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Upcoming Xbox 360 update locking out 'unauthorized' Memory Units
Don't worry, folks -- Microsoft knows you really hate those subversive little devils making third-party Memory Units, what with their 2GB and 4GB offerings for the Xbox 360. In an effort to stamp out these Doris Dogooders from your Xbox Live Experience™, Microsoft's Major Nelson announced on his blog yesterday that "When Preview Program members start receiving the Xbox 360 system update next week, one of the changes is that unauthorized Memory Units will no longer work." In plain English, this means that any third-party Memory Unit you might have been using will be rendered useless. Mr. Hryb suggests moving any saves on said devices get moved to an authorized one, unless losing access to "stored profile or saves games" simply ain't no thang for you.
This Wednesday: Bubble Bobble Neo, Red Alert 3: Commander's Challenge arrive on XBLA
Well, folks, it's not quite the Summer of Arcade anymore. Microsoft's Major Nelson has announced C&C Red Alert 3: Commander's Challenge and Bubble Bobble Neo as this week's Xbox Live Arcade releases. Despite the inclusion of "C&C Red Alert 3" right there in the title, the former game is a standalone experience and can be played without the original Red Alert 3 game disc. Each title will draw 800 ($10) from your account, assuming it doesn't go toward this week's Xbox Live deal, Lode Runner. %Gallery-68517%
FIFA 10 demo up on XBLM (except for you, America)
Imagine our excitement upon seeing Major Nelson announce that the demo for footy fiesta FIFA 10 was available on XBLM. Now, imagine our excitement being boiled like a Fatal Attraction bunny as we discovered the demo wasn't available in Japan ... or North America. That's outrageous! We live and breathe for the sport! Apparently, the excluded regions will have to wait before taking their linebacker down the field and scoring a run in the other guy's hoop. The whole thing makes us want to scream like an athlete on an EA Sports cover. %Gallery-69462%
How Xbox Live tenure on your gamercard works
Wait, but we've been using Xbox Live since its inception! Shouldn't our gamercard have a little seven in the upper right corner? According to Microsoft's Major Nelson, not exactly. In fact, the first ever gamertag created ("e," for Xbox Live operations manager Eric Neustadter), won't officially turn seven until tomorrow. "Your Gold Veteran Status counts full years so if you've been a Gold member for 2 years, 11 months and 27 days; your status will display 2 years," says the Major.In fact, there's a whole handful of little caveats regarding the tiny gamercard number that have been all layed out in plain English over at his blog. Unfortunately for us, regardless of those caveats, we'll likely never be as cool in Nerdland as Eric Neustadter.[Via Xbox Gaming]
R-Type finally comes down to a reasonable price for deal of the week
Xbox Live gold members can pick up R-Type Dimensions for the reduced price of 800 ($10) this week. How is that reduced, you ask? Well, for some strange reason, the side-scrolling shmup is normally a tad on the expensive side at 1200 ($15).At present, though, its probably best to spend those Microsoft space bucks on the excellent 'Splosion Man or wait a couple weeks until Shadow Complex releases. However, if you gotta have the R-Type, at least you'll get a deal on the game this week. Add R-Type Dimensions to your queue %Gallery-34074%
Xbox Live dashboard update preview invites begin rolling out
You've already read our thoughts on the new Xbox Live dashboard update, and now it's time for those who put in their name for the preview program to join the fun. Microsoft today began sending invites that'll get you set up for the download, so that you can enjoy Avatar marketplace and a slew of new Netflix options (and irksome restrictions for Starz Play titles). Registration is still open if you still want a shot at nabbing it before August 11th. Didn't get an email? A second wave of invites is going out tomorrow, but also be sure to check the Connect site you registered at anyway, as Microsoft notes those who opted out of receiving emails will have no other way of confirming. [Via Joystiq]
Videos from The Guild panel at SDCC '09
Fan of The Guild? Me too! And you didn't go to Comic-Con last weekend? Me either. Fortunately for us, Microsoft kept the promotion cameras rolling almost the whole week long, and so there's more footage of The Guild at Comic-Con than you probably have time to watch today (although as long as your boss stays away from looking over your shoulder, you can probably give it a try). They went behind the scenes of the show, Felicia Day chatted with Xbox Live's Major Nelson, and the cast talked about what it was like to be around all of the energy at Comic-Con. There's not a lot of new stuff that fans of the show don't already know, but there are some clips of the panel in there, as well as some shots of the characters as they showed up to the Con: dressed in their in-game costumes.Some of the videos are also available right on Xbox Live (and there's quite a bit of Xbox and Microsoft pimping in the videos, but what do you expect -- not only did MS fund the show's season, but they apparently hooked them up with a party bus and a party to go with it at the Con), and YouTube is also brimming with clips from the panel. Apparently the Whedon-directed music video is also now available on Xbox Live as well, so that should be something to see. Season 3 is just around the corner, and we're still expecting to see these guys at BlizzCon in a few weeks, so stay tuned for more Guild news as we hear it.
Major Nelson: Don't sweat Xbox Live Silverlight ads
Just when we were starting to get all excited about Silverlight-powered ads for Mountain Dew and Axe Body Spray littering the Xbox Dashboard, Xbox Live spokesman Major Nelson rains on our parade, telling readers that they don't need to sweat.The Major recently posted, "One of our core principles is to enhance, not interfere with the gaming experience, and we work directly with our partners to only deliver experiences that are relevant to the LIVE community. Silverlight will help make those ads a more organic part of the dashboard, like we've done with some of the NXE slots in the past."Aww, come on. Maybe just one "Get Totally Crunchatized With Doritos" ad? Something?
Custom Twitter, Last.fm, Facebook X360s (for MS 'partners' only!)
Microsoft's Major Nelson showed off several consoles that the company will be giving to its new partners, now being integrated into Xbox Live. The Major even noted that he may even "liberate" one and asked if anyone was with him. Um, yeah! Now we want Joystiq integration on Xbox just so we can finagle a console in our blue or yellowy/orangish color.Also, theft is likely the only way to get your hands on one of these custom consoles (unless you've got a high-level insider at one of the involved companies). The Major makes sure to note, "To be VERY clear ... Those are special consoles made for our partners. They are not for sale anywhere." Hmm, five-finger discount it is.[Thanks, B. Marriner]
Major Nelson: Xbox 360 guide faster after next update
Oh, you thought NXE was the last dashboard update you'd be able to sink you mitts into? No dice. Xbox Live spokesman Major Nelson said on his show this week that the next update for the 360 would increase the speed of the guide. "Whatever we call it (and it's not going to be called the NNXE), but whatever the next version of the dashboard is called, it's better with a lot of very cool new features," he said. "That update will be out later this year."We haven't talked about this sort of thing in a while, so we're curious: What updates would you still like to see to the dashboard?[Via CVG]
Major Nelson: Xbox Live Marketplace problems fixed
After encountering some problems while reopening the virtual doors to Xbox Live yesterday, Major Nelson is reporting everything is back to working order. However, believing everything we read isn't in our job description (even when the source is one we trust), so we put on our Tron suit and hopped into Microsoft's virtual world to find out for ourselves.Going through Xbox Live and its Marketplace, we were able to do pretty much everything we normally could. We downloaded the trial game for Rocket Riot, then snagged a free gamer picture, and even pulled down the demo of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. In fact, we even checked out the Video Marketplace, and viewed a preview for the movie Outlander. So, we think it's safe to say that Xbox Live is back to its old self again. Are any of you still encountering issues?
Xbox Live down for server maintenance June 16
Start stocking up on canned foods and survival gear, folks. One week from today, the Xbox Live service will be going down for server maintenance. According to Major Nelson's most recent blog post, Microsoft is flipping the "off" switch at 12:01 a.m. on June 16, and is expected to keep things offline for "up to 24 hours." Yes, for an entire day, the vile hatred and foul-mouthedness that consumes the online gaming universe will be freed from its fiberglass prison and released into the physical world. We humbly suggest staying indoors. [Via 1UP]
Burgers and fries at Xbox Live's E3 meetup
With stomachs full of In-N-Out's fatty burger goodness, we're happy to present photographic proof that we were in attendance at Xbox Live's E3 reader meetup. Not that we need any photos to do that, the ketchup stains on our pants and our bloated bellies should be proof enough. Go ahead, take a gander through the photo gallery below to experience Xbox Live community at its greasiest finest!%Gallery-65061%
Xbox Live meetup at E3 this Wednesday, June 3
With the E3 festivities in high gear, the Xbox Live team is having a reader meet up at the In-N-Out Burger in Los Angeles. Oh, you want a more specific location? The meet up will be Wednesday, June 3, at the fast food joint located at 7009 Sunset Blvd.The event will be attended by Major Nelson, e, Notwen and anyone else that decides to make the trip. We likely won't be making it, but tell the Major we said, "Hello."
Microsoft resets Gamerscores, Toulouse explains why
Correcting the "miscreants" can be an ornery task. Just ask Stephen Toulouse, Xbox Live's virtual bouncer, and the man responsible for resetting your cheatin' heart (er, Gamerscore) back to zero. A recent wave of Gamerscore resets have hit Xbox Live and Toulouse was on Major Nelson's weekly show yesterday to explain what happened. "A couple weeks ago ... we did a Gamerscore reset pass on several Gears of War 2 players who had illegitimately toggled the 'Level 100' Achievement for a map pack that had just come out," Toulouse told the Major.According to the show, the mathematics behind how quickly people were earning the achievement were, simply put, impossible. "Any time you earn an Achievement you don't actually have to earn, that's against the terms of use," Toulouse said of the official policing policy, something Microsoft has adhered to since the inception of Xbox Live Achievements. And to those of you who have a sibling or friend to blame on your Gamerscore reset, Toulouse feels little sympathy for you. He told the Major that you probably need to address that person and that it's ultimately "your responsibility" to take care of your console and online representation. Tough noogies, indeed!
Xbox Live deal of the week: NBA Live 09 subscription
So what if we've known about this week's Xbox Live Deal of the Week -- NBA Live 09's downloadable "Live 365" feature -- for, oh, say, three weeks now? That doesn't make it any less rebateful at 560 ($7), down from the usual 800 ($10). What does, however, make the now bargain-priced content less valuable, is the impending end of the 2009-2010 NBA season and the relative uselessness of the feature during the off-season. For a feature that touts "updated player trades, injured players, free agent signings, starting lineups, as well as hot and cold streaks of players," buying the DLC at this moment, just months from the end of the NBA season, might not be the most fiscally responsible idea. How is EA Sports going to push all those hot, up-to-the-minute statistics to you when there isn't a season to push out?[Thanks, Samit!]
Xbox Live Top 10: Halo 3 reigns supreme, OutRun races to first
Another week passes and the epic struggle between Call of Duty: World at War and Halo 3 continues. For a second week in a row Halo 3 netted the top slot as the most played Xbox 360 game on Xbox Live -- probably due in part to the public availability of the Mythic Map Pack, released on April 9. On the top played Xbox Live Arcade list OutRun Online Arcade grabbed the top spot while last week's number one, The Dishwasher, dropped to fourth.In a show of gamers voting with their dollars, the 1600 ($20) XBLA release Puzzle Quest: Galactrix plummeted from fifth spot to tenth while Capcom's Flock! has failed to make a splash on the top ten. "What will knock Halo 3 from the top slot?" you ask. Halo OutRun Arcade... pictured above and coming soon (but, not really). The full top ten lists are available after the break.
Microsoft talks to GLAAD about GLBT policy issues
Stephen Toulouse, handler of Xbox Live Terms of Service policing, appeared on last Sunday's Major Nelson podcast to speak about how Microsoft is handling the concerns of the GLBT community. He recently sat down with two representatives from GLAAD to speak about the policy and what Microsoft could be doing better. Speaking about the meeting, Toulouse said, "We asked them the question, 'How can we do this better?' ... That dialog was super, super helpful. I think it was a great engagement."Problems arose in late February when an Xbox Live user named "Teresa" identified her sexual preference in her profile and was subsequently suspended from the service, seemingly due to self-identifying as a lesbian. Microsoft told us at the time that it suspends accounts that identify "any form of sexual orientation" and it seems as though Mr. Toulouse and GLAAD are working toward a more hospitable situation for everyone involved (be they from the GLBT community or not). We reached out to GLAAD for comment on the meeting and spoke with Justin Cole, the Director of Digital & Online Media, who told us, "They [Microsoft] were very, very receptive and welcoming with all the suggestions. They even admitted that their policy isn't the best in the world. What we, at the end of the meeting, decided is that we're going to have quarterly meetings with them. They're going to be heading out to a panel on homophobia and online gaming in Silicon Valley that we're putting together later this year." We'll be speaking with Mr. Cole in the upcoming days and finding out more about the future of GLAAD's involvement with Xbox Live and, in general, online gaming.[Via GayGamer.net]
Xbox 360 TV Calibration app pops up on Community Games
For most of this month, one of the top 10 ranked Community Games on Major Nelson's list hasn't been a game at all, the TV Calibration app is a 200 point ($2.50) tool loaded with plenty of test patterns to make sure your video setup is configured perfectly. There's also a free trial, so we loaded it up and can say it does exactly what it says it does. Most games have at least some PQ optimization helpers, but it's unlikely you'll be able to get this detailed information about pixel mapping and test color patterns with a Gears of War disc, and hey, you gotta make sure those Netflix streams look their best on your HDTV. Other calibration tools may have a few more tests and work on more than one device, but for the price it seems to be a good value. Check out the gallery to see a few of the patterns included, or download it from the marketplace and give it a try.
Days of Arcade promotion coming to XBLA March 18; Lode Runner, six other titles coming soon
Xbox Live figurehead Major Nelson recently updated his blog with the titillating announcement of a six-week long promotion titled the "Days of Arcade." Similar to last year's "Summer of Arcade" event, the promotion will kick off March 18 with the release of Hasbro Family Game Night, with the following five weeks bringing a number of highly anticipated titles to the Marketplace, including The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai, Flock, Outrun Online Arcade, Puzzle Quest: Galactrix, UNO Rush and Tozai Games' remake of Lode Runner. Aside from Game Night, we won't know which games are coming which weeks until Major Nelson announces them on the Mondays preceeding their Wednesday releases. However, as the keen-eyed mathmaticians among you have already noticed, with seven titles dropping in six weeks, one XBLA Wednesday will bring us a double dose of downloadable distractions. We've already canceled our Spring Break excursion to Cabo San Lucas in a fit of breathless anticipation.
