Just a few months ago, a Microsoft job listing hinted at the possibility of integrating Xbox Live with Windows Mobile. Now, according to a new job listing, that possibility is fast becoming a reality. Specifically, the listing is calling for a Principal Program Manager in "LIVE Engagement."

This same listing mentions that Microsoft is "connecting players via the LIVE services on new devices beyond the console" and, more explicitly, asks for someone to "drive the platform and bring Xbox LIVE enabled games to Windows Mobile." The Principal Program Manager is expected to focus on "what makes gaming experiences 'LIVE Enabled' through aspects such as avatar integration, social interactions, and multi-screen experiences."

Granted, there's no way to tell how soon it will arrive, but it looks like Xbox Live and WinMo devices are destined to be together, eventually.

[Via Engadget]

With only two days of daily holiday deals left, it looks like Microsoft decided to make today's a doozy. Like the headline says, today's deal is Castle Crashers for a mere 560. That's sevenearth dollars and, more importantly, a substantial savings over the usual 1200 ($15) price tag. If you haven't experienced the co-op glory, now is the time. Trust us, people like this game. They like it so much that they build costumes of their favorite characters.

If you don't have it yet, you need that kind of joy in your life.

Shortcut: Add Castle Crashers to your 360 download queue [Via Xbox.com]

Truth be told, there's so much info contained in G4's massive interview with Naughty Dog co-president Evan Wells that we couldn't possibly encapsulate it all in one headline. Naturally, it all focuses on Uncharted 2, which has been raking in awards left and right as 2009 comes to a close. Among other things, Wells discusses the script, which the team actually wrote as the game was being developed. While there was a rough outline at the beginning of production, Wells notes that having a fully fleshed out script can cause trouble if changes have to be made in the middle of development.

Wells also discusses the pacing of the game, which he likens to pulp novels and movies like Indiana Jones. He admits that Uncharted 2's treasure hunting mechanic can actually slow the pacing. Should Naughty Dog work on another Uncharted -- and we get the feeling they just might -- Wells says the treasure hunting could be improved, perhaps by making more hidden treasures available only after the first playthrough.

Other topics covered include the complexity of the train level, sales numbers and how far Naughty Dog thinks it can push the PS3 hardware. Uncharted fans should definitely give it a read.

It's been over a year since EA announced plans to publish a new IP developed by Epic's People Can Fly studio (Painkiller), and now we just might have the name of the project. People Can Fly has filed a software trademark (spotted by superannuation) for the term "Bulletstorm." While we could speculate as to whether this is the EA project, or whether it's the unnamed project that wowed Mark Rein back in 2007, there are more important things to discuss.

Specifically, what kind of game could Bulletstorm possibly be? With such an ambiguous title, it could be almost anything. A point-and-click adventure game? A suburban economy simulator? The mind boggles at the possibilities.

Have you ever wondered what keeps gamers forever in search of the next great piece of loot, why WoW players have to find the last piece of that epic armor set, why Borderlands fiends constantly quest for a better gun? The answer, according to website pscychologyofgames.com, is all in the brain's neurotransmitters, specifically dopamine neurons. Put simply, dopamine neurons monitor dopamine, a chemical that accompanies good or pleasurable things -- like, say, finding some rare loot in Diablo. Dopamine neurons subsequently try to predict when good things will happen in the future.

The site further notes that dopamine neurons "really go nuts when an unexpected, unpredicted gush of dopamine shows up, giving you an even bigger rush." In other words, unexpectedly stumbling on that rare item brings even more pleasure and causes the brain to want to repeat the process. To put it even more simply, the site states that the reaction is similar to the one many people get when playing a slot machine. Winning is entirely random, but that doesn't stop the brain from trying to figure out a pattern.

Just be glad you're not popping a quarter into the disc drive every time there's a loot drop. Not yet, at least.

[Via GamePolitics]

For $5, you could probably buy a value meal fit for a king -- but you know what you couldn't get? A delightfully charming action platformer starring a purple, omnivorous and gelatinous blob. No, wait! This week -- and this week only -- you can get a delightfully charming action platformer starring a purple, omnivorous and gelatinous blob. The price of Twisted Pixel's The Maw has been slashed from 800 MS Points ($10) to 400 MS Points ($5). And here we thought Christmas was over.

Additionally, today's holiday XBLM deal is a Rolling Stones live track pack for Guitar Hero 5. It can be yours for only 360 ($4.50), half the usual 720 ($9) price.

Shortcut: Add The Maw to your 360 download queue [Via Xbox.com]
Shortcut: The Rolling Stones Live Track Pack [Via Xbox.com]

Let's face it, childhood was disappointing. Every year, you begged your parents to take you to Disney World, forever dreaming that you might own your very own pair of Mickey Mouse ears, the accessory that screams, "Yeah, I've been there." And every year, your parents would say, "We're going to Disney World!" Filled with glee, you would pile into the car with the rest of the family, only to arrive at the local Pottery Barn. Okay, so it might not be everyone's childhood, but it's close enough.

The point is that there is now a digital ton of Disney themed Avatar goodies on Xbox Live Marketplace. There's actually some fun stuff up there, including the enchanted broom from Fantasia, a Tigger doll and plenty of clothing options. And yes, there are Mickey Mouse ears. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, some of the Disney items, including the ears, are experiencing some technical difficulties. Fret not, however, as Major Nelson assures us that Microsoft is on the case, so we're sure our your childhood dream will soon be within reach.

Buying games is always fun -- and we've made it easy with our Holiday Buyer's Guides -- but it's even better to receive them ... in one gigantic stack!

In that spirit, Microsoft has generously donated download codes for many of the Xbox Live Arcade games featured in our Marketplace Buyer's Guide, including 'Splosion Man, Bionic Commando Rearmed, Castle Crashers, N+, Geometry Wars 2 and many, many more. Plus, we're tossing in a one-year subscription code for Xbox Live Gold!

To enter for your chance to win:

• Leave a comment on this post telling us which downloadable games -- for any and all platforms -- you hope to buy with the cash and credit your receive over the holidays
• You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec)
• Limit 1 entry per person
  
• This entry period ends at 12:00PM ET on Thursday, December 24
• We'll randomly select one winner at that time to receive redemption codes for Bionic Commando: Rearmed, Carcassonne, Geometry Wars 2, Castle Crashers, N+, 'Splosion Man, Puzzle Quest, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Alien Hominid HD, Mega Man 9, Ikaruga, Galaga Legions, Pac-Man Championship Edition, UNO Rush, A Kingdom for Keflings, Rez HD, Assault Heroes 2, TMNT 1989 and Bomberman Live for Xbox Live Arcade [Total ARV: $190] and a redemption code for a 1-year Xbox Live Gold subscription [ARV: $50] -- please check your emails!
• For a list of complete rules, click here.

Happy holidays and best of luck!

---

What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. For more info on our policy, click here.

To be fair, the above trailer isn't terribly creepy in and of itself. It's a fairly straightforward illustration of what gamers can expect from Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. That is to say, it's a kart racing game with a cast of colorful characters (and Ryo Hazuki, for some reason) and nifty power-ups. Frankly, we think most gamers can get behind the idea of transforming into Super Sonic in order to mow down the competition and win the race, so all of that is pretty acceptable.

The creepy part, you see, is the music behind the trailer. Specifically, it's a parody of the classic holiday tune, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." What's so creepy about that, you ask? We're not exactly sure. Maybe it's just how earnestly it's being sung. Watch for yourself and maybe you'll see what we mean.

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According to an investor document (PDF) posted by Capcom Japan today, several major titles have been moved from the company's fiscal fourth quarter, which ends March 31, 2010. The delays, which appear to be worldwide, include Super Street Fighter IV and Lost Planet 2, in addition to the North American and European release of Monster Hunter 3. The releases of these games and others, including Dead Rising 2, are planned to be "spread across all four quarters" of Capcom's fiscal 2011, which begins April 1, 2010 and ends March 31, 2011. The decision to delay the games was made in order to "avoid competing with the major titles that other companies plan to introduce."

Curiously, Dark Void has not been delayed, though Capcom has drastically reduced its sales forecast from 1.3 million units to only 600,000 (the split between Xbox 360 and PS3 copies was not specified).

Given the reasons for Capcom's schedule shuffling, we can't help but wonder if other companies will follow suit. When all is said and done, the Great 2009 Holiday Release Migration just might be set to repeat itself. If so, does Yves Guillemot win a prize?

It's okay if you need to read that headline again. It's pretty confusing. Here's the gist of it: Microsoft filed a patent in June of 2008 for the automatic generation of an Avatar based on a user's physical health. The patent application, discovered by 1UP, specifically details an "avatar generator" that "reflects a physical characteristic of the user." Physical data about the user would be used to "reflect a degree of health of the real person." In turn, this could be linked to "rewards of capabilities of a gaming avatar, an amount of time budgeted to play, or a visible indication." In other words, the patent is all about "injecting a degree of reality" into Avatar appearances, thus encouraging users to exercise and maintain a more active lifestyle.

Beyond this, the filing also explains that the generator could be used to reflect all kinds of data about a person, including religious beliefs, politics, hobbies, and even intelligence. Such information could help users connect with like-minded individuals. The patent application even notes that the generator could take "hidden physical characteristics such as allergies, chronic conditions, etc" into account, thus helping users find other players with similar conditions that might "understand someone with a like condition."

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Speaking to Gamasutra, Blizzard's J. Allen Brack said the company will "definitely" return to console game development ... "at some point." Brack dismissed criticism that Blizzard is "anti-console," assuring that the developer simply wants to make "the right game for the right platform." He elaborated that StarCraft II will be "a better game" on PC than it would on consoles -- something StarCraft 64 players can probably attest to.

Still, Brack noted that Blizzard is "a company of gamers." "We will definitely work on a console game at some point. I have no doubt about that." This is a statement we've heard from Blizzard before, previously from COO Paul Sams and specifically in regard to Diablo III. Of all the known games coming down the pipe from the studio, Diablo III certainly seems to fit the console mold the closest.

Then again, StarCraft: Ghost was never officially canceled, right? Right?!

[Via The Escapist]

As the final shopping days before Christmas begin to fly by, digital gift givers will have one more potential gift from Xbox Live Arcade. That gift is 0 Day Attack on Earth (at least it is according to Square Enix). Quick description: It's a twin-stick shooter that uses real-world satellite imagery for its environments (we suppose that's the "earth" part). For a slightly longer description, you can check out our hands-on with the game at the Tokyo Game Show earlier this year. We don't want to spoil it for you, but we walked away less than impressed.

We'll update this post as soon as Microsoft confirms this week's XBLA title and price.

Bitmob's Aaron Thomas was recently offered the chance to record some crowd chatter for Major League Baseball 2K10, and he used the opportunity to describe the process of recording video game voice over. Reading his lines off of a television screen, and given situational prompts for each line -- bases loaded, etc. -- Thomas screamed around 300 lines for the game. As an added bonus, 2K sent samples of Thomas' work mixed with ambient crowd noise, giving us all the opportunity to see what the final product sounds like.

It's a neat look into the world of video game voice acting, as well as sound production in general. If you've ever been curious about how it's done, take a look. Just don't expect Thomas to be putting Nolan North out of a job anytime soon.