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PS3 firmware ambiguities reiterate need for dedicated Sony blog
Why can't Sony blog? That's the question Opposable Thumbs posed this morning as it reluctantly accepted the arrival of a new PlayStation 3 update, described simply as v1.3. Like other curious downloaders, the site turned to internet forums for details, finding only a jumbled mess of threads with contradictory opinions. Eventually, a translation of a Japanese explanation of the Japanese update was uncovered. Phew!So why is Sony making it so hard on us? Why no Major Nelson or Gamerscoresque blog? Certainly the semi-official Three Speech site isn't up to the task -- this morning's posts neglected to mention the update even in passing. There's simply no excuse for not providing the public with a dedicated space on the PlayStation website or elsewhere that provides timely information about firmware updates and other content additions.
EA offering free content? Hell has frozen over...
EA hasn't ever been known for their charitable giving ... never offering downloadable content for free, but today they're in a giving mood. Major Nelson is reporting that EA has put up FREE downloads from the XBLM offering NFL throwback jerseys for Madden 2007 and alternate jerseys for NCAA 2007. Yes, we did say free ... yes hell has frozen over ... yes pigs are flying and yes we are extremely paranoid. Go get your free jerseys off of the XBLM if you own either of these games, because we're dealing with EA and not certain how long these downloads will remain free (poke, poke, jab, jab).
Texas Hold 'em gets fixed ... finally
A quick note for everyone, this morning users who login to the XBLA game Texas Hold 'em will be prompted to download an auto update. According to Major Nelson, this downloadable update will fix the numerous issues that have plagued this arcade game including:- Game-play has been sped up.- Post the blind and play right away!- New 'Away' mode- New 'Auto-boot' mode- Faster overall pacing- Improved blind structure- Matchmaking improvements- Improved interface controls- Leaderboard display- Art and text improvements- Online exploits addressedNow you can go back to gambling all your time away without all those annoying bugs. Overall, I'd have to say great work on the update guys, but couldn't it have arrived a little earlier?[Thanks, to everyone who sent this in]
Vegas face mapping: Larry, meet Larry
Larry Hryb, AKA Major Nelson, recently posted the results of his Rainbow Six Vegas facial mapping on his Flickr site. How does it look? Pretty good actually. We mocked up his in game avatar next to his real life mug in the image above. Vegas fans out there may be wondering how Major Nelson came by those cool shades and hat in Vegas. Does he have access to special content because he works for Microsoft? Nope, he was actually wearing those things when he captured his face with the Vision camera. Knowing this, we can only imagine the lengths that some people might go to in order to really customize their character. You want pink and blue camouflage face paint (you know, for sneaking around a cotton candy machine)? Just paint yourself up and take a picture! In theory, you could add anything to your face before you take the picture: tattoos, fake scars, crazy contact lenses, the possibilities are endless.Now that you've seen the results, will you try anything special to customize your character?
Burger King picture pack is FREE!
If you are a fan of that scary BK King we all know and love from Burger King, then go to the XBLM and download the free Burger King picture pack. It includes a few BK King pictures, the big buckin' chicken, Whopper Jr. and others. And if you're having a little trouble locating the picture pack, (as I did) it's under the Xbox Community section. I think this subliminal advertising is taking effect, I have a weird jonesing for a Whopper and some fries. Don't be greedy, pass the ketchup packets!
GoW is king on XBL for 2nd straight week
For the second straight week Gears of War has maintained its position as the most played Xbox/Xbox 360 game on Xbox Live. Since last week Gears has claimed the number one spot, kicking Halo 2 from its number one seat that it has held for a few years. I'm thinking that Gears will be at the top spot for a long time to come, only seeing competition months down the road. Who's been obsessed with Gears multiplayer choosing to play it over Halo 2 recently?[Thanks, un1qu3 n3wy0rk]
Xbox Live Video Marketplace downloads stalled by glitches
The two biggest questions since Microsoft announced its Xbox Live Video Marketplace have been: 1. does anyone still has enough space on their Xbox 360's 20GB hard drive for movie downloads in high definition? and 2. does anyone -- even the guys at Redmond -- have enough bandwidth to feed the HDTVs of millions of Xbox Live subscribers? Since launching two days ago those questions have been answered with a yes and resounding no, respectively. Users have complained of slow downloads that time out, receiving different files than the ones they requested and being charged twice when trying to complete timed-out rental downloads. Major Nelson has chimed in on the issue, letting us know that the company is aware of the problem and will refund Microsoft Points to all those who call 1-800-4MYXBOX for assistance. Good luck with that, though, as at least one person was told there aren't any managers available to refund customers until after the holiday weekend. So while network engineers and management sleep off yesterday's turkey and camp out for cheap plasmas, you may want to hold off trying to download Clash of the Titans in 720p 'till things get straightened out.[Thanks, WiFiSpy]Read - My Xbox 360 video rental nightmareRead - Video Marketplace Status
Engadget to host GoW charity game
Engadget is holding a charity, gaming auction, sending the proceeds to Save Darfur, a non-profit working to end the genocide in that region. The winning bid nets you and your friends a two-hour Gears of War session with Major Nelson and the Engadget staff. (Yes, Engadget understands the odd juxtaposition of virtual killing for actual peace, but the event had been planned before readers picked the charity.)The no-reserve auction lasts a week. Bidding is open.
Major Nelson: Fix on the way for Xbox 360 1080p problems
Microsoft just rolled out the much awaited update to the Xbox 360 dashboard including -- among other things -- support for 1080p over VGA and component but for some gamers and error screen was all they got. The company still hasn't said exactly what it believe is causing the issue, although some have said it may be due to either frequency supported by the VGA cable or the way it syncs with monitors, but Major Nelson confirmed on his podcast this morning that engineers are aware of the issue and are working on a fix. The TVs that suffer the problem appear to be some Sony (most notably LCD XBRs) and Samsung models that should be able to accept the 1080p input but as of yet, don't. Affected owners should hopefully have their mere 720p experience rectified soon, but will it be in time for the HD DVD player launch?
How much juice is left in your headset?
So you've decided to cut the cord and purchase the new Xbox 360 wireless headset this weekend, good for you! But did you know about the snazzy new battery indicator that was enabled through the fall update?Well, our friend Major Nelson informs us that you'll be able to check not only your wireless controller's battery life, but the battery life of your new wireless headset too. And all of this battery information is easily accessible through the Xbox guide and is displayed in convenient icon form. So I ask, are you planning on picking up the new wireless headset and freeing yourself of the wires?
Rift widens between Silver and Gold XBLA memberships
Xbox Live's Major Nelson announced on Wednesday that the newest Gears of War trailer was available online ... to Gold subscribers only. This marks the first time that exclusive XBL content has been delayed (not denied) for the free Silver members, and it's just the tip of the iceberg. Nelson commented on his blog entry after mixed reaction from readers, "So here is the deal ... Silver members WILL get access to this ... probably in about a week. This is going to happen more and more (Gold getting things before Silver) so you may want to think about upgrading if you want all the latest and greatest trailers, demos etc."It's not really a big deal at this point, because the trailer was available online within seconds of appearing on the XBLM. The real problem starts when Gold members start getting demos and downloadable game content before Silver members do; perhaps, eventually, the Silver members won't get them at all. Microsoft will find themselves treading a fine line between how much a Silver member will put up with not having, and how much a Gold member needs to feel justified in paying the cost for their features. It's important to note that this trailer is most likely a trial run by Microsoft (through Major Nelson) to see how things go, since it's not even true "exclusive" content. Nelson (can we just call him Larry, already?) admits that this is the same commercial played last week at X06 Canada. So where's the real super exclusive platinum fanboy stuff, eh?The point is that Microsoft is finally treating the Gold level like what it is supposed to be, a step above the Silver membership. Silver members don't pay for anything; it's a free service meant to provide an "introduction" to XBL. Gold members pay for additional features and, with it, they expect some perks to be delivered. While it's limited to trailers right now, expect to see it expand to demos, downloadable content, and anything else Microsoft can think about leveraging for more subscribers to make the jump up to the next tier while their model for microtransactions seems to be falling apart with the inmates running the asylum.And just because we love you, check out that Gears trailer after the jump in SD, or click here for the HD version.[Thanks, E.J.]
Major Nelson on G4: microtransactions "are about choice"
Last night on G4's Attack of the Show, host Kevin Pereira held a debate between Major Nelson and 1UP's Andrew Pfister on the much-discussed topic of microtransactions. During the segment, entitled The Loop, Major Nelson pressed that it is "about choice," while Pfister spoke for the gaming community when he said that "it doesn't appear that anybody is in control of the situation." With the recent Godfather and Lumines debacles, we're inclined to agree.Unfortunately, the segment's lead-in was awkward and the debate was way too short for either side to make an argument, but what we heard was engaging. Please, G4, give The Loop its own half-hour time slot; we'd watch it. Continue reading for the video.
Major Nelson talks microtransations on G4
Major Nelson was featured on Attack of the Show last night. During "The Loop," Major Nelson discussed microtransactions with Kevin Pereira and Andrew Pfister, producer of 1UP Yours. The segment was too short, which is regrettable because it was actually very good. In fact, we'd love to see "The Loop" made into its own show. Naturally, Lumines was brought up. It was declared dishonest by Andrew, whereas Major Nelson reminded the audience that "it's about choice." They also briefly touched on EA's recent Godfather scandal. If you haven't heard, EA is charging 360 users for cheats. What's scary is that the cheats you can buy on Marketplace are available as cheat codes in the Xbox version. In other words EA actually removed the cheat codes from the 360 version just so they could make consumers pay for them. Unfortunately, the commentators just aren't given enough time to properly debate the issue. Here's hoping G4 sees the potential in this segment and gives "The Loop" some more air time. Watch the video after the break.
Catch Major Nelson on G4
We wouldn't normally suggest you watch anything on G4 (Cinematech is alright), but tonight could be something special. Tonight, Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's Major Nelson, will be featured on Attack of the Show's "The Loop" segment. The subject: microtransactions. Ooh, we smell a Lumines fight a comin'! If you'd like to watch, you can check it out at 7:00PM EDT (11:00PM GMT). Hey, it could be worse, right?
Fall dash update by October 31?
Reader Thomas Meyer applies simple logic to Major Nelson's latest podcast and deduces that the Fall Dashboard Update should be out by next Tuesday:Major Nelson says [76:20] that you cannot use the new Xbox 360 Wireless Communicator on a retail Xbox 360 yet and he tried it on his developer kit. Since the Communicator is scheduled for release on October 31st and people should be able to use it on that day, it's logical to assume that the Fall Update must be distributed no later than Oct 31st. Right?Elementary, my dear Thomas. Microsoft would never sell their loyal customers a product that didn't work on launch day. Or would they?
XBL down for maintenance on Oct. 17th
Major Nelson sends word that the Xbox Live network will soon disappear into a nebulous offline abyss for some maintenance. Currently scheduled for Tuesday, 17 October and expected to last for 24 hours, attempts by your Xbox 360 to connect to Live will be met with unnerving digital silence. Mark the date on your calendars and be sure to reschedule your planned sessions of disconnecting early, screaming into your headset and informing other players of their sexual orientation.The official Xbox website will also be taken down and worked upon in order to accomodate "some secret cool stuff." None of which, as the site insists, includes a dashboard update. Incidentally, 17 October is also the release date for Splinter Cell: Double Agent. [Via Major Nelson]
XBL downtime scheduled for Oct. 17th [update 1]
Major Nelson has sent us word that there will be a day scheduled downtime for Xbox Live and Xbox.com on October 17th. October 17th ... hmmm. Why does that sound familiar. Wait a minute! That's when we get Double Agent. What the hell, man! And not only that, October 17th is the second to last day of the PSU beta -- which is already delayed to begin with. So what the hell do we do now Microsoft? What the hell do we do now?!Ah well, guess we all gotta deal right? The boys at Xbox.com even suggest 10 things you can do without Live. And Major Nelson reminds us all that this is not the Fall dashboard update, though apparently "cool stuff" is being added. What that means is anyone's guess. Now we just figure out what to do. Anybody want to go bowling or something?[Thanks, Larry, AKA Major Nelson]Update: It's Xbox.com, not Box.com. Give me a break. I'm jet-lagged here.
Where's Sony's 'Major Nelson?'
Sony lacks a community man, a public personality who is more than just a mouth. Sony lacks a Major Nelson.Microsoft's Larry Hryb has emerged as a personality capable of transforming the Xbox image from a cold, black box into a lively community of gamers, both hardcore and casual. What's more, he's built his celebrity on trust, successfully balancing his employer's expectations with honest commentary produced for the consumer's sake. In other words, he's likeable -- and he's selling the brand. Does Sony need that guy to succeed?[Thanks, Joe]
Xbox 360 guitars tethered down by the man
The man, of course, being represented here by a wire. According to a posting on Major Nelson's blog, the Xbox 360 guitar controller (in its current state) is not wireless as many free souls had hoped. Given these wired confines, perhaps the guitar's name, X-plorer, wasn't the greatest of choices. Still, we got along just fine with the PS2 version, so this tidbit of news hardly represents the end of the world as we know it.If you're unwilling to let go of the wireless dream, perhaps you can read something into Major's final statement. "Not sure what the plans are for wireless and the people from Guitar Hero were not talking."
The first batch of Xbox Live TGS content [update 1]
As promised, Microsoft has released the first batch of Xbox Live content to correspond with the Tokyo Games Show. The following is available to all Xbox Live users: Half-Life 2: Episode Two trailer Tenchu Senran trailer Two map packs for Battle for Middle Earth II. A TGS picture pack Updates to Spades, Hearts, Backgammon and Bankshot Billards to add Vision support In addition, Japanese Xbox 360 owners (yes, all five of you) will get the following: Tenchu Senran demo Dead or Alive X2 E3 trailer Project Sylpheed trailer A word of caution: there is an error with the new BFMEII content. The first map pack is supposed to be free but is currently charging gamers 350 MS points. Major Nelson promises that the problem will be fixed soon. The second map pack will still cost you 350 MS points (about $4.38).One commenter on Major Nelson's blog, Cayne, summed up our sentiments perfectly: "I still don't get why stuff is only released in some countries. This is 2006 for god's sake. We have the intertube and everybody sees everything. The only thing it accomplishes is pissing everyone off eventually." We're not blaming Microsoft (as Kid Chemical points out, it's not exactly their fault) as much as we are lamenting over silly copyright issues: the Project Sylpheed trailer may be Japan-only right now, but don't be surprised if it winds up on YouTube or GameTrailers in the next day or two for any gamer in any region to view.[Update 1: clarified significance of referencing Cayne's comment.]
