Japanese Retailers Phasing Out Xbox 360 Hardware and Software

Japanese Retailers Phasing Out Xbox 360 Hardware and Softwareby Zach Pint Hardware sales for the Xbox 360 in Japan have been dismal at best, so it comes to no surprise that some retailers are beginning to pull the hardware and software from their shelves.Geo, a Japanese retailer, is cutting back on the Xbox 360, as well as the electronics retailer, Yamada Denki. Staff at Yamada Denki have “confirmed that the company is removing hardware and software from the majority of its stores nationwide, and is selling off its remaining stock at a heavy discount,” according to Edge Magazine.Only 72,721 Xbox 360s have been sold in Japan this year, which brings the total number to 1.5 million. It’s kind of surprising that these measures took so long to be put into affect after seeing those numbers.

via Japanese Retailers Phasing Out Xbox 360 Hardware and Software.

RAGE takes up 22gb, if you choose 360 install

There is a rather large install of 22GB coming your way if you choose to install RAGE on your Xbox 360′s HDD.

via RAGE takes up 22gb, if you choose 360 install.

The Graphics of ‘Avatar’ at home!

Report: The Next Xbox Can Render Avatar Graphics

Brian Ashcraft — No, it won’t be wall-to-wall digital blue people. Well, I hope it won’t, because, man, I did not like Avatar.

However, AMD, the tech company responsible for Xbox 360 graphics tech, said the next Xbox will be able to render graphical detail on par with James Cameron’s sci-fi opus.

AMD won’t confirm it’s working on the new Xbox, but, according to the Official Xbox Magazine, AMD said the new Xbox will launch with that level of graphics.

What’s more, AMD’s Neal Robison added that the upcoming A.I. will enable every pedestrian in, say,Grand Theft Auto have their own personality and react to situations differently.

This sounds like AMD talking up whatever they’re working on. Fingers crossed it actually pans out, because words like these can come back to haunt you.

Kotaku is following up with Microsoft and will update this post should the company comment.

Source: Report: The Next Xbox Can Render Avatar Graphics

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I’ve got to call BS on this one.   Real time rendering of Avatar graphics with enough horsepower
to give everyone in GTA a personality?    Don’t think so.. not at the price point Microsoft is going to
need to be at.  

Of course.. Sony said the same thing.. and it was true..  if you watched it as a movie. 

Xbox LIVE has not been LULz’d

Even I’ve seen some posts about people claiming that LIVE has been hacked.   and even though I asked for proof, nothing was provided.   So.  I can only believe that it’s Sony marketing people saying LIVE has been hacked in order to shift blame.  
anyway.. according to Major Nelson from Xbox.  He tweeted on 6/17: 

   I am seeing concern that Xbox LIVE is compromised. So far All we’ve seen is a random list of emails. Nothing indicating a breach.

 

So where has Sony, Nintendo, Sega, and many others have been hacked.  We’d not seen LIVE go down..      Yet.     Me thinks it’s only a matter of time.

Halo Anniversary to include Kinect.

WHY?  I don’t know.  But according to the news feeds it will.

Fable: The Journey debut trailer and footage

Fable: The Journey debut trailer and footage.

I REALLY hope this isn’t all the game… it looks like a rail shooter that you can flap your arms too.    =/

Hey Lionhead?  i’ve got one for you..  try FIXING FABLE 3 BEFORE
worrying about Fable 4.      Can’t  BELIEVE I paid for DLC that BREAKS the main game.  WTF!?

Duke Nukem Forever has gone gold!

Source: 2K Games PR

Vaporware no more! Gaming’s most legendary hero makes his triumphant return this June

Windsor, UK – May 24, 2011 – 2K Games and Gearbox Software are proud to announce that Duke Nukem Forever®, one of the most anticipated entertainment properties of all time, has “gone gold” and will be available at retailers on June 10, 2011 internationally and on June 14, 2011 in North America. The road to gold was paved over the course of 15 years and its legendary path climaxes on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. Gamers who pre-order the title from select outlets will ensure that they are among the first to experience this legendary piece of gaming history when the demo* launches on June 3, 2011 for all platforms, exclusively for Duke Nukem First Access Club Members.

“Duke Nukem Forever is the game that was once thought to be unshippable, and yet here we are, on the precipice of history,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “Today marks an amazing day in the annals of gaming lore, the day where the legend of Duke Nukem Forever is finally complete and it takes that final step towards becoming a reality.”

Created over the span of 15 years, Duke Nukem Forever was first developed with the intense passion and commitment from an inspired group of dedicated designers, artists and programmers at 3D Realms under the direction of game industry icon, George Broussard.

“Duke Nukem Forever and its journey to store shelves is legendary,” said George Broussard, creative director at 3D Realms. “It’s an epic tale of four game development studios that banded together and did the unthinkable and shipped the unshippable. When you play this game you will be reminded of that epic journey at every turn and in every small detail of the game. The character, attitude, interactivity, gameplay and political incorrectness combine to make a Duke Nukem game a unique gaming experience. In the timeless words of Duke Nukem it’s finally time to ‘Come Get Some’. Come be a part of gaming history.”

In 2009, after many believed that Duke Nukem Forever would never be completed, a small team of intrepid developers, known as Triptych Studios, resurrected the dream. Through their inspiring and steadfast commitment to the game and their exemplary talent and skill, they finally assembled the pieces to create an incredible, epic and cohesive gameplay experience. Under the production of Gearbox Software, Triptych Studios, Piranha Games and many other contributors joined together in a heroic effort to complete the long awaited game as a polished, full-featured triple-A title.

“Always bet on Duke, I did,” said Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox Software. “I bet on all of the developers who have ever been a part of this legendary project and I bet that none of us want to live in a world without the Duke. I’ve played the final game and it is an incredible experience – a once-in-a-lifetime opus of interactive entertainment that reminds me once again why Duke Nukem is our King. The developers of Duke Nukem Forever at 3D Realms, Triptych, Piranha and finally at Gearbox deserve our thanks and respect for never giving up and have truly shown us that they have balls of steel!”

Strictly for the biggest Duke Nukem fans, the First Access Club grants members exclusive access to the pre-release demo on June 3, 2011 so that they are amongst the first to experience gaming history in the making. There are multiple ways fans can join the exclusive First Access Club, by pre-ordering the game from select retailers or by purchasing the Borderlands Game of the Year Edition on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Windows PC.

True Duke Nukem die-hards will want to get their hands on the Duke Nukem Forever Balls of Steel Edition. This package is spilling over-the-brim with legendary content that is not to be missed by those who want the ultimate experience of this historic arrival. Premium items, such as a Duke Nukem Bust and an art book that chronicles the development of Duke Nukem Forever, flank a package that is overflowing with content. Check out http://www.dukenukemforever.com/preorder/ to see exactly how much stuff could be crammed into one box.

Apologising to no one, Duke Nukem Forever is the high-octane video game equivalent of a Hollywood summer blockbuster. Starring the legendary lady killer and alien slayer, Duke Nukem Forever brings gamers back to a blastastic time when games were filled with head-popping, bone-rattling action, brazenly crude humor, impossibly statuesque women dying for affection, and catchy one-liners meant to make you laugh out loud.

Duke Nukem Forever is rated 18 by BBFC. For more information on the game, including where to pre-order, please visit http://www.dukenukemforever.com.

*Xbox LIVE, PSN or Steam, Duke First Access Club token and Internet connection required to access demo.

2K Games is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Today is last day for the Orginal Xbox Live!

PSA: Today last full day for original Xbox Live

via VG247 by Johnny Cullen on 4/14/10

Today’s your last full day to get in some Halo 2 multiplayer action: Live for the original Xbox shuts down tomorrow.

As announced back in January, Live for Xbox 1 is about to be totally shutdown, including Live support and full online multiplayer for titles like Bungie’s blockbuster, Battlefield 2: Modern Combat and more.

On the upside, Microsoft’s said that because of the service’s closure it can raise the amount of friends you can have on your 360 Live friends list.

So get those matches of Halo 2 Slayer in now before it’s too late.

Microsoft Ditches XBLA Size Cap

via 1UP RSS feed by Steve Watts on 9/24/09

Though it’s been a non-issue for the last several months, Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade has still ostensibly had a file size cap, until now. IGN reports that the company has finally done away with arbitrary file size rules. This is no surprise, since several games have broken the size cap, most recently with a stand-alone Red Alert 3 pack that came it at a whopping 2GB. We seemed to see a slow scaling back of the limits on XBLA titles. After Symphony of the Night broke the 50 MB limit, Microsoft moved it to 150 MB. Then Portal: Still Alive broke that at a full gig, and since then the size restrictions haven’t seemed to be in play.That doesn’t mean developers can make a game any size they want, however. Microsoft’s Scott Austin says that the file structure of XBLA games only allows them to go up to 2 GB. That’s the new limit, and there doesn’t seem to be any room for expansion beyond it. It does bring up the question, though: if 2 GB was always the technical ceiling for file sizes, why create file caps in the first place?

Dragon Age coming Oct 20th.

Bioware’s new epic RPG will be hitting the 360, PC, and PS3 at the time!