Xbox LIVE is the first and most comprehensive unified online entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire console experience, making it easy for people to find the friends, games and entertainment they want from the moment they power on their Xbox 360 system.
Xbox LIVE connects millions of members across 25 countries to enjoy hundreds of multiplayer games, downloadable games via Xbox LIVE Arcade, free and premium playable game demos, music videos, TV shows and movies in the United States as well as new game levels, characters and vehicles for all their favorite retail games.
On November 15, Xbox Live will turn five years old, and you’re invited to celebrate this fifth anniversary. Microsoft is planning a LIVE is 5IVE Celebration:
Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has said that the company is committed to revitalising the James Bond brand - "one of the greatest videogame franchises of all time" - while revealing the publisher has two projects based on the license in development.
The publisher secured the Bond licence in 2006 after Electronic Arts ended its deal with MGM Interactive for the rights to create titles based on the James Bond films.
"Bond is one of the great videogame franchises of all time and that really was a result of Golden Eye," commented Kotick at a BMO Capital Markets conference.
"I think the key to re-energising the Bond franchise is going to be ultimately the highest possible game quality."
For Kotick, EA's Bond titles – which included GoldenEye: Rogue Agent and From Russia With Love – suffered because the publisher had too broad a portfolio, leaving the brand neglected.
"It suffered a lot because it wasn't a focal point of Electronic Arts' efforts over the past five years and they have such a broad portfolio of franchises that this one didn't get the attention it deserved," said Kotick.
"We have our best development studios working on the product, we have a second team working on another Bond product and we're putting great resources against it," he added.
Ubisoft president doesn't believe one is harder to develop for than the other
Yves Guillemot, president and CEO of Ubisoft, has stated his belief that the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are very close in terms of what is possible from a development perspective.
He told the BMO Capital Markets conference yesterday that the two next-generation machines were "close in what we can do with them" and that while the PS3 has some elements that are better, the Xbox 360 has other advantages.
He also commented that he thought that the rest of this year "should be a great year for the PS3" in light of the price cut, a move he welcomed as one which would have a positive effect on sales.
Additionally he explained that in Ubisoft's experience, translating a game from the Xbox 360 platform to the PS3 took no extra effort than doing it the other way around.
"What we do now is create for the PS3 and 360 at the same time, and it doesn't cost more than 10 per cent extra to develop for the other machine.
"Before it was costing us more, about 20 per cent, just because it was difficult to learn the PS3 hardware, but now our engines are done and we can easily develop for both machines."
The company's chief financial officer, Alain Martinez, added some more detail on the cost of production and potential profits between the next-gen platforms and the Nintendo DS, which the company has been continuing to support heavily.
He explained that while titles for the Xbox 360 and PS3 might sell for around EUR 11 more than DS titles, they cost EUR 15-17 million to produce compared to an average of about EUR 500,000 for a DS game.
That means that while the company only needs to sell around 100,000 units to hit its average 22 per cent margin on direct costs for DS games, it needs to sell around 1.3 million for the same result with a next-gen game - even though gross margins on the DS are 6 per cent lower than for next-gen titles.
On the subject of in-game advertising, Guillemot believes that such revenue sources could account for up to 15 per cent of development costs in the future - although he wouldn't be drawn on whether or not that would affect the final price point of games.
Microsoft has said that it hopes the shelf life for its Xbox 360 will be longer than five years – the lifespan traditionally associated with a home console.
The console manufacturer dropped support for the original Xbox once it had released its successor in late 2005 – only four years after the launch of the original machine.
Speaking at a BMO Capital Markets conference, Mindy Mount pointed to the success of Sony's PlayStation 2, a machine entering its eighth year on the market.
"Look at the PS2; they've gone long-time and seem to have pretty good legs on what they are doing," said the chief financial officer.
"It we were able to do that, as a CFO I think that's great, because every year you draw it out you increase profitability," reports Reuters.
Microsoft, the Parent Teacher Association, and football superstar Jerry Rice have formed a triumvirate of power to fight crime. And by "crime," I mean kids who spend too much time playing Xbox.
To stop this scourge, Microsoft is adding a parental timer to your Xbox 360, so moms and pops can be like, "45 minutes for you, sonny, then it's time for macaroni and glitter sculptor-making." The timer works on a daily or weekly basis, with parents and/or guardians setting any limit they would like on their charges' entertainment.
Microsoft expects the news of the Family Timer to be received favorably by parents based on independent research it unveiled today that showed 62 percent of parents would welcome a tool to control the amount of time children spend using the video game consoles in their homes. Nearly 100% of latch-key gamer kids think the whole idea rots, and hope their parents won't ever find out about it, like a bad report card or something.
That's where the PTA comes in: Millions of PTA members nationwide will receive information on the fundamentals of the campaign, which encourages a "balanced approach to interactive media use" and helps "families to come to an agreement on how their children spend their screen time."
“As a leader in interactive entertainment, it’s Microsoft’s responsibility to provide parents with tools they can use to manage their children’s video gaming and online experiences, and we have made that a priority from the very start,” said Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment & Devices Division at Microsoft.
My mom was one of the first people to try this out on me, limiting my gaming time to 35 minutes a day. I was okay with it at first, but then I realized I hadn't lived at home in many years, my mom doesn't know what an Xbox even is, and it's my damn job to play videogames.
That's my sad story. What about you? Do you live at home? How are your folks with you playing videogames?
Fresh from the record-breaking release of “Halo 3”, the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system continues to remain Australia’s number one next-gen gaming platform.
According to the GFK figures for October, Xbox 360 was the best-selling next-gen console hardware for the month, repeating its September success with another very strong showing.
“Halo 3” also remained Australia’s number one game, selling more copies and generating more revenue than any other title across all formats.
In addition, Australians spent more dollars on Xbox 360 hardware, software and accessories than on any other platform (console & handheld inclusive).
David McLean, Australian Xbox Director, says, “We have maintained our momentum throughout October and with the blockbuster range of titles we have coming in November and December, Xbox 360 is primed to finish the year on a very successful high.”
Dune: Awakening Shows Off Stunning Unreal Engine 5 Gameplay & More Funcom (@Funcom) revealed a stunning new gameplay trailer and featurette for Dune: Awakening, the first episode of the new Dune: Awakening Direct series. Embark on a breathtaking journey across Arraki..
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Microsoft expects the news of the Family Timer to be received favorably by parents based on independent research it unveiled today that showed 62 percent of parents would welcome a tool to control the amount of time children spend using the video game consoles in their homes. Nearly 100% of latch-key gamer kids think the whole idea rots, and hope their parents won't ever find out about it, like a bad report card or something.
