Microsoft Introduces New Xbox 360 Platinum Hits

No more "Greatest Hits". I guess I might get "Gears of War" now.

In a bold move to make "greatest hits" console game packaging that doesn't make one want to stab oneself in the retina, Microsoft has apparently deployed new Platinum Hits box art to retail locations.

Kotaku reader Justin spied the new Platinum Hits design, which may no longer induce vomiting, at an upstate New York Target store, seen on the budget version of Gears of War. Gone is the atrocious miniature box art and old style Platinum Hits border that offended the senses, replaced by a new platinum colored banner with the distinction "Greatness Is Earned." It is noticeably less horrific to take in through the eyes than earlier efforts.

[via kotaku.com]

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New Halo Project To Be Mobile, and Everything Else?

Maybe I could be playing Halo on my HTC.

The future of the Halo franchise may not be as straight-forward as you'd imagine, if a Microsoft job advertisement is anything to go by.

The listing - for a software development engineer - suggests that Microsoft are working on a Halo project that transcends the idea of a single platform or genre, and suggests they are instead working on an all-encompassing Halo world, using Xbox, web and mobile to build a new Halo community.

We're looking to blend console, web, and mobile to create an immersive Halo world that follows the dedicated Halo fan wherever they go. We need engineers that can build connected technology while working in a startup environment.

As an engineer on this team, your responsibility will be to deliver a great out-of-game interactive experience that takes the next step beyond the systems found in Halo 3. You will work with artists, designers, developers and testers to finalize design plans, implement those plans, and help coordinate large-scale testing of the out of game Live experience by gamers across the world. Your work also will involve several external teams-including other MGS studios and the Xbox Live team-coordinating development dependencies and design considerations of experience as a whole.

[via kotaku.com]

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Blizzard in talks with Microsoft for next Xbox

I guess its ok. I got to addicted to Wow a while ago.

Blizzard's Rob Pardo has confirmed that his company has had talks with Microsoft about the successor to the Xbox 360.

Speaking at the Luminaries Lunch today during the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Pardo would only state that Blizzard is actively in discussions with Microsoft, seemingly confirming the development process of new console hardware is under way.

However, other developers at the lunch have not spoken to either Microsoft or Sony about future plans, which has raised concerns that content isn't a priority for format holders as they plan the next-generation of home machines.

"How many designers in the games industry do you think they are rounding up to [talk to], because this is going to make or break them this time around," said Acclaim's David Perry.

"I'm not aware that they are putting a big amount of effort into finding out how to make the games. The people who are actually physically going to make the games are all going to get a surprise," he added.

Warren Spector, boss of Disney's Junction Point Studios and responsible for classic titles such as Deus Ex, said that he believes format holders are too concerned with the wider entertainment market to focus on games.

"I get the impression they're focusing on owning the living room," he said. "One device that lets you watch movies, television and play games and music and all that stuff.

"They're so focused on that that I'm not even sure they're thinking about the games that are going to come out. Which is kind of crazy." he added.

Pardo said that so far there's been a good reason why Blizzard titles such as World of Warcraft haven't appeared on home consoles – the hardware hasn't been specifically designed around some genres.

"There are are so many games like we make at Blizzard that we don't take to consoles because they don't support the input device and you end up with crappy ports. That's why RTS games never do well on consoles," he said.

"If I was them, I'd be sitting around trying to figure out what's a cool input device that supports all types of new kinds of games."

[via gamesindustry.biz]

Xbox 360 - Fireplace XNA Game

I thought this was pretty cool. You know its the holidays and you can play this on your HD tv in your living room if you don't have a fireplace. So go download.

Info: Click Here

Add to your download queue: Click Here

IPhone - NXE Style Friends list

This app was made by the guys over at http://1337pwn.com/ .

More Info

iNXES is the next generation XBOX Live Friends list application from the team at
1337pwn.com. As the creators of the most popular XBOX Live application in the
AppStore, we have put our expertise to work with a totally new mobile XBOX 360
experience.

With the NXE as inspiration, the 1337pwn.com team has
brought the excitement of the new XBOX 360 user interface to iPhone/iPod touch.
From sliding panels to avatars, you can now browse your friends on the go as you
would on your XBOX 360.

The user interface is matched with a new server
infrastructure leveraging our full year of experience delivering mobile XBOX
Live applications. As an Official XBOX Community Developer, you will not be
putting your Live login at risk.

This is the best Xbox Live app on Apple's App Store to store all your friends and to check to see who's online. Its smooth and has a layout just like the "NXE". I recommend it to everyone who has a IPhone or a IPod Touch. Best of all, IT'S FREE.

Click here to download the app from the appstore

Here's a short video I made with this app: