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Magazine comes with EQ2 in-game item
EverQuest II's new Rise of Kunark expansion is the cover story of the November/December issue of Beckett Massive Online Gamer Magazine. That's fun in and of itself, but it's particularly worth mentioning because anyone who buys the magazine will get a code with which to claim an in-game item.The item is "a portrait of Venril Sathir, the infamous Iksar warlord" which can be displayed in players' houses. SOE has done several free-in-game-item promotions before, but something this small and insignificant is likely only to draw the hardcore EQ2 fans who would have bought the magazine because of the article anyway. But an extra bonus can't hurt, can it?
Persuade a pal to buy an Xbox 360, enjoy ten XBLA games gratis
Xbox 360 and promotions tend to go hand-in-hand, and the latest ploy to convince you to convince your Xbox-less pals to join in involves ten free Xbox Live Arcade titles. The rules are pretty simple: just wheedle a friend (or enemy, it matters not) to purchase an Xbox 360 before December 14th, fill out an online form together and select ten XBLA games (apiece) free of charge. The catch? It looks like the program is only open to residents of select countries across the pond, meaning that US-based gamers are seemingly left high and dry. Ah well, we never considered ourselves any good at persuasion, anyway.
Star Trek HD DVD phaser promo details uncloaked
All you trekkies who picked up a new Toshiba HD DVD player and the Star Trek: The Original Series set to go along with your new toy, perk up your ears Vulcan style. You should already know the CBS-Toshiba Federation have a phaser-styled remote promotion just for you. A $70 value, the remote will operate any Toshiba HD DVD player (if you have a HD DVD player, chances are it's a Toshiba) with Trek-style lights (ooh) and sounds (ahh). It's the perfect way to stay "in character" as you plow through the 10 disc set. In a press release, Toshiba and CBS direct you to a website to claim your phaser; but get to it right away -- the promotion only runs until February 29, or until the limited supply of this Federation-issue sidearm run out.
10 free XBLA games for new European Xbox 360 owners and a friend
European gamers often get shafted on prices, release dates, etc., so it fills our hearts to see them get treated with the loving care they so richly deserve for living on the planet's fanciest continent. For instance: If you can trick a friend into buying an Xbox 360 between Oct. 1 and Dec. 14 and fill out this form you and he/she can both get 10 free XBLA games, a full list of which is after the break.Sadly for gamers in the States, you also have to live in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Portugal, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Finland or Norway. It's a great deal for those who can get it, though, almost enough to make us wish late 1770s colonists had taken a dive.[Via SavyGamer]
You might score a Wii on Amazon for $79
Amazon is holding its annual "Customers Vote" promotion, and this year you might be able to score a great deal on a Wii. Round 1 of "Customers Vote" includes a choice between a Wii for $79, an Xbox 360 Arcade for $99, or a 40GB PS3 for $139. You have to be an Amazon member to vote for the deal you would like. If you vote for the winning product, you have a chance to be one of the 1,000 people randomly selected by Amazon to purchase it at the promotion price on Thanksgiving (November 22).Sure, you'll have to be really, super, awesomely lucky as we expect tons of people will be voting, but well, it's worth a shot.As of writing this, the Wii was leading the vote with 55%. The PS3 was in second with 32%, while the Xbox Arcade trailed with 13%. With the popularity of the Wii and the expected shortages this holiday season, it's not hard to believe that the Wii will get the most votes.[Via CAG]
Sell your soul to AT&T for three free months of WoW
Blizzard is in bed with the ginormousness that is AT&T; if you're presently using cable internet and you choose to switch to SBC AT&T DSL, AT&T will send you a free game card good for 3 months of World of Warcraft.There's no way for us to either recommend or discourage this deal, because the quality of the different high-speed internet services varies from city to city. But hey, it's kind of cool if you don't mind shameless corporate promotions and if for some reason or another your cable internet provider isn't doing its job. You do need to be an already-existing subscriber of World of Warcraft to be eligible for the deal. That's okay, though, since one would expect that only the WoW hardcore (if even them) would actually switch ISPs for three free months of game time.[Via WoW Insider]
Toshiba tosses in HD DVD demo disc with A205 laptops
According to a number of new A205 owners, it seems that Toshiba is throwing in an HD DVD demo disc to get users hooked on the format from the moment they fire up their new rig. The unit, simply dubbed 2007 Demo Disc, reportedly includes a "a full 1080p version of the Take the Red Pill HD DVD branding trailer, as well as a series of HD trailers for flicks that are either currently available or headed to HD DVD, including Blades of Glory, Next, Hot Rod, The Bourne Ultimatum, Transformers, Oceans 13 and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." Additionally, you'll find trailers for Stardust and The Kingdom, both of which just hit theaters in the not-too-distant past, and a seven-page pamphlet which simply plugs the format a little more. So for those eying a new A205, there's likely to be a nugget of enjoyment bundled in, but we wouldn't go throw down our hard earned dollars on eBay just to pick this up or anything.
HD DVD's CEDIA booth tour
For all things HD DVD, there were two places to go: Toshiba's booth, and the HD DVD big rig parked right across the street. This interesting exhibit didn't present anything new per se, but there were a number of banners for current and upcoming releases, an HD DVD wall of films, and a few demo stations including one using the Xbox 360's HD DVD player. Again, nothing too enthralling here, but feel free to take a walkthrough below. Oh, and before you start wondering, Blu-ray didn't seem to have a booth of its own at the show, but there was plenty of BD support scattered throughout.%Gallery-7132%
Buy Star Trek: TOS HD DVD and a Toshiba HD DVD player, get an uber-rare Phaser remote
If you somehow managed to hold off on picking up a Toshiba HD DVD player along with eight free titles, and you eat, sleep, and breathe Star Trek, we've got a feeling your resistance is futile. In an admittedly interesting promotional move, Toshiba has teamed with CBS to offer those who purchase Star Trek: The Original Series HD DVD box set and any Toshiba HD DVD player a "limited edition Star Trek Phaser remote" that will operate Tosh's HD DVD players. Regrettably, there's no mention as to how many of these things will actually be handed out, but if you're even remotely (ahem) interested, we'd be on the ball as soon as the set lands.
Recent 360 and Live buyers get two free XBLA games
Microsoft offers two free Xbox Live Arcade games if you bought a 360 and Live account over the past year. Fill out a short registration form and enter code "XBX0807" to qualify. However, the site is cagey about which games you'll get. The terms and conditions state that you'll receive an email code by September 30 to download the titles, but the offer "will be for games selected by Microsoft."360 fence-sitters still have until September 15 to buy the console and net the games. And the promotion includes buyers as far back as August 8, 2006. The wording sounds like Live account renewals don't qualify, but we still registered. We've contacted Microsoft for clarification but hadn't heard specifics when this post went live. We'll update you when we learn more.[Update: Microsoft told us it hasn't announced which games you'll get and also stated that the promotion is for new Live accounts only. So officially at least, Live renewals get no love.][Via Dealnews]
The 99 cent iPhone (and the $99 Nano)
Wanna buy an iPhone for 99 cents? You probably missed your chance. Apparently 99 Cent Only stores in California are having a big 25th anniversary party, and this morning, at their store in Westchester, CA, they sold 9 iPhones to the first 9 customers for only 99 cents each.That can't quite be legal, considering that Apple and AT&T have paid a lot of money to make sure you get the iPhone from them, but of course it's just a fun contest to promote the store's anniversary. Unfortunately, if you missed your chance this morning, the prizes go downhill fast-- a Friends VHS set and cordless powered scissors are among the options for Friday. Wait a minute, "cordless powered scissors"? That sounds pretty cool, actually.Of course, the 99 cent store isn't the only place you can find good deals-- Adam dropped us a heads up that Nanos are being sold in Apple's refurbished store for only 99... ok, well, dollars. But a 2gb Nano for 99 bucks is as cheap as you'll find it.Thanks, Matt and Adam!
South Park DVD set includes WoW trial
Our good friends over at Joystiq are reporting that when the 10th season DVD set of South Park drops on the 21st, a WoW trial disc will be included in the box.Kind of a weird choice, considering that the game's portrayal in the Emmy-nominated show isn't exactly flattering (or, realistic, though it does look cool). The episode is even featured on the cover, bloated acne-scarred Cartman and all.But you never know-- clearly Blizzard is looking for all kinds of ways to promote their game (I can't imagine what lengths they'll go to when the movie comes out in a few years), and maybe this, the mob of South Park DVD-buying fans, is just what they need to hit 10 million. You probably don't need a trial disc (they are available for free or cheap in many places already), but in case you want a copy of the season in which the kids save the world... of Warcraft, it's up on Amazon right now.
Universal Studios VP sez HD DVD is 'more affordable' than Blu-ray
As if the format war really needed another quote for fanboys on both sides to jump on and argue over, none other than Ken Graffeo (an executive vice president at Universal Studios) threw a proverbial can of lighter fluid right on the fire. Responding to the recent Target reports that misinterpreted Sony's purchase of an "end cap" for Blu-ray players as the ousting of HD DVD from the store, Ken went on to say that "standalone HD DVD players are still much more affordable than Blu-ray players," and moreover, he reportedly added that HD DVD provided a better experience, and welcomed a direct comparison between movies such as 300 and Blood Diamond, which are available on both formats. 'Course, there certainly seems to have been a lot more price cutting going on in the HD DVD camp of late, but regardless of price quarrels, what does this say about Universal's chances of actually supporting Blu-ray anytime soon?
Halo 3 marketing invades BK, 7-11, Pontiac and more
Starting in August we'll all be witness to one of the most amazing events a fanboy can see when the Halo 3 marketing machine starts its engines and goes full steam ahead. We've already seen a few Halo 3 promotions from Halo 3 branded Zunes to Halo 3 branded Xbox 360s, but soon we'll be seeing Master Chief in a more mainstream light.Over at Xbox Family are details that they've discovered telling of a few of Microsoft planned promotions and partnerships that'll be beginning in the months to come. So, let's run through them. The Halo 3 "Game Fuel" Mountain Dew is expected to be available sometime in August and will be purchasable in cans, bottles, and special aluminum bottles at 7-11 stores. Speaking of which, 7-11 stores will be featuring three Halo 3 Slurpee cups as well as bags of Doritos chips which will offer a chance to win a voice cameo in Halo Wars. Pontiac is also jumping in on the Halo 3 marketing fun by co-branding the game with their Pontiac G6 in commercials, events and in a sweepstakes where they'll be giving away a Halo 3 themed Pontiac G6. Halo 3 will also be a sponsor of the Projekt Revolution tour featuring Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance. Finally, Burger King will be offering Halo 3 themed meals starting in September and selling what they call "survival kits".As you can see, the Halo 3 marketing machine is a force to be reckoned ad you know there are more promotions and events that Xbox Family hasn't listed. You can of course expect Xbox Live activities as well as some sort of huge Halo 3 launch party. Ahh yes, Halo 3 and your marketing power ... you're so dreamy.
NBC's Jay Leno claims Blu-ray is "above HD"
Well, now isn't this an interesting predicament. Jay Leno, who no doubt garners quite a few viewers on his NBC late night talk show, was casually conversing with Sandra Bullock about the film Premonition, and while fielding questions from Mrs. Bullock about the nature of Blu-ray vs. DVD, Leno actually blurted out that BD was "like, above HD." Granted, we're sure he was simply trying to prove a point to someone who had already admitted her ignorance towards the format, but it is quite ironic that Leno's network is the main player still refusing to support the aforementioned high-definition format. C'mon Universal, even The Chin recognizes that Blu-ray has its benefits.
Sony offers revenue-sharing deals to promote Blu-ray
As if there wasn't enough shameless Blu-ray promoting going on of late, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is now adding fuel to the fire by offering "revenue sharing on Blu-ray Disc releases through Rentrak Corporation." Starting this September, Sony will reportedly make "all of its new releases and select catalog titles on Blu-ray available under the agreement, which expands the studio's DVD revenue-sharing deal with Rentrak." Interestingly, neither firm has been willing to disclose the terms just yet, but SPHE president David Bishop did note that he felt it was important to "make sure that the rental component of the Blu-ray launch was covered." Now, the big question seems to hover around whether or not this move is anti-competitive or not, and as we all know, that's certainly not foreign territory for BD.[Via AfterDawn]
Toshiba selling $99 HD DVD player, with a catch
Toshiba is running a short, promotional sale by selling its HD A2 HD DVD player for $99 with three HD DVD movies over at the Home Media Expo in Las Vegas. You may be thinking this is great news: but wait, there's a catch. Only attendees of the show will be able to take advantage of the deal, and with ticket prices of between $100 and $500, the deal isn't as great once you get in. Toshiba, maybe you should focus on reducing the prices for general consumers rather than running these awkward "promotions." The fact that you're trying to sell players at a conference reeks of desperation, which is weird since it looks like you've got nothing to worry about.[Thanks, Judith]Update: Toshiba, probably inundated with requests, wanted to make sure everyone realized "The $99 player is an accommodation price only for attendees of the Home Media Expo's EMA trade show this week and is being offered by the HD DVD Promotional Group. It is not in any way connected with a broader consumer offer from Toshiba." So yeah, don't expect to snag one at your local Best Buy or anything, ok?
MacHeist giving away Linkinus
Last week I wrote about something brewing over on the MacHeist pages, and this week it looks like the project has come to fruition-- it's called Skunk Works, and in addition to the giveaways they're doing with the MacUpdate promo, they're now giving away software.Yes, signing up on that page is supposed to give you a free copy of Linkinus (up to an including 1.1, not including 1.2, so read the fine print), the IRC client we mentioned earlier this year. The app is also now included in the MacHeist version of the MacUpdate bundle (so if you already bought that, save the free copies for someone else), and MacHeist recommends that even if you get it for free, you go ahead and purchase it anyway (to support the developers). Plus, a purchase will clear you until the next major version, not just 1.1.Like some of you guys, I'm getting a little tired of all the hype around these Mac software bundles, so I've been trying to cut back on this kind of news. Still, free software is hard to pass up. If you've been looking for a substitute for Colloquy, this might be just what you need at a price you can't pass up.
Retailers seek to promote HD DVD / Blu-ray titles equally
My, how things have changed in just a few short months. While we once groused over retailers not devoting enough attention to high-definition film, it wasn't too long before the SACD and DVD-A kiosks were canned (hey, it's our best guess, anyway) and HD DVD / Blu-ray titles received expanded exposure. Now that both formats are still holding (relatively) strong, it looks like the major players are seeking to provide an equal amount of promotion for each "until customers tell them they shouldn't." Jim Litwak, president and CEO at Trans World, was even quoted as saying that while Blu-ray sales were currently trumping HD DVD, "the customer is still saying that they want HD DVD." Firms such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Virgin Metastores were all noted as companies unwilling to "snub" one format while the war raged on, and that sits just fine with us.
Blu-ray fencesitters: five free movies sound good?
It's not like we haven't seen this card played already in the HD DVD camp, but now it's (almost) time for the Blu-ray ponderers to feel the grip of temptation (again). Starting on July 1st (just hold out a few more hours) and lasting through September 30th of this year, customers who purchase a qualifying Blu-ray player will be eligible to receive five flicks gratis through the mail. Among the options of players are Sony's BDP-S1, BDP-S300, or 60GB PlayStation 3, Panasonic's DMP-BD10K or DMP-BD10KA, Philips' BDP9000, Pioneer's BDP-94HD, or Samsung's BD-P1000 / BD-P1200. As for the free movies, you'll be able to choose five from a library of 21 titles, and while we can't really argue with the upside in this deal, be absolutely sure you don't mind receiving "notices and information from the Blu-ray Disc Association" before mailing in your claim.[Via Blu-ray]
