Reports of the "Jasper" model of the Xbox 360 have been reported to have been in stores since as early as late September, and now a newer report gives us some better details on what to look for, particularly the output voltage on the power brick.
The Jasper chipset is, essentially, supposed to be better in every way, this including the amount of power it requires. So it seems, any 360 made after October 23, 2008 should have the chipset.
My only question is: why the heck wouldn't this be advertised and on the box? I guess if they did that a lot of unsuspecting customers would have suddenly been suspecting, meaning less sales since launch. Still!
VentureBeat reporter and "renowned Microsoft digger" Dean Takahashi has done a... More »
Square Enix gathered Final Fantasy XI fans for a big fan event on the 22nd in Tokyo. The last Japanese FFXI offline event in 2007 saw the announcement of the Wings of the Goddess expansion pack.
This time, while no expansion pack was announced, Square Enix did announce three expansion scenarios.
The three scenarios are titled, in Japanese, Ishi no Miru Yume, Senritsu! Mog Matsuri no Yoru, and Shantotto no Inbou. Each scenario tells a complete story, and all three were headed up by scenario writer Masato Kato. FFXI fans will recognize Kato from his work on the Rise of the Zilart expansion. More recently, he supervised the DS remake of Chrono Trigger.
While not lasting as long as a full expansion pack, Square Enix expects players to clear each scenario in one or two months.
Unlike past expansions, these three scenarios will be offered exclusively through direct download. Square Enix hasn't set pricing, but fans at the event were tol... More »
To quote Harmonix Developer HMXHenry from their official boards (linked above):
Hey gang,
Ready for this week's DLC announcement? This week you've got a 3 Pack from The Killers, a 3 Pack from Yngwie Malmsteen, 2 singles from Soundgarden, and 1 single from Lamb Of God! We're not too far away from 500 tracks now.
The Killers 3 Pack!
• Mr. Brightside
• Smile Like You Mean It
• Spaceman
Yngwie Malmsteen 3 Pack!
• Caprici Di Diablo
• Damnation Game
• Red Devil
Soundgarden Singles!
• Jesus Christ Pose
• Pretty Noose
Lamb of God Single!
• Laid To Rest
Each track is available for $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) or $5.49 (440 Microsoft Points) for the complete three packs. All tracks are masters.
This DLC will be available on 11/25 for both Xbox360 AND the PS3 (thanks to the holiday next Thursday).
First details of the eagerly awaited downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV have emerged, with initial reports suggesting the Xbox 360 exclusive pack will shift the focus away from Niko Bellic.
Revealed by USA Today, the downloadable content is titled 'Lost and Damned', and centres around the character of Johnny Klebitz, a member of Liberty City's biker gang The Lost.
Rockstar's Dan Houser said of the add-on '"I can't go into too much detail on the story, because we try not to give away too much plot before the game is released. But I can say that the story will show you a different side of Liberty City."
Further details are scarce, although a February 17 release date has been attached to Lost and Damned.
Nimrod of Digiex.net (linked above) has shared a method to play System Link / XBox Live over 2 XBox 360 consoles with just one disc.
It could end with some pretty bad results so its not exactly an ideal solution, meaning the best solution may be to just buy two copies of the game.
However, to perform this method you will need a paperclip, the new NXE, a single copy of the game you want to play on Live/System Link and a steady hand. To quote:
Stage One: Install the game you wish on one of the consoles to the hard drive. You will be doing this on the console that will have its DVD drive emergency ejected.
Once installed launch the game and let the Xbox 360 check the disc in the drive and confirm its valid and allow the game to load.
Its IMPORTANT at this stage to wait for the DVD drive to fully spin down. If unsure, wait at LEAST 10 minutes to be safe. Feel the drive, and make sure the disc is NOT spinning.
More »
Yesterday we reported news of Microsoft starting a new wave of XBox Live bans on modded XBox 360 consoles.
Today, Microsoft's Major "Larry Hyrb" Nelson has confirmed it stating the following via his blog linked above:
Xbox 360 Console banning: I’ve gotten a few messages and seen some forum threads pop up on console bannings so I thought I’d post and let folks know what’s up.
In our our continued effort to keep gameplay safe and secure for our community of more than 14 million members, Microsoft has taken action against a small percentage of Xbox 360 consoles that have been illegally modified in order to play pirated games.
You should know that modifying your Xbox 360 console is also a violation of the Xbox LIVE terms of use, will void your warranty a... More »
You'll have to forgive me; I would rather be playing Gears of War 2 on my Xbox 360 instead of writing this. Unfortunately, Microsoft's customer support has made that an impossibility.
Now, I'm well aware that the internet has become a haven for Xbox customer support horror stories and with good cause. In fact, I think that these types of stories are quickly catching up to porn as the most popular use of the internet.
I kid of course, and I would think my experiences with these people would be good for a laugh or two if I didn't have a fresh copy of Gears 2 staring me in the face. Before I begin with my multiple tales of woe, let me tell you a bit about how our operation works here at GamingExcellence.
GE is made up of a staff of about two dozen very enthusiastic folks that contribute to the site through sheer love of all things gaming related. We're not doing this for the big bucks, we're not doing this for the fame, we're doing this because gami... More »
It's a sobering thought that when the original The Need For Speed came out in 1994 - on the ill-fated 3DO, no less - the original PlayStation wasn't even on shop shelves. The series is now over 14 years old, which makes it one of the oldest racing franchises that's still active today; Only Mario Kart and Ridge Racer are longer in the tooth.
Over the course of the past decade the Need For Speeds have adopted several different styles and forms, but they reached a new level of popularity after the release of Need For Speed Underground. The sequel introduced a free-roaming element and the series never looked back, making its debut on the current crop of consoles with Most Wanted.
It is to these instalments, prior to the disappointing ProStreet, that Undercover harks back, with a strong emphasis on criminal goings-on and baiting the police in the manner of the borderline motor-porn that is The Fast and the Furious.
As it goes, this latest Demand For ... More »
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