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Need for Speed Rivals floors it to Xbox One, PS4 'later this year', PC and current-gen consoles Nov. 19
Recently renamed developer Ghost Games and the fellow racing fanatics at Criterion Games have banded together for Need for Speed Rivals: a new game that represents the franchise's first drift into the next-gen console world (which is not to be confused with the 2005 handheld spinoff). Powered by Frostbite 3, Rivals aims to utilize the power of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 to give players "the freedom to seamlessly go from single player to co-op to multiplayer" when it releases "later this year." [Update: This story has been updated for accuracy, removing mention of a release window for the next-gen versions from an outdated release draft.] Need for Speed Rivals transports players to the fictitious Redview County, an open-world environment where players can take on the role as either street racer or police officer. Like Most Wanted before it, racers aim to become the most infamous person behind the wheel, while cops attempt to work together to drive the area's high-risk inhabitants off the road. Players can personalize the experience with custom license plates, paint, liveries decals and rims, and performance upgrades. Current-generation consoles will also join the rivalry – powered by its own version of Frostbite 3 – on November 19. A PC version is also in the works.%Gallery-189208%
The 10 best Xbox exclusives (no spartans allowed)
We're happy to remark on the tenth anniversary of the original Xbox, but it gets a little weird when Microsoft barges into our solemn vigil with a birthday cake. This is the company that couldn't pull the plug on its muscular and costly console fast enough -- and not just because the cord was about to incinerate your house. Microsoft's rapid prudence allowed it to rein in the hardware for its next system, and to successfully transplant Xbox Live into a body now recognized for its sustainability, if not its fragility. It worked out for the business, but didn't leave much time for less popular system-exclusive games to flourish or to be found. Ironically, the Xbox commercial that drew the most ire, after it crudely launched a baby through a window and into a cemetery, proved that there can be some truth in advertising after all. "Life is short," it said, "play more." We wrongly figured it was talking about us. After the break: A list of our favorite, often overlooked Xbox games.
Halo 2 still kinda alive, thanks to some fans
When the sun set on the Xbox Live service for original Xbox games on April 15, some Halo 2 players decided they just didn't want to let go. So they've been in-game and have left their consoles running past the designated April 15 shutdown, staying in Halo 2 for almost two weeks now. They're going to flip when they see their electric bills! This thread over on the Bungie forums lists the numerous individuals still online in Halo 2, the last few people able to play the game online ever. Determined not to abandon it until they're forcibly removed by Bungie or Microsoft (or their consoles blow up, which is a very real possibility), you can clearly see each individual's commitment via their profile page on Xbox.com: Agent Windex APACHE N4SIR sherlok 1 Rob2D Lord Odysseus11 xxMAKDADYxx H2o Shoagie DirtyCajun HiredN00bs You gotta give it to these guys for their perseverance. Sometimes, you just can't accept something coming to an end. That's why we've never gotten around to watching the series finale of Who's The Boss?. [Via CNET]
Interview: Aaron Greenberg talks Xbox 1 Live shutdown, hard drives, and Games on Demand
If you thought the jam-packed Xbox lineup on display at the X10 event was exciting for you, imagine being one of the people in charge of it. Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg got to watch reactions to the lineup at the event all day -- except, of course, for the time he took out to speak to us about the crowded game schedule, Project Natal, and more. Greenberg remained genial even when faced with familiar questions about the ramifications of the removal of Xbox 1 Live support, and with random, odd questions generated from Joystiq's interview brainstorming session, such as: Joystiq: Can you make Kudo in Kodu? Aaron Greenberg: What? I don't know. Don't worry about it. Does not compute.
Major Nelson: Original Xbox DLC back online
After telling Joystiq just yesterday that it was working on a fix for unavailable original Xbox DLC, Microsoft has restored the content to Xbox Live. Major Nelson made the news known via his Twitter account. We popped a copy of Halo 2 into the ol' Xbox 360 and, sure enough, all the map packs were once again available for download. Ninja Gaiden worked as well. So, if you need any DLC for your dusty old Xbox games, you'd best get it before the original Xbox Live servers shut down permanently on April 15 (just in time for taxes!). Also, don't forget to snag the old Halo 2 maps for Bungie's final online farewell to the game on April 14. You really should be there to play one last time. It's got dual-wielding!
PSA: Original Xbox games' DLC already offline
Plans to disconnect Xbox Live services for original Xbox games have apparently already begun, as DLC servers for Xbox titles have been quietly taken offline. According to numerous forum threads and our own tests of an assortment of Xbox titles, attempts to download original Xbox game content are now fruitless. Each title tested yielded the message: "Could not download content list. Please try again later." (The image above was taken from our test of Halo 2.) Last Friday, Microsoft announced online support for original Xbox titles would be discontinued on April 15, but made no mention of disconnecting DLC servers earlier than that. Some forum users claim that the DLC servers for Xbox titles were taken offline as soon as the announcement was made last week. So, if you've continued to put off your infiltration of the Kola Cell in the original Splinter Cell, you'd better have already downloaded the mission. [Thanks, Bren]
Xbox Live service for Xbox 1 games to be discontinued on Apr. 15
[Image: Bungie] Microsoft is pulling the plug on the Xbox Live services that still cater to the original Xbox. As of April 15th, all Xbox 1 games -- including those playable on Xbox 360 or via the Xbox Originals service -- will be severed from the online realm. "I want to start by saying this isn't a decision we made lightly," Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten said at the start of a letter to Xbox Live members, "but after careful consideration, it is clear that this will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox Live community." Whitten added that in continuing to "evolve the service," Microsoft requires changes that are "incompatible" with the previous console's games. "We will contact the Xbox LIVE members directly impacted by this change and if this includes you, I encourage you to check your LIVE messages and associated e-mail account over the coming weeks for more details and opportunities." According to Major Nelson's most recent list of top Xbox 1 Live titles, Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and Counter-Strike players will be hardest hit. Well, sure, Halo 2 is still the most widely played game, but at least those guys will have some consolation when they leave the house and discover that two three more Halo games have come out since 2004. By the way, if you have anything terribly important to say to your clan mates, we suggest you say it now.
Xbox v1 games, systems no longer Live; Microsoft's pulling the plug April 15
It's been no secret that original Xbox games and systems have been the vestigial limb holding back much wanted XBL features including raising the limit on our friends list to over 100 or mobile tie-ins, and on April 15 Live access for all of them comes to an end. Even those Xbox Originals downloaded to the 360 or played via backwards compatibility will be cut off from online play, so we'd suggest getting those last few rounds of Halo 2 in now or at least look into an alternative solution like XBConnect. Affected users should keep an eye on their inbox, Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten has promised "details and opportunities" to come for you as partners in this process -- we're figuring a coupon or two or an extended XBL subscription as the lights are turned out is the least they can do. For the rest of us already living in the future? The timing of this announcement mere days before the X10 event in San Francisco February 11 can't be coincidental, we should find out what comes next by then.
Crook nabs 360, replaces with original Xbox
We've covered our fair share of Xbox thievery stories in the past, but this one is different. In this case, the criminal involved seems to have a particularly evil sense of humor. An Xbox 360 was stolen from a hall government member at Northwestern University in Illinois. According to the victim, the 360 was locked in a closet on May 11. The victim realized the crime had been committed when he opened the closet on May 22 -- still locked -- to find the 360 had been replaced with the original (and decidedly less svelte) Xbox 1.We're certainly not condoning the crime -- we hope the thief is caught and the 360 returned -- but we have to admit that is one helluva burn.[Thanks, Jim. Via Binge Gamer]
