Archive for: Xbox
It’s no secret that Microsoft is working on a next-gen Xbox console to replace their highly successful Xbox 360. But exactly what the replacement will be called and when it’s coming have been shrouded in rumor and mystery. For now, the timing of any such release is still anyone’s best guess. But perhaps even more tantalizing (at this point) than official launch name and release date is just how much power the next-gen Xbox will possess.
The fine gurus over at IGN are reporting that they’ve received official confirmation from their Microsoft sources that the “Xbox 720″, as it has been called, will feature roughly 6x the processing power of the Xbox 360. In PC gaming terms, that’s equivalent to an AMD 6670 series graphics card typically found on computers. A card of this caliber will be capable of DirectX11, 1080p video, and multi-display support. Production on the next-gen Xbox’s GPU, according to IGN’s sources, is slated for late 2012.
We know what PC gamers are thinking: “That’s it?” Remember, your typical console is much smaller than a PC case. Small spaces mean less room for heat dispersion. The (relatively) lower powered AMD 6670 and it’s Xbox equivalent need to be able to survive in the confines of a console case, and especially one that will likely be physically smaller than the current Xbox 360′s. And, as is similar in the mobile realm, raw specs aren’t everything. Just look at the graphics the six and a half year old Xbox 360 is capable of with it’s Xenos GPU (roughly the same as an old AMD X1900/X1950 XT).
Nerd talk aside, we’re super excited to see what Microsoft plans to do with their (arguably) most successful product/service currently on the market.
- September 16, 2011 1:48 am
That’s right folks. Resident Evil 6 is frakin official!!!! Huge news for any of you zombie slaying gamers out there. Sure, we love our Dead Island and our Left4Dead – But Resident Evil is the original “next-gen” outbreak classic. Way back in the mid 90′s the Playstation [1] was graced with the likes of the entire Raccoon City cast. 15 years later we’ve been hoping for the rumored release.
With Resident Evil 5 kicking so much arse just a couple short years ago, the obvious sequel was rumored to be a complete reboot. Whether they continue the story or completely re-write it, this writer will be happy either way!
Earlier today at Capcom’s TGS Theater, which was running trailers for all upcoming games, featured the clip you’ll witness after the break. You’ll see ‘Biohazard 6′ during the trailer, never fear, if you know anything about the franchise you’ll know that is what it was originally named in Japan.
Anyone else stoked for this release now that we have something official to go off of? Jump on in for the trailer…
- September 14, 2011 2:12 am
With all the hubbub surrounding the Windows 8 keynote today there really wasn’t much mention of Microsoft’s other marvel Xbox Live. With the integration the latest Xbox Dashboard is supposed to have, it is fitting to offer that integration between computer and console.
This afternoon, Major Nelson confirmed that Microsoft will be bringing Xbox Live to the PC with Xbox LIVE on Windows!
We are confirming that we will be bringing Xbox LIVE to the PC with Xbox LIVE on Windows. We are very excited about Xbox LIVE coming to Windows 8. Xbox LIVE brings your games, music, movies, and TV shows to your favorite Microsoft and Windows devices. Bringing Xbox LIVE to Windows 8 is part of our vision to bring you all the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, made easy. At BUILD we are showing that it is easy for developers to create games for Windows 8 that take advantage of the power of Xbox LIVE. We have much more detail to share about the capabilities of Xbox LIVE on Windows and look forward to the opportunity to do so in the near future.
Anyone excited for this integration? You stoked to be able to hang with your Live friends while trolling the interwebs? Us Mac OSX users aren’t really sure what to think. I mean we feel using Live while on the Xbox only makes sense. We don’t need two devices to do one thing, which is why we own Macs!
- September 8, 2011 10:49 am
With a little bit over 1 1/2 months until the much anticipated first-person shooter release, pre-orders have already toppled the 1.25 million mark. This number has been said to put it “way ahead” of the previous title – Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Being at the same point we were before the BC 2 release, Battlefield 3 has already ten times more pre-orders.
Bad Company 2 went on to sell more than 5 million copies as of May, 2.3 in the first month. So EA’s newest title is definitely on track to beat that. October 25, 2011 is the date we get experience the newest edition to what could be one of the best shooters of all time. EA’s CFO Eric Brown said this release date, which is 2 1/2 weeks before Activision’s Modern Warfare 3, will be used to their advantage.
Battlefield 3 has already taken the crown as The Game of the Show at Gamescom in Germany. Expect a review of this game upon release. Us here at GS are stoked to get our greasy fingers all over it!
Do you remember CDs? I doubt it, but if you do, you’ll probably even remember a device that would hold all your CDs and let you listen to them as you please – without ever having to swap out the round archaic things. Ben Heck decided that instead of recycling that piece of equipment, he’d put it to some good use. Heck has created an Xbox 360 disc changer. Yes, you heard it right. The gift that will be atop every mans Holiday wishlist! While taking your every day run of the mill 360 DVD drive, Heck was able to plop it inside an extremely transformed (Autobots or Decepticons?) Sony CD changer.
Please, someone purchase this and send it to me for review, or just send it to me. I want and need this. I don’t trust me kids to swap out my CoD: Black Ops disc with my Halo:Reach DVD. I barely trust them getting me beers while I play. If I had this in my house, I would never have to leave the couch, well, except when I have to clean the windows and the inside of the microwave at the Gadgetsteria headquarters 
A Radical video awaits you after the break…
We’ve seen the Zune do what it does best – suck. For a long, long time we’ve had to see the brand thrown at us whether it be at retailers, Microsoft’s website, or something I see every day – the XBox Dashboard. I’ve been longing for the day I won’t see that first on my ‘Video Marketplace’ section on the Dashboard, or maybe a day I can re-arrange the listings to have Netflix come first. Instead of that happening, rumors from up here in the Northwest are saying Zune will be getting a much needed revamp.
Since it’s XBox debut back in 2009, not much has been done with the service, but the sweet nothings that are being whispered are saying we’ll have the service updated to rival the likes of Netflix and Hulu Plus. If you aren’t familiar with the latter two, they are a subscription based internet streaming service used on your XBox, Wii, PS3, computer and even your cellphone. Zune has given us pay per view type services – which really limits how many people will use it. And if the specs are true, not many people did use it. Kind of like the Zune Media Player we had years ago, it seemed just like another failure that was under the Zune Umbrella. Well, 2011 and things might just get a little bit better for Microsoft and the Zune brand. With the rumored streaming subscriptions, I feel more people will use the service. I’m not sure how popular their TV Pass service is, but I would assume with the likes of Hulu Plus and Netflix they can’t be too impressive.
We’ve contacted Microsoft inquiring about what type of subscriptions they’ll offer, and if the rumors are even true. As soon as we learn more we’ll let you know. But you can bet this will might give Netflix a run for its money!
If you were anywhere near the interwebs yesterday you probably heard about the extremely early leak of Gears of War 3. With YouTube spoilers and news stories of the breach, it was obvious it was big news. The highly anticipated game isn’t set for release until late September, but there are impatient pirates out there that couldn’t wait. We aren’t sure how the game was leaked, but it was on many a torrent site last night. YouTube videos emerging after the release giving us a view into different maps we didn’t see in the Mulitplayer Beta, as well as what seemed like the entire single player campaign. We saw this same thing happen last year with the release of Halo:Reach, which was leaked because someone was able to hack through the security that Microsoft had in place on their marketplace – which was available to game reviewers to download and review the game.
Microsoft and Epic games are working closely with law enforcement agencies to determine how the breach happened and most likely seek legal action against the culprit. They state that what was released via BitTorrent wasn’t the final build of the game, and that we won’t be satisfied if we play said build – but that still doesn’t mean the many xboxers out there that have jtag modded consoles won’t be giving this game a try. We’ll release any further info about how the breach might have come about, but I’m guessing it might be the work of Anonymous! jk guys, jk.
Dana Cowley – spokes person for Microsoft and Epic Games – released this statement:
We have seen the reports of Gears of War 3 content being propped on the Web and working closely with our security teams and law enforcement to address the situation. This content is not from a final build and is not representative of what fans will enjoy when the game launches worldwide on September 20, 2011.
Thus far, Microsoft’s official presentations featuring the revamped Games Hub in Windows Phone 7 has been rather uninformative. Seeing as how mobile gaming is exploding and that Xbox Live — hands down the best console gaming environment — is joining the fray, it only makes sense for Microsoft to beef up WP7 in this area.
With that said, the Windows Phone team updated their blog this afternoon with a slew of newly detailed features and images giving us a glimpse of what we have in store for WP7′s upcoming Mango update. The most notable features include: improved Xbox Live messaging, ability to edit XBL profile, integrated achievements w/ comparison views of your friends, improved Spotlight content, fully animated 3D avatars and improved game request notifications.
Is it the full Xbox Experience ported to the mobile world? Not yet. But it’s getting there. Full gallery after the break…
Microsoft’s E3 keynote came and went this year without any new hardware unveiled or even mentioned. Sony followed a similar path. It was Nintendo and Nintendo alone who had some new gear for the gaming world to poke and prod. And even though we certainly see the potential of the Wii U, we see it as more of a catchup to Microsoft and Sony’s current hardware than anything truly groundbreaking. With that said, while Microsoft may have disappointed legions of gamers in 2011, 2012 will be very different if recent claims by VideoGamer.com citing Crysis developer, Crytek, are to be believed…
