Major Nelson's website

He works at Microsoft as the Xbox Live Director of Programming. He keeps a web page that he updates regularly with inside news about the 360 before it hits the official game sites (Gamespot, IGN, etc).

Also, Major has a popular podcast that he releases every Sunday. His interviews are usually pretty darn good and he occasionally lets news slip.

Major Nelson

He has a weekly podcast that he posts on Sundays. They run from 40-90 minutes long. He usually has at least one guest interview every week from game designers all the way up to Bill Gates. It was a private little blog that has taken off. He has unintentionally become the middleman between the gamers and the developers(both game & hardware). In doing so he has become Microsoft's in house PR guy for both news and addressing problems and solutions to gamers.

It was noted on Joystiq a tidbit that slipped this week about the fall update. Major mentioned that the new wireless headset won't work w/o the fall update. Well the headset comes out next Tuesday. Why sell a product that won't work to unsuspecting people unless the update is around the corner?

I've called around and nobody has Marvel Alliance until tomorrow. What a wasted day. :(

Quick question...
I thought the plan was to have all new Xbox games after a certain date be BC when they're released? Was that just a rumor? I'm hesitating on buying the new Justice League game, which does not have a 360 version, because it's not BC and there's no indication that it will be.

Sounds like a rumor to me. I never heard it before. I can't think of a single Xbox game released this year that was BC straight out of the box.

Lego Star Wars 2 was, wasn't it?

No, it was added to the BC list in May I think it was (it was the update that added Doom 3 and 25 or so other games).

But it wasn't released until September. What does it matter to us if there's a BC update prior to a game's release, isn't it still BC "out of the box"? :hscratch:

You are thinking of LSWI. LSWII was BC out of the box.

When I think "out of the box", I am thinking that you would just have to put the game in and it plays without having to download or install any patches. Having to download something to get it to work means that it doesn't work "out of the box" to me. :shrug:



My bad. :brickwl2: I guess LSW2 is one game that was BC out of the box. I don't think there are any others. I really wish Destroy All Humans 2 was.

Winning Eleven 9 I believe was BC out of the box (at least it was on the original BC list)

Looks like a new Viva Pinata demo is out. It's labeled "Viva Pinata Interactive Video" so hopefully there's some good gameplay. Downloading it now.

so does anyone know how to unlock Classic Sub Zero, Mileena, and Ermac in UMK3? Do you have to enter in kombat codes after you beat Shao Kahn or is there another way?

Got my 1600 MS points for $5 today. Ended up getting it w/ the GOW shirt, but I'd still like to know if the deal will work on the COD3 pre-order.

If it does, I may go ahead and pick some more points up...

Update on the Viva Pinata demo. It's not really a demo. It's pretty much a detailed gameplay video, hosted by the pinatas themselves. You get to choose which pinatas give you the details- that's the interactive part.

How do you get the points, do they give them to you when you buy a game ?

Oh ok, thanks for the Major Nelson info. :up:

The Best Buy deal?

Just pick out any 360 game and one of the 1600pt packs and it will get discounted automatically at the register.

Also it doesn't work with a COD3 pre-order, I tried it yesterday. I guess it has to be a 360 only title.

Anyone know if you can system link a 360 with an original xbox?

I have two xboxes and system link them sometimes. I may trade one in for a 360 but would love to still be able to link up.

Ok, I hope this is old news to all of you, but I searched the thread and it is not mentioned, so I thought I'd make sure.

EB/Gamestop has a buy 2 get 1 free on all used games and movies

FYE has a trade in any 2 used 360 games and get 1 free new 360 game

FYE does take old sports games (although manager may decline them if they have too many of your title).

I spent $120 at EB for 9 used 360 games, traded 8 of them for 4 brand new $60/70 games.

I downloaded the viva Pinata demo last night (My first night on live... very cool!) and while I was kind of bummed that it wasn't really a "demo" it did do a lot to make me want to try this game out. gives me Animal crossing vibes for some reason.

Welcome! Do you have a gold account to play games online? If so, then i'm very excited for you. Live very much got me interested in gaming again.

I do. gamertag is Tcottrill. All DVDTalkers feel free to add me.

A bunch of Gear of War stuff - contests, tournies...blah blah blah. Let me also just say I JUST realized this comes out on a Sunday. WTF?

Emergence Day Events Revealed As “Gears of War” Goes Gold

Emergence Day looms closer as Microsoft celebrates upcoming launch of “Gears of War” with release of special sneak preview trailer available now on Xbox Live; announces full list of special events timed for day of launch

Microsoft Game Studios and Epic Games, Inc. today announced that “Gears of War” has gone gold. To celebrate the passing of the “gone gold” development milestone, a sneak preview of the TV and cinematic trailer is available now on Xbox Live.



Emerging onto store shelves acrosss the nation on Nov. 12, “Gears of War” is set to deliver exciting action and horrific battles that can only be created by a chainsaw bayonet this Holiday.



Xbox Live will celebrate Emergence Day with 24-hours of special events beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12. Xbox Live Gold members in North America will have a chance to participate in online tournaments, download videos, win prizes and participate in a variety of activities including:



· A 24-Hour Leader board Tournament. The tournament winner receives a one of a kind “Gears of War” branded guitar as well as an automatic bye to the finals of a Global “Gears of War” Tournament planned for 2007.

· Hourly sweepstakes drawings and prize giveaways including the chance to win one of several Samsung HT-P29 Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound Systems

· An exclusive free “Gears of War” Gamer pic and theme only available on Emergence Day

· Game with Fame sessions with legendary heavy metal band and “Gears of War” fans Megadeth, the game’s lead designer Cliff Bleszinski and other members of the Epic Games team

· Never before seen videos including a special Emergence Day transmission from Cliff Bleszinski

· An MTV “Gears of War: The Road to Launch” Sneak Preview



Gamers should continue to check back to www.xbox.com for more details on these and other Emergence Day events.



From Epic Games, “Gears of War” thrusts gamers into humankind’s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet. This M-rated game blends the best of tactical action games with the best of survival horror titles. “Gears of War” features cinematic, beautifully rendered interactive environments with high-definition visuals. “Gears of War” will be widely available at retailers nationwide on Nov. 12 for $59.99. A Limited Collectors Edition will also be available that will include a an official “Destroyed Beauty” art-book and a bonus DVD featuring an inside look at the making of the game, all enclosed in a highly collectible metal tin box for $69.99.

From what I remember reading, this will actually be shipping on Tuesday, November 7th, so game stores should have it well before the 12th. I think they made the advertised in-store date the 12th so that larger chains would have plenty of time to receive it and stock it on shelves. But it's not an enforced release date, and stores are not being told to hold it until the 12th if they receive it before then.

Yeah - doing some research shows the 7th as the official date. I hope I get it then to practice so I can kick some ass on Sunday and win me another surround sound system :)

Ugh never mind...my center speaker cost more than that full unit. LOL.

Seems interesting...the GoW stuff.

Hmmm, do we get the HD-DVD add-on that day also? hopefully we do.....still hoping to pick one up at launch in-store.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance got a decent review on IGN. Definitely will pick it up. :up:

Supposed to be able to.

EB Games had it advertised that if you pre-ordered through them, you would get a code to unlock Silver Surfer .. anyone have that code to share?

Free gamer pictures and hourly prizes.. :thumbsup: I'll have to stay up and get in some games.

I preordered through them. I'll post the code when I pick up the game later today.

If it is the theme & gamerpics they gave out at EB last weekend, don't waste your time. Terribly lame.

EB sucks. Went to pick up my preordered Marvel Ultimate Alliance and they said "umm...errr...there was a shipping error. We blame it on the manufacturer." Went across the street to BB and picked it up. Idiots.

Picked up Marvel today at CC. You're supposed to get a free X-Men the official game with it, but I pricematched the BB ad to get 1600 points for $4.99. I was hoping to get both, but when they said its either one or the other, I chose the points, since I beat the X-Men game when I rented it, and I know I'll never play it again.

I was hoping to get the game through the TRU B2G1 free deal, but the only other game I was slightly interested in was Splinter Cell, and everyone else I know with a 360 can't afford a game right now, so I couldn't split the deal with anyone.

I totally forgot about the points thing when I bought this at BB. If I go back, will they give it to me?

So no Silver Surfer code then? Are there any other "store-exclusive" characters?

You should be able to just go back with your receipt and their ad. Even though its their store, they'll probably play dumb unless you have the deal in print.