Microsoft encourages students to buy a PC, gives them a free Xbox 360 in return
Posted by Edgar Alvarez | Filed under Techie Stuff
Students. PCs. Free Xbox 360. The Redmond team's at it yet again. Similar to last year's deal, Microsoft's hooking students up with a 4GB Xbox 360 if they drop some cash on one of its Windows machines. It's simple: shell out over $699 on a PC, or $599 if you're in Canada, and you'll be walking out with a shiny new console free of charge -- naturally, you'll have to do so at participating shops such as Best Buy, Fry's, Newegg, Staples, The Source and, of course, Microsoft's own stores. The promo is set to kick off here in the States on May 20th, while those living in the True North can take advantage of it starting today. And before you ask -- yes, you will need to show your scholar credentials to get in on the bargain.
Microsoft encourages students to buy a PC, gives them a free Xbox 360 in return originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360
Microsoft rolling out new apps to Xbox 360, including MUZU.TV and Manga in the US
Posted by Edgar Alvarez | Filed under Techie Stuff
You can never have enough apps, right? With that in mind, Microsoft's rolling out a couple of new applications to Xbox 360s in the US and Canada. For starters, those of you living Stateside will now have access to Manga Entertainment and MUZU.TV (also available in the True North); the first of which allows you to watch free video content from its catalog, while the latter has around 40,000 music videos ready for your viewing pleasure. In addition to the aforementioned apps, the Australia-only FOXTEL application has been updated with support for Redmond's Kinect, allowing Oz folks to control it with hand gestures or by voice. We've already seen the new apps pop up on our Xbox, so you should be seeing them hit your console any time now.
Microsoft rolling out new apps to Xbox 360, including MUZU.TV and Manga in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 20:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360
MLB.tv Premium for Xbox 360 now live in 18 more countries, CinemaNow adds rentals in the US
Posted by Edgar Alvarez | Filed under gAmINg, Techie Stuff
Feels like it was only yesterday that the MLB.tv app was landing on Xbox consoles in North America, and starting today, the application will be available to more baseball lovers around the globe. As Major Nelson notes (again), the Major League Baseball service is now live in Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, South Africa, Spain and the UK, among a few other nations. Naturally, if you're hoping to catch any ball games via MLB's Premium goods, you'll have to shell out a subscription fee along with having a fancy Xbox Live Gold account. In other 360 news, CinemaNow has made the switch from being a locker-only application to now offering TV show and movie rentals to folks in the US. You can check out what other countries made the MLB.tv cut at the Major Nelson site, link is down below.
MLB.tv Premium for Xbox 360 now live in 18 more countries, CinemaNow adds rentals in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 18:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: Microsoft Xbox 360
Microsoft officially offering Xbox 360 4GB console for $99, two-year Live Gold subscription required
Posted by Darren Murph | Filed under gAmINg, Techie Stuff
Whoa, Nelly! As rumored, Microsoft is indeed shattering the home console pricing paradigm by trying something that US wireless carriers have been doing for years. As of now, the official Microsoft Store is hosting up a coupon that'll enable prospective Xbox buyers to snag a 4GB console bundle for just $99 (a $200 savings versus the outright unit)... so long as you agree to pay $14.99 per month for two solid years. That monthly fee -- which amounts to some $360 over the 24 month term -- gets you on the Xbox Live network with a Gold subscription, but remember, Microsoft's maintaining the ability to "terminate this offer at any time." Looking to score one yourself? Hit the source link and visit that "Find a store" icon; hopefully there's a B&M Microsoft Store near your neck of the woods.
Update: In case you're curious, yes, early termination fees will apply if you cut out of your two-year deal early. It's a prorated affair, with users asked to pay less the longer they maintain the contract. Those who part ways after only a month will have to pay $250, while those who cancel with just a month remaining will owe $12. All told, someone buying this and keeping true to the contract terms will pay $459 for the bundle and Live access, whereas those buying outright could snag it for $420 (or less, if scouring the web for cheaper Live subscriptions). The full ETF schedule is shown after the break.
Update II: Joystiq has confirmed that, for now, this is simply a pilot program. These machines will be sold only through the 16 US-based Microsoft Stores, and we can only assume the marketing and finance folks at the company will be watching reception like hawks.
Microsoft officially offering Xbox 360 4GB console for $99, two-year Live Gold subscription required originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 12:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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How Mass Effect 3′s role-playing roots empower the multiplayer
Posted by Rowan Kaiser | Filed under gAmINg
Filed under: Features, PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Online, RPGs
This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
Arguments about whether Mass Effect 3 is a role-playing game or not have existed since the first game's release. Regardless of which side you take in those, Mass Effect does include many components of role-playing games, two of which are essential to the multiplayer's success: world-building and character development mechanics. Of course, there are simple gameplay reasons to enjoy the co-operative gameplay of Mass Effect 3 online. The levels are well designed for dynamic changes within matches, and waves of enemies seem ideal for both difficulty and time. But those things aren't what make it special.
Continue reading How Mass Effect 3's role-playing roots empower the multiplayer
How Mass Effect 3's role-playing roots empower the multiplayer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 May 2012 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: Action, Features, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, PC, RPGs, Sony PlayStation 3
Spike TV airing Microsoft’s ‘Xbox: Entertainment Evolved’ from E3, also coming to Xbox Live
Posted by Edgar Alvarez | Filed under Techie Stuff
Similar to last year's airing of Microsoft's E3 keynote, Spike TV's once again offering gamers who won't be making the trip to Los Angeles a quick way to enjoy a little bit of the show. The famed Major Nelson revealed the news that Spike TV will be showing the entire 90-minute Xbox: Entertainment Evolved event live on its network, which takes place on June 4th at 12:30PM Eastern time -- of course, we'll be there covering it. Unlike in 2011, though, now you'll also be able to check out whatever Redmond has in store for us as it airs on TV straight from your console via Xbox Live. Sadly, we know that won't be some new Xbox hardware...
Spike TV airing Microsoft's 'Xbox: Entertainment Evolved' from E3, also coming to Xbox Live originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Why skills are in, attributes are out in modern role-playing games
Posted by Rowan Kaiser | Filed under gAmINg
Filed under: Features, PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, RPGs
This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
Skyrim and Mass Effect 3 don't include attributes at all, in fact, something that would have been unthinkable for a computer role-playing game at the dawn of the genre. But the lessened importance of attributes isn't necessarily a sign of the simplification of the genre (although that's often part of it). Instead, it's part of a trend in which skills, not attributes, serve as the most important statistical measure of an RPG character.
Continue reading Why skills are in, attributes are out in modern role-playing games
Why skills are in, attributes are out in modern role-playing games originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: Features, Microsoft Xbox 360, PC, RPGs, Sony PlayStation 3
The delightful smoothness of classic Japanese role-playing games
Posted by Rowan Kaiser | Filed under gAmINg
Filed under: Nintendo DS, Features, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Retro, Microsoft Xbox 360, RPGs
This week, Rowan Kaiser and Kat Bailey have switched roles -- with Rowan taking lead in this week's column focusing on the wonderful world of Japanese role-playing games.
"Smoothness" isn't a common criteria used to judge games. If anything, it's the opposite. Getting the difficulty level just right, so that the game seems like a challenge but is completable with practice, seems like it's an ideal. Or, you can use Sid Meier's model of games as "interesting choices" - but if the game isn't challenging, those choices don't seem to matter, right? I think acceptance theories like those are part of the reason that Japanese role-playing games are considered less important than they used to be.
Continue reading The delightful smoothness of classic Japanese role-playing games
The delightful smoothness of classic Japanese role-playing games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: Features, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, Retro, RPGs, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP
Anomaly: Warzone Earth review: Reverse defense
Posted by Jason Venter | Filed under gAmINg
Filed under: Reviews, Microsoft Xbox 360
Anomaly: Warzone Earth is a tower defense game in reverse. As events unfold, aliens have set up encampments and Earth's soldiers are the new invaders. Towers and turrets dot the landscape. Extraterrestrial vessels hover over scorched soil and the remnants of apartments and office buildings. The loss of human lives is palpable. Now soldiers must take back each captured zone by bringing the fight to the aliens.
Continue reading Anomaly: Warzone Earth review: Reverse defense
Anomaly: Warzone Earth review: Reverse defense originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: Microsoft Xbox 360, PC, Reviews
