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Apparently Microsoft hands out “Microsoft Expert Zone” quizzes to retailers so that they can be better informed on the products that they’re selling. A recent quiz contained details on Mass Effect 2 DLC content, and as luck would have it, those details made their way to the internet. Read more…

With the recent $100 price cut to the 120 GB Xbox 360 Elite, it looks like Microsoft might have a more superior console taking its place. The above ad was discovered from a South African retailer, BT Games, showing a “Super Elite” Xbox 360 with a 250 GB hard drive and two wireless controllers. XboxGaming.co.za is reporting that they have spoken to Comztek, a South African Xbox distributor, and they have indeed confirmed that they will be getting the “Super Elite” Xbox 360 bundled with a copy of Forza 3 and two wireless controllers for R4,999 ($644).

None of this has been confirmed by Microsoft, but it hasn’t been denied either. I guess we’ll just have to wait for an official announcement, but if had to put a bet on it, I’d say the “Super Elite” Xbox 360 is more than likely real and we should see it in stores within the next few months.

Well, this ain’t no surprise. After weeks of rumor and speculation for a price cut on the Xbox 360 Elite and a discontinuation of the 360 Pro, Microsoft has finally confirmed the price cut and it officially starts today. The 120GB Elite console is now $300, a whopping $100 cheaper, and the 60GB Pro console is now $50 cheaper at $250, but only while supplies last because once they’re sold out, there won’t be anymore. The hard drive-less Arcade edition still remains at $200.
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According to Kotaku, via the above pic from a Meijer catalogue due on August 30, the Elite version of the Xbox 360 is set to drop in price a whole $100, to $299.

Well, what does this do to the Xbox 360 Pro? Looks like the Pro version is being phased out and will eventually be completely taken off the market. That will leave only two versions of the Xbox 360 to choose from: the hard drive-less Arcade and the 120GB HDD Elite. According to the catalogue, this is set to take place in just a matter of weeks.

No confirmation from Microsoft yet, but if they don’t announce it this week, you can bet they will next week at Gamescom.

It’s August 11 folks and that means the Xbox Live New Xbox Experience summer update is now up and running for everyone to download. I’m actually downloading it right now as I’m typing this, so I’ll be able to enjoy all the new perks like Games on Demand, the Avatar Marketplace, new updates to Netflix and more in just a few moments. Oh, I think it just finished downloading. Time to check it out, holla!

Okay, we all know that the Twitter and Facebook integration into Xbox Live will not happen in the upcoming Dashboard update on August 11, but we do know that it will happen sometime soon.

Well, in a discussion with Eurogamer, Mircrosoft Marketing rep James Halton said that they are aiming for an “autumn” release and that the Twitter and Facebook integration will be separate applications instead of another huge dashboard update.

Halton addded, “It will be before Christmas. A lot of the background work’s been done for a lot of applications that are coming.”

There you have it Xbox Live peeps. You’ll be able to Tweet and update your Facebook status over your 360 in just a matter of months. But are we really that pumped up about this? I mean you can already do this on your computer and even your cell phone, in which both options seem like they would be easier to do. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Microsoft announced today that a major update to Xbox Live will be arriving on August 11. The update is set to include many new features including Games on Demand, improved Netflix performance (complete with Movie Parties), Avatar Marketplace, the ability to rate games and more.

Confirmed titles for the Games on Demand service include Mass Effect, BioShock, Assassin’s Creed, LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga and Sonic the Hedgehog.

The Facebook, Twitter and Last.FM integration will not be included in this update, but will arrive in a future fall update alongside 1080p streaming support.

Source: Shacknews

In a recent speech at the NAACP 100th anniversary event, President Obama encouraged parents to “put away the Xbox.” Microsoft took the President’s slight condemnation and spun it into a positive. Read more…

Yes, you read that right. There is another set of multiplayer maps coming out for Halo 3, no joke. When ODST launches this fall, it will come packed with a Halo 3 multiplayer map disk complete with three new maps.

And if you’re thinking the picture above looks a lot like “Midship” from Halo 2, well you’re right because it’s a remake called “Heretic” included in the new map pack along with “Citadel” and “Longshore”. Hit the jump for a look at the other two maps coming out with ODST this fall. Read more…

1 vs 100, the new Xbox Live online game show for the 360, will feature prizes of Xbox Live Arcade games and Microsoft Points beginning this week. Starting July 10 at 7 p.m. PST, Xbox Live Gold Members will have the chance to win up to 10,000 MP in every round played in 1 vs 100. Read more…

In celebration of Independence Day in the US, Microsoft has announced that Call of Duty: World at War wil be running a double XP weekend from July 3 to July 6. The double XP weekend will be available to all Xbox Live gold members worldwide.

Along with the double XP promotion, a playlist update is scheduled to go live on July 3, integrating the Map Pack 2 maps into the Core and Hardcore rotations. Time to prestige!

Source: Xbox.com

It’s surprising how many games there are that actually use microphones on the Xbox 360: Guitar Hero Metallica, Rock Band 2, Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Lips and The Beatles: Rock Band. This fall, Microsoft is poised to release a new wireless microphone that’s compatible with all of those games, and presumably more.

Although I have no use for a microphone myself, I’m sure someone loves the look of it and wants to rock out cordless. If you’re willing to spend $49.99 on the microphone, you should look forward to it hitting store shelves this fall.

So I was playing Call of Duty: World at War last night over Xbox Live and all of a sudden I’m booted not only out of the lobby, but entirely off Xbox Live. I’m like WTF? Well, seems as if Microsoft felt the need to interrupt my fun to work on updates that will make for an easier transition to a newer Xbox experience complete with Facebook, Twitter, and Last.fm.

Okay that’s all cool with me, but on a night when it’s double experience points for World at War? That’s whack and it’s even more whack that Xbox Live will be down all day today until midnite. No Xbox Live gaming for today me, guess I might hop on my PS3 and play some Killzone 2, maybe SOCOM? Or I could possibly hit up my Wii for some Punch-Out!!?

We’ve all heard of the upcoming addition to the Xbox 360 that was announced at E3, Project Natal, that will be adding motion control without an actual controller. Well, 1UP.com is reporting that Microsoft’s Project Natal will actually be a new console launch, due Fall 2010. Yes sir, a brand new Xbox console is coming out! Read more…

Remember that Project Natal device Microsoft unveiled at E3 just a few days ago? Well, the bad boy and its creative director figure head, Kudo Tsunoda, made an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

If ever you needed proof that television promotional appearances are as choreographed as a high school musical, just take a listen to Jimmy Fallon’s desperate cry to “jump in” and play with Microsoft’s Project Natal. Amongst the loud noise and fan applause, you can once again hear confirmation that the game has yet to receive a release date.

Are you like Jimmy? Will you have to “jump in” and own this as soon as it’s available or will you be able to restrain your school girl like excitement until you get to see a little more of this device in action?

Source: latenightwithjimmyfallon.com

The red ring of death is something that Xboxers the world over dread. However, Microsoft has done what they can to ease the pain of the repair process, which includes shipping you a pre-paid box to send your broken console in. As of May 26th, however, you need to get your own damn box. Read more…

Yesterday during Microsoft’s pre-E3 press conference, Infinity Ward took the stage to finally show us some actual gameplay footage of Modern Warfare 2, coming out November 10. The game looks awesome and I’m even more excited about it after seeing this demo. Along with their demo, Infinity Ward announced that all map packs for Modern Warfare 2 will come out for the Xbox 360 first, but nothing was said about exclusivity. Check out the video.

Yesterday at Microsoft’s pre-E3 press conference Bungie’s Joe Staten took the stage to show off some actual gameplay footage of Halo 3: ODST, which is scheduled to drop later this year. The single-player expansion campaign will put you in the role as “The Rookie”, a rookie Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, a few weeks before the events of Halo 3. Some features in the game include new silenced weapons, a new visor (which enables a “low-light vision mode”) and a handgun similar the pistol from the first Halo game.

Along with an expanded single-player campaign, ODST will also feature a four-player co-op mode called Firefight mode that will have players take on waves of attacking Covenant (think Horde mode from Gears 2). Check out the video and give us your thoughts.

A lot was announced this year in Microsoft’s E3 press conference. I’m sure you’ve heard it all by the time you get here, but in case you haven’t, hit the jump for a brief description of the show and our impressions of the conference.
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E3 is back, and so are our glowing and always insightful predictions. These are from the heart people. Grab a Kleenex and hit the jump. Read more…