i wouldnt have know this if not for the story i read on ign.
yesterday was the 360 4 year birthday.... i guess we should expect the next system in at least 2-3 years
what is your best/worst memory of the 360 in these 4 years?
my best would be playing rainbow six vegas with everyone online. Still the most fun i have ever had with gaming.
worst....buying my 360 and getting the RROD after 4 hours.
here is an article ign posted on this past year for xbox. i figured #5 would be a good way to start the week here at vsn...hehe
5. Xbox Live Works
Alright, this one's boring but that's why it's important. Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009, was an important day for Xbox Live. When Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released, everyone with a spare $60 rushed out, bought the game and hopped on Xbox Live to play. And nothing happened. While 2 million people played online at the same time (an Xbox Live record), the system ran smoothly. Meanwhile, over in Sony land, Trophies malfunctioned and the PS3 multiplayer servers had to be shut down while everything was upgraded to meet demand. That's not a cheap dig at Sony. Growing pains happen. In fact, a similar situation arose for Microsoft during the 2007/2008 holiday season. But the situation shows just how far ahead Xbox Live is compared to the PlayStation Network.
4. Halo Explosion
We've grown accustomed to seeing a new Halo game every couple years. But 2009 represents a true turning point for the brand that defines – more than any other – the Xbox 360 console. This year we saw more Halo than ever before. Halo Wars, a real-time strategy game by now-shuttered Ensemble Studios. Halo 3: ODST, an expansion-turned-explosion cranked out in record time by Bungie. Halo Waypoint, a new destination for the brand on Xbox Live, complete with meta-Achievement system, created by Microsoft's newly-formed 343 Industries. Halo Legends, a collection of anime shorts commissioned by MS and made by Japan's most famous production houses. All gushed out of the Halo pipeline in 2009. Not content to leave it there, Microsoft and Bungie announced Halo: Reach at E3 2009, a new installment in the Halo saga due next year. It was a huge year for Halo, and we're hoping the momentum continues into 2010. But no Master Chiefs on the Facebooks, please.
3. Ye Olde Price Droppe
Yes, for just $40 more than an Amazon Kindle, you can now get an Xbox 360 Elite videogame console with a 120GB hard drive, wireless controller and headset. In August, Microsoft announced a new pricing scheme for its consoles. The Elite (now minus an HDMI cable) would be $299. The much-loved Arcade unit would be $199. And the excitingly-named Pro model would disappear from the lineup. "If you're looking for deep experiences that don't require deep pockets, now is the time to purchase an Xbox 360," Microsoft exec Shane Kim said at the time. Well, that's exactly what we've been looking for, Shane. Thanks a million. Now can we have a new controller, built-in Wi-Fi and a power brick that doesn't scare our cats?
2. Global Thermonuclear Recession
It's no secret that the IGN editors became filthy rich speculating on real estate during the housing boom. Luckily, we all got out before the market crashed and moved into a giant penthouse suite together at the Four Seasons in downtown San Francisco. But not everyone was so lucky, a fact we think about often as we drink Champagne spritzers as we lay in our lobster meat beds. The videogame industry was not immune from the recession, although it wasn't hit as hard as other sectors of the economy. The impact on the Xbox 360 came mainly in the form of game delays. Many highly anticipated titles by third-party developers were pushed into 2010, setting the stage for a less-than-happy holiday season. Studio closures also plagued the industry – Pandemic, Ensemble, Factor 5 and others folded as the industry struggled to weather the financial storm. There were flashier things that happened in 2009, but the global recession was always the elephant in the room. Microsoft kept a close eye on the recession in '09, focusing its message on value and long-term plans.
1. Project Natal Unveiled (Kinda)
Rumors had been building all year long. Microsoft was working on some sort of motion control apparatus that would hook up to the Xbox 360 and cure diseases. Was it 3D? Was it a motion controller? Were there gnomes involved? Then, finally, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, all was revealed. Project Natal was unveiled as an innovative new motion control scheme that takes the handheld controller out of the gaming equation. Using highly sensitive cameras and witch magicks, Natal reads the room and the actions of the player. The possibilities seemed endless, and the demo wowed E3 attendees. There's still a bit of a split among gamers about how Natal will affect the industry. Will it revolutionize gaming? Will it turn the 360 into a Wii shovelware bucket? Could the answer lie somewhere shockingly in between? We won't find out until late next year. But there's no question that Natal was one of the biggest 360 stories of the year.
yesterday was the 360 4 year birthday.... i guess we should expect the next system in at least 2-3 years
what is your best/worst memory of the 360 in these 4 years?
my best would be playing rainbow six vegas with everyone online. Still the most fun i have ever had with gaming.
worst....buying my 360 and getting the RROD after 4 hours.
here is an article ign posted on this past year for xbox. i figured #5 would be a good way to start the week here at vsn...hehe
5. Xbox Live Works
Alright, this one's boring but that's why it's important. Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009, was an important day for Xbox Live. When Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released, everyone with a spare $60 rushed out, bought the game and hopped on Xbox Live to play. And nothing happened. While 2 million people played online at the same time (an Xbox Live record), the system ran smoothly. Meanwhile, over in Sony land, Trophies malfunctioned and the PS3 multiplayer servers had to be shut down while everything was upgraded to meet demand. That's not a cheap dig at Sony. Growing pains happen. In fact, a similar situation arose for Microsoft during the 2007/2008 holiday season. But the situation shows just how far ahead Xbox Live is compared to the PlayStation Network.
4. Halo Explosion
We've grown accustomed to seeing a new Halo game every couple years. But 2009 represents a true turning point for the brand that defines – more than any other – the Xbox 360 console. This year we saw more Halo than ever before. Halo Wars, a real-time strategy game by now-shuttered Ensemble Studios. Halo 3: ODST, an expansion-turned-explosion cranked out in record time by Bungie. Halo Waypoint, a new destination for the brand on Xbox Live, complete with meta-Achievement system, created by Microsoft's newly-formed 343 Industries. Halo Legends, a collection of anime shorts commissioned by MS and made by Japan's most famous production houses. All gushed out of the Halo pipeline in 2009. Not content to leave it there, Microsoft and Bungie announced Halo: Reach at E3 2009, a new installment in the Halo saga due next year. It was a huge year for Halo, and we're hoping the momentum continues into 2010. But no Master Chiefs on the Facebooks, please.
3. Ye Olde Price Droppe
Yes, for just $40 more than an Amazon Kindle, you can now get an Xbox 360 Elite videogame console with a 120GB hard drive, wireless controller and headset. In August, Microsoft announced a new pricing scheme for its consoles. The Elite (now minus an HDMI cable) would be $299. The much-loved Arcade unit would be $199. And the excitingly-named Pro model would disappear from the lineup. "If you're looking for deep experiences that don't require deep pockets, now is the time to purchase an Xbox 360," Microsoft exec Shane Kim said at the time. Well, that's exactly what we've been looking for, Shane. Thanks a million. Now can we have a new controller, built-in Wi-Fi and a power brick that doesn't scare our cats?
2. Global Thermonuclear Recession
It's no secret that the IGN editors became filthy rich speculating on real estate during the housing boom. Luckily, we all got out before the market crashed and moved into a giant penthouse suite together at the Four Seasons in downtown San Francisco. But not everyone was so lucky, a fact we think about often as we drink Champagne spritzers as we lay in our lobster meat beds. The videogame industry was not immune from the recession, although it wasn't hit as hard as other sectors of the economy. The impact on the Xbox 360 came mainly in the form of game delays. Many highly anticipated titles by third-party developers were pushed into 2010, setting the stage for a less-than-happy holiday season. Studio closures also plagued the industry – Pandemic, Ensemble, Factor 5 and others folded as the industry struggled to weather the financial storm. There were flashier things that happened in 2009, but the global recession was always the elephant in the room. Microsoft kept a close eye on the recession in '09, focusing its message on value and long-term plans.
1. Project Natal Unveiled (Kinda)
Rumors had been building all year long. Microsoft was working on some sort of motion control apparatus that would hook up to the Xbox 360 and cure diseases. Was it 3D? Was it a motion controller? Were there gnomes involved? Then, finally, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, all was revealed. Project Natal was unveiled as an innovative new motion control scheme that takes the handheld controller out of the gaming equation. Using highly sensitive cameras and witch magicks, Natal reads the room and the actions of the player. The possibilities seemed endless, and the demo wowed E3 attendees. There's still a bit of a split among gamers about how Natal will affect the industry. Will it revolutionize gaming? Will it turn the 360 into a Wii shovelware bucket? Could the answer lie somewhere shockingly in between? We won't find out until late next year. But there's no question that Natal was one of the biggest 360 stories of the year.
Last edited:
