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Upcoming Rock Band downloadable content is
nothing if not Disturbed

post from Gaming Nexus on 13 May 2008 11:54:00 PM. © Gaming Nexus

by: Randy Kalista
NEWS - We know exactly why you and your Xbox 360 may be feeling increasingly disturbed in the coming weeks. Individuals that pre-order Disturbed's upcoming (June 3rd) album, Indestructible, from Best Buy will receive two free downloadable Rock Band tracks from the album: The titular "Indestructible" and "Inside the Fire." Disturbed will be featured as Xbox LIVE's Artist of the Month for June.Comment

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Liberty City vs New York City (In Photos) [Gta
Iv]

post from Kotaku on 13 May 2008 11:40:00 PM. © Kotaku

Liberty City is New York City. Pretty much. You already know that. Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, you've no doubt seen them all in the game by now. But just how deep does the real-world-referencing rabbit hole run? You might recognise Broadway, but do you recognise Rockstar's version of the Paramount Theatre? Or their rendition of the Hearst Building? Maybe not. But they're in there. Those and a ton more have been noted, catalogued and photographed by designer Matthew Johnston, with the full gallery available at the Flickr link below.

Sightseeing in Liberty City [Matthew Johnston @ Flickr]

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More reasons not to play GTA IV

post from The Brainy Gamer on 13 May 2008 11:38:00 PM. © The Brainy Gamer

I started playing Grand Theft Auto IV the day after it was released and immediately devoted about six hours to it. I had to stop because I was in the middle of another game - The World Ends With You - and was committed to reviewing it for PopMatters (to be posted there soon). I knew as soon as I finished TWEWY I would get right back to GTA IV.

Then Mario Kart Wii came along, and although I have mixed feelings about the game, I had to try out the new wheel. Plus, it's the one new title my wife has been eagerly awaiting. Well, that and the Dancing With the Stars game (with motion controls!), but that's an entirely different and excruciating story. So we played the heck out of MKW for a couple of days and scratched that itch. Back to GTA IV.

Except then an orange Gamefly envelope arrived with a sparkling new copy of Boom Blox in it. Well, I thought, let's just take a quick look and see what Mr. Spielberg can do with a video game. Two days later I'm halfway through the story mode, building my own levels, and suffering from a fairly painful case of "Boom Blox Elbow." Meanwhile, my GTA IV game case sits next to me, with Niko glaring at me from his little top middle square.

That was yesterday. Today was to be all about Liberty City. We put the baby to bed early. My wife went upstairs to watch the Dancing With the Stars semi-finals, so I had the living room all to myself. I'd already decided to start the game over from the beginning (I'm crazy that way), so I thought it might be fun to re-read Edge Magazine's recent cover story on the making of the game. Big mistake.

The article immediately preceding the GTA piece is a short feature on David Braben's Frontier Developments studio and their new game Lost Winds, one of the release titles for Nintendo's new Wii Ware download service. You probably already know where this is going. I downloaded the game, and I've been playing it non-stop all evening. It's a short game, so as soon as I post this I intend to go back and finish it.

Boom Blox and Lost Winds are terrific games, each for very different reasons. I admire Boom Blox, but Lost Winds has me completely enthralled. I'll return tomorrow with more detailed impressions of each. In the meantime, if you'd like to see what Wii Ware is all about, I strongly recommend that you check out Lost Winds. It's a superb and charming little game.

GTA IV? Can't wait to get back to it. Actually, come to think of it, apparently I can.

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Wii Sells 6 Million, Wii Fit, 2 Million [Only In
Japan]

post from Kotaku on 13 May 2008 11:20:00 PM. © Kotaku

Wait, didn't we only just say Nintendo had sold five million Wiis in Japan? Scratch that. Make it six. And while you're at it, note that of those six million Wii owners, two million of them have already bought Wii Fit. Two million! In less than six months! Crazy. When Chuck D said it'd take a nation of millions to hold him back, he was obviously talking about the Japanese, and their newly-honed sense of balance.

Wii?1??????????600???Wii?????200??????????? [Mainichi Daily News]

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SNK USA Is So Not Closing Down [Rumor Smash]

post from Kotaku on 13 May 2008 11:00:00 PM. © Kotaku

Rumors are swirling that SNK Playmore, best known for Metal Slug and The King of Fighters, is closing its US offices this summer. What's more, apparently the company is letting all American employees and officially no longer directly selling its games in the States, the Osaka-based game developer says that this is false. The company is relocating its US office. SNK Japan tells Kotaku:

It [the rumor] is not true. We are just planning to move to LA. Currently we have an office in NJ, but we should have the branch office in West Coast, because of time differences and access are much better than NJ.
Also, Ignition USA is located in LA (Marina Del Ray), so recently we have done co-publishing announcement with them.
We will keep our NJ office until 31st of December for our direct publishing in North America. Then we will move to LA. Previously as SNK NEOGEO Corporation, we had an office in LA.
[SNK founder] Mr. Eikichi Kawasaki is Chairman of SNK PLAYMORE USA. Ben Harman will retire from BOD as he is already 60 years old.
We will renew and revitalize our US corporation. We must keep our US corporation in North America. Currently we are developing KOF12 for next gen consoles, as you know. How we can close our US office? It is 10M$ project, we want US people know our passion for 2D fighting games.
We want to show that SNK is sticking to making 2D fighters and is the world leader in 2D fighters.

So there you go! SNK isn't closing its US branch and is dead serious about the US market and 2D fighters.

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Rumor: Gamerscores transferring to next Xbox
console

post from Joystiq on 13 May 2008 11:00:00 PM. © Joystiq

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360

A rumor in Game Informer (full text from GI after the break) states that Gamerscores and achievements will be transferable to Microsoft's next console. As far a rumors go, this is one many Xbox 360 owners might pray Microsoft wouldn't prevent from becoming a reality.

Achievements and Gamerscores are two features of the Xbox 360 that have developed a strong following, particularly among "ch33vo-holics." We can already imagine the internet ~~hissy-fit temper-tantrum~~ freak out we'll see if the Xbox faithful can't transfer their data. Although the next console is still years away, it would be unfortunate to envision Microsoft not allowing gamers to transfer their data effortlessly to the next system.

[Via X3F]

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Play Metal Gear Solid 4 With Your PS3s Reflection

post from GamerCenterOnline on 13 May 2008 10:51:55 PM. © GamerCenterOnline

With Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots just around the corner and with this new Japanese advertisement. It seems that the guys at Sony have come together to come out with new ways to play this upcoming ps3 game. In the video they show a young man who instead of looking at [...]

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Gears Of War 2 Screens [Gears Of War 2]

post from Kotaku on 13 May 2008 10:30:00 PM. © Kotaku

Microsoft weren't going to let their Spring Showcase go without dishing out some Gears of War 2 stuff. Here, then, are four screens, which I'm pretty sure are from the already-released trailers, but what they lack in motion, they make up for in size and crispness. I'm not the world's biggest Gears fan, so it's all looking very "same as the last one but louder", but I will applaud them for the use of green. Makes a pleasant change!

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Rumored Xbox 360 Spring Update Touts "Motion
Sensor" Features, Game Installs [Microsoft]

If Microsoft follows the same schedule it did last year, the Spring system update for the Xbox 360 should be right around the corner. Today, an alleged and wholly unconfirmed list of changes included in the "Q2 2008" update was sent to us, supposedly forwarded from an internal source. The full list—which is after the jump—features about 80 new feature additions, tweaks and changes but was purported to be incomplete and subject to change.

Some are simply interesting as curiosities, such as an option to purchase Xbox Live memberships for charities and the addition of a Media section for audio delivered through feeds, such as podcasts. Others sound more feature robust, such as Windows Live Mail integration and an expanded "Inside Xbox" with news, weather, entertainment, help and community features.

Perhaps the most interesting additions are "Calibration options for motion sensor devices" for the Dashboard and "Support for titles to store installation data on Storage Device for faster loading" for Games. If true, the former would lend further credibility to frequent rumors that Microsoft is planning to introduce a motion controller for the Xbox 360. The ability to store installation data on a hard drive—as is done with some PlayStation 3 games—would certainly be a welcome option, if that's how the wording should be interpreted. Continue on for the full list of rumored updates.

Xbox LIVE
1. Option to delay sign-in to Xbox LIVE upon booting console (to allow user to set Online Status).
2. Option to promote Child Account from Family Settings.
3. Disallow Child Accounts (over 18) to override Family Settings by launching Privacy Settings through a title.
4. Option in Family Settings for Child Accounts to enable child-oriented/non-mature advertisements.
5. Introduce a group chat (4) for Private Chat and conferences through Video Chat.
6. Support to indicate media being watched to gamercard status (video content from Marketplace only).
7. Extend height for Bio field in Personal Profile, easier navigation through text.
8. More fields present in Personal Profile - recent achievements, interests, games, movies, links, custom section.
9. Compact Personal Profile for new fields (navigating to field will open it up).
10. Mandatory option to delete duplicate titles from gamercard (excludes Games for Windows - LIVE). User disconnected from Xbox LIVE when booting any title until action complete.
11. Option to remove payment information from gamertag.
12. New payment methods for international users.
13. Download History on Account Management better organized - games, genre, type, download date, miscellaneous.
14. Long descriptions of items on Marketplace can be scrolled using right stick.
15. Better organization of free content on Marketplace.
16. Option to 'ping' when testing connection.
17. Allow re-connection to Xbox LIVE if Ethernet cable is re-inserted whilst powered on.
18. New strip colors available to developers, staff gamercards.
19. New corner icon available to ambassadors.
20. Re-introduce Messages button for Inside Xbox updates only.
21. Option to store up to 10 messages permanently on server (excludes invites, status messages).
22. Increase character limit for text messages between friends only.
23. Option to disable invites from non-friends or all players.
24. Option to disable invites from titles not on gamercard (excludes demos).
25. Option to have smaller items moved up in Active Downloads.
26. Automatically re-connect to Xbox LIVE if disconnected unexpectedly (set intervals).
27. Option to download gamer picture (if available) from a gamercard being viewed.
28. Display random tips to replace static text on Xbox LIVE and Games blades.
29. New button on Marketplace for optional dashboard features - uses Storage Device memory.
30. Option to donate Microsoft Points to anybody with a Windows Live ID.
31. Option to purchase Membership for charities (includes benefits).
32. Integrate file-sharing for selected titles on Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows - LIVE.
33. Disable notifications to friends of user repeatedly signing into service (set period).
34. Option to see 'snippet' of text message in notification.
35. Windows Live Mail integration - includes support for Xbox LIVE Vision.
36. Web feeds integration - text, images, audio. Includes support for specific item codes on Marketplace.
37. Option to display gamer picture or standard picture as display picture in Windows Live Messenger.
38. Support for headset, Xbox LIVE Vision in Windows Live Messenger.
39. Support for limited 'winks' that display on dashboard interface. Option to disable 'winks' and 'nudges' added.
40. Notifications separate from Windows Live Messenger to Xbox 360 notifications.
41. Disable multiple languages from being used in any Xbox LIVE editable fields.
Games
1. Option to delete titles from gamercard with 0 gamerscore and 0 achievements (excludes some titles that will be re-added to launch another title).
2. Organize My Games at the Games Library section better (includes disc-based titles) - sort by genre, platform (Games for Windows - LIVE), percentage completion.
3. Support to display friends leaderboards for disc-based titles.
4. Show dates of an achievement unlocked when comparing.
5. Preload Games Library upon dashboard bootup for faster access.
6. Game updates now shown as items in Memory, increased amount of updates on Storage Device.
7. Option to delete game updates, removed 'cheat code' as no longer needed.
8. Support for more titles to display banner when accessing guide in-game.
9. Option to re-introduce awarded gamer pictures from titles that do not have their own re-introduce feature (requires saved game).
10. Disable gamer pictures from being awarded from trials.
11. Support for titles to store installation data on Storage Device for faster loading.
12. Synchronization to achievements offline/online that were deleted and then re-added from developers.
Media
1. Option to hold LT and RT for rewinding/fast-forwarding video content.
2. Option to delete individual music tracks from storage device.
3. Option to rip music CD at different quality.
4. Copy non-protected files (pictures, music, videos) from USB storage devices, CDs and computers to proprietary storage devices.
5. Support for menu, top-menu features on video content downloaded from Marketplace.
6. Section added for audio delivered through feeds (podcasts). Option to stream, download to Storage Device.
7. Support added for video titles/description to gamercard status.
Dashboard/Miscellaneous
1. Option to navigate quickly out of several menus back to respective blade home (applies to Games, Media, System).
2. New blade trim styles added.
3. Introduce expanded Inside Xbox as a portal to news, weather, entertainment, help and community features.
4. New sounds for various functions (notifications, blades, navigation).
5. Calibration options for display/sound.
6. Calibration options for motion sensor devices.
7. New effects for Xbox LIVE Vision and dashboard background.
8. Disable changing of Theme when on Memory to prevent 'hanging'.
9. Preload recent, limited items upon dashboard bootup on Memory.
10. Faster loading of Themes section on guide.
11. Option to see what items will not work offline due to DRM license changing from Memory.
12. Option to automatically associate new DRM to items downloaded for free.
13. Indicate 'charging' status on guide when Play & Charge kit is connected.
14. Option to change text colors on guide to better contrast some backgrounds.
16. Language improvements.
18. Word censor updated for fields.
19. Privacy Settings/Family Settings updated for new features.
20. Voice, picture messages can be read at Xbox.com (Gold accounts).

When we contacted Microsoft to verify the authenticity of the list, we were told "We don?t comment on rumors or speculation, but what we can tell you is we?ve never seen this list before." Obviously, consider this rumor and/or speculation for now, especially in light of the official statement and the clearly unofficial sourcing of this information.

If we hear anything more concrete, anything straight from the source, we'll let you know.

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Grand Theft Auto IV's Niko pops up on SNL

Filed under: Culture, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

video details and more

We talked before about the late-night media frenzy surrounding Grand Theft Auto IV's release, since it was kind of hard to miss GTA if you watch TV between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. It gave us no small satisfaction to see the game pop up on one of the late-night comedy stalwarts as Niko and Vlad (played by Bill Hader and Fred Armisen) appeared on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update. You can see the clip from last Saturday above.

Now, is it ... funny, per se? Well, our ribs have been more fiercely tickled, that's for sure. But they're trying. Isn't that the important thing?

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