Didn’t we learn anything from RoboCop? We could totally see (which happens to weigh five tons) going out of control and liquefying an unsuspecting movie extra standing near it. [via Dvice]

http://hackaday.com/2012/05/13/hacka...may-13th-2012/ ...

Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition has smashed all previous Xbox Live Arcade sales records after selling the most units in just 24 hours.
The downloadable title – priced at 1,600 Microsoft Points (around £15) – went on sale on Wednesday, May 9th.
Within its first hour on sale it had become profitable, and in around 24 hours it had amassed more than 400,000 sales.
Minecraft creator Markus ‘Notch’ Persson said on Twitter: “Well then. Saw the official sales numbers for the first 24 hours of Minecraft Xbox 360, and it's very, very good. Profitable in an hour.”
Minecraft was developed by Mojang and ported to Xbox 360 by 4J Studios and Microsoft Studios.
Today Notch added: “Mojang and 4j will be celebrating today like only slightly socially awkward game developers can. Much standing around with beers in hand.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/minec...records/095931 ...

Baird analyst Colin Sebastian has predicted that Rockstar fans will have to wait until next year for the return of Grand Theft Auto.
In a note discussing GameStop's disappointing pre-announced financials, he said the retailer could expect strong sales from key releases over the next twelve months.
Titles namechecked included GTA publisher Rockstar's next release Max Payne 3, as well as Diablo, Black Ops II, Halo 4, Assassin's Creed, EA's sports titles... "and in early 2013 BioShock and Grand Theft Auto V".
Rockstar parent Take-Two has never confirmed that GTA V will be a 2012 release, but most of the industry expects it to arrive by Christmas.
Last month, a Rockstar North animator's CV suggested the game could be released in October.
Expect more information, if not a concrete release date, from next month's E3 Expo in Los Angeles.
Until then, perhaps we should open a book on it? We'd put a tenner on a Christmas Day release.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/no-gt...analyst/095934 ...

Company to integrate Kinect gestures, report suggests

An Xbox 360 version of Internet Explorer is currently under review and in development at Microsoft, a new report suggests.
If Microsoft ports its browser search engine to Xbox, it could mark the first time the home console provides open internet access.

The company has hitherto provided limited internet services to its home consoles, such as with streaming media and online game connections.
According to games site Polygon, Microsoft will integrate Kinect gestures and voice control within the Xbox 360 Internet Explorer service.
“Kinect support is not mandatory according to our sources, but the browser is said to be tuned for Kinect usage,” the report read.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...ernet-Explorer
...

TheGift73 writes in with this link about IE 9 coming to an Xbox 360 near you."Microsoft is currently testing a modified version of Internet Explorer 9 on its Xbox 360 console, according to our sources. The Xbox 360 currently includes Bing voice search, but it's limited to media results. Microsoft's new Internet Explorer browser for Xbox will expand on this functionality to open up a full browser for the console. We are told that the browser will let Xbox users surf all parts of the web straight from their living rooms.

http://games.slashdot.org/story/12/0...lorer-browsing ...

Coming in the next week or so, heres the details:



The complete Xbox 360 experience, including the controller-free fun of Kinect, now with 2 games, a 3 Month Xbox LIVE Gold membership and available in glossy white for a limited time. Additionally, this Celebration bundle comes with commemorative Union Jack console, sensor and controller skins.

Product Details

Enjoy the complete Xbox 360 experience – including the controller-free fun of Kinect. Jump, dance, and get your whole body in the game with the unique experience of Kinect. Or use your controller to play the blockbuster games your friends can't stop talking about. Plus, with built-in Wi-Fi, it’s easy to access great entertainment on Xbox LIVE from HD movies and TV shows to sports.* With Kinect, play, pause and rewind the action with a wave of your hand. When you are the controller, there’s nothing between you and the fun. Now for a limited time, includes the best-selling Kinect game**, Kinect Sports, as well as Kinect Adventures, a 3 month Xbox LIVE Gold membership, and glossy white finish.

Product Features

• Special Edition White Xbox 360 S Console: The Xbox 360 console is sleek and quiet, with a stylish design that will be the centerpiece of your home entertainment system, now with a special white finish for a limited time.
• White Kinect Sensor: You are the controller with Kinect, now with a special white finish for a limited time. Immerse yourself in full-body gameplay or watch HD movies and sports on Xbox LIVE* in a whole new way. Play, pause, or rewind the action with a wave of your hand.*
• Kinect Sports game: The best-selling game on Kinect** packs six fun events that transform your living room from ordinary entertainment into an extraordinary stadium! Bowling, Beach Volleyball, Table Tennis, Soccer, Track and Field and Boxing – you are the controller!
• Kinect Adventures game: Get off the couch and into the game in a whole new way. You and your friends and family will jump, dodge, and kick your way through 20 pulse-pounding adventures set in exotic locations.
• Built-in Wi-Fi: The Xbox 360 is the only console with 802.11n Wi-Fi built in for a faster and easier connection to Xbox LIVE. Download or stream HD movies, TV episodes, and games from Xbox LIVE Marketplace in 1080p and 5.1 surround sound from anywhere in the house.*
• White Xbox 360 Wireless Controller: This award-winning, high-performance white wireless controller matches the console and Kinect Sensor. It has a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of up to 30 hours on two AA batteries.
• 3 Month Xbox LIVE Gold Membership: With an Xbox LIVE Gold membership, take your Xbox 360 online to play Kinect and controller games with friends wherever they are. Instantly watch HD movies, TV shows and sports, and with Kinect, your voice is the remote control. Plus, friends and family are never far away when you can video chat face-to-face on the biggest screen in the house. And now for a limited time you will get 3 Months of Xbox LIVE included.**
• Commemorative Union Jack Skins: Transform and protect your Xbox 360 console, Kinect sensor and controller. Premium vinyl skins with patented adhesive that prevents air bubbles from forming, allowing for easy application and clean removal.
• Xbox 360 Composite A/V cable: Use your Xbox 360 on standard-definition televisions using this connection over traditional composite connectors. Play high-quality audio with the included stereo connector.
• Warranty: One year limited warranty on console (90 days on accessories)
*Xbox LIVE Gold membership and/or other subscriptions and requirements apply for some Xbox LIVE features. See xbox.com/live. Not all functionality on Xbox LIVE is Kinect enabled. Only media content from Xbox LIVE supports voice and gesture controls. Broadband, games, add-ons and media content sold separately. Bonus items (game and Xbox LIVE Gold) inside marked packages, while supplies last. Game is downloaded from Xbox LIVE. 1080p HD available with select videos; requires HDMI cable, HDCP compliant 1080p display, minimum 4mbps broadband speed.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Xbox-360-4GB...pf_rd_i=300703 ...

...

Microsoft has cancelled the Inside Xbox video series in Europe as part of wider plans to transition from a first to a thirdparty content model.

The decision follows last week’s decision to cancel the US version of Inside Xbox, which also provided content for Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Streamed directly from the Xbox 360 dashboard, Inside Xbox offered firstparty coverage of Xbox 360 games, products, news and events. European hosts Daniel Maher and Andy Farrant have lost their jobs.

While the content was highly regarded by many Xbox 360 owners, Microsoft’s decision is perhaps unsurprising given its decision to bury Inside Xbox beneath a host of other media and entertainment apps when it introduced its latest dashboard update. The move made Inside Xbox much less visible to content browsers than it had been, just as it did with Xbox Live Indie Games.

It’s widely believed that Microsoft’s long-term goal is to position Xbox as an all-in-one entertainment hub, which will inevitably result in games taking a backseat to more popular forms of entertainment. The platform holder said in March that Xbox 360 users now spend more time consuming movies, TV shows and music online than they do playing games.

While explaining today’s announcement, Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hyrb said that Xbox Live in Mexico and Japan will continue to produce firstparty content via other media outside of the Inside Xbox brand.

"Following the news last week that that Inside Xbox in the US was to cease production, the team in Europe has been investigating what makes most sense for them and the Xbox Live community as they continue to strive to deliver the latest gaming and entertainment news for users across the region.

"As such, they have decided to move away from the current first-party produced content model and transition to a third-party content model, which will provide timely and locally-relevant content to users across more of the EMEA markets.

"Whilst this means that the Inside Xbox brand will effectively be retired in Europe, the focus remains on continuing to provide the Xbox Live community with the latest and best in games and entertainment news and information."

http://www.edge-online.com/news/micr...de-xbox-europe ...

Papers signed in 2008 shows only one Call of Duty studio has control over modern settings

Treyarch’s next game in the Call of Duty franchise could be in breach of a studio agreement signed in 2008 by both Activision and Infinity Ward executives.
Black Ops II is the first original Call of Duty game developed by Treyarch that plays out modern-day and futuristic scenes, yet a Memorandum of Understanding suggests the studio is prohibited from framing its games within the “post-Vietnam” era.

Activision representatives, as well as Treyarch studio head Mark Lamia, declined to comment on the matter when approached by Game Informer.
The Infinity Ward Memorandum of Understanding was agreed two years before studio directors Vince Zampella and Jason West were dismissed by Activision, in a move that sparked a acrimonious and highly public lawsuit.
It is not understood if Activision’s Memorandum of Understanding with Infinity Ward is still binding. The company has not clarified the situation.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...nity-Ward-deal
...