Xbox 360 HD-DVD drops to $50

Kotaku reports that Microsoft is officially dropping their HD DVD add-on price to $50 starting tomorrow (though many retailers have already jumped the gun). I'm considering picking one up because it is a cheap entry into high def movies and a lot of my favorite movies are available on the cheap in the format.

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Major Nelson: November 2007 Xbox Backward Compat Update

Microsoft is distributing the latest backwards compatibility update bringing the number of backwards compatible titles to just over 450. Of note there are quite a few of the Sega 2K sports titles new to the list, particularly ESPN NFL 2k5 what some gamers feel to be the best football game ever. Click the read more link for the complete list posted on Major Nelson's blog.

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Will There Ever Be One Console To Rule Them All?

From Gamasutra:

Recently, there has been talk about the idea of a standardized game console platform -- whether this would be unified hardware specifications or development tools. The article is a discussion of the following questions:

• Do you think it's possible that the video games industry will create a standardized (development or hardware) platform in the future?
  
• How would independent developers not benefit in a market with a single gaming platform?
• Isn't PC gaming already the "one gaming platform" standard? Or is this analogy not quite right?

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Why it makes sense for Bungie to break away from Microsoft

There has been a whole lot of discussion about the possibility of Bungie leaving Microsoft. Some of the feedback from the community has been "they can't leave Microsoft owns them" or "why would Microsoft let them leave".

This is only my opinion and not based on any knowledge specific situation.

The idea of Bungie breaking away is plausible because Microsoft owns Halo, not Bungie. The company was acquired in 2000 by Microsoft to ensure the development of quality games to launch a little system called the Xbox.

If, and this is a big if, the developers at Bungie could buy their way out of their agreement with Microsoft then they would be free to develop games for other consoles.

I am sure they would come back to do Halo 4 , but I would bet that Sony would love to have them develop an A-list exclusive for them as well. Looking at the success of companies like UbiSoft and Epic has to have the folks at Bungie wondering what are they leaving on the table as far as dollars go being tied to Microsoft. This could also be a win in the short term for Microsoft because they may retain the distribution and publishing rights to select future titles for a timed period after the split.

Bungie Actually Leaving Microsoft?

Rumors are floating abound that Halo masterminds Bungie will be leaving Microsoft. The source being a reader blog from Seattlepi.com stating that in fact, as of yesterday, Bungie is no longer part of Microsoft. While the majority of Internet denizens are stating that this could never happen and that it’s not true, we’ve heard the opposite...

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Retail reveals new Xbox 360 Arcade package

A new version of the 360 is due out later this year; it's the core version repackaged with 5 Xbox Live Arcade Titles and a memory card.

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Halo 3 IMAX Preview Event

For the first time ever, Halo 3 will be unveiled to the public, in dramatic big-screen fashion at the Seattle Pacific Science Center, on an IMAX screen.

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Halo 3: How Microsoft Labs Invented a New Science of Play

Sitting in an office chair and frowning slightly, Randy Pagulayan peers through a one-way mirror. The scene on the other side looks like the game room in a typical suburban house: There's a large flat-panel TV hooked up to an Xbox 360, and a 34-year-old woman is sprawled in a comfy chair, blasting away at huge Sasquatchian aliens.

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Show of hands...PS3?

I'm not in the market for a PS3 because I have to use the money for diapers and formula for the three amigos. Recently though I realized that not many people I have come into contact with have one either. I have come across a lot of folks with a Wii, a 360 or both.

Show of hands....do you have a PS3?

Friend or Foe? EA and Ubisoft

In late 2004/early 2005, Electronic Arts(EA) made a bid to buy an almost 20% stake in publisher UbiSoft. Understandably, UbiSoft feared a hostile takeover by one of its biggest rivals. A move to merge the two companies together would greatly benefit EA who hasn't had great success developing anything other than sports games. Initially Ubisoft expressed great concern about a potential takeover, especially since that stock purchase gave EA considerable voting rights, approximately 18% voting interest.

While it isn't abnormal for companies to invest in other companies via stock purchases, it raises a lot of eyebrows when a company buys stock in a competitor. When Microsoft made an investment in Apple in the late 90's, there were lots of questions to be answered and that was for a purchase of non-voting stock.

In the last few days, it has been reported that EA now has voting rights even greater than the founders of the company. This essentially means that EA has greater influence on the activities of UbiSoft's board. Of course, they have gone on record as saying that they had no intention of nominating anyone to the board, but reserved the right to do so.

It is going to be very interesting to see how these events play out in this generation of games. If EA continues to be weak at developing its own intellectual property (IP), they have enough cash and influence on UbiSoft's board to take over.

Should UbiSoft be concerned with these developments? Analysts are saying not to worry, but if I were one of the original founders, I would start looking for a big dog to get the fox out the henhouse.

Peter Moore's Last Interview as Xbox head

Gamasutra has an excellent interview with Peter Moore shortly before his announcement that he was leaving Microsoft to join EA.

Of interest, to me anyway, was his response to Sony VP Peter Dille's opinions on the 360 and HD-DVD:

Based on your last console, some people feel that Microsoft isn't in things for the long haul, because the Xbox stopped after about five years. I'm sure you feel differently.

PM: I think those were Peter Dille's comments. They're welcome to their opinions, and having an opinion about something that is still years away is fine and makes good PR fodder, but we're very committed to this platform. I'll just let the numbers speak for themselves so far. I don't have to get into a swinging match with them.

The same gentleman says that HD-DVD will be dead within months. How do you feel about that?

PM: On that one, I look forward to speaking with you at CES next year. I was just looking at HD-DVD numbers over the weekend, and I think Toshiba may have an opinion about that. Of course, the fact that Sony has an economic interest in making sure that it's dead is interesting. I think his comments will be read with interest from the folks at the European Union, who will be looking at the tactics that they've been using to ensure that retailers do things their way. Again, I'll defer comment and look at what happens. I think that's kind of a preposterous statement.

Moore's Law

I was as shocked as the next guy to learn that Peter Moore was moving on to EA.

Obviously, EA made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Plus he's getting back into the business of making the blades instead of selling the razors. Prior to Microsoft, Moore supported Sega through its transition from console manufacturer to third party developer.

Clearly Moore's passion was a great benefit for Microsoft, but I believe that his strengths are toward leading software developers. Moore was first to admit that he didn't have a great understanding of the hardware and perhaps that gap may have been what inspired this move.

Check out this interview with Dan Hsu of Electronic Gaming Monthly, for a look back at Xbox 360's former champion.

And the next generation console war winner is....Epic Games?

Two very interesting announcements were made this week at the new-and-improved E3.

Microsoft announced that its Games for Windows Live technology is being included in the Unreal 3 Game Engine.

Sony announced a partnership with Epic where the Unreal 3 Game Engine will be optimized for the Playstation 3.

What does this mean? The wikipedia has an excellent explanation of what a game engine is.

These developments basically mean that game developers will have an easier time developing for the 360, PC and PS3 because the Unreal 3 engine will be optimized for all three environments. This may level the playing field for those that feel one system is more difficult to develop for than another.

This also means lots and lots of cash in Epic's pockets. I would love to be at their post E3 party!

Xbox 360 Recall?

N'Gai Croal, gaming journalist for Newsweek, makes an awful good case that Microsoft should pony up and recall Xbox 360s currently in the field.

Microsoft has taken steps to address hardware failures that seem to be happening at a rate higher than 3 to 5% of the customer base, extending the warranty of any Xbox 360 to three years from date of purchase and refunding monies paid for repairs of machines serviced.

I have had my Xbox 360 since launch. I won it in the "Every 10 Minutes" promotion sponsored by PepsiCo. I haven't had any issues with my machine, but I don't put a lot of hours into gaming on the box either.

What do you think would be appropriate for Microsoft? Go with their current plan or initiate an all out recall?