Microsoft celebrates the 91st Indy 500 with release of “Forza Motorsport 2” on May 29; announces price drop for the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, now available for $129.99 ERP.
REDMOND, Wash. — May 25, 2007 — Microsoft Game Studios today announced that “Forza Motorsport® 2” will speed onto U.S. retail shelves Tuesday, May 29, and that the estimated retail price (ERP) of the Xbox 360™ Wireless Racing Wheel has been lowered to $129.99 in the U.S.
Timed to mark the biggest racing event of the year, these announcements are sure to ignite the driving spirit in gamers and car enthusiasts alike as the 91st Annual Indianapolis 500 kicks off today.
Tuned and developed with the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, “Forza Motorsport 2” supports true force feedback, setting a new precedent for realism in the racing simulation genre that will have gamers feeling every bump in the road and every jolt of acceleration as they take the corners on 12 of the most renowned tracks on the globe. With the game running at an astounding 60 frames per second, authentic simulation physics, and rumble functionality with the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, “Forza Motorsport 2” offers incredible realism and depth for a complete racing experience in gaming.
In addition, to mark the release of the new title, gamers in the U.S. will be able to participate in the “Forza Motorsport 2” Race Weekend, running June 1 through June 3. Gamers will be able to participate in a “Play and Win,” Livery contests, gameplay sessions with developers, and a leaderboard tournament. Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheels and other prizes will be awarded to winners. Gamers will experience all the racing excitement they can handle with the following new gameplay experiences:
Game Features
· Collect, upgrade and tune hundreds of cars. From sport compacts to purpose-built race cars, “Forza Motorsport 2” offers more than 300 cars from over 50 of the world’s leading manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche, Nissan, Volkswagen, General Motors and Lamborghini. Players can take their car to the garage and install alternative engines, suspension kits, add-on superchargers, brakes, rims and racing slicks. Players can also dial in advanced suspension settings, tire pressure and gear ratios.
· Experience an uncompromising physics simulation. Top automotive engineers, professional race car drivers and experienced programmers teamed up to create a complete racing simulator experience. Cars incur dramatic damage and wear, which affects vehicle performance. Advanced tire and suspension models that respond to heat and pressure changes as well as weight transfer and aerodynamic load are just a few examples of how the gamer plays both crew chief and driver.
· Master real-world tracks from around the world. From the famously challenging Nürburgring Nordschleife to the green hills of Tuscany, gamers can race on meticulously designed tracks with an incredible sense of speed and realism. “Forza Motorsport 2” features 47 ribbons across 12 environments, including real-world licensed circuits such as Mugello, Suzuka and Sebring International Raceway.
Play N Trade is looking for Guitar Hero video rock stars and a national champion with the launch of its Guitar Hero II video contest and live in-store tournament.
Become a rock star by creating your own video to win great weekly prizes and have your video posted on the Play N Trade Web site. You can also compete in the regional and national in-store tournaments at participating Play N Trade video game stores for the chance to become the Play N Trade National Guitar Hero II Champion.
US publisher Activision has confirmed that the third instalment in its hit Guitar Hero franchise will arrive this Autumn for PS2, Xbox 360 and, for the first time, PS3 and Wii.
New features this time out include boss battles and authentic rock venues, as well as a host of unlockable content and new multiplayer modes.
Wireless guitar peripherals have also been confirmed for all platforms, along with the addition of interchangeable faceplates. And whilst the established Les Paul model returns for the 360, PS3 and Wii, PS2 owners will be treated to a brand new Kramer model.
Downloadable content is also being touted by the publisher, with Activision stating that “strategic partnerships have been secured with all the major and independent music record labels to allow unrivalled access to their deep history of music catalogues”.
A number of tracks have also been announced, including:
• Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones)
• Cherub Rock (Smashing Pumpkins)
• Sabotage (Beastie Boys)
• The Metal (Tenacious D)
• My Name is Jonas (Weezer)
• Knights of Cydonia (Muse)
“The development team at Neversoft has been exceptional,” RedOctane’s head of publishing Dusty Welch stated. “We’ve been able to incorporate a host of fresh new online and multi-player gameplay modes, along with exciting content into this version of Guitar Hero that our fans have been asking for.
“Also, many of the top bands and songs we’ve tried to get in the past are now on board, and we’ve definitely got some giant aces in the hole to say the least. In addition, offering a new line of Gibson wireless guitars for each platform is going to truly add to the authentic rock star experience like no other.”
Halo 3 Beta updates look to be coming shortly.. So if you experience any issues please be sure to check the official bungie Halo 3 Beta forums for more info.
Tomorrow, May 23rd, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. PST, Bungie are flipping a switch (temporarily) that probably won’t affect you one iota. But if it does, this is what will happen:
Should your game encounter a rare crash, your Xbox 360 will give you an alert screen, explaining that it’s uploading data to Bungie servers. We actually need this data, and we need your cooperation too. Although you probably won’t see that screen, if you do, let it finish uploading the data. It may take some time – upwards of 10-20 seconds and perhaps longer. So we beg your patience. When the process has completed correctly this is the message you'll see, "File upload complete. Visit http://www.bungie.net/forums/halo3beta for more information (safe to reboot)."
After 1 p.m., we’ll flip it back to normal, and if you do crash after that time, the data upload process will be much shorter. Helping us collect valuable crash data like this is one of the ways you can help us make Halo 3 a better game. And of course, we’re only collecting data on “natural” crashes, so please don’t try to make your 360 crash.
NullRiver released a new version of Connect360. Connect360 is a tool to stream your music, images and videos from your Mac OSX to your Xbox 360 console.
Connect360 v3.1, which fixes some issues had with streaming video after the Spring Update. According to Alex Lovett of Nullriver, there was a rounding error on a floating point number that was inadvertently causing the wrong data to be output at random intervals. Either way, it's been addressed in the update and any of you who have been having issues with video streaming should have smooth sailing.
Mad Tracks has passed the Microsoft final certification and is soon to be available on Xbox Live Arcade.
For more information on this title be sure to add this game to your wishlists on 360-hq.com.
Game Overview
"Mad Tracks" is an action-packed toy-car racing game, with toy cars powered by spring engines. Complete up to 45 challenges and gather 12 crazy achievements. Races are set in everyday places, like toy stores, mini-golf parks, and restaurants. Compete with your family and friends on a multiplayer split screen. And it's not just about racing: Outpace your opponents by winning at pool or darts, or befuddle them with rockets or freezers. The free download includes 2 complete challenges, while the full download comes with 15. Don't get even, get Mad!
HQ Network: 7,460 | 
Guests: 3891 |
Members: 2
Downloadable content is also being touted by the publisher, with Activision stating that “strategic partnerships have been secured with all the major and independent music record labels to allow unrivalled access to their deep history of music catalogues”.
