Gamernode: Latest Xbox 360 News

Molyneux feels sorry for Denis Dyack and Too Human...

Peter Molyneux knows what it feels like to be chastized for getting a little too excited about his in-development work and making bold claims that don't quite come to fruition. He even touches lightly on the subject in his upcoming autobiographical essay, How I Promised Too Much For Fable And Made Everyone Hate Me.

That's why Sir Molyneux is sympathetic toward Denis Dyack and his game, Too Human, which is just under a month away from release. Molyneux says that since Too Human made an underwhelming appearance at a past E3, it has become popular among members of the gaming community to bash the game.

"...what I realize over time is that talking about a game before it's released is a dangerous game. You can just say a few things wrong and then it's like an avalanche. I feel sorry for Denis Dy...

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New release date for Geometry Wars sequel

We've waited too long for the sequel to Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved. What started as a side project while producing Project Gotham Racing 3 turned into the best launch title the Xbox 360 had going for it. While it wasn't a Halo, it certainly gave people a reason to justify their hefty console purchase. Sorry Perfect Dark Zero.

So why haven't we had a direct sequel sooner? Beats me, but I for one am just glad that we are actually getting a second chance to enjoy the controller breaking, eye melting, and sweating inducing gameplay of GW all over again. To say the wait has been unbearable would be a drastic description, but it sure hasn't been easy.

While we were scheduled to receive Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 next month, Microsoft has decided to bump up the release by a full seven days, ...

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Gears of War 2 event at GameStop!

Proving again that not all news comes from E3, we just received a tip letting us know that there will be a mysterious Gears of War 2 event held at GameStop stores next Friday.

Details are scarce but we were able to get a scan of the email sent out to GameStop stores.

Could this be another midnight trailer showing like they did for Gears the first? Or is Epic done with Gears of War 2 and they're having a surprise release next Friday? I'm willing to bet on the former.

Check out the FBI looking document after the jump. 

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Too Human Demo Released

The moment is finally here. Some will see this event as relatively insignificant, however I think it will prove to be rather interesting. For literally years now we've been hearing all about how Too Human is awful. Game previewers have notoriously been far less than kind when dealing with Too Human.

However, now it is going to be up to the public. Dennis Dyack's stock defense whenever a bad preview would come out is that the gamers will decide, or that the game isn't finished and the previews themselves are flawed.

Now Too Human and by extension Dennis Dyack are all out of places to hide. The gamers will be able to decide, and unless internet history is of zero consequence, then the internet mob will have made up its mind in less than a day or so. The intarwebz are notoriously swift in dolin...

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Microsoft announces 60GB Xbox 360, 20GB price cut

Microsoft likes to be the first to announce everything it seems. With rumons and pictures flying around showing the Xbox 360 with a cheaper price tag of $299, people were already starting to believe it was true.

Well Microsoft has officially announced that the 20GB Xbox 360 is indeed getting a price cut, and they are releasing a brand new 60GB version for $349. That's a really good deal for 60GB, if only Microsoft didn't have a track record of thousands of broken 360s.

Here is the official release from Microsoft:

Redmond, Washington - Microsoft is giving consumers more gigabytes for their buck. The company today announced an Xbox 360® console with triple the storage space of the original console, but for the same price of $349 (U.S.) estimated retail price.

Available in retail stores in the ...

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Halo 3 fanboy + cardboard = very, very sad

Sometimes you see something that makes you laugh, but also die a little on the inside. This is definitely one of those moments. Marvel (or cringe?) as the young man plays host to a showcase of his cardboard Halo weapons collection. If it's any consolation, I will admit he's better at using cardboard to make Halo weaponry than I'll ever be.

PS, I'm sorry if this ruins Halo for you, as it nearly ruined Halo for Chris.

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Best news I've heard all day

I was getting really concerned about the looming Rock Band 2 release.  I have invested quite a bit of time, money, and Microsoft points to Rock Band, purchasing at minimum one song per week since the game was released.  I, like many others, did not think there would be a Rock Band 2, just a continuation of the weekly downloadable content.

Well Rock Band 2 is official, and it posed a ton of questions.  Questions like will my old instruments work with Rock Band 2? Will my sweet character and all his guitars carry over to Rock Band 2? And most importantly, will the over 100 dollars worth of tracks that I purchased be playable in Rock Band 2?

These were all questions I thought would be answered during E3 (which some of us will be attending) but it seems Kotaku has the scoop, answering all of th...

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Brian Bendis comments on the deceased Marvel Unive...

Comicmix.com recently held an interview with Brian Michael Bendis (read: longtime writer for Marvel comics) and though the subject of the interview was meant to be about hardcore comic matters such as Skrulls and Dire Wraiths, the conversation nevertheless shifted towards videogames.

As it turns out, Bendis himself is a big gamer, but beyond that he was also an executive producer on the tragically departed Marvel Universe MMO. (I still have the introduction video saved on my 360's hard drive. It hurts too much to delete it and admit that it's gone.)

Perhaps the most heart-breaking part of Marvel Universe's cancellation is that nobody ever bothered to tell us why. One day it was there, and one day it wasn't. From the sound of Bendis's own words, that's pretty much the same way the folks on t...

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Start earning Fable II money early

You can never have enough money when it comes to RPGs. Snagging the best loot early on makes the first few levels a breeze, making what could be a terrible grind more manageable. So how would Fable fans like the chance to earn all the money they could possibly want before Fable II hits? If you've got spare time, a love for mini-games, and extra dollars burning a hole in your pocket then pre-ordering Fable II is the answer.

Microsoft is launching an incentive program where those who slap down the extra dollars can have access to several mini-games all based around money earning mini-games which can then be used in Fable II once it launches. No cap has been mentioned by either the Microsoft or Lionhead camp, so conceieveably gamers could be sitting on a truckload on money come Fable II's lau...

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New Halo 3 multiplayer map out...for free

Bungie has decided that today is "Bungie Day." Why? We're not sure, but since Bungie is Bungie, it can pretty much name any day it wants to as their day. To celebrate its newly coined special occasion, Bungie is releasing a new multiplayer map for Halo 3.

The map is called Cold Storage and for dedicated Halo fans, they will notice that it is a cool (pun intended) remake of the Halo 1 map, Chill Out. Cold Storage is a smaller map that will allow some close quarters one-on-one battles.

The new map is available for download today on Xbox Live. Bungie is also offering new dashboard theme and gamer pics. In addition the Legendary map pack will be sold at a new price of only 600 Microsoft points (7.50USD).

Looks like it's time to dust off your Needler gun or assault riffle for some more Halo 3 muli...

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Microsoft: "Fantasic surprises" at E3

With E3 creeping closer and closer, the teasing already begins from one of the major three big boys. Microsoft's marketing exec teased the "fantastic surprises" set to be revealed at this month's E3 show in Los Angeles. Speaking to trade mag MCV, Gosen said to expect "game-changing" Xbox news at the event, which kicks off with the company's press conference on July 14.

"It would be churlish of me to ruin the fantastic surprises awaiting everybody at E3," Gosen told MCV. "Clearly we'll use that to make a number of announcements. We place a huge amount of importance on R&D and innovation. We're always working on new things. And you'll continue to hear lots of things from us that we believe to be game-changing. But you'll just have to wait for those to be officially announced by us."

Could one ...

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New DC vs Mortal Kombat video, podcast

As E3 and Comic-Con approach, one guilty pleasure I'm looking forward to seeing (and trying, Midway?) in action is the upcoming DC vs Mortal Kombat game. Last night, SpikeTV revealed exclusive gameplay clips and information for the game, showing two new characters, and a sampling of the types of moves some of DC's finest will be using. (And some that MK's combatants will use, for those of you curious if your favorite moves will make the cut.)

With the video, we learn several attacks for the DC characters.

Superman: Seismic-toss, ice breath, groundpound, laser eyesBatman: BoomerangFlash: Whirlwind spin, teleport (by running off screen one way and returning from the other, basically running around the world)

In addition, there's a really cool moment where Superman tackles Shang Tsung through ...

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Best Buy ad shows 360 price drop

Microsoft's Xbox 360 is old enough to stand on its own feet, feed itself, and at this point even have a crush on the young girl next door. So don't you think it's time for a price drop? Even though Microsoft hasn't announced it to the public yet, plans to lower the Xbox 360 base price is expected, some analysts say.

The 20 GB Xbox 360 formerly known as "Pro" looks like its price will be going down by fifty bucks, from $349 to $299 according to a Best Buy employee who used his phone to give us this blurry picture. The ad, photographed off-screen from the Best Buy computer system, is said to run the week of July 13th. That matches up with previous price drop rumors from Kmart and an unnamed "major retailer." Could this just be a one week promotion or is there a whole other SKU involved, in w...

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New Halo game to be unveiled at E3?

Many people are saying that this year's E3 wont be as spectacular as previous ones because for one reason or another many developers and publishers are staying away from the convention this year. One company that we know will make a presence however is Microsoft on the sides of development and publishing. Since late Spring the internet was able to uncover most of the E3 2008 lineup that Microsoft has been planning to show except for two titles that still remain a secret to date.

Speculation has risen that one of these two new games is a new Halo game. Whether this new Halo game is the one Peter Jackson was supposed to be manning, or the rumored 3rd-person prequel is still anyone's guess. According to a rumor on Sarcastic Gamer, the fourth installment is already in development:

"A very good ...

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Viva Pinata 2 dated and detailed

Microsoft Game Studios and Rare Ltd. have divulged some new information regarding the upcoming sequel, Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise. The candy-filled critters will find their way onto European Xbox 360s on September 5th of this year, which likely translates to September 2nd for gamers on this side of the pond.

The game will feature over 30 new species, cooperative play options, and added gameplay modes. Players will also be able to check out the wilderness outside of the confines of the garden this time around. Both an arctic and desert environment will be open for exploration, and the exotic inhabitants of those areas can be lured back to the garden using accommodations from home, such as snow and sand patches.

The first Viva Piñata game was somewhat of a sleeper hit in 2006, and the se...

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Rumor: Xbox 360 20GB cancelled. 360 60GB in

Recent leaks of store ads indicate that the Xbox 360 Premium model (20GB) is going to have a price cut from $349 to $299. But an insider source says that this is only part of the story.

Apparently, a new 60GB Xbox 360 model is coming and this will mean the end of the Xbox 20GB version.

According to the stealthy communication:

"At E3 Microsoft will make an official announcement that we are dropping the 20GB pro console to $299... As we launch the 60GB SKU throughout July, the 20GB SKU will DISCONTINUE. You will see the new SKU on your 7/1 price list."

If the rumor is true and more storage is available for the Xbox 360, we wonder if this is all that will be different about the new version of the machine. This would be an incredible time, during E3, to release a more dependable iteration of the X...

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Microsoft possibly exploring new avenues for Halo

File this one under the duh category, but Microsoft is still exploring what would potentially be the next Halo game after Halo Wars.

A marketing survey conducted by Microsoft asked participants to rate how likely they would be in buying the next Halo game if it fit one of the descriptions.

The gaming community would be better off without some of the suggestions seeing the light of day while others do offer an predictable choice. The list includes: "A Halo LEGO Game A Halo MMO game A Halo racing game, using vehicles from the Halo universe A more family friendly Halo game A 3rd-person Halo action-adventure game A Halo arcade game A new Halo shooter where you don't play as Master Chief Halo Wars (an RTS game set in the Halo universe) - [This one's definitely out this year] A Halo sq...

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Rumor: Xbox 360 price taking a dive soon

A hot rumor has been floating around about new "evidence" that the Xbox 360 may very well be headed for a price drop.

Some see this as making sense as the E3 convention draws near and Microsoft may take the opportunity to either unveil or announce a new price point or newer model of the less-than-dependable 360.

A forum user on the High-Def Digest forums uploaded a scan of a Kmart weekly ad that supposedly shows the Xbox 360 at a new price of $299. The ad is slated for circulation on July 6, a week before E3. If the rumor and ad are correct, that would mean a $50 price drop of the Xbox 360 20GB model.

So far, the cheapest interation is the Arcade version of the 360 clocking in at $279. We'll have to wait until E3 to see if Microsoft gives us any details on whether we'll have a cheaper Xbox o...

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Halo 3 KIA greater than population of Earth

Yes sports fans, it's true. The total enemies killed in Halo 3 now exceed the total population of Earth.

This little fact was uncovered by a Halo forum member when he noted the tally of kills posted on the official Bungie website and then went on to the government census bureau to get some statistics for comparison.

For you number crunchers out there, Halo 3 KIA amounted to 6,743,784,316. As for the population of our little blue planet, it clocked in at a mere 6,705,451,100 humans.

Of course, some would argue that killing Covenant baddies doesn't really count and only human kills would really be legitimate.

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Cliffy B says no upgradable weapons in Gears 2

Gears of War fans have dreamed about making their Lancer rifle and other weapons better. Wouldn't it be great to be able to upgrade with better ammo or a more powerful chainsaw? With the coming of Gears of War 2, some of us hoped that upgrades for the weapons would be possible.

But those dreams have been fragged by Cliff Bleszinksi, lead developer for Gears, as he stated flatly that this would not be happening in Gears 2.

Cliffy B said, "We're not really that kind of game. We're not going to allow you to bling out your gun. The Lancer's a Lancer, Gus is Gus, and Marcus is Marcus. Those are the identities we're sticking with."

Then he switched gears, so to speak, to say a few words about how Gears of War 2 is shaping up.

"Just the other day I was driving in this icy level with a tank and power-...

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