xbox | Procrastinating in the Heat

Posts Tagged ‘ xbox ’

E3 Predictions

E3 is just next week. And everyone is trying to predict what the gaming universe will unveil. Some are expected but we are looking for the unexpected.

Here are just some of mine.

Animal Crossing for the Wii
A new version of the Xbox 360 console
A new version of the PS3
Xbox handheld to compete with the DS and PSP
An even smaller Nintendo DS
New controllers for the Xbox and the PS3
Major game for the iPhone

Some things I wish they would announce at E3
PS1 downloadable games for the PSP
Pikmin for the Wii
New HD Wii console
PS2 downloadable games for the PS3
Bungie is no longer Xbox exclusive
Rock Band instruments would finally work with all Guitar Hero games (at least the PS3 and 360 ones)
God of War 3 for the PS3
Shadow of the Colossus 2 for the PS3

I’ll probably write about more things before Monday.

2008: 07/10
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: videogames
TAGS: E3
nintendo
rumors
Sony
xbox
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Will the next console war be on handhelds?

Xbox 360: Would You Buy This Portable 360?

Piracy effectively killed PC gaming or has it in it’s death grip, thus shifting the focus of developers and gamers alike to consoles. With HD gaming already ehre with resolutions we thought we’d never see the PS3 and the Xbox 360 seem to be in it for a while until they release the next version. Nintendo has not taken the HD transition as seriously as the other two.

So if we are not expecting a new console in next week’s E3, what hardware are we expecting from the gaming world?

Handhelds have been around for while now. Before it was only Nintendo and then Sony entered with their PSP. Sales in Japan show that handhelds are easily outselling their bulky brethren. Does this mean that gaming is switching to something more portable?

I always carry in my bag my DS and PSP so anywhere I go, I can just play or continue where I left off. Not like what’s happening to me right now with my console. I am unable to progress through Metal Gear Solid 4 because I’m working all the time and I barely have time at home to play on my console.

This is what Apple is betting on with their iPhone apps which were showcased in Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference. Sega’s Super Monkey Ball using the accelerometer of the iPhone (or iPod Touch) as the controller is really something to behold.

With Apple jumping on to portable gaming (sort of), how long before Microsoft comes in with their own handheld? Here now comes E3, where almost all major hardware gaming announcements are made and will they be entering the fray?

They already have Xbox Live Arcade. There had always been a restriction to the size of the games, could this be the reason? But if I were to play Xbox games on a portable device, this may be viable for 1st Gen Xbox games due to the large size of 360 games. But I think it could be possible. Imagine playing in ad hoc mode Halo on a portable device anywhere.

Throwing in a phone is a bit too much in my opinion. That would make it too obvious that it’s trying to compete with the iPhone. Remember N-Gage?

But I do believe that the next console war will be on the handhelds. Not that console gaming is dying. But with free time now becoming an expensive commodity, handheld gaming is the way to go.

2008: 06/26
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: videogames
TAGS: portable gaming
xbox
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RPG on the 360

Square-Enix announced in Japan yesterday, not one, not two, not three, but FOUR new RPGs for the Xbox 360.

Star Ocean 4, Infinite Undiscovery, The Last Remnant and Tales of Vesperia will all be heading to the 360. It is widely known that the Xbox isn’t exactly performing as desired in Japan despite their “success” in North America. One of the reasons for this is the lack of “real” RPGs in Japan.

Mistwalker Studios, a company made up of former Square-Enix employees released Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey for the 360, but it failed to move console sales.

Will Square-Enix come to the rescue for the Xbox? I for one would actually buy all four to feed by RPG addiction. It may boost sales in Japan. But it’s no Final Fantasy.

Yes, PS3 owners are doomed to wait in 2009, or worse yet 2010. But it’s Final Fantasy. It’s not one, but two FF games at the same time. And there aren’t any other RPGs coming out in the horizon which makes the Xbox a lot more fortunate than the PS3.

If these RPGs somehow manage to move Xboxes out the door in Japan then it’s quite a feat and a great recovery for the Xbox in Japan. But if these games do not move in North America, then I wouldn’t be surprised if Square-Enix ports these games to the PS3 at a later date.

2008: 06/11
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: videogames
TAGS: Final Fantasy
RPG
xbox
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Things that we will never see

Xbox Live: Japan Can Buy Microsoft Points Over The Phone

Xbox Live users in Japan will be able to buy MS points over the phone starting next week.

Interesting that MS decides to have this service in the land of the rising sun where the Xbox isn’t really setting anyone on fire. Of course Japan has one of the most advanced mobile phones and network in the world. They can already buy almost everything on the phone. Get GPS directions and print it on a nearby printer.

Oh if only every network in the world was like Japan and efficiently provide us with ther services we need. Like the need to buy MS points.

2008: 05/24
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: Uncategorized
TAGS: japan
xbox
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Rumor mongering

Phantasy Star Portable Information Overload news from 1UP.com
Rumor: Shenmue On Wii, Anyone? Anyone?

Let the rumors begin!

The first story is not exactly a rumor. The next installment of Phantasy Star will be on the PSP. Wouldn’t it be great if you can actually have an MMO on your handheld and if you don’t, you can always play the single player game. Much like one of the first (if not ground breaking) MMOs on a console and that being the Dreamcast.

Will Shenmue actually make the light of day? Now this is really a rumor. I have a copy of Shenmue on the original Dreamcast and missed Shenmue II on the Xbox (which I regret). So news of this game coming out really has me very excited. But based on how earlier incarnations of this series ended up, I highly doubt it will actually come out. But I’d like to be wrong on this one.

2008: 05/19
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: Uncategorized
TAGS: 1up
dreamcast
Kotaku
MMO
psp
rumors
shemue
xbox
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How long will your current console last? Xbox version

Microsoft: Shane Kim Says Xbox 360 Will Last 7 Years

According to Shane Kim of Microsoft, the Xbox will last 7 years.

Somehow I don’t that would be sustainable at the current state of the Xbox. Unless the Xbox manages to become the set top box of entertainment in your living room. It had the potential when HD-DVD was still in the mix but now that it’s dead, well downloads are the only way to go for this machine (that is the subject of another blog entry).

All the games are on dual-layer DVD discs. Meaning any “large” game would have to span lots and lots of discs which as a gamer is pretty annoying (Lost Odyssey anyone?). They would have to embrace some higher capacity storage in the near future (hint hint blu-ray).

All the triple A games are already out. What’s left? The steady stream of sports titles? There’s hardly any innovation on the Xbox other than it’s online capability and graphics engine but the PS3 has got them on that part. They’d better start churning out those sequels every year or else things will get old.

They don’t make hardware like they used to. Microsoft took a large hit over the RROD (red ring of death) debacle and it still haunts them today. Users are now wary of buying another console from them. Sure they’ll fix it but what am I supposed to do while it takes them weeks to send back my Xbox.

HD downloads are nice but still can’t sync them with the Zune. So all the money you spent of stuff bought on the Xbox Live Marketplace is all useless to your Zune due to DRM. The games and addons that you purchased on your Xbox cannot be used on your new replacement Xbox because of the RROD because it’s locked to your original console. You either need to be online to access these functions or call tech support for them to reset your account for you. Too much hassle.

Sure the developers are on the Xbox now. But the market always changes. I give the Xbox another 2 years before they start marketing the next next generation console. That still puts the 360 lifespan to 5 years and not 7.

2008: 05/14
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: videogames
TAGS: xbox
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Dashboard killed my movies

It’s been a long time since I last posted on my blog and I think I should start updating it a bit.

Now on to the topic. This spring, after one year of Xbox 360 bliss, I traded in my Xbox 360 for a newer version since there were some problems that were starting to pop up like the disc wont eject 3RL and so on and since it was still under warranty I decided to trade it in. Anyway I came back home and updated the 360 to the much awaited dashboard update.

I eagerly log in and start playing. Browsing through the dashboard is much easier now but there was one thing I didn’t notice at first. Almost all my HD movie trailers and some of the stuff they offered for free before had their license revoked. Meaning I can’t play the thing. What!!!

Not only that, I can’t download the new HD trailer for the Matrix HD series since it’s not available in my region. It’s just surprising that I can’t download promotions for things they want us to buy. This is ridiculous, I know M$ wants to make the Xbox their media center, but why restrict users from what they can download by region?

This is the reason why piracy thrives in places outside the US. The restrictions and the delays in releasing these media in places where they do not share the same region code for the US drive people to get it elsewhere. Adding restrictions may boost corporate confidence in them but sadly it doesn’t boost consumer confidence other than their fancy menus.

2007: 05/22
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: movies
videogames
TAGS: fail
HD
rants
xbox
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Microsoft admits to Faulty XBOX360 Hardware but will not fix!

XBOX support will not fix broken hardware that is less then 6 months old, and has already been replaced once due to DEFECTIVE hardware. Phone Audio included.

Having purchased an Xbox just a few months ago this seriously bothered me. Within less than a month I am already getting the E71 error. This is very disturbing. I already spent a ton of money just to buy the console, expecting that it should last me for quite a while. I am thankful that I got the one year warranty. Much cheaper than the one being offered by Microsoft. I get the error when I want to boot into the dashboard and not on the disc. I get the error when I want change discs. Hence I’m just playing one game right now and I don’t boot directly to the hard drive anymore.

But consumer groups should be up in arms like the short iPod battery, we should take them to court! Especially if they knew of the problem already and are not doing anything about it. They should go to their component suppliers and manufacturers and demand better components. It they truly want to be the center of the living room, it should be built to survive in the living room.

I was ready to cast away my doubts on Microsoft’s gaming machine and praise the Xbox. But with defects such as this. It may seem minor to them but it is downright annoying for me. I may stick with the Japanese when it comes to consoles.

BTW, it took five years for my PS2 to have any problems which by then I bought a new one.