via Eurogamer


Hot on the news-based heels of news-based news that you will be able to download Xbox 1 games, view your friends' Friends Lists and restrict access to children with the new Xbox 360 dashboard update, Microsoft has also announced a new "Arcade Hits" wing of Xbox Live Arcade for games with "permanently reduced prices".

Arcade Hits will launch alongside the free dashboard update tomorrow, 4th December, and the first games to see their prices cut will be Bankshot Billiards 2 (800 Microsoft Points), Lumines Live! (800), Marble Blast Ultra (400), Small Arms (400) and Zuma Deluxe (400).

Microsoft also drew attention to a few upcoming Xbox Live Arcade releases, noting that Arkadian Warriors (hackandslash, Sierra Online), Brain Challenge (brain training, Gameloft), GripShift (puzzle/racer, Sidhe), N+ (puzzle/platform, Slick/Metanet), Omega Five (shoot-'em-up, Hudson), Poker Smash (Void Star Creations), Rez HD (shoot-'em-up, Q Entertainment) and Sensible World of Soccer (sports, Codemasters) will be released "in the coming weeks". The latter, SWOS, is known to be due out on 19th December.

Other features doing into the update include "Inside Live", a new direct feed of news from Xbox.com, which - if it's anything like the PlayStation 3 news ticker - we hope you can turn off, and the option to input a longer biography of yourself. There are also new Game Store and Video Store buttons, and you can watch how some of it works on YouTube. ...

via Gizmodo


I4U points out that when acquiring some Wiis from wholesalers, they were surprised to find that the price had increased from last year. While the Wii retails for $250 [£121], in 2006 they had to settle for a $476.11 [£230] pricetag for just the Wii system. This year, that number has inflated to $538.80 [£260]...or become [£14.50] $60 more expensive. We can't believe it either.

Obviously our first reaction, sorry I4U, is never buy a Wii from their store (and for other absurd prices, just check out Amazon's third party seller options). Direct from your favorite chain retailer still seems like the best bet to score a Wii, because while they are in short supply, at least you can buy one for $250 (what the Wii should cost).

And hopefully consumers won't give in this Christmas and spend too much on the console...again. A wholesaler moving a Wii for over double retail is nothing more than a scalper. It's hard to believe that modern technology distribution models would support such deplorable behavior that benefits so few.

I don't pretend to know the ins and outs of the wholesale world, but I think it's time for Nintendo to take names and be more choosy to whom they sell their consoles. And maybe resellers who are complaining about ridiculous wholesalers shouldn't be supporting them either. ...

via Kotaku


If you enjoyed the original NiGHTS, the next couple of months will be grand. Team Sonic USA head and original NiGHTS designer Takashi Iizuka spearheaded NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, which is out later this month in North America and Japan. Next year will see the original NiGHTS into Dreams... getting a PS2 remake for Japanese release. What are the chances of that getting an international release? Or what about a Wii port? Iizuka says:


So those who really want to play NiGHTS into Dreams... either import or dust off your Saturns!


Anyone outside Japan who does want to play a PS2 remake of Nights Into Dreams will just have to hope it gets an international release... ...

via Games Industry


Fabrice Pierre-Elien, Ubisoft's business development manager, has told GamesIndustry.biz that he sees the development of new intellectual property as crucial for the company, but that creating additional franchises can help to improve the quality of games.


Talking in an exclusive interview in the build-up to GDC Lyon and Game Connection, Pierre-Elien added that the creation of new IP was crucial, but that the company didn't have to just rely on its internal studios to work on that area.


GDC Lyon and Game Connection are taking place this week at the Centre de Congres in Lyon, France. The full interview with Fabrice Pierre-Elien is available now. ...

via Computer and Video Games


The PC and Xbox 360 versions will be patched this week, says the game's official site, and new download content in the form of extra plasmids and gene tonics.


The site doesn't go into detail on what extra goodies can be expected in the DLC, but we've heard that brand new plasmids - such as a splicer-flinging Sonic Blast and a Vampire-like trick - and new gene tonics will be included. ...

via IGN


Square Enix has unveiled its lineup for this year's Jump Festa. This year's installment of the annual December event sponsored by the folks that publish the Jump series of comics will be held at the Makhuari Messe just outside Tokyo on 12/22 and 12/23.

Those who make it to the Square Enix booth, usually the largest booth amongst game publishers, can look forward to the following:

Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road (arcade): Game will be playable at 100 yen per play. No limited edition cards are planned. A tournament will be held for elementary school kids on the 22nd and kid/parent pairs on the 23rd.

Dragon Quest IV (NDS): Special data to be distributed to those with DS systems and a copy of the game. Make sure you've advanced to the 5th chapter.

Final Fantasy IV (NDS): Playable

Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon (WII): Video-only.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (WII WARE): Video-only

Final Fantasy Dissidia (PSP): New trailer in Closed Mega Theater

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (NDS): New trailer in Closed Mega Theater

Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep (PSP): New trailer in Closed Mega Theater

Kingdom Hearts Coded (Mobile): New trailer in Closed Mega Theater

Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII (PS3/Mobile): New trailers in Closed Mega Theater

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete (Blu-ray): Video in Closed Mega Theater

Star Ocean First Departure (PSP): Video-only

Front Mission 2089 Border of Madness (NDS): Video-only

There doesn't seem to be too much in the way of playable product in there, but the video footage in the closed, and tightly patrolled, theater should make this a worthwhile event. Look forward to coverage later this month! ...

via Eurogamer


Fable 2 will be released in "late 2008", Peter Molyneux told Eurogamer readers today in a wide-ranging LiveText interview.

When pressed to be more specific, he added: "Late 2008. Maybe when the leaves have a slight brownish tinge - but are still on the trees, if you see what I mean." Fable 2 is Lionhead's Xbox 360-exclusive follow-up to the critically acclaimed Xbox ARPG Fable.

Molyneux also dropped hints about what else the British developer - now Microsoft-owned - is working on. "We are working on a title now which is kind of a hybrid of Dimitri," he told Eurogamer readers.


Other highlights of Molyneux's chat with Eurogamer readers:

• The name of Lionhead's second project quite possibly begins with "Mi" - the rest got snipped by a buffer in our interview system and then he thought better of revealing it!
• He's interested in developing simulation and God games for the DS, and said he would love to do Dungeon Keeper DS if EA gave him the rights back.
• The game he most enjoyed this year - "mainly because of the environment and story" - was BioShock.
• He would consider working on somebody else's property rather than original IP providing Lionhead was given "creative freedom to take the licence in any direction".
• He says the Xbox 360 is the best console he's ever worked on. "I have to be diplomatic, but that is true."
• He believes that within the next ten years a game will be considered "a major scientific breakthrough".
• He would rather be invisible than have lasers for eyes.

You can read the entire transcript through the blue-word doors to truth. ...

via Gizmodo




Looking to make Guitar Hero a little crappier? Great! Just play it on a Commodore 64. That's what Toni Westbrook is doing for some insane reason with his Shredz64 project. The game isn't done yet, but when complete it should provide a rudimentary facsimile of the popular game using the squawking beeps that the Commodore can make as "music." It promises to be much less fun and much more tedious than the original, but hey, power to ya, Toni. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Forza 2 developer Turn 10 is preparing to unleash new download content for the Xbox 360 racing game.

Although the studio has yet to divulge full details, it's said it's getting ready "all sorts of goodies for our upcoming car and track DLC release".

So we're willing to be our Rockstar Presents Table Tennis ping pong ball that new cars and tracks will feature in the latest content.

Full details should be revealed today in a Turn 10 Pitpass Report.

The last batch of Forza 2 DLC was released last month. It included four "variations" of Japan's Twin Ring Motegi course - basically the same tracks with different ways to drive around them (and it cost £5.10 too). ...