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First Lips DLC arrives tomorrow, Nov. 21
Hey karaoke fans or, more specifically, video game karaoke fans, the first batch of Lips DLC songs are set to arrive tomorrow, November 21. In addition to the the first set of songs, another set is scheduled for next Friday, November 28 and another set is scheduled for Friday, December 5. Starting to see a pattern? The set to be released on December 5 will all holiday songs by such artists as Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, Gene Autry, and others. Every downloadable song will include its official music videoHere's the kicker, Microsoft has not specified a price for each track, saying instead that songs will "start at" 160 Microsoft Points. Find the upcoming DLC below.Friday, Nov. 21 Adele – Chasing Pavements Estelle – No Substitute Love Jason Mraz – The Remedy (I Won't Worry) Coldplay – Violet Hill Friday, Nov. 28 Supertramp – Give A Little Bit Smash Mouth – All Star Vanessa Carlton – A Thousand Miles
Bungie addresses Halo 3 NXE install performance
You may recall that a recent Eurogamer article profiled the performance of several popular Xbox 360 when installing them to the hard drive (one of the new features of the NXE). While some games received improved performance and shorter load times and others saw little to no improvement, it turned out that Halo 3 actually fared worse when installed to the hard drive. Apparently Eurogamer wasn't the only outlet to notice the difference, as Bungie has officially commented on the issue and explained why the load times are actually longer when Halo 3 is installed. The answer lies in how Halo 3 loads map data. Each map is cached onto a certain part of the HDD that is reserved for game use. Once the game is installed on the HDD, it has to read the data on one part of the drive and write it to the reserved section. While data can be read from the DVD at the same time the HDD is writing data, the HDD can't read and write at the same time. As such, loading from the HDD takes significantly longer. Bungie advises gamers not to install the game, especially if you play online, as all other players will have to wait the extra time it takes to load and cache each map. [Via Evil Avatar]
Epic explains Gears 2's ranking system
Don't understand the Gears of War 2 rank system? Trust us, you are totally not alone. To alleviate some confusion, Gears 2 Community Manager SixOkay (guessing that's a pseudonym) has outlined how the game's inane touched ranking system works. The whole thing uses Microsoft's TrueSkill system, which itself is based on chess' Elo rating system.The system doesn't just track wins/losses for rank, but also notes what team is favored to win the match. Horde Mode and private matches won't affect rank, but quitting games will lower it. Despite the system lacking the transparency and addictive nature of the CoD4 and Halo systems, at least we get how it works now ... sorta.[Via X3F]
Microsoft quiets 'Good' Fable 2 announcement
Well, that ruins our week. "The big bods over in Redmond decided that, this week wasn't the time to tell you what that announcement is we have ready here in Guildford," laments a new post on the Fable 2 Dev Blog. If we can somehow suffer through another weekend, though, Lionhead assures us it has permission to drop the free-floating "" news on Monday, November 24th. That way the studio can't possibly steal any thunder from (or get buried in) this week's new experience.Speaking of, the Fable 2 folks have created a new NXE theme to celebrate the most-hyped dashboard update in history. Check it out in the gallery below.%Gallery-37321%
Lips commercial dares you to look away
Okay, so Joystiq posted a commercial for Microsoft's new karaoke title Lips. We've watched it and now we need to pass it on to you. Just like the tape from The Ring, we get the feeling that passing this video on is the only way to stop the curse that we were undoubtedly infected with when we first watched it. Go ahead and watch it and you'll understand. Having done that, we suggest you pass it along as well, lest the bogey-lips haunt your dreams and destroy your soul with song.Find the video after the break.
Rumor: Gears of War 2 'Imulsion' map images
While you're waiting (and reading War and Peace) for Gears of War 2's matchmaking system to do its job, take a look at these screens of a rumored new multiplayer map for the game. It appears to contain copious amounts of Imulsion and could be en route as DLC.Although we'd love to speculate on what the "environmental effect" (à la Avalanche or Hail) could be in this Imulsion level, we'd first like to make sure it's real. We've contacted Epic and Microsoft for comment and will update if we hear anything.[Via X3F] Gallery: Gears of War 2 - Imulsion Map DLC
Joystiq plays first three missions of Halo Wars
Joystiq recently got the chance to play through the first three levels of Halo Wars. The game is still good, which isn't too surprising given our impressions of the game from E3. It's worth noting though, that the player in question managed to figure out the majority of the "advanced" controls before actually starting the "advanced" tutorial, which is good news for anyone doubting that an RTS can work on a console. Head over to Joystiq for full impressions and a heap of new screens to boot. Now where's that demo, hmmm? Gallery: Halo Wars (11-17-2008)
Check your inbox: Fable 2 Limited Edition DLC codes finally shipped
We've received a number of tips from jilted purchasers of the Fable 2 Limited Collector's Edition over the past day -- it seems Microsoft has finally e-mailed out the DLC voucher codes which were supposed to have been included in the $69.99 bundle. Though the code, which will allow players to download the blatantly anachronistic "Hal's Armor", is a few weeks tardy, owners of the limited edition will be glad to know that their extra $10 investment has finally paid off, netting them some neat exclusive content. Well, them, and everyone else who ordered a replacement code without dropping the additional Hamilton.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
October NPD: Wii up, Sony down, Fable 2 raking in the gold
October hardware sales in North America were not good for Sony, with all three of its consoles seeing at least an 18% drop, according to this month's NPD report. The Nintendo Wii maintained its top spot with a 17% increase in sales, likely due to an increase in supply, while Xbox 360's price drop acted as the likely catalyst for its 6.85% increase.Overall, total sales reached $1.31 billion, an increase of 18%. While accessories dropped 8% to 120.19 million, hardware increased 5% to $494.74m and software sales increased 35% to $696.79m. Fable 2 took the top spot, selling an impressive 790K copies after only ten days of release. Speaking of software, Fallout 3, which we know has moved 4.7 million units worldwide, placed third for the Xbox 360 with 375K. Not making it into the top ten? Wii Music, which sold a disappointing 81K in its first 11 days of launch. That wouldn't have made the top ten for any NPD report this year. - Wii: 803K 116K (16.89%)- DS: 491K 45.8K (-8.53%)- Xbox 360: 371K 23.8K (6.85%)- PSP: 193K 45.1K (-18.94%)- PS3: 190K 42.4K (-18.24%)- PS2: 136K 37.5K (-21.61%)Full software sales after the break.
Readers pick best webcomic: Let's search for tre-sha!
As in, "treasure," only with a thick accent. Scott Ramsoomair always seems to have the magic touch; once again, his VG Cats strip claims the top spot of this week's webcomic wrapup. Out of all the things our Fable 2 dog has discovered in the grounds of Albion, this makes a lot more sense than, say, a shiny hat.Second and third place go to Tough Times (Luke Surl Comics) and Fixing an Election (2P Start). Thanks to everyone who voted, as well as for all the logos (and your opinion/critiques thereof). Be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week! Gallery: Weekly Webcomic Wrapup logo designs
Molyneux & Co. still hyping: 'Big' Fable 2 announcement next week
Oh, Lionhead. The Fable 2 publisher, no stranger to hyping its products (with both good and bad results), is at it again. A posting on the developer's website reveals, "We've got some news [emphasis theirs] for all Fable II fans next week, dare I even say it's quite a big announcement? Yes of course I dare say it's a big announcement regarding Fable II, next week!" We're not quite sure why they felt the need to make "Good" its own image file for emphasis, but it looks like we'll find out soon enough. "," we say, "
Fanswag: Win Gears of War 2 and a pile of swag!
click to embiggen This is it kids, the mother of all Gears of War 2 giveaways. In the image above, you can see the following: Gears of War 2 Gears of War novel Aspho Fields Gears of War art book Gears of War comic book Gears of War hoodie Gears of War messenger bag One limited edition red wireless Xbox 360 controller As sweet as this pile of swag it, get this: We have two sets to giveaway. The first prize winner gets the swag stash with the limited edition of Gears of War 2, and our second prize gets the same swag stash with the standard edition of Gears of War 2. Let us assure you, the messenger bag and hoodie are nice. The messenger back even has a laptop pocket. Anyway, enough about the swag. Here's how you win: Gears of War is famous for having a gun with a chainsaw bayonet. Leave a comment on this post describing another object you'd like to see attached to a (virtual) gun. You may leave one comment. Posters of multiple comments will be disqualified. We'll accept entries until 5:00PM eastern today, Friday, November 7th. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. This giveaway is open only to residents of the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec). On Friday, we'll pick two winners via a random drawing. One grand prize winner will receive one Gears of War 2 Limited Edition, one Gears of War novel, one Gears of War art book, one Gears of War comic book, one Gears of War hoodie, one Gears of War messenger bag, one red wireless Xbox 360 controller worth approximately $200 total. One second prize winner will receive one Gears of War 2 Standard Edition, one Gears of War novel, one Gears of War art book, one Gears of War comic book, one Gears of War hoodie, one Gears of War messenger bag, one red wireless Xbox 360 controller worth approximately $190 total. Complete giveaway rules can be found here.
Custom Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 back on eBay
A few moment's hesitation prevent you from placing the winning bid on that sweet, customized Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 a few weeks back? It's okay, we've all been there -- sitting at the screen, cursor hovering over the "Bid Now" button, wracked with indecision, finally saying "Why not?" just as the timer hits 0. Usually that's cause for a lifetime of bitter regret, but this time you're in luck. The winning bid of $17,000 turned out to be bogus, so the creators have placed the machine on eBay again, ready for you to ponder anew. Now, before you make some snide remarks about $17k being way too much for a tarted up PS3, take a look at the attention to detail here, and remember that 15 percent of the proceeds are going straight to the Child's Play charity -- a factor that should hopefully reduce the vehemence of those remarks by roughly a fifth.
Fans create Octocamo videos, win PS3s
A while back, Sony asked it's fans to create some MGS-inspired vids. The focus of these videos: Snake's Octocamo suit, which lets him blend into the environment. Check out this video by Aaron C., our favorite of the winning entries. The style of humor on display is very Kojima -- we're surprised we didn't see something like this in the game! To see the other winner, click here. [Thanks, Rodrigo!]
Halo Wars releases in Feb, LE comes with Mythic Map Pack
click to enlarge Microsoft has announced that Halo Wars, the Halo-themed RTS from Ensemble Studios, will launch in February 2009. Furthermore, the company has announced that a limited edition version of the game will be released and detailed its contents. Retailing for $79.99, the limited edition of Halo Wars includes: Three new Halo 3 (not Halo Wars) multiplayer maps. The maps include Assembly, Orbital, and Sandbox. You might recognize those maps as the upcoming Mythic Map Pack. Halo Wars: Genesis -- A graphic novel by Phil Noto, Ensemble's own Graeme Devine and Halo novelist Eric Nylund. The novel details the first human conflict with the Covenant and "centers around the Spirit of Fire on a mission to discover why the Covenant are so interested in the world of Harvest." The "Honor Guard" Wraith in-game vehicle Six "Leader Cards." Trading cards, we're guessing, or something like them. Spirit of Fire Patch. You know, the iron-on kind. Have fun explaining what it means to your non-gaming friends. The press release also notes that those who pre-order at certain (unannounced) retailers will get a code to unlock a Warthog vehicle with flame decals. While we're intrigued by the graphic novel, we have to admit the inclusion of the Mythic Map Pack is a pretty crafty move. The announcement says that those with the Halo Wars LE will be among "the first to experience the Mythic Map Pack," which implies that they can get their hands on the maps before they become available to the general public. We get the feeling that a lot of Halo players are suddenly very interested in RTS games. %Gallery-36291%
7-11 breaking Gears of War 2 street date
We've been receiving many reports that 7-11 convenience stores are selling Gears of War 2 before its November 7 release (hey, that's tomorrow!). Even Penny Arcade's Tycho managed to grab a copy early. We're not sure how wide spread it is, but if anyone out there is eager to get their Gears fix right now, head to your local 7-11 and see if you can't snag a copy. We'd suggest being coy about it, maybe just ask to see what games they have. Once you lay your eyes on Gears of War 2, you might say something along the lines of "hey, that game looks pretty neat. I'll take it, good sir (or madame)." Then casually produce your payment, grab the game, and run like mad.[Thanks to dizzy for the image]
Gears 2 Sci-Fi preview vid breaks out celebrities
A short preview from the Sci-Fi channel special about Gears of War 2 has been released, showcasing the game's story with commentary from the game's creators and ... a basketball player? Suffice it to say that the gathering of people discussing Gears of War 2 is definitely different. A few game industry professionals seem fairly on par for such a video, but seeing Zach Levi (NBC's "Chuck") Aisha Taylor from The Ghost Whisperer and Luke Walton from the LA Lakers is just a bit odd. Granted, we're sure they're fans of the game, but it seems a bit out of place, like Charles Barkley showing up in a documentary about Gore Vidal.But hey, at least it kills a few more minutes while we wait to actually play Gears of War 2.
Video: Halo Wars TGS video now in hi-res
Last month, Microsoft demoed the upcoming RTS Halo Wars at the Tokyo Game Show. The demonstration showed off many new units and abilities, including the Cryo Bomb ability and the massive Vulture unit. The demonstration also revealed the inclusion of the Flood (though the race is unplayable, sadly). Unfortunately, the demonstration was only available in shaky-cam form, complete with icky audio. Now Microsoft has released a high resolution version of the video, free of the graininess and tinny audio. Trust us, it's much more enjoyable than our attempt to recreate the video with Haloclix.
Xbox 360 load time comparison: DVD vs. hard drive
One of the more touted features of the upcoming New Xbox Experience is the ability to install games onto your hard drive (watch how to do it). In an effort to quantify the benefit, MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo has created three videos comparing the load times of running DVD vs. hard drive using Grand Theft Auto IV, Fable 2 and Gears of War 2. The difference is between 9 to 15 seconds for the first load, and presumably more "now loading" seconds scraped off other sections of each game. While the verdict is out on whether or not it's worth your time to install (judging by Totilo's install times and our own, it seems to be a steady 1.7GB per minute), it's worth noting that, with installation, the console is noticeably quieter and is less likely to give you the feeling that it's about to explode.
Microsoft will email your missing Fable 2 DLC codes
As we reported the day of its launch, some many copies of the Fable 2 Limited Collector's Edition were shipped without their precious DLC voucher card, which, among other goodies, let players unlock "Hal's Armor." Microsoft initially told purchasers who found themselves sans-card to call the company's 800 support line; it now has a support page from which anyone with a valid Windows Live ID can request the codes via email.In order to obtain the codes, you must visit this Fable 2 support link and be logged in with your Live ID. Only one set of codes will be issued per valid email address and MS says to expect their arrival within five days of submitting a request. This all means, of course, that anyone can now obtain the "exclusive" DLC ... and yet another piece of the LE's uniqueness gets stripped away, this time post-launch.
