XBox 360 Rally

Megatonik is cool. Really cool. So cool, in fact, that they would have been the first recipients of the monthly “JW Seal of Awesome”… if I wasn’t lazy as hell. Regardless, zizzy (semi-frequent commenter here) has made a most intersting discovery while reading up on Halo 3 that supports our earlier story about Clan Support on Xbox LIVE.

While looking through some Halo 3 details on his Dashboard, zizzy discovered the following message under Halo 3 > Expand your LIVE Experience > Online Game Play:

Clans are one option for playing ranked matches. A clan is a player-created group for playing ranked matches as a team. With clans, you know the players backing you up are dedicated, and the players you’re going to face will be just as dedicated.

Now, keep in mind that Bungie has confirmed that there is no Clan support build into Halo 3. So, unless Bungie changed its mind, you would have to think that this is feature would have to come via an update.

So, does this mean will we see the fall update in the next two weeks?

[Megatonik]

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I don’t know who commissioned this Halo 3 marketing campaign, but it is, in a word, brilliant. Here is the third, 90-second installment, of the Halo 3 “Believe” campaign.

If this model set made it’s way to eBay, I would mortgage my house to own it.

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It was bound to happen somewhere, and sure enough it has: A store in Norway by the name of “Empire” has broken the Halo 3 street date, and sold at least one copy early.

…this is yet another example of how stores like GameStop need to hire people who actually have knowledge about video games! Every time you see a street date broken, it’s because someone who doesn’t know Xbox from PlayStation saw a box of games, went “Hey, we have new games”, and just threw them on store shelves.

I’m tired of this.

[MaxConsole]

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Michael Pachter, or who I consider the Mel Kiper of the gaming industry, has come out and stated that he expects to see Halo 3 sell [three] MILLION copies in the first twelve days. Pachter also says that we can expect to see Halo 3 drive console sales, possibly pushing as many as 400,000 Xbox 360s out the door, in what would (obviously?) be the highest figures of any non-holiday month since it’s launch in November, 2005.

Now, it goes without saying that Halo 3 is going to be a system seller. Halo 3 was the quickest to one million pre-orders, and the hype machine surrounding the game’s launch is on par with most presidential campaigns. Everyone knows it’s coming, most if not all Xbox 360 owners are psyched for it, and when that fateful Monday night gets here, sidewalks will be crowded with dozens of Halo 3 fanatics.

Which reminds me — I’ll be doing Halo 3 launch coverage. It’s going to be awesome.

[Gamasutra]

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Sarcastic Gamer has been the source for some of the funnest gaming parodies out there; their song about the PS3, “How to Kill Your Brand”, was awesome. Well, the guys at Sarcastic Gamer are at it again, with this ballad to the awesomeness and earth-shattering importance of Halo 3.

So, listen to this song, then go out and pre-order Halo 3 if you haven’t already. You’ll be helping the starving children.

[Sarcastic Gamer]

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Dear Rare:

It’s time we talked about the future, or actually, the present plus the future, and hell, the past too. Presently there is no good fighting games on the Xbox 360, yeah, I honestly can’t wait for Soul Calibur, but Dead or Alive… meh, Virtual Fighter.. well, it is better than Dead or Alive at least. The other choices are Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. I thought RPG’s would be the top genre that would be ignored on the 360, however with Blue Dragon here, Eternal Sonata coming up, plus a decent amount more on the way, that is covered. “Casual” games, covered. Shooters, well covered (CoD4 Beta is win btw). So, now to get to the future, I think its time to bring back the past, with a little Killer Instinct.

To be honest, I would accept an XBLA version of Killer Instinct, maybe take a second out to HD the graphics (or go all out like that Street Fighter II HD Remix game). Just some nice online lag free play and throw in an extra character or level for good measure. Though I was honest, lets get down to business. Okay, Banjo-Kazooie is coming out, I am excited, but now time to move on to the next project. I realize you guys are hard at work on something already I’m sure… but, its still early, take a few of your staff (90%), and get started on Killer Instinct 360.

We all love you Rare, Perfect Dark wasn’t perfect, but, it wasn’t that bad. I have never heard anyone who has played Kameo say bad things about it. All Viva Pinata users are hooked from what I can tell. However, we want that “Goldeneye” game that will make people compare Rare to the mighty Bungie (which pound for pound I already think there is good arguments for who is “the best” out of each developer..but I digress).

Lets talk the game, 3D or 2D, I would honestly take either. I know you at Rare know the 360 inside and out by now, so go all out in the graphics department. Breakable and interactive stuff everywhere. Fire, explosion, electricity, etc. Oh, and bring back the combo system, so fun. New characters of course. As a bonus, maybe a throwback level. Killer Instinct, at the time of it coming in both arcades and even Super Nintendo, blew people away by being different and graphically amazing, now is the time to do both again. We are not alone in this way of thinking, look at these many requests:
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Quick update: Contest got put out at just the wrong time, but now its a little better. Who knew the day I started this Call of Duty 4 Beta Invite contest that all of a sudden Eurogamer AND GameSpot would copy our give-away and offer a crapload more invites. Rest assured, they are on our shit list. Well, the contest is still on, and as an added bonus, it is now 3 people who can win a code. Either way, if you get a code from elsewhere, go ahead and enter here too and find a friend to give the code to!

The Call of Duty 4 Multiplayer Invite only Beta. Didn’t get in?! Here is your chance. I received a copy of an invite myself just recently (Thanks EternalDarkWing of DESTRUCTOID), thing is, I had already been invited and have been enjoying the Beta for a while now, and it seems since our janitor JW doesn’t have a working 360 at the moment (DAMN YOU RED RINGS!), he is willing to give up his code as well on top of me giving up mine (I think it is safe to say our spots in heaven are reserved). We want to make this as quickly and painless as possible. Now, since the word on the street is they are going to cut the Beta till the 30th of this month (though nothing is confirmed), this contest is going to be a quick one to make sure you can get to playing as soon as possible so you can start leveling up! Without further adieu, the official rules on how to win one of the two beta codes we have:

Make a comment on this page including two things:

• Why you deserve to be in the beta.
• Your Xbox Live GamerTag.

• Make sure the email contact you are required to put in to leave a comment, is a valid address. Contest will end on Friday, September 14th at 11:59pm EST, so make sure to get your comment in before then.

Exactly like how the Golden Axe contest went, all entries will be thrown into a random.org list and the top 2 choices get to start kicking ass in the most played demo/beta out right now (you know you have someone on your friends list playing!) That’s it! That is all it takes, stop waiting, make a comment and just make sure your valid GamerTag is in there too!

Much like Team Fortress released videos of the characters, Jericho starts a similar series off with a pyro loving character named Sgt. Frank Delgado. After the video, have a read of the press release that came with this video for more background on this very unique game (I tell you Gears of War meets Resident Evil!), that I really doesn’t go passed up by gamers (c’mon, they got the God of War composer specifically picked out for this game!):

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I can’t say I am excited about all three, but, hey, I never say no to demo’s, I download all, no joke. Juiced is coming in with an 8 player online demo, so that should be fun, I am particular on racing games, but I am willing to give them a shot (even though I haven’t found the time to play the one player demo which I have sitting on my hard drive). This is running 1.37GB.

Spider-Man Friend or Foe had me turned off from the first screens and demos. The concept of the co-op with villians is so so, but, again, I will download anything, plus this is running in at only 431mb)

Though I am no ‘futball’ fan, EA just released some FIFA screens, and they are HUGE, but you can see such awesome detail, that even if it isn’t a game you are into, you can appreciate the eye candy of it all. (Demo runs in at 702mb btw) Check the screen below, I left them original size, EA hooked it up with these pics, I must remind you again, they are HUGE (4856×2731 resolution):

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Thrown into my email box from Sega, come these lovely new screens. I will admit though, I could use some more video promos.. in fact, lets show the most recent video I could find first, then check the screens after the break:

Mmm… smooth fighting action. I won’t lie, I haven’t been into the series, but Im dying for any really good fighting game on the 360. Now, for the 19 screens, all nice resolution, no watermarks:

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The newest NPD numbers are out, and it’s lookin’ good for the Xbox 360. In the month of August, the 360 sold 276,700 units, coming in second out of the three consoles (and third overall, DS being #2) behind the Wii.

Also, two Xbox 360 titles were in the Top 20 SKUs for August: Madden NFL 08 at 896,600 units, and BioShock at 490,900 units. Two Workds, Guitar Hero II and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 for the Xbox 360 were also in the top 20, as well as Madden NFL 08 for the Xbox.

You can see a full list of consoles AND games after the break.

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In a column published yesterday in The Virginian-Pilot, Bob Molinaro attempts to make the case that violent video games have desensitized the masses to the tragic injury of Buffalo Bills Tight End Kevin Everett. He states that he wonders if, quote, “the catastrophic injury to Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett will make any real impression on the desensitized adolescents and adults raised with the cartoon violence of “Madden ‘08″ or “NFL Blitz,” or the absurd blood-and-guts scenarios associated with other Xbox games.”

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The inner speed demon in me just squeeled in delight, as Bizarre Creations announced that Project Gotham Racing 4 has gone GOLD. For those of you who don’t know what that means… that means it’s done. The final car count, for those of you who are curious, is 122, split into groups A thru G.

Full Press Release, and new screenshots after the break.

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Chip Ganassi Racing, in association with both Target and Microsoft, have revealed the new Halo 3 paintjob that will adorn driver David Stremme’s #40 Dodge Avenger. The paint scheme, which will replace Stremme’s usual Coors Light sponsorship, will make it’s only appearance of the 2007 Nextel Cup season at Dover International Speedway on September 23rd, 2007.

In addition to having the sponsorship and rather sharp paint scheme, there will also be kiosks at DIS, allowing NASCAR fans the opporitunity to try our the final, complete version of Halo 3 two days before it’s official launch on the 25th.

Read the full press release, as well as get a closer look at the #40 Halo 3/Target Dodge Avenger, after the break.

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In a bit of news that is sure to break the hearts of all twelve people who bought Shadowrun, FASA Studio has shut down. On a forum post at the official Shadowrun message boards, a Mr. “Mitch” informed the world that FASA Studios has shut down, and that yesterday was the last official day for those who had not moved on to other positions within Microsoft Game Studios.

Dear Friends,

It is my sad duty to announce that FASA Studio has officially closed its doors. Today was the official last day of employment for those of us who had not moved on to other positions within Microsoft Game Studios. While the rumors have been circulating forever, we chose to wait on an official announcement because we didn’t want people’s attention distracted from our last product, Shadowrun, a game we love.

As a testament to the team’s commitment to Shadowrun, we released three title updates to improve the product even after the team learned we were losing our studio. We have kept our Community Manager and Technical Support Manager on the job to aid and support you and will continue to do so while people continue to play our game. I am pleased that about half of us have found great positions elsewhere in MGS and Microsoft where they can share their experience and passion with the great people there.

But now, as the last of us say our goodbyes to each other, I’m saying goodbye to you on behalf of a group of talented and dedicated professionals who busted their humps for the love of the game. I am proud to have worked with and represented them to you and know that wherever they go, they will continue to kick ass.

Mitch

While no one wants to see a game studio go belly-up, when you release games like Shadowrun… it’s bound to happen. Not every studio can be like Acclaim, where they survived for years and years by making high-profile, low-quality turds.

But that isn’t to say that FASA was a bad developer, far from it. Games like MechWarrior 4 and Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge were both critical hits, not to mention a blast to play. All I’m saying is that it’s a shame that a promising studio had to go out on such a low note.

[Shadowrun Forums]

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