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Microsoft looking for testers for next Xbox 360 system update

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Microsoft, Xbox 360, Xbox Live,

Xbox 360 system update preview

Microsoft is looking for "multiple thousands" of Xbox Live members to test a new Xbox 360 disc format; in exchange, Microsoft will send you a free copy of the best-selling Halo: Reach and other branded freebies.

"We are conducting an open call for US based participants for a public preview to help us prepare for an updated Xbox 360 disc format," Major Nelson, the gamertag for Microsoft Xbox Live's programming director Larry Hryb, announced on his blog.

"We're looking for multiple thousands of participants, so your chances of making it in are good," he wrote.

Click to continue reading Microsoft looking for testers for next Xbox 360 system update

Gallery: Microsoft looking for testers for next Xbox 360 system update


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Halo: Reach armor lock glitch

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: First Person Shooters, Microsoft, Mods/Hacks, Xbox 360,

The guys over at Machinima have already found a frightening glitch in the armor lock mod. But beware, learning this ability is something that you can never take back from your memory!

Gallery: Halo: Reach armor lock glitch


Halo: Reach easter egg for the stoners

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Bungie, First Person Shooters, Xbox 360,

halo leaf

A look at the majority of vegetation growing in the world will look like any other tree. That is, until you get up close and examine it for yourself. It seems that something else was going on on planet Reach…Something the Covenant might deem worthy enough to invade for? Hmm….

 

Gallery: Halo: Reach easter egg for the stoners


Saying goodbye to Halo 3 (video)

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: First Person Shooters, Microsoft, Xbox 360,

With the release of one thing is certain - the death of Halo 3 multiplayer. In order to pay respects, a person going by the gamertag of AJspartan has issued a proper final farewell video montage to the 3 year run that was Halo 3 online. It’s snipetastic to say the least.

Gallery: Saying goodbye to Halo 3 (video)


40% off full year Xbox Live membership plus free Halo: Reach avatar helmet

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Hot Deals, Microsoft, Xbox 360, Xbox Live,

Xbox Live Gold Halo Reach Helmet

is helping to promote and their online service by enticing gamers with an offer they cannot refuse - a whopping 40% off a full year Gold member ship, in addition to avatar swag. This brings the price of Gold down from $49.99 (and increasing to $59.99 starting November 1) to $29.99. With Gold member privileges you will have access to features such as: the deal of the week, Twitter, Netflix, Facebook, online multiplayer, and last.fm.

Gallery: 40% off full year Xbox Live membership plus free Halo: Reach avatar helmet


Microsoft prepares ban hammer for Halo: Reach pirates

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Bungie, First Person Shooters, Microsoft, Xbox 360, Xbox Live,

Halo Reach Bans

Though the temptation may be great to jump online early, perpetrators of downloading early copies of better think twice before firing up their illegally attained games online. Microsoft is no stranger to banning as many users as they see fit suspected of playing pirated copies of their games. A representative for Microsoft had this to say:

“We are aware that an unauthorized copy of “Halo: Reach” has leaked. We are aggressively investigating the matter. We have no further details to share at this time.”

Sounds like Microsoft is pretty pissed at the whole situation, and we all know what happens when Microsoft feels slighted. Last fall, gamers playing pirated copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 prompted Microsoft to ban up to a million players to get their message across. And that message is that pirating will not be tolerated.

“We are aggressively pursuing the violators. Microsoft’s commitment to combat piracy and support safer and more secure gameplay for the 25 million members of the Xbox LIVE community remains a top priority. All consumers should know that piracy is illegal and modifying their Xbox 360 console violates the Xbox LIVE terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox LIVE.”

Read More | Kotaku

Gallery: Microsoft prepares ban hammer for Halo: Reach pirates


Halo: Reach leaks out…via Xbox Live

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Bungie, Corporate News, First Person Shooters, Xbox 360, Xbox Live,

Halo Reach Leak

Keeping in tradition with Halo 3 and Halo 2 before it, the Halo series has managed to fall into unsavory pirate hands yet again with Halo: Reach. How did the leak occur, you ask? Directly from Microsoft’s own servers on Xbox Live. This is because Bungie provided authorized reviewers with the codes to download the game which is currently on display in the Xbox Live Marketplace. However, having Reach hiding in plain site wasn’t clever enough to keep the modders from getting their greedy little hands on Reach a full month early.

With Reach already floating around on some torrents out there and in the hard drives of a climbing number of peoples computers, you can expect details from the games story to begin surfacing online. Futhermore, I can safely predict that there will be another epidemic of eager gamers playing Reach online and subsequently being caught and banned from Xbox Live. Microsoft claims that they are “aggressively investigating” the leak, as I’m sure they are furious, but expecting, of the incident. While Halo has been plagued with early downloads, video games don’t suffer from the same stigma of illegal Internet downloads as music, and the sales don’t seem to decline any. Anticipate Halo: Reach to do big numbers on its release date regardless of the incident.

Gallery: Halo: Reach leaks out…via Xbox Live


Halo: Reach introduces Forge World

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Bungie, First Person Shooters, Microsoft, Xbox 360, Xbox Live,

It’s no shocker that Bungie’s Halo: Reach finale is going to be epic, to say the least. But no one was prepared for just how ambitious the last Halo world would be. That is, until ‘Forge World’ was shown for the first time. In fact, epic is an understatement referring to Forge World. To envision the vastness only a word such as ‘Brobdingnagian’ is befitting. To put it simply - you are not ready.

By now you’re scratching your head wondering “what the heck is Forge World?!” Basically, Forge World is five multi-player maps rolled into one - Canyon, Island, “The Rock,” Quarry, and Coliseum. Each of these maps is set in a different location of the colossal map. In Forge World the player is god, able to customize these areas as they see fit, à la the forge editor from Halo 3. However, unlike Halo 3’s forge editor you are given more options to create developer worthy maps. In fact, Bungie had so much fun in forging these new maps that they even added six of their own Forge World creations to be put into regular game rotation in Halo: Reach’s online multi-player. One of which is a remake of the classic ‘Blood Gulch”, now called ‘Hemorrhage’. To get an idea of the scope of Forge World, Hemorrhage is like a mere sandbox in the middle of the desert.

Bungie is aiming to have gamers create their own multi-player maps with newer forge tools that allow greater creativity. In this new Forge World you will have access to about 150 transferable objects. Thankfully, the physics of objects can be altered accordingly to make mid-air and other placements easier. Also, you now have the ability to “phase” objects into other parts of the map, creating whole new structures and consequently different ways to engage in combat. Created maps can then be “tagged”, allowing other gamers to download them. Think of Forge World as your own personal Inception - “it’s pure creation”. With even more objects to place, a much larger scale world, and the player’s own creativity driving them, we can expect to see some insane multi-player maps start to surface immediately after D-day (September 14th).

Read More | Bungie.net

Gallery: Halo: Reach introduces Forge World


Halo Reach launch date: September 14

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Bungie, First Person Shooters, Microsoft, Release Dates, Xbox 360,

Halo Reach Legendary Edition

Hot on the heels of the beta coming to an end, Bungie has just announced that the full game will be launching on September 14, 2010, and will be available in three versions:

  • Halo Reach Standard Edition will cost $60
  • Halo Reach Limited Edition will include the game, exclusive in-game Elite armor, and an artifact bag containing Dr. Halsey’s personal journal will cost $79.99
  • Halo Reach Legendary Edition will include everything that the Limited Edition includes, plus UNSC-themed packaging, exclusive multiplayer Spartan armor, and Noble Team collectable statue. This will cost $149.99.

We are just under four months away.

Gallery: Halo Reach launch date: September 14


Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta Trailer Released

Posted by Finnian Durkan Categories: Action, Bungie, First Person Shooters, Microsoft, Release Dates, Xbox 360,

The trailer for the beta version of the newest addition to the Halo family, : Reach, drops today.  From the footage it looks completely insane and has some pretty cool additions to make the multi-player aspects of the game that much more intense.  For example, now when you headhunt people they collapse slowly to the floor shooting dozens of flaming skulls out of the tops of their heads.  What, that isn’t normal?  I know when I creep around Seattle in my ninja costume from 5th grade this happens all of the time when I come upon some hapless fool who has wandered into my territory.  Well, maybe not quite; replace ‘shooting flaming skulls out of the tops of their heads’ with ‘stare at some idiot dressed in his pajamas from Christmas 1988 who just threw a plastic ninja-star at them’.  Yep, that about sums it up.  I am so alone.

Gallery: Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta Trailer Released


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