Not to be outdone by those charitable bastards at Nintendo, Microsoft have kicked off a (beta) scheme whereby any Xbox Live, GFW Live or even Zune user can donate MS points to a friend as a gift. As it’s a beta, the service is somewhat limited at the moment, as you need to know the person’s Windows LIVE ID, but Microsoft spokesman Larry Hryb says a request to be able to gift points to someone using just their gamertag is in the pipeline. Gift Microsoft Points [MIcrosoft]
Best Christmas card of 2007? Don’t be silly, we wouldn’t award prizes for seasonal greetings. That would be shallow. Hypothetically speaking, though, if we did, then yeah, this would be the best Christmas card of 2007, if only for the extra yard they went in coining a Mass Effect Christmas poem.
GameSetWatch’s 2007 Game Company Xmas Card Countdown: PopCap To BioWare [GSW]
Valve have released, to their online store, an official Orange Box soundtrack, upon which you’ll find all the hits you’ve grown to know and love from the year’s orangest (and bestest) compendium. Like some of the haunting score to Episode 1, for example. An Episode 2. And Portal, with the catchy electronic score joined by two versions of “Still Alive”. If you’re less of a Half-Life fan and more of a Team Fortress kind of guy/gal, you’re also covered, with its “troop-rallying anthems” also making their way onto the CD. The Orange Box Original Soundtrack is available now, and is selling for $9.95. The Orange Box Original Soundtrack [Steam]
Halo’s Pelican dropships look Tough. Rough. Built to withstand the toughest conditions and the most dangerous missions. Pity, then, that all they ever seem to do is explode and/or crash. Fans of the series, and of the dropship in particular, should thus be interested in this papercraft model, which is not only more moderately-sized, but also won’t explode randomly in your house, inconveniently spilling frag grenades and sniper rifles all over your bedroom floor. D-77 Pelican Dropship [Planet Starfreak, via Giz]
Just a quick message to let you know that the site will not be updated with US or Australian content on Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. That’s the Dec 25, 2007, Dec 26, 2007 and Jan 1, 2008 for those of you without a calendar handy.
I know I’ll be drinking, sleeping, eating and crying on those days, but probably not in that order, since I’m a pre-drink crier. Which my friends tell me is weird, but hey, I don’t knock them for quaffing their beer from the far-side of the glass.
No matter if you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Chrismahanukwanzakah, Hogswatchnight, Decemberween, Festivus, Winter Veil, Hedgehog Day, or even nothing at all, everyone here at Kotaku AU, including Insane Mike who, right now, has his face caught in the coffee maker, wish you a safe and happy holiday season. More »
To: Ash & Luke From: Flynn Subject: Hard Freeze
Happy Holiday my fine gentlemen! Holiday weekends are always an odd time to be writing, but this one seems particularly barren. I feel like one of those animals you see on the nature shows, foraging through the frozen tundra for any sort of insect or sprout that has seen fit to bust through the crust of the snow. Seeing as everything from the weekend is sitting right on the front page, it seems a bit odd to point things out, but what the heck, why fly in the face of tradition, eh?
We finally get to hear Ken Levine’s VGA acceptance speech
Rockstar and the BBFC go for another round
Rock Band 360 gets holiday DLC, PS3 waits a week
I hope you guys have a great holiday, whatever and however you celebrate it. Personally I will be spending a quiet week playing games and searching for an apartment. See you next week!
Fortunately, the last few months have given us a glut of awesome titles to play over the holiday break. I say fortunately because to say that this week’s list is anemic would be a huge understatement. A few titles are trickling in, but considering the season and the fact that Christmas Day lands in the middle of the week this is hardly surprising. So to the game industry I say, take a break and get ready to knock our socks off in the new year. We’re looking at YOU Super Smash Brothers Brawl!
Jeopardy! Deluxe (Macintosh) It’s like having Alex Tribec in your living room.
Wheel of Fortune Deluxe (Macintosh) Bring Vanna home for the holidays!
Well, that’s it. Sorry to disappoint you… unless of course you are a Mac owner and really into game shows. In which case, I’m still sorry.
Can’t say I played much of Dynamix’ follow-up or 2K Australia/2K Boston’s attempt, but the original Starsiege: Tribes saw regular action on my computer back in the day.
Shacknews has managed to get its hands on some early dev video of a new title GarageGames is working on, that looks very reminiscent of Dynamix’ team-based shooter. Shacknews points out that GarageGames was founded by ex-Dynamix employees, so it makes sense.
Despite being early alpha code, I reckon it’s looking pretty slick. You can check out the video for yourself at the link below.
Tribes-like GarageGames Web Title Revealed by Alpha Video Leak [Shacknews] More »
When I am cruising the interwebs for news, I usually tend to breeze right by ridiculous headlines like India’s Zapak set to buy Sony Online, but apparently things like this are taken very seriously by some.
Website Massively received an email from none other than Sony Online Entertainment CEO, John Smedley himself. The tip regarded a rumour that had begun circulating regarding SOE being purchased by Indian company, Zapak Digital. Reports of the rumor had gotten to Smedley via concerned emails from SOE employees and he immediately stepped forward to nip it in the bud.
This story is 100% false. We aren’t for sale and never have been. Nothing like this has ever been discussed with the Zapak guys. The truth is we were talking to them about distribution rights to one of our games. And we have no idea how this story got started.
Frankly I’m a little surprised something this far fetched ended up on Reuters. Thank you, interwebs, for yet another completely blown out of proportion rumour.
John Smedley: Sony Online is not getting purchased by Zapak [Massively]
Chinese Kid Becomes ‘Fire Mage,’ Sets Fire to Classmate If he’d specced Frost, he could have thrown out Ice Block while the cops beat on him. Seriously though, kids setting fire to each other? Madness.
Criterion Responds To Burnout Paradise Criticism Obviously, Criterion thinks the game is awesome. If you can’t understand that, then that’s your problem. Well, I guess it’ll become its problem if it doesn’t sell…
Want The Universe At War OST? It’s Free! We all like free stuff, and I know I certainly not going to say no to a soundtrack, sans price. More »
