Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Rumor: KOTOR MMO to be formally announced soonhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/04/rumor-kotor-mmo-to-be-formally-announced-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/04/rumor-kotor-mmo-to-be-formally-announced-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/04/rumor-kotor-mmo-to-be-formally-announced-soon/#commentsFiled under:


Before beginning this post, we have a number of important announcements to make:
  • It is currently October.
  • Sandwiches, when prepared correctly, are delicious.
  • Salt is salty.
  • There are five items in this list.
  • You are currently reading Joystiq.
What's that? You're not sure why we're announcing things you already know? Perhaps you'll be equally flabbergasted by a rumor that LucasArts and Bioware will likely soon reveal the Knights of the Old Republic MMO that EA CEO John Riccitiello already totally confirmed. The rumor originates from a blurb in UK newspaper Daily Star, the author of which claims he's coming stateside to check the title out at LucasArts HQ. If the author is on the level, we certainly expect one of the two developers to "reveal" the title before his article goes to print. Perhaps they can still surprise the eleven people on the planet that don't already know about it.

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]]>biowareknights-of-the-old-republickotorlucasartsmmorumorGriffin McElroy2008-10-04T19:30:00+00:00Rumor: Disney characters coming to LittleBigPlanethttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/04/rumor-disney-characters-coming-to-littlebigplanet/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/04/rumor-disney-characters-coming-to-littlebigplanet/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/04/rumor-disney-characters-coming-to-littlebigplanet/#commentsFiled under: ,


As you put the finishing touches on your latest laborious LittleBigPlanet masterpiece, you make a startling realization -- something is missing. Your homebrewed LittleBigLocale is missing its keystone; without this necessary component, your hours of work will have been for naught. The component is, of course, a statue of Horace Horsecollar and his bovine betrothed, Clarabelle Cow.

While the previous sentence likely only made sense to people who watched cartoons in the 1930s, the following will probably be clearer -- according to the latest revolution of Electronic Gaming Monthly's rumor mill, LittleBigPlanet DLC is set to include non-sony property, such as characters from Disney franchises and 3rd-party PlayStation titles. We're not sure in what capacity these properties could be included in Media Molecule's uber-customizable platformer, but we're certainly excited about the prospective existence of SackBaloo.

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]]>disneyegmlittlebigplanetmedia-moleculerumorGriffin McElroy2008-10-04T13:30:00+00:00Report: New multimedia DS announced tonighthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/report-new-multimedia-ds-announced-tonight/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/report-new-multimedia-ds-announced-tonight/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/report-new-multimedia-ds-announced-tonight/#commentsFiled under:


British video game pub MCV is insistent in telling us that the rumored new DS model, packing MP3 functionality and a built-in camera - the DS Sight? - will be announced by Satoru Iwata during Nintendo's press event in Japan around 12AM Joystiq Time tonight. MCV says its source is "impeccable" and "guarantees" the announcement; we say, let's wait until later tonight. We'll be here, on the lookout for anything with the letters D and S in close proximity.

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]]>BreakingNewsDS-SightRumorChristopher Grant2008-10-01T14:00:00+00:00Job listing, Healey discuss 'LittleBigPlanet projects' on PSPhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/job-listing-healey-discuss-littlebigplanet-projects-on-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/job-listing-healey-discuss-littlebigplanet-projects-on-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/job-listing-healey-discuss-littlebigplanet-projects-on-psp/#commentsFiled under: ,


With the 873 million of you out there with a PSP that alternates between being dragged around everywhere and then totally neglected, there may be hope yet! We first heard rumors back in April that LittleBigPlanet would be cramming its creative britches into something more appropriate for the PSP; now, Sony is looking to recruit someone capable of just such a cramming, a "PSP Game Engine Lead" who would "work on the development of exciting new LittleBigPlanet projects."

Pretty convincing, but not nearly as convincing as the game's developer brainstorming a PSP version with Eurogamer telling, "There's definitely scope for a PSP version ... We've had discussions and talks, [but] nothing concrete at the moment." Maybe once they get that PSP Game Engine Lead all signed up, those slushy talks will stiffen up into something decidedly more concrete.

Source - "LittleBigPlanet projects" job listing [Via PSP Fanboy]
Source - LittleBigPlanet boss reveals PSP vision [GamesIndustry.biz]

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]]>LittleBigPlanetLittleBigPlanet-PSPRumorSCEEChristopher Grant2008-10-01T13:44:00+00:00Rumor: 'New Wii due by 2011' says former-1UPerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/rumor-new-wii-due-by-2011-says-former-1uper/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/rumor-new-wii-due-by-2011-says-former-1uper/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/rumor-new-wii-due-by-2011-says-former-1uper/#commentsFiled under:


So, get this: Nintendo, having had pretty incredible success with the Wii, is going to make another one! We know, it sounds crazy ... but so did the idea that we'd still be having trouble finding Wiis into 2009. Despite our fears that Nintendo will continue trickling Wiis out the door until 2027 - at which point it'll finally offer a second, soon-to-be sold-out color offering - former 1UP editorial director John Davison says that "Nintendo is currently showing early presentations of its next home console hardware" (according to "multiple sources in the game development and publishing community" that is!).

So what's Wii 2 (Super Wii? Wii Advance?) got? According to Davison, the few that have seen this mythical beast have dubbed it "Wii HD" - it's got HD visuals (duh), "a greater emphasis on digitally distributed and backwardly compatible content," as well as a familiar "emphasis" on what's in your hand instead of what's next to your futuristic HOLO-TV. With R&D spending at the Big N tripling since the Wii launched in 2006, we're not certain that's just a plain-old-Wiimote anymore. Our best guess now: a HOLO-ARM.
[Image credit: Wii Fanboy's Wii mockup gallery]

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]]>John-DavisonRumorWiiWii-2Wii-HDChristopher Grant2008-10-01T10:45:00+00:00Rumor: New Alan Wake trailer to debut before Max Payne -- in Finlandhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/rumor-new-alan-wake-trailer-to-debut-before-max-payne-in-fin/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/rumor-new-alan-wake-trailer-to-debut-before-max-payne-in-fin/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/rumor-new-alan-wake-trailer-to-debut-before-max-payne-in-fin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Remedy is making Alan Wake; Remedy made Max Payne; Remedy is Finnish. The website Pelaajalehti is - along with being nigh-impossible to pronounce - also Finnish, and reports that a new trailer for the long lost Xbox 360 adventure of Mr. Wake will debut before a special preview screening of the Max Payne feature film in - you guessed it - Finland on October 15.

Last we heard, Remedy was apologizing for Alan Wake's tardiness, no-show status at E3, and general air of vaporware. Now, we can understand wanting to play to your home crowd, but how about a little love for those of us who don't exactly fancy ice swimming and Karjalanpiirakka?

[Via X3F]

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]]>alan-wakefinlandmax-paynemay-payne-movieremedyrumorRandy Nelson2008-10-01T01:30:00+00:00Impress Watch: Sony contemplating upgraded Cell for PlayStation 4http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/30/impress-watch-sony-contemplating-upgraded-cell-for-playstation/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/30/impress-watch-sony-contemplating-upgraded-cell-for-playstation/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/30/impress-watch-sony-contemplating-upgraded-cell-for-playstation/#commentsFiled under:

Sure, it's been only 690 days since the PlayStation 3 officially launched, but it's never too early to for discussion on the next next-gen consoles. According to reputable Impress Watch technology writer Hiroshige Goto (via IGN), Sony is looking into using an upgraded version of the Cell processor for the PlayStation 4.

Goto speculates that Sony's upgraded processor would feature between 10 and 20 cores (current Cell uses 8) and boast twice the power. Keeping with the Cell -- as opposed to developing a new chipset -- would not only be cost efficient for the company, but it would also likely prove beneficial to manufacturing costs, software development (it'd be a familiar architecture) and backwards compatibility. Remember: although this is from a reputable source, the news is unconfirmed and, given the PS4 is likely many years away, subject to change even if true.

Fun fact: There are approximately 1900 days (over 5 years) between the PS2's March 2000 launch and Sony's E3 2005 unveiling of the PS3.

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]]>cellcorecpuimpress-watchplaystation-4ps4rumorsonyspeculationRoss Miller2008-09-30T19:10:00+00:00Nintendo of America 'can't comment' on new DS report it commented onhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/29/nintendo-of-america-cant-comment-on-new-ds-report-it-commente/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/29/nintendo-of-america-cant-comment-on-new-ds-report-it-commente/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/29/nintendo-of-america-cant-comment-on-new-ds-report-it-commente/#commentsFiled under: ,

For those of you who didn't read about it over the weekend (why didn't you visit us? We were so cold, so ... lonely), Japanese business journal Nihon Keizai Shimbun - a.k.a. Nikkei - reported that Nintendo is poised to launch a new-model DS this year featuring a built-in camera and "music player." Nintendo of America told told MTV Multiplayer that the article was "solely based upon [Nikkei's] own research and speculation, without interviewing Nintendo."

NOA also said it "cannot comment on the Nikkei story," despite, well, having commented on it. "While Nintendo is always working on new hardware, we have not made any announcement about a [new] DS," it added.

As Multiplayer points out, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is set to deliver his annual update on the company's business Wednesday. Last year's update included the revelation that Capcom's Monster Hunter 3 would appear on Wii and not PS3 as originally planned. NOA, as it turns out, is holding its annual Media Summit on Thursday and Friday of this week. Stars: aligning?

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]]>hardwarenintendorumorRandy Nelson2008-09-29T15:25:00+00:00Microsoft India says slim 360 is 'speculation or rumor' [update]http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/28/rumor-xbox-india-event-says-slim-360-is-coming-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/28/rumor-xbox-india-event-says-slim-360-is-coming-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/28/rumor-xbox-india-event-says-slim-360-is-coming-in-2009/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've received numerous tips (and noticed a rather popular digg) about an Xbox 360 event in Dehli, India that "confirmed" a slim Xbox 360 console was to be announced in December for release sometime in 2009. The information emanates from two English-language Indian gaming blogs, Split-Screen and Game Guru (a WHOIS search on both sites revealed nothing noteworthy).

Both blogs also mention that the region will be getting hands-on time with Fable 2, Gears of War 2 and Fallout 3 a week earlier than anyone else (we're guessing some special event, but neither article specifies) and a new 20GB package with Viva Piñata and Forza 2 for Rs.14,990 (approx. US $350).

While a slim Xbox 360 seems like a no-brainer for the future (we know there are smaller chipsets being made), here's why we're skeptical about this: logic dictates that Microsoft would not announce it in December, given that such news would likely hurt sales during the holiday season. Furthermore, no utterance of such an event can be found on Xbox India's official forums or major India newspaper the Times of India.

A final drop of skepticism can be added from Major Nelson himself, who told X3F, "I have no knowledge of an event in India and therefore anything related to one. I think we all know that if we had something to say, we'd be saying it." A similar rumor showed up in May, which Microsoft then denied.

Update: Microsoft India has shot down this alleged "announcement," labeling it as no more than "market rumor or speculation."

[Note: Slim Xbox 360 in image is fan-made mockup.]

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]]>indiarumorxbox-360-slimRoss Miller2008-09-28T19:30:00+00:00Rumor: L.A. Noire no longer PS3 exclusive, still a year awayhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/rumor-l-a-noire-no-longer-ps3-exclusive-still-a-year-away/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/rumor-l-a-noire-no-longer-ps3-exclusive-still-a-year-away/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/rumor-l-a-noire-no-longer-ps3-exclusive-still-a-year-away/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The long-in-development L.A. Noire, a collaboration between Rockstar and ex-Getaway alumni at Australia's Team Bondi, may no longer be exclusive to PlayStation 3. The title - which has been shrouded in mystery befitting of its film noire trappings - was originally rumored to be bankrolled by Sony itself for release solely on its platform.

Speaking at GC Asia '08, Game Developers' Association of Australia president Tom Crago said that, from what he surmises, development on the game has "another year or so to go." He also revealed that it "could be the biggest budget video game in development anywhere in the world," calling it a "massive, massive project." Crago also indicated that the game is in development for both PS3 and 360, which, if true, would rule it out as the PS3-exclusive Rockstar project Sony has been touting once and for all.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

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]]>la-noirerockstarrumorteam-bondiRandy Nelson2008-09-19T21:00:00+00:00Rumor: PGR5 coming from Forza dev, could be announced next weekhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/rumor-pgr5-coming-from-forza-dev-could-be-announced-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/rumor-pgr5-coming-from-forza-dev-could-be-announced-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/rumor-pgr5-coming-from-forza-dev-could-be-announced-next-week/#commentsFiled under: ,


There's a rumor making the rounds today that Forza Motorsport studio Turn 10 is developing the next Project Gotham Racing, seeing as how series creator Bizarre Creations is now owned by Activision. This rumor sounds more than just a little familiar, don't cha think?

The more rumor-y core of this new rumor is that, according to AddictGaming's "reliable source" at Turn 10, the game will be unveiled as early as next week. Of course, the site also mentions an impending New Xbox Experience announcement scheduled for next week, which sounds like part of the previously busted "360 relaunch" rumor.

[Via X3F]

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]]>forzamicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiospgr5project-gotham-racingproject-gotham-racing-5rumorturn-10Randy Nelson2008-09-18T23:15:00+00:00Rumor: Ex-Marvel Studios boss lands Mass Effect film rights http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/rumor-ex-marvel-studios-boss-lands-mass-effect-film-rights/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/rumor-ex-marvel-studios-boss-lands-mass-effect-film-rights/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/rumor-ex-marvel-studios-boss-lands-mass-effect-film-rights/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Variety reports that former Marvel Studios head, Avi Arad, has optioned the rights to produce a Mass Effect movie from Electronic Arts. Arad, whose production company is already working on a film adaptation of Lost Planet, is considered the driving force behind the renaissance of Marvel's comic properties in Hollywood.

Should this rumor pan out, there remain numerous hurdles between acquiring film rights and actually getting said film made ... let alone up on the big screen. Arad will need a screenwriter, for one - preferably someone who's respectful of the source material. He's already got David "Solid Snake" Hayter on Lost Planet; who would you like to see pen the Mass Effect script, in a dream situation?

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]]>avi-aradfilmmass-effectmoviesrumorRandy Nelson2008-09-18T22:15:00+00:00Rumor: White Knight Story hits Japan Dec. 25http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/rumor-white-knight-story-hits-japan-dec-25/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/rumor-white-knight-story-hits-japan-dec-25/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/rumor-white-knight-story-hits-japan-dec-25/#commentsFiled under: ,


First there was the "day of awakening" teaser. Next up: a report that Famistu had dated White Knight Chronicles (White Knight Story for the States) for December 11 in Japan. Now there's yet another report that Famistu has interviewed the game's director, who purportedly confirms a Christmas day release for the game, now subtitled "Wave of the Ancient."

The magazine scan at the source link has what looks like an altered info box, and, until we can get a hold of the issue in question ourselves, we're waiting on official word out of the game's publisher - that would be Sony - before getting our hopes up. Anyway, it's a Japanese release date we're talking about here ... even if it makes a 2008 launch across the Pacific, the necessary localization steps might not put it on these shores until mid- to late 2009.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

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]]>level-5rumorsonywhite-knight-storyRandy Nelson2008-09-18T01:00:00+00:00Sega teases: 'We're making RPG now!'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/sega-teases-were-making-rpg-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/sega-teases-were-making-rpg-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/sega-teases-were-making-rpg-now/#commentsFiled under:


And we're writing post now! A new, Japanese teaser website has surfaced in Sega's online realm, promising an unnamed RPG amidst some spinny flower things and what looks to be an angry, somewhat angular dragon. We haven't found much use for the page, other than sticking it in the background and listening to the wonderfully retro music.

A NeoGAF user has also pointed to a graphic allegedly leaked from Sega's Tokyo Game Show page, which seems to imply that the DS game will be called "7th Dragon" and feature a cavalcade of ultra-cute characters. We're certainly intrigued, but part of us would simply prefer to continue living the lie: it's Skies of Arcadia 2, and it's out tomorrow.

[Via NeoGAF]

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]]>7th-DragonRPGRumorSegaTGS-2008Ludwig Kietzmann2008-09-17T15:30:00+00:00Rumor: MGS4's Ryan Payton directing new Halo projecthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/16/rumor-mgs4s-ryan-payton-directing-new-halo-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/16/rumor-mgs4s-ryan-payton-directing-new-halo-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/16/rumor-mgs4s-ryan-payton-directing-new-halo-project/#commentsFiled under:


Is Metal Gear Solid 4 producer Ryan Payton directing Peter Jackson's Halo project? "Yes," comes the reply from Shacknews, corroborating (thanks, "reliable source!") a Kotaku rumor that places Payton in the "creative director" role on the forthcoming and exceedingly nebulous Halo project from Microsoft and the Lord of the Rings director, Peter Jackson.

If true, it would mark the second major franchise to be touched by Payton, who left Kojima Productions earlier this year. We've reached out to him for comment -- and for the privilege of touching someone who's a tag on our website.

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]]>HaloHalo-ChroniclesMetal-Gear-SolidMGS4Microsoft-Game-StudiosPeter-JacksonRumorRyan-PaytonLudwig Kietzmann2008-09-16T15:15:00+00:00Rumor: Team ICO reveals The Queen, all bow downhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/13/team-ico-reveals-the-queen-all-bow-down/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/13/team-ico-reveals-the-queen-all-bow-down/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/13/team-ico-reveals-the-queen-all-bow-down/#commentsFiled under: ,


The third project from the "Olympic Team" behind both Shadow of the Colossus and Ico looks like it might make its long anticipated reveal next month at the 2008 Tokyo Game Show. What appears to be a newly launched TGS teaser website calls the game ICO 3 The Queen, adding that Japanese PS3 owners will be able to yank the title off store shelves on October 9, 2009.

Given the name, as well as the site's reuse of the original game's logo, it remains unclear if the title will be any sort of direct follow up to the original Ico or another stand alone project, but whatever the case we cannot wait to find out more once TGS gets underway.

Note: As some have pointed out, the site's validity is suspect, meaning we now wait until next month's TGS to see if in fact the next game from Team ICO will make an appearance or simply break our hearts.

[Thanks pico!]

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]]>icoico-3ico-3-the-queenrumorshadow-of-the-colossussonyteam-icotgstgs08tgs2008the-queentokyo-game-showJason Dobson2008-09-13T21:55:00+00:00Rumorong: G4 says massive 360 'relaunch' event not happeninghttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/11/rumorong-g4-says-massive-360-relaunch-event-not-happening/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/11/rumorong-g4-says-massive-360-relaunch-event-not-happening/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/11/rumorong-g4-says-massive-360-relaunch-event-not-happening/#commentsFiled under:

You just knew that Monday's rumor of a televised "relaunch" for Xbox 360 planned for September 25 on G4 was too good to be true. Although, with everything its sheer madness (hey, we called it!) promised - the New Xbox Experience release; new, free Xbox Classics; huge exclusives revealed - it was one rumor everyone (well, make that "everyone with an Xbox 360 or lack of console favoritism") very much wanted to become fact. Alas, not this time.

G4 has flat-out denied plans for any such event - let alone one lasting five hours - with X-Play host Adam Sessler making the rumor (and internet rumors in general) the subject of his latest "Sessler's Soapbox" rant, which you can watch after the break. That is, if your will to continue hasn't been utterly crushed by the busting of this nigh-legendary hoax.

[Via X3F]

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]]>g4microsoftnew-xbox-experiencerumorrumorongRandy Nelson2008-09-11T15:00:00+00:00You're not worthy: GameStop eXpo rumorshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/youre-not-worthy-gamestop-expo-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/youre-not-worthy-gamestop-expo-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/youre-not-worthy-gamestop-expo-rumors/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

gamestop
Every year (well, at least since being banned from E3) the grand minions of GameStop Corp. descend upon the dessert oasis that is Las Vegas, Nevada -- with a Capital X -- to become better informed about their retail products, so as to make professional recommendations to their far less knowledgeable customer base. With a few cleverly placed posers, 1UP has infiltrated the sore-thumbed masses of regional managers who have traveled great distances to earn bragging rights over the adolescents who, in turn, loiter inside their finely vacuumed establishments. Finally, some payoff for another hard year of underachievement (remember kids, these are just rumors):
  • A trailer for a new Indiana Jones game (could it be?) will premiere next week ... after everyone's returned home to Nowheresville.
  • 60 GB Xbox 360 hard drive will be $99 with 3 months of Xbox Live and an ethernet cable; or 12 months of Xbox Live for $70 and a copy of PGR4. Decisions, decisions...
  • Animal Crossing: City Folk will be bundled with the Wii Speak "community mic" and sold for $70. (And after this, Nintendo will be done with peripherals. Promise. *Crosses fingers behind back.*)
  • GBA's Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories will get a surprise port to ... (wait for it) ... PS2! [Update: As several commenters point out, a Chain of Memories port remake has been available in Japan since March 2007.]
Visit 1UP for the full range of oohs and ahs. Bet you wish you'd forgone that degree and stuck it out at the strip mall, huh? Just imagine: You could be there. Right. Now.

[Image credit: dougward]

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]]>60-gb-hddanimal-crossinggamestopgamestop-eXpoindiana-joneskingdom-heartslucasastspgr4rumorxbox-liveJames Ransom-Wiley2008-09-10T17:45:00+00:00Rumor: Wii, DS headed to India on Sept. 30http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/rumor-wii-ds-headed-to-india-on-sept-30/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/rumor-wii-ds-headed-to-india-on-sept-30/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/rumor-wii-ds-headed-to-india-on-sept-30/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If a post on The Angry Pixel is to be believed, the not-infinitesimal number of people in India are about to be swept into the wonderful world of waggle, with the Wii rearing its slender head in the country on September 30th. Joining it will be Nintendo's touchy-feely portable system, the DS, which has astonishingly managed to avoid the birthplace of bun-eating sensation Benny Lava all this time.

Nintendo's pair will allegedly be distributed by Samurai-India, in partnership with HCL, with the DS fetching a price of INR 7,990 ($178) and the Wii going for a lofty INR 19,990 ($445). Have you been high today?

[Via NWF]

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]]>DSIndiaRumorWiiWiindiaLudwig Kietzmann2008-09-09T16:40:00+00:00Rumor: The five-hour Xbox 360 relaunch Sept. 25http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/08/rumor-the-five-hour-xbox-360-relaunch-sept-25/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/08/rumor-the-five-hour-xbox-360-relaunch-sept-25/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/08/rumor-the-five-hour-xbox-360-relaunch-sept-25/#commentsFiled under: ,


VGChartz is running a megaton rumor about the launch of the new Xbox 360 dashboard. It has our curiosity piqued because of its creativity and sheer audacity. The story goes that Microsoft will have a five-hour televised countdown beginning September 25 at 7PM Eastern leading to the New Xbox Experience and the software-based relaunch of the console at midnight.

Allegedly, G4 will cover the event exclusively and Live members will be able to stream it. The rumor gets even bigger by saying that three new components of the NXE will be unveiled when the update happens at midnight. First is a partnership with Sirius Radio, allowing users to access the satellite radio station for a "modest monthly fee." Then there's the music store page -- think iTunes, except on your Xbox. Finally, there's the "mad lib" page, though nobody seems to know what the _______ it is.

Sending this whole thing into overdrive, the source claims Microsoft will announce 12 new titles "exclusive or first" on the 360, including Assassin's Creed 2, Mass Effect 2, a new Conker game and two new Halo titles. Also, six free original Xbox games will be available to download, with Halo being one of them.

The whole thing sounds like madness (and fanboy conjecture), but given the Xbox 360's slipping sales, a mega-event relaunch might just be the reset button the company needs for the console best-known to general consumers for the RRoD. The whole rumor isn't even that insane when we recall how Microsoft went all-out for the first Xbox 360 launch and, if Microsoft execs are to be believed, this is "an entirely new Xbox" made possible by "the magic of software."

[Via X3F]

Gallery: New Xbox Experience

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]]>fall-updatemicrosoftnew-xbox-experiencerrodrumorvgchartzAlexander Sliwinski2008-09-08T17:17:00+00:00