Namco and Microsoft have announced that Ms. Pac-Man is coming to the Xbox Live Arcade this week. This will basically be the same game as the previously released Pac-Man, just with a few sprites changed out and slightly different mazes. Sadly there still will not be a Multiplayer mode, and it will have the default 12 achievements worth 200 GamerScore.
Microsoft Integrates IPTV Software Platform With Xbox 360, Creating All-in-One Digital Entertainment Device
New solution combines next-generation TV and gaming into unique entertainment platform for service providers.
LAS VEGAS — Jan. 7, 2007 — At the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft Corp. today announced a new solution that will bring together two of its leading entertainment products, the Xbox 360™ gaming console and the Microsoft® TV IPTV Edition software platform, to create a unique digital entertainment offering. IPTV on Xbox 360™ is expected to be available to consumers by holiday season 2007 and will be offered by providers that are deploying TV services over broadband networks based on the IPTV Edition software platform. The solution was unveiled during Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates’ CES keynote address Jan. 7.
The integration of a video gaming console with Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services is intended to deliver a first-of-its-kind entertainment experience. IPTV on Xbox 360 is expected to give consumers all the advantages of an advanced TV service along with the benefits of next-generation gaming, as well as unique new capabilities that the integrated solution brings. Xbox Live®, the largest online social network in the living room, will be seamlessly integrated into the experience, providing consumers with a wide range of community-based features, such as voice chat, sending and receiving text and voice messages, and accessing Xbox Live Marketplace, all while watching TV. For example, while a TV viewer is enjoying his favorite football game, he can receive a message from a friend inviting him to a join voice chat while watching the game, or to play a game of their own with EA SPORTS™ “Madden NFL 07” on Xbox Live.
“Both Xbox 360 and Microsoft TV IPTV Edition by themselves deliver unique and exciting entertainment experiences today, but IPTV on Xbox 360 is truly a solution that is greater than the sum of its parts and will enable even more exciting experiences to delight consumers, service providers, content providers and game developers alike,” said Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division. ”By integrating these industry-leading solutions, we are delivering on our promise to drive innovation and enable new connected entertainment experiences for consumers in a way that only Microsoft can.”
With the addition of IPTV Edition functionality, Xbox 360 builds on its position as the centerpiece for high-definition digital entertainment in the living room, offering the best in next-generation games, TV and movies along with the ability to share experiences online with the industry-leading online game network, Xbox Live. Xbox 360 continues to extend its lead with more than 10.4 million consoles sold in 37 countries since launch.
The Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform enables a best-in-class digital TV service that offers advanced features such as instant channel zapping, a rich and responsive user interface, video on demand with branded video-on-demand storefronts, digital video recording and high-definition television. Some of the world’s largest telecommunications service providers have chosen IPTV Edition as their IPTV software solution, with scale commercial deployments currently under way with AT&T in the United States, BT Group PLC in the United Kingdom, Deutsche Telekom in Germany, T-Online in France and Swisscom in Switzerland.
About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is the most powerful video game and entertainment system, delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox Live online gaming network and unique digital entertainment experiences that revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 has a catalog of more than 160 high-definition games and is available in 37 countries. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.
About the Microsoft TV Platform
The Microsoft TV platform is a family of software solutions that help TV service providers create and deliver new digital TV services that delight consumers. Designed to help cable providers and telecommunications companies derive more value from their digital video and network infrastructure investments, the Microsoft TV family supports a full range of services including interactive program guides, digital video recording, high-definition TV, on-demand programming and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) services. The Microsoft TV platform works across a full range of set-top boxes and TV devices. More information about Microsoft TV can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/tv.
It looks like Australian game site mygen has loose lips when it comes to top secret information. They've broken news (possibly prematurely, Microsoft is going to be disappointed!) that two new Gears of War maps will be available on the Marketplace this Thursday, January 11th Wednesday, January 10th.
The first new map is called Raven Down and takes place near a King Raven crash site in the middle of a city with cars, debris, and building matter strewn all over the place. Think Gridlock with lots of broken stuff and a King Raven in the middle. The second map is called Old Bones and is pretty much an abandoned human museum all decked out with arches and columns. It's very fancy indeed.
Also, the Discovery Channel is sponsoring the map pack so this content is, hold your breath, 100% FREE! They're also giving away 2 million Microsoft Points later in the week. Be sure to check out ReadyAimFire when the site goes live later in the week to learn more about the contest. Gosh, we just love you Discovery Channel and your educational animal shows. Again, we believe this was embargoed information which means it wasn't supposed to be released until earlier in the week. So feel privileged and wait patiently, we're getting new Gears maps in a few days! More pictures after the jump.
Update 1: Mark Rein has officially confirmed on Epic's forums that this news piece is real. He also added that an auto update will be released prior to the maps being offered, hopefully fixing some buggy issues. Finally, Mark stated that the new maps will be available on the 10th, not the 11th of January.
Sorry, Core Pack Xbox 360 owners, but you really should have known better. Those of you sporting an Xbox 360 sans hard drive are going to be, unsurprisingly, shut out of the Halo 3 beta if you purchase your copy of Crackdown hoping to secure a spot. We're basing that on the new boxart for the North American release of Crackdown, courtesy of this week's Bungie update.
Sure, you can go out and buy that hard drive now, but for those of you leaning toward purchasing the oft-slighted "'tard pack" to get your Halo 3 fix, just don't do it.
Some brief clarification on just how this works was also given:
Basically, if you buy a specially marked copy of Crackdown for Xbox 360, in the US (details for other regions will be decided by those territories) then you will receive some kind of code allowing you to play in the Halo 3 Beta.
Got it! But why Crackdown? You'll have to head to Bungie for the answer. Michael McWhertor
Here's a bit more about the news published earlier about the Xbox 360 'Zephyr' prototype with HDMI port. It's the 2nd time a HMDI picture leaked (1st time here if you missed it) and it looks like there are still many people that don't (want to) believe it ... so I guess it's time we come clear because Microsoft doesn't and we think you as customer has the right to know what's coming.
Microsoft still refuses to acknowledge it ... this is what they replied today to several news outlets:
"We have seen all types of claimed leaked photos like this show up online and as a standard policy we don't comment on speculative items."
We managed to get some exclusive High-Resolution pictures for x-scene of a 'Zephyr' prototype with the HDMI port. No, it's no retail Xbox360, it's a prototype board ... but Microsoft had to design a new scaler chip named 'HANA' (replacing the (analog-only?) 'ANA' chip found in current retail and dev Xboxes), I doubt they'll do that effort for nothing. You will also notice several other changes to the motherboard.
Microsoft always refused to answer any question about a possible HDMI-cable for the Xbox360 (even when asked for explicitly), but this HANA chip probably confirms the current 360 can only output an analog signal, so an HDMI-cable for the current 360 probably won't be possible (sure they could design a cable/box that reconverts the analog output to digital, but that makes no sense and is not the point).
Note: we can't tell/confirm you if the HDMI port, 65nm CPU and larger (120gb) HD are linked to each other. They might or might not be released together. The 65nm CPU is coming anyway for all Xbox models (confirmed by MS and Chartered long time ago + delay news). And it's also pretty obvious (with current demand and video marketplace) that MS will release a larger HD sooner or later, this requires no change to the motherboard.
Seattle, WA - Jan 05, 2007 With the success of its online toy drive and dinner auction, the gamer-supported Child’s Play Charity (www.childsplaycharity.org) reached an all-time high of $1,024,400.31 in its fourth year of bringing games and other entertainment to sick children around the world. The auction dinner held in Seattle in December raised a total of $210,000. Highlights include an appearance in a Penny Arcade comic strip that went for $10,000 and a voiceover line in the upcoming Halo 3 videogame that raised $9,000.
“The game community has just been so amazing in its support,” said Penny Arcade’s Robert Khoo. “What started as a challenge to our community has grown into something that impacts the lives of children, and that’s something we can all be proud of.”
Through the Amazon wish lists of over 30 participating children’s hospitals more than $1 million in new items were purchased by donors to be used at hospitals on an ongoing basis or given as gifts to those spending their holiday sick in bed. Items ranged from books, Legos and Play Doh to full Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS game systems and included game titles such as Viva Piñata, Pac Man World Rally, and Madden NFL ’07, plus many popular DVD movies and much, much more. One hundred percent of proceeds from the purchase of Child’s Play t-shirts and cards through www.thinkgeek.com/pennyarcade also went towards the purchase of new games and other forms of entertainment for children.
The sold out $125 per plate fundraising dinner was emceed by the creators of Penny Arcade, Gabe and Tycho. More than 300 attendees bid on game- related auction items, secure in the knowledge that their contributions would go to bring smiles to the faces of children in hospitals across the globe. Other auction highlights included:
* $4,000 for a trip for two to Iceland, including a tour of CCP Games
* $3,700 for a Nintendo Wii and DS combo pack signed by “Reggie” Fils-Aime
* $2,700 for a tour of the Penny Arcade studios
* $1,200 for a Microsoft Xbox 360 signed by J Allard
About Child’s Play
Child’s Play is a non-profit organization begun in 2003 by Gabe and Tycho, the creators of the Penny Arcade comic strip, as a way to help sick children and show the world the softer side of people who play videogames. Through the generosity of gamers and the videogame industry, Child’s Play has raised millions of dollars in toys, games and cash for sick children through an ongoing online toy drive and annual charity auction. Now in its fourth year, Child’s Play is developing a worldwide network of beneficiary Children’s Hospitals in order to brighten hospital stays for children internationally. For more information go to www.childsplaycharity.org.
Terminator: Survivors confirmed for Xbox Series, PS5 & PC via Steam Play as a survivor in the aftermath of Judgment Day in Terminator: Survivors, a new open-world survival game by NACON (@Nacon). Build the resistance and defy the machines in Terminator: Survivors, com..
HQ Network: 8,179 | 
Guests: 4540 |
Members: 0
Sure, you can go out and buy that hard drive now, but for those of you leaning toward purchasing the oft-slighted "'tard pack" to get your 
