Games Industry Wire

Next month Microsoft will debut a black Xbox 360 with HDMI outputs eerily retro to the original Xbox console. I love the black scheme and am torn between whether I like the white or black one better.
The new console is not all looks and will come equipped with the previously mentioned HDMI outputs as well as a 120 GB hard drive and a more hefty $479 price tag. Although it hasn’t been announced many feel the new console may coincide with a drop in price on the current basic and premium white Xbox 360 models Microsoft offers.

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Japan has very different sales trends often times than North America or Europe which makes them all the more interesting to look at. japan has a marked slant towards both Nintendo products as well as handhelds. Here’s the numbers for Japan from March 12th-18th courtesy of Joystiq:
- DS Lite: 121,471 12,959 (11.94%)
- Wii: 67,070 22,575 (50.74%)
- PSP: 43,769 12,406 (22.08%)
- PS3: 21,635 10,480 (32.63%)
- PS2: 13,321 1,264 (8.67%)
- Xbox 360: 2,910 423 (12.69%)
- Game Boy Micro: 727 85 (10.47%)
- GBA SP: 557 122 (17.97%)
- Gamecube: 367 127 (52.92%)
- DS (Original): 159 …read more

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The authors over at Tweak Town have images of a black Xbox 360 at a Taipei game show. Here is one image from the Tweak Town post:

(via Tweak Town)

No word on whether or not this will market to market or when such a move would hypothetically happen. It would be a logical move for Microsoft to introduce an Xbox variant to drum up some increased sales against the newer Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3. The Playstation 3 is already available in multiple color variants while the Wii is rumored ot have a slew of colors in the near future. Can …read more

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Jack Tretton the CEO and President of Sony Computer Entertainment America has gone on a PR sprint of sorts defending the PS3 as the dominant console and saying that they are  essentially being rooted against and being put up against unrealistic standards. So lets break down some key parts of the article.
“Because we’re in that leadership position, there are a lot of expectations thrust upon us and some of them are a little unrealistic.” — EGM
Okay I agree with the concept that they are in a leadership position based on PS2 sales BUT everytime the next gen consoles are released …read more

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Although the next gen console has already made its debut in the US as well as Japan and other regions the highly advertised system will be released March 23 overseas. Areas for release include Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and biggest of all Europe. Sony is battling for market share with competitors Nintondo and Microsoft who each have next gen systems on the market as well.
Company officials announced the decision Friday after news had surfaced that the console would cost substantially more in Europe than in the United States. Only the 60 gig model will be released on this date. …read more

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Technology blog is reporting that Sony will debut the PlayStation 3 in Britain with a euro-equivalent price of $835 dollars. The price is more than $200 over what the system costs in the U.S. but it is actually no surprise. Sony could charge nearly any price they wanted to for the system on its debut weekend because there will always be people who will pay more for the system than it is truly worth.
Although I think some of these pricing maneuvers border on price gouging in my opinion I find it hard to believe this price will last for too …read more

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Gears of War, the hit Xbox 360 game from Epic Games has gone triple platinum. The game was already the fastest selling Xbox 360 game selling 2 million compies in just over 6 weeks after its early November release.
The game overtook Halo 2 as the most popular game on Xbox Live, a spot Halo had help since Xbox Live began service in 2004. Not long after the release of Gears of War Xbox live service nearly doubled.
In a release of the sales mark Microsoft commented that it was the third highest selling game of 2006 despite only being on the …read more

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Jay over at the Zero Boss is partnering with Lucas Arts to giveaway Thrillville, an amusement park sim for the PS2, PSP and XBox. If you have a Nintendo or PC, sorry… But he says to submit anyway and he’ll think of something to give you.
More on the game and the contest:
Thrillville is rated E for Everybody, making it suitable for kids of all ages. To win a copy for yourself or your family *, simply leave a comment describing either your favorite theme park, or a notable experience – comic or tragic – that you’ve had at …read more

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What starts out as a great “Making of Halo 3″ PR video for Microsoft, turns out to be a cat fight that’s really worth watching. Of course, the fact that I’m blogging about it and that Justin emailed it to me means that their PR is working, I guess.
Viral PR… Microsoft/Bungie really gets this stuff. Or, I guess Edelman (their PR firm) gets it.

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Microsoft is planning on making a game featuring our favorite tv commercial character, the king, the burger king that is. The game will supposedly be a blow-em-up shooter, and a cross between “Halo” and “Destroy all Humans.”
“The games will be created by Microsoft for its popular Xbox systems and will be distributed through its restaurants during a five-week December promotion. They are designed to sell for $3.99 with the purchase of a value meal, a steal for gamers used to paying upward of $60 for a single title.”
I must admit, this is a pretty nifty idea. I don’t mind paying …read more

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