Via:http://www.bingegamer.net

In a bit of crime news that will probably find its way into t3h w31rd this Sunday, a student at the University of Evanston had his Xbox 360 stolen — and replaced with a Xbox. A classic Xbox. The black one.

On May 11th a hall government member went down to the basement, and locked his Xbox 360 in a closet. When said student returned eleven days later, he found that the closet was still locked, but that the Xbox 360 was gone, replaced with the classic black brick.

The student says that only two people have access to the closet, including himself. So whoever this second person happens to be is either a complete idiot for thinking that this other guy wouldn’t notice that the slim, proper Xbox 360 was replaced by the Borg Cube, or he’s a thief with a heart and just couldn’t bring himself to steal the 360 without leaving some kind of consolation prize for the original owner.

Sucks to be you, kid. Sucks to be you. ...

Via:http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/

With the release of the highly anticipated Soul Calibur IV now confirmed to be July 29, and another fourth iteration fighting game likely hitting near the end of the year or thereabouts, what could fuel the single combat genre until the fall? Well, if you're going to be picking up SCIV it might be worth your time to see how the series started off, and Namco Bandai looks to be making that even easier when they bring the original Soulcalibur to Live Arcade later this year. Regarded by some as a near-perfect weapon based fighter, this 1999 Dreamcast title will be upgraded to run in HD, though that's where the upgrades really stop. Leaderboards will be featured for the single player, but there are currently no plans to include online multiplayer, local only. We're not sure about this particular port, our purchase will likely depend on the amount of ambient nostalgia upon release (and of course upon the quality of Soul Calibur IV). ...

Via:N4G.com
By:Eoco

If you haven’t played COD4 yet (if not, why not?), then this post contains minor spoilers.

Recently I have found myself becoming increasingly bored with video games. Often I will find myself firing up my console, and just not wanting to play any of my games. Now the reason is not that all the games released are low quality, in fact it’s far from it. It is the simple fact that all the games released in the past year (except a few, more on those later) lack a certain quality. It is this unique aspect of a game that separates it from other games. Now this ‘quality’ is not graphics or sound or whatever, it is something quite different, but I can’t pinpoint what it is. Hmm…this is quite hard to explain…

.

Let me give you an example. Take Call of Duty 4. Now everybody agrees that COD4 is technically a good game. It has good graphics and sound, the online and perk system is great, now while these certainly contribute to it, these are not the things that make the game special. There are two levels in the game, where you do practically nothing. They’re almost like cutscenes, but from a first person perspective. However, despite this, these are my two favourite levels in the game. The first of these levels is where you see yourself (President Yasir Al-Fulani) assassinated. You are shoved into a car and driven through a city, before being shot in the head. It wont come through in text, but when your watching it, it is so absorbing - you feel much more sympathetic towards the character, and feel much more against the killer. The second level is when you wake up after a nuclear weapon has been activated. You crawl out from your crashed helicopter, only to find a destroyed city, with debris flying everywhere. Amazing.


Technical aspects and how fun the game is definitely contribute to whether the game memorable or not, but there is also something else.

.

Despite what I’ve said, I don’t think the ‘quality’ that is missing from so many games is the ability to emotionally involve a player. No, that’s not it. It’s just that most of the recently released video games aren’t special. Take Rainbow 6 Vegas 2 for example. It’s an ok game, but there’s nothing special about it. Again, Burnout Paradise, it pretty fun, but it’s not special, I’m not going to remember it as one of my favourite games of all time. So many games that are released now are just so uninspiring. That’s it! Uninspiring. See if you can think of a game released in the past year, that you can honestly say is inspiring, or really special. If I had to, I’d probably go with Call of Duty 4 and maybe Bully: Scholarship Edition. The only game that I can say has truly inspired me if Portal. Three games isn’t a lot. I’ve bought all the big releases this year and some small ones, but I’m still bored. There is only one reason I can think of - that gaming has become a bit stagnant lately. There were very few new franchises or series launched, and most of the big hits were sequels (Call of Duty 4, Halo 3 etc.), if you look on the horizon all I can see is more sequels like MGS4, GTA4, Fallout 3. These will all be great quality games, and I’m sure everyone will enjoy them. I mean, games can still be a hell of a lot of fun, even if they aren’t inspiring - I know I’ve enjoyed laying a lot of games this past year. Now before you all think I’m crazy I know I’m not alone in this view. I’ve spoken to a couple of people on Xbox Live that agree with me and I’m sure there must be others. Don’t get me wrong, I love gaming and I’ve really enjoyed a lot of the games this year, but just feel they could have been better. I read about games, buy games, write about games, but recently I really am loosing faith in them. Strange. Come on video game industry, show us something amazing! Maybe this year will reignite my passion for my hobby.

.

Note: I know this all sounds a bit weird: ‘How can a guy have lots of fun playing games, but still be disappointed with them?’. Well before you all yell ‘hypocrisy!’, just because a game isn’t special or inspiring, doesn’t mean it isn’t a hell of a lot of fun. ...

By:Nikole
I'm going to do my best to leave me opinions out of this and make it as unbiased as I can, because I mostly want your opinions on the matter.
I was reading an article on bingegamer.net. The author Allison Boyer was discussing her experiences while playing XBL. She complains that she doesn't like using her mic due to the fact that she has a woman's voice, as most women do. The problem with having a woman's voice you ask? You get comments like these:

"Ooo, your voice sounds sexy, Ooo, I'll protect you baby, Ooo, you up for some fun?



She says that while playing she will either get killed non-stop by guys thinking its funny to kill a girl or be protected by players who think its chivalrous to keep her from harms way. The bottom line being: "I'm a girl. I like to play video games. STOP RUINING IT FOR ME."


There, a simple painless little article stating how this girl felt she was being harassed and treated differently on live. Hardly breaking news or any kind of oddity. But the part that strikes me is the comments she received. The article went up today and there are already 50+ comments, the majority of which being negative and involving the world kitchen and/or sammiches. [Guys get some new jokes!!!]

* "-Get back to the kitchen" x9000!!!!

* -"grow some balls "

* "Get over it. You know the nature of how online play is on xbox live and PSN. You know what to expect. All that one can do in your position is endure it. You can't change anything by writing a piece crying about how annoying people are towards you when you play online. I get irritated at the idiots who only know how to swear all day and talk over the mic just to hear themselves say something in the game. But I don't care that much to write a cry me a river style article. If I want to play online then that is what I have to expect. It is the "nature" of playing a game online."

* -"The irony in this article is amazing. The jerks pick on you because you act like a little girl, in fact you ARE a little girl (no i don't care about your real age, someone who cries about the ean people on the internet is as naive as a 8 years old). Instead of whining you should understand that xboxlive is full of morons and the fact that you're a girl is just one more reason to add to a countless list for acting like a complete idiot. I hope you're just a troll playing the old "EHI AIMMA GRRRL GAMER!!!" card for some easy baiting. In that case it was a pleasure to feed you. tl;dr Cry me a river, build a bridge and get over it."

* -"Don't wear your mic or turn on mute. Seriously, why so many words for a non-issue? And I'm really sure the fellas are waiting in lines to tap your sh--, sister"

* -"Cute arguement, but one article on the next isn't anything more then a gossip. I appologize but no ones going to look at this and change their ways for it, ethier way it was clevar and I got a few laughs out of it."

* -"WAHHH. Like any woman, all you can f------ do is bitch. Grow some f------ ovaries, and either kill the m----------- trying to kill/protect you, or, hey, tell them to f--- off. Jesus christ, do you honestly expect the internet to feel sorry for you? Why? Because you have a f------ hole between your legs? GTFO, you stupid, worthless, hypocritical c----. Seriously. Just get the f--- off the internet right now. You belong in the kitchen anyways."



I'm gonna avoid bitching about the obvious idiots she has to deal with. I don't see how this will ever change for xbl or anywhere on the internet as long as people can hide behind the anonymity of the internet.


Am I the only one that thinks this is ridiculous?

And guys, is this how you really are and how you really view girls?

Does talking about these issues actually bring about change for the better?

Is there really anything that can be done to stop stupidity on the internet?

Source: http://www.gamegirl.com/article/6487...ing-continues/ ...

Via GameDaily
Despite the fact that Nintendo has boosted its Wii production to 1.8 million units monthly, the popular console continues to sell out quickly and consumers trying to purchase one this holiday may have to look hard and often. Nintendo has had to deal with speculation repeatedly suggesting that the company might be creating artificial shortages in order to further stir up hype, but Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime insists that's just not true.

Fils-Aime has commented yet again to the Wall Street Journal: "It really is a missed opportunity if we're not able to satisfy that demand, which is why we're working so hard with retailers."

More interesting, however, is the WSJ's perspective on why Nintendo didn't anticipate the level of demand they've encountered with the Wii. The Journal believes it's a matter of Japanese corporate philosophy.

"While Nintendo's problem illustrates how tough it is for companies to try to predict demand for a product, even in the second year, it also is emblematic of the Japanese company's native caution. In the past two years, for example, Nintendo has set earnings forecasts so conservative that they achieved them in just nine months," the business publication said. "Because Nintendo puts a great deal of focus on cash flow, it tries to keep its inventory as low as possible. Such a strategy is rare among Japanese companies, which have tended to focus on revenue growth and market share."

Whether the shortages are truly designed as a strategy to elevate hype around the product only Nintendo insiders really know, but clearly it's better to have the console selling out instead of sitting on store shelves. "If you flood the market, it will come back to haunt you," Christopher Tang, a professor of supply-chain management at the UCLA Anderson School of Management told the WSJ. "Psychologically, it's better if the customer is begging for the product."

Most analysts seem to think supply and demand for the Wii will finally level out sometime next year. Wedbush Morgan Securities' Michael Pachter recently said he believes it will happen next April. ...

Exclusive first details on 2K's new boxing game for 360, DS, and Wii.
By Sam Kennedy

To coincide with the Spike TV Videogame Awards, in which Don King was a presenter, 2K Games announced its brand new boxing game Don King Presents: Prizefighter. Slated to hit the 360, DS, and Wii (and possibly others, though 2K's not saying) in the spring of 2008, Prizefighter is said to provide the deepest boxing experience yet with a documentary-style approach to its presentation. More so than any other boxing game before it, the attempt is to deliver an in-depth career mode, with all the obstacles that face a real boxer -- which is where the legendary boxing promoter's expertise comes in.

We'll have to wait to see exactly what 2K and Don King's take on boxing games will play like, but it's also worth noting that Prizefighter is being developed by 2K's UK-based Venom Games studio, the guys behind the Rocky games for PS2 and Xbox. ...

By Dan Freeman, GameRush Entertainment

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the U.S. Postal Service is expected to deliver some 20 billion pieces of mail. However, some packages don’t always arrive to their destinations intact.

A woman in Columbus, Georgia was able to find and purchase a Nintendo Wii on eBay only to have it stolen during shipping.

“It looks like someone ripped it backwards,” Kathy Green told local WTVM.

When the package arrived, the box the Wii was supposed to be in was torn open. Inside the actual Wii box, the console was missing.

Officials at the post office can confirm through tracking the package that its weight was heavier at one point, but cannot determine what went wrong. Since Green had the package insured, she’ll recoup the money.

“It’s hard to tell where in the system it got opened up or where it actually happened,” said USPS Customer Service Manager Michael Matthews.

“Package your articles correctly, make sure they’re secure, be sure that you have an address on the inside of the package as well as the outside of the package.”

Claims of stolen or damaged contents can be claimed at a local post office and refunded if the value is less than $50. Others must go through a process with a corporate office, which takes about a month. ...

Via N4G

In a bid to encourage the gaming culture in India, Xbox 360 has launched a first-of-its-kind "Xbox Entertainment Lounge" within the 'Mobile Store' at Walkeshwar in Mumbai.

The Mobile Store, which is an Essar initiative in telecom retail, stands for all that is young and is fun. The launch of the first ever Xbox Lounge within this store is a sure step towards making it a popular youth hangout.

As it is, the Mobile Store offers a wide choice of mobile phones, mobile connections and recharges, mobile repairs, mobile accessories, value adds, plus music and gaming devices.

And, the Xbox Entertainment Lounge promises a perfect setting for family and friends to hang out and spend time together. Customers can even buy their favorirte game and/or console after trying their hands at it.

Rajiv Agarwal, chief executive officer and director of the Mobile Store, said the complete entertainment provided by Xbox 360 will add to the experience of their valued customers.

Meanwhile, Mohit Anand, country manager (Entertainment Devices Division) of Microsoft India, said they are steadfast in popularizing the gaming genre in India. He said the Xbox Lounge concept is the next step to make gaming as an entertainment option accessible to a broader set of audiences.

Recently, Microsoft held the Xbox 360 Gamer's Night in various cities, including Mumbai. The Xbox Entertainment Lounge initiative is intended to take-up where the Gamer's Night left-off -- as one more step towards building a gaming community in India. ...

New Xbox 360 family functions will give parents more control.
By Mike Smith

Concerned about your child's gaming habits? Your life is about to be made easier -- at least, if your family owns an Xbox 360. Microsoft, the console's manufacturer, plans to include a "Family Timer" in the 360's Fall System Update, due to roll out to all Internet-connected consoles on December 4.

The Family Timer, a feature that's unique to the Xbox 360, allows parents to set a maximum amount of daily or weekly time that their kids can use the console. The unfortunate youth will receive a series of warnings as their time expires before being kicked out when the countdown reaches zero. Parents can override the timer if they feel their offspring deserves extra gaming privileges, or disable it altogether if they fancy a little play once the kids are in bed.

Downloading the update will be automatic if your Xbox is connected to a broadband network, and the update process should take less than a minute, Microsoft's Group Project Manager Adam Greenberg told Yahoo!. Once downloaded, parents can find the Family Timer settings by going to the "System" blade of their console's main menu. The timer can be set in 15-minute increments, and you can always ask the kids for help -- although you may not want to let them know what you're planning to do.

The Fall System Update also includes a host of new features intended to improve the console's online abilities and media playing functions. Subscribers to Microsoft's Xbox Live service will be able to browse each other's friends lists, in an attempt to bring some of the social networking functions of sites like Myspace to the Xbox network. The console will be able to play videos in a wider range of formats, including the popular Xvid and Divx codecs. And in a move that's sure to please fans of Microsoft's original Xbox, gamers will now be able to download a handful of complete Xbox games, including the original Halo, Crimson Skies, and critical darling Psychonauts, each for $15.

Greenburg also addressed some shortcomings of the Xbox Live service that the Fall Update won't fix. Currently, subscribers can add a maximum of 50 fellow gamers to their Friends list, allowing them to view each other's online status and other information, and that's not enough for many extroverted Xbox enthusiasts. "Increasing it is not as simple as just flicking a switch," he told us, but work is continuing to allow maxed-out gamers to add more contacts.

Microsoft's update comes amid record sales for the Xbox 360. "A lot of retailers stocked out last week," Greenberg told us: more than 310,000 units made their way home with shoppers over the Black Friday period, and Microsoft-exclusive hits like Mass Effect and Halo 3 are also riding high in the sales charts. The Xbox 360 faces strong competition from Sony's PlayStation 3, which posted a 245% increase over last year's Black Friday sales, and Nintendo's Wii, which continues to be hard to find in many regions over a year after its launch.

source : http://us.i1.yimg.com/videogames.yah...-clock/1173308 ...