing to control its e-waste recycling. Microsoft, which fell from 15th place to 17th since last year, lost points for not following the statutes set by the “Restriction of Hazardous Substances in electronics directive.” Sony did relatively well in most categories, but also lost a few points for its e-waste management. You know what this means, right? Greenpeace is obviously just a shadow organization for PS3 fanboys. We knew it all along!
Greenpeace calls out Nintendo, Microsoft in ‘Greener Electronics’ report originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft announced earlier today that the Xbox 360 has passed the 10 million-sold mark in the EMEA region, which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
In other words, it’s the PAL market, sans Australasia (which would contribute another 700,000 or so).
To go with the statement, Microsoft provided some statistics, some old (20 million Xbox Live users), some boring (60% of Xbox 360s are used in the living room!) and some actually interesting (35% of Xbox 360 customers are apparently women).
So this is why Netflix’s stock went soaring. After countless rumors, Netflix’s streaming service is finally coming to the PlayStation 3. Even better: it’ll be free for PlayStation Network members that have a Netflix account. According to the press release, “Netflix expects to begin streaming via the PS3 system next month at no additional cost to Netflix members in the United States who have a PS3 system.”
It looks like you’ll also be able to manage your Netflix streaming queue directly from your PS3; no need to have accessed the site via computer first. It’ll be interesting to see how Microsoft responds to the loss of Netflix exclusivity — perhaps it will open up the service to free Xbox Live Silver accounts? And will Nintendo ever join the fray?
Netflix is coming to the PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Natal is Microsoft’s new controller-free motion sensing tech. It does not have a logo or icons yet — apparently, Microsoft is still in the planning stages for that.
At this year’s Tokyo Game Show, Xbox Japan whipped up these icons for the booth to help convey what exactly the heck Natal is and does. Thoughts, opinions about these icons?
Enter “The Green Box.” The question we’ve all been asking ourselves: Is Halo 3: ODST worth $60? If you want the answer, this is your review:
In hindsight, announcing what was then “Halo 3: Recon” as a “value-oriented” expansion appears to have been a crucial first misstep for Microsoft and Bungie along the road to marketing what is now Halo 3: ODST. In time, the so-called expansion grew to include a complete campaign with 4-player support; Firefight, a separate co-op multiplayer mode; a comprehensive version of Halo 3 multiplayer; and access to the Halo: Reach beta when it becomes available at an unspecified date next year. ODST was ultimately set at the standard, full-game price of $60. That’s when folks got skeptical.
So how’s your money being spent?
Continue reading Review: Halo 3: ODST
Review: Halo 3: ODST originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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You have two options for getting your hands on one of these custom-designed Beatles: Rock Band Xbox 360 consoles. You can either offer the winning bid on the unit being auctioned by Microsoft — which has a current high bid of $680, with almost ten days to go — or you can purchase the 360-exclusive downloadable version of “All You Need is Love” and be automatically entered into a drawing to win one. Of course, the costlier eBay method has better odds!
Whichever method you use, all of the proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders. That makes you a hero for trying to win a prize or playing a song in a video game!
Money can buy you a custom Beatles: Rock Band Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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