Damn. I might have to try one of those Plantronics mics, then. I'm using the Halo 2 one right now and I'm not liking it very much.

My friend just got one today. He sounds worse on it than he did w/ the wired one.

Don't lie. You don't have friends.

Should I be worried about purchasing a 360? It seems like everyone online has problems with there system. I would hate to purchase it for $400 and then have it break 6 months later. Does anyone know what the failure rate is on them?

If anyone is considering the Xbox 360, Best Buy will have a deal for you this week: http://news.punchjump.com/article.php?id=3341

Wow, there goes all of Sony's "bang" on launch day. A 360 and 3 games for $100-200 less than a PS3??? How many people will be there working their way to the back of the line? :)

Half-Life 2 Slips Through Portal

Valve has sealed itself inside Team Fortress and you'll have to wait a bit longer to play all three games.

November 10, 2006 - Looking out across the game horizon, past the holiday season and into the new year, one of the most anticipated titles of 2007 is definitely the one-two-three punch that is Half-Life 2: Episode Two. Unfortunately, it looks like the game has slipped past its expected Q1 release window into summer of 2007.

According to CVG, Valve's Doug Lombardi has confirmed that Episode 2 has been pushed back again (it was originally announced as a holiday 2006 title). Specific reasons for the delay were not cited, but as the game includes both Portal and Team Fortress 2, we can probably chalk it up to the package being pretty darn ambitious.

News of a delay for an anticipated title is always disappointing, but it's better than being disappointed by an anticipated title's release.

IGN.com

GAAAH! *punches through a wall*

Sorry- I meant acquaintance.

Cool. Are you referring to the Linksy one or both? Lastly, will that connection interfere with my pre existing wireless connection for the laptop?

I think there are a few xbox compatible adapters, that are about half the price of the MS brand one. It won't interfere with your connection. I have my laptop in the same room and it's fine.

Im not trying to get a PS3 from Best Buy but Id love get in on this 360 deal. I already have a 360, but would return it somewhere else or trade it in. What stores could I return it without a reciept (Costco, Kmart, I remember one store you could do it at)? What are 360s going for on Ebay?

So any news on Culcept Saga yet?

Also, has anyone been able to join any ranked CoD3 matches yet?

This is definately one I've been waiting on. I've seen some English screenshots over at GAF, so it looks like it's being localized and brought over here.

One of the most underrated PS2 games out there, for sure.

I never tried a ranked CoD3 match, but the leaderboards are up. I would assume since they are, ranked matches are online.

Well i know a few people have gotten in a game or two on xbox.com forums but they were talking about waiting 90 minutes in a lobby to get a game to start. I waited 30 minutes one day and never got into a single game. I was wondering if they had fixed it yet or if anyone on here had had success.

I had the same problem with ranked games. I'd be the only one in the room. But player matches are no problem.

That's interesting. I kept getting, "losing network connection", when trying to get into ranked matches on Gears of War. I figured if i was booted it would say "booted" but it didn't so I chalked it up to "network/game issues".

That kept happening to me, too. I'm wondering if that's what it says when the room is full, because I noticed that when I'm able to join a room, it fills up pretty quickly.

it says that when you get booted. I've ran into that on Saturday, where some people wanted a friend to join, but were going to randomly boot a person, which happened to be me

Well, I did try to join rooms that were 7/8. So I'm just hoping I was just slow on the draw instead of being booted. To be honest I really think most of the LIVE games will tell you specifically when you've been "Booted" or when "the room is full".

But I could be wrong.

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/deals...ter-214397.php

Chris

Here are the top ten best-selling Xbox 360 title [October]:

1. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent (Ubisoft)
2. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 (Electronic Arts)
3. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (Activision)
4. NBA 2K7 (2K Games)
5. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent Limited Ed. (Ubisoft)
6. Madden NFL 07 (Electronic Arts)
7. Saints Row (THQ)
8. NBA Live 07 (Electronic Arts)
9. Dead Rising (Capcom)
10. Phantasy Star Universe (SEGA)

Dead Rising continues to sell well on the Xbox 360. And despite being released late in the month to lackluster reviews, Phantasy Star Universe manages to sneak onto the 360 top ten.

IGN.com

EA Bites Back at Marketplace Microtransactions

Pay-for items in games provide gamers with choice, says EA bigwig.

EA has defended its stance on the controversial Marketplace microtransactions in which players can buy and unlock in-game items in exchange for bought MS points. Talking to Microsoft's Major Nelson in his regular podcast, Chip Lange, Vice President of Online Commerce at EA, stated that the publisher was only providing consumers with a choice and that players can instantly unlock something - such as a golf course in Tiger Woods, rather than put 40-50 hours into the game - something which Lang claimed only 20% of people would do.

When drawn upon the issue of charging for what once might have been a cheat code, Lange argued, "There are places where cheat codes are free but those are on websites and those websites are making money by selling advertising." He went on to say, "There'll still be a healthy business around hint guides, magazines, websites… I just look at the Marketplace as yet another extension of ways in which consumers are going to be able to access the content they want."

Major Nelson went on to question Lange about removing cheats from current-gen games and charging for them on the 360 but he evaded the matter by stating, "I don't know if that's right or not. That's not something I've actually gone in and researched." It was certainly the case with The Godfather, where a push-button code to access more cash that was present in the Xbox version was removed from the 360 version.

In the rest of the interview Lange assuaged fears that content which was present in a current-gen game, such as levels, would be paid-for extras on the 360 and he rejected the suggestion that consumers were being short-changed. He went onto anticipate that EA would stick to its current pricing structure, stating, "As the gaming industry becomes more online centric that's going to provide a whole lot more choice to the consumer base provided that the basic package continues to be robust and rewarding."

IGN.com

I listened to that on Sunday. Chip was very much a spin doctor for EA. His answers were quite general and covered the questions with broad generaliations and buzz words. I'm almost kind of shocked I didn't hear "synergy" tossed in there somewhere. ;)

From their craptastic online servers to their marketplace fleecing policies, EA easily ranks as the most hated publisher on Xbox Live over the 360. And they seem content to stay that way.

Has anyone else checked out the new Army of Two Trailer?

Definitely looks like a case of damage control in light of Alain Tascan's(EA) controversial comments about Gears of War lacking innovation.

Why it was released aside, it is a damn sweet trailer.

Please do not buy microtransactions people. Well, I can see certain things like some of the reasonable stuff but for cheat codes or uniforms for your teams is stupid. That should be free and included in the game.

It seems they are feeling a little heat by people being upset about this trend. Keep giving it to them and don't buy their crap!

$59.99 for a game and they can't give cheat codes with it? Or $59.99 for NCAA and they don't include all the uniforms because they want to charge for it latter on. I was going to buy The Godfather but I'll wait till it drops in price just so they don't get as much money. I should boycott the game and not buy it at all but I am not that strong :) I am strong enough not to buy their microtransaction shit though.

If you want to increase your profit margin EA, quit making shitty ass games that loose money for your company!

I never saw the point in spending money on microtransactions. I mean, buying map packs is one thing, but when games like Star Wars : Battlefront 2 go the route only being able to play online if I buy a few maps, I just stop playing the game all together. If I want to pay to play games on top of my initial purchase, I'd play more MMORPGs

I don't particularly have a problem with microtransactions as much as I have with the inability to have a "hardcopy" of the stuff that I paid for. If I buy add-ons for a game, I want to be able to sell/give away those add-ons when I sell or give away the game.

I have a problem with not having a way to backup the stuff that I've paid for and instead have to rely on the accuracy of Microsoft's records of what I've paid for. Add-ons or XBLA titles... it's all the same.

Looks fun. Better have online co-op though.....

The whole game is based on co-op so I would think so.

Army of Two does look pretty good so far. It may be the first EA game that I ever buy. I never thought I would sink that low. :)

Shame on you for not getting into Burnout. Other than that, yeah, right there with you.

im with him on the burnout thing. I got it, played it for a night, and gave it to a friend, who probably just sits on it.

It's all good fun I suppose, but the appeal of realism isnt there for me. Sure, it's not that type of game, but thats one of the reasons i wasn't 'taken' with the title. I prefer games like Moto GP, that have very steep learning curves, and provide that realism I want from a driving/racing title.

:lol: I'm the opposite, realistic racing has zero interest to me. I want speed(faster than normal) and major wreckage. And Burnout has those in spades.

yea, the crashes were definitely the most appealing part of that game, for me at least. I wish they would adopt those same kind of physics/realism in the sim type racers I am into

I rented burnout and didn't enjoy it at all. As for EA, I am through with them. Every move that company makes is horrible. For me, I say make them and their partners suffer. I hate their servers, I hate their agreement with the NFL and I hate the way they think they are the best software company. The NFL2K games were so much better than Madden and when they released the new game way cheaper than Madden, that's when EA bought the rights to the NFL. As much as I love football, the NFL and EA can go to hell cause I will never buy a Madden game.

When I first got the 360 I had to get FNR3 but I will probably never buy another EA game again.

yea, I have to admit, I have that game as well.

Fortunately it for me, it was traded, and not a retail bought copy.

Well, that makes sense for stuff like Oblivion extra quest conent and stuff like that. I have no problem with those types of microtransactions or multiplayer ones because I don't play multiplayer games. While there are a lot of people who play online, the overwhelming majority of people play games for single player. So if those guys want to spend more on new maps and such I don't see a problem with it. But for things like cheat codes, uniforms, uno skins... give me a break!

they're basically trying to jump on the Itunes band wagon, since that was so successful. I think it is the wrong direction for games and gamers alike. I would like for more people to boycott them, regardless of what is included, but it doesn't exactly affect me, since Im not into that