TOKYO -- Microsoft plans to launch a cheaper version of its Xbox 360 games console in Japan a week before the PlayStation 3 is due on sale.
The Xbox 360 core system, which is already on sale in other markets, will go on sale in Japan on November 2, the company said Friday. The console doesn't include several components that are present in the full system, such as a hard-disk drive and a headset, and as a result it will be cheaper. It will cost $256, about half the price of the PlayStation 3.
Initial versions of the core system will also have two popular games bundled with it: PGR 3-Project Gotham Racing 3 and Ninety-Nine Nights (N3). These games and three other titles will also be re-released on the same day under the banner "Xbox 360 Platinum Collection" for about $24--a competitive price compared with games for the rival PlayStation.
The Premium Xbox 360 won't benefit from a price cut this Christmas - but instead a HD-DVD and console package is due, spearheading a marketing drive of console bundles available from November.
Retail sources have indicated to GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft is currently planning to price the standalone HD-DVD drive at GBP 199 (~293EUR or ~370USD), and to package it with two HD-DVD movies. The sources also suggested that Microsoft will bundle the Premium console and next-generation movie player together for under GBP 400 (~589EUR, ~745USD) - and that the price could even be as low as GBP 375 (~552EUR, ~700USD).
It's expected an official Premium bundle will be made available in early November, with a newly released triple-A third-party title included.
One of the more disappointing things about the Xbox 360 is its very limited streaming video options. Without hacking, it has only been possible to stream video from a Media Center PC, and even then, it has only supported Windows Media Video, MPEG and related formats (DivX and Xvid are not supported, for instance). While Microsoft does offer some streaming capabilities with Windows Media Connect for Windows XP, those are limited to music and picture playback and presentation in most configurations.
With this week's release of Beta 2 of Windows Media Player, Microsoft caused a little bit of excitement in the so-called blogosphere with this quote:
If you have a home network (wired or wireless), you can use Windows Media Player 11 to stream the contents of your library to networked devices. For example, if you have an Xbox 360 or other digital media receiver (DMR), you can use Windows Media Player to stream music, pictures, and videos from your computer to that device.
The upshot was that you could use WMP to stream video to an Xbox.
After seeing this touted at a few other sites, I decided to fact check it and drop Microsoft a line. The bad news is that it was an error on their part. While WMP does support Windows Media Connect for pictures and music, video is not supported.
Sorry for this bit of anti-news, but a few of you sent it in and I thought it merited clarification.
HellDoc informed us he released a bugfix release of Xbox360 SS Merger(info) v1.7 released yesterday. This GUI tool allows you to easily insert the Security Sectors (SS) and PFI/DMI (Xtreme v3.0+ stealth media) on Xbox360 and Xbox1 images for Xtreme and NME-360 firmwares.
What's new/fixed:
* Fixed Iso Insertion file handling problem (thanks to HolyRoses from XBH Forum for reporting the issue)
The Microsoft counter-attack begins here folks. According to Jeux-France, MS has decided to release the core Xbox360 pack in Japan for the coming holiday season. Not only will the price be a measly 29.800 Yen (~250USD or ~200EUR), but it will also include Project Gotham 3 and Ninety Nine Nights.
My buddy owns his own disc repair business which fixes scratched or scuffed discs.
I gave him my Call of Duty 2 and Perfect Dark Zero discs WHICH WERE SCRATCHED badly, so bad they would not play. The next day he came back with the discs and they looked like they just came out of the package. He fixed my dvd collection and ps2 collection as well as MY PSP games.
I have been reading alot on here about how people are stuck with scratched discs and cant do anything with them until now. He fixed mine really cheap since I paid 60$ for my xbox 360 games I had no problem giving him 5$ per game to fix it. They look new like I just bought them and work perfect. SAVED ME TONS ON MY DVD COLLECTION AS WELL. I have a library of over 1000 discs and 200+ were scratched now they all look new and work perfect.
I thought my fellow gamers would like to hear about this so they can get their games back into play. His email is [email protected] drop an email and see what he can do.
Some of my dvds had gouges which could not be repaired but there were very few he could not repair.