* ATI stock gets lift from Xbox 360 launch (from Reuters.ca):
"ATI Technologies Inc. stock popped up more than 8 percent on Friday after the graphics chip maker replaced rival Nvidia Corp. as a supplier for Microsoft Corp.'s new Xbox 360 video game console.
ATI expects royalties that are similar to its Nintendo GameCube deal, in a range between $2 and $5 per console, and that should affect the company's first-quarter results, chief executive Dave Orton told Reuters in an interview.
Beyond the deal's financial impact, ATI expects that Xbox 360 will help drive demand for the high definition products its graphics chips can power."
Read More: Reuters.ca
 
* Xbox 360: In Depth Video Feature
A 3rd video (6.41m) of the Microsoft Xbox360 has been released. We had the MTV unveiling show and the ourcolony.net video yesterday, and now we found another video on kikizo.com (thx to wolf202 for the link). It's in the same style as the ourcolony.net video (so much more interesting then the MTV show ). The video feature goes behind the scenes with everyone on the Xbox team (J. Allard, P. Moore, ...), for a detailed look at the Xbox360.
You can download this (large 74MB) video from kikizo.com (links are at the bottom) or gamersreports.com
 
* Backward Compatible or not?
That's probably the hottest question left unanswered so far by Microsoft.
As recently as last week, a Microsoft executive said Microsoft hadn't yet determined whether the new Xbox 360 would be backward compatible. They cite a host of technical issues as reason because the console is moving from a Intel x86 based CPU to an IBM PowerPC and from an Nvidia GPU to one made by ATI. Analysts say it may come down to whether Microsoft is able to license patented technology from the cpu/gpu vendors of the original Xbox or find a way to emulate Xbox1 games without having to pay license fees.
The images shown on the new Xbox Live demos where they use images of Halo 2 and Crimson Skies and the fact that people are playing Xbox1 games on the Xbox360 on the ourcolony.net video gives some credence to the theory of Microsoft supporting backward compatibility. It atleast suggests that the test units are backward compatible. But it could be because Microsoft tries to prevent us from seeing Xbox 360 games in action as well.
Read More: IGN.com and nwsource.com
 
* Xbox 360 demos running on Macs (by News.com)
"The nifty clips of video games supporting Microsoft's new Xbox 360 console are running on Apple machines, Microsoft confirmed on Friday.
"We purchased a number of Apple G5's because very specific hardware components of the G5 allow developers to emulate some of the technology behind future Xbox products and services," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement. "This is an interim development tool that will be replaced with a more powerful and comprehensive solution later.""
Read More: News.com
 
* Microsoft’s Disruptive Xbox 360 Marketing (by Joystiq.com)
"Forrester Research published a piece that says Microsoft's decision to launch their console prior to E3 represents a deliberate strategic move that accomplishes several key objectives. Forrester calls it a “brave move” that allows Microsoft to:
1. Side step the industry shindig and talk directly to potential consumers.
2. Reduce the classic five-year game console cycle.
3. Build a frenzy of community speculation and support.
4. Offset some of its negative branding in the PC market.
5. Break the new console out of the gaming ghetto."
Read more info and Joystiq's opinions check Joystiq.com
You can find the original paper on Forrester.com (free reg. req.)
 
* Xbox 360: What might have been
The guys over at Hellogamer made a panoramic shot of all the Xbox360 designs that didn't make it. These were shown very shortly in the ourcolony.net video released 20-30mins before the MTV show yesterday.
Check out the panoramic shot on hellogamer.com and the original video is available here.
 
* Japanese Xbox360 Unveiling
As I said in previous news, Japan got their 'own' special unveiling. After the MTV show they got a special event hosted by Microsoft Japan that took place at the Virgin Cinema in Tokyo. Yoshiki Okamoto of Game Republic, Tetsuya Mizuguchi of Q Entertainment, and Hironobu Sakaguchi of Mistwalker, appeared onstage to present their projects.
GameSpot has an article about it here.
 
Game (retail software) related news is not covered on Xbox-Scene, for that info we refer you to the big game news sites like TeamXbox, IGN, GameSpot, Xbox.com or one of the many other sites that go into detail on game specific info.

intro
 
we are going to bring original games [guess in the way of exclusive] to the 360, like the classic 'perfect dark'
 
this is one of the blockbusters we are going to publish
 
it is a fantastic machine on which programming is made real easy and it is easy to build extra tools.
 
Also in a designers perspective. We are really excited. it is going to be an amazing box.
 
Perfect Dark is the first title we are going to publish, because it is a very popular shooter.
 
The story itself unfolds before the 'Perfect Dark' we saw on the Nintento 64.
 
At the 360 we really put our effort in the multi player aspects [of the game]. That is one of things that made Halo 2 so popular.
 
A unprecedented number of people can play at once.
 
We are really proud at that, and we are really happy that it looks so beautiful now.
 
Thanks to the 360 we can make our dreams reality.
 
We can create more and more of what designers envision.
 
Because the hardware is way more powerful.
 
You can design and download [?] things that were not possible before.
 
Because the hardware is way more powerful.
 
You can design and download [?] things that were not possible before.

Guide Home

 
Market Place

 
Media

 
Video Chat