Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Xbox Live users report Gamerscores dropping to zero, MS aware of the issue [Update: potential fixes]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/xbox-live-users-report-gamerscores-dropping-to-zero-ms-aware-of/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/xbox-live-users-report-gamerscores-dropping-to-zero-ms-aware-of/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/xbox-live-users-report-gamerscores-dropping-to-zero-ms-aware-of/#comments Some Xbox Live users are finding a nasty surprise today: their Gamerscores and Achievement lists showing up as totally empty -- an ironic twist after news of a Gamerscore increase for XBLA games. Tips are pouring in from concerned 360 owners.

Microsoft is already working on it, noting on its support page "We are aware of the problem and appreciate your patience while we implement a solution." Joystiq is trying to determine the cause of today's issue, and will keep you updated as the story develops.

Update: Microsoft says you should sign out and sign back in, and suggests you try re-downloading your profile if the issue persists.

JoystiqXbox Live users report Gamerscores dropping to zero, MS aware of the issue [Update: potential fixes] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsgamerscoremicrosoftxboxTue, 13 Mar 2012 10:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Achievement policy changing for XBLA titles, raising Gamerscore allotment [update: confirmed]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/rumor-achievement-policy-changing-for-xbla-titles-raising-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/rumor-achievement-policy-changing-for-xbla-titles-raising-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/rumor-achievement-policy-changing-for-xbla-titles-raising-game/#comments Microsoft will allegedly raise the Gamerscore and number of Achievements allowed for Xbox Live Arcade titles shortly. Xbox360Achievements.org reports, via an inside source, the base Gamerscore allotment will be raised from 200 to 400, with a max of 30 Achievements available per title instead of 20. Downloadable content will also receive more flexibility, doubling the potential Gamerscore procurement to 100, with up to eight Achievements allowed per quarter, with a max of four packs allowed over time.

The new rules will apparently go into effect between April 1 and May 31, with titles launching during that time having the option of going by either the old or new system. According to the site, all games after June 1 will be required to follow the new rules. We've contacted Microsoft for confirmation of the details.

Update: Major Nelson just posted a notice of the new policy.

JoystiqAchievement policy changing for XBLA titles, raising Gamerscore allotment [update: confirmed] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AchievementsGamerscoremicrosoftxblaxboxMon, 12 Mar 2012 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Top Gamerscore(r) crosses 600,000]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/top-gamerscore-r-crosses-600-000/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/top-gamerscore-r-crosses-600-000/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/top-gamerscore-r-crosses-600-000/#comments
You know, the word hero gets thrown around a lot, and in the process it's lost some of its meaning. Some of its power. But we're not sure the term has ever been more accurately applied than it is to Raymond Cox, whose record-breaking Gamerscore has just reached the milestone of 600,000. Cox crossed the last big hurdle -- 500,000 -- over nine months ago.

When does a meaningless number become instantly meaningful? The moment yours is higher than every other person on the planet. That's when.

JoystiqTop Gamerscore(r) crosses 600,000 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Aug 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamerscoremicrosoftxboxSat, 06 Aug 2011 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Achievements top on Xbox Live Indie devs' wish lists]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/achievements-top-on-xbox-live-indie-devs-wish-lists/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/achievements-top-on-xbox-live-indie-devs-wish-lists/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/achievements-top-on-xbox-live-indie-devs-wish-lists/#comments Gamasutra rounded up six of the precious few standout developers of Xbox Live Indie Games (XBLIG) to discuss the continually promising but frequently embattled platform. Camille Guermonprez of Arkedo Studios praised XBLIG as "fast and easy to use" and Xona Games' Matthew Doucette noted that "development is essentially free in terms of fees" (just an annual $120 membership); before he warned that additional "developer and game content expenses can be massive to a start-up."

Indeed, none of these indies has struck gold -- certainly not like the top devs are finding on the App Store -- and three of the six are at least temporarily abandoning XBLIG, while the others have expanded to multiplatform development. "[To] stay only on XBLIG makes no financial sense at the moment," Doucette said.

When asked what improvements could be made to the platform, Luke Schneider of Radian Games' echoed the majority when he said that "the biggest issue is definitely Achievements" -- or lack thereof.

Continue reading Achievements top on Xbox Live Indie devs' wish lists

JoystiqAchievements top on Xbox Live Indie devs' wish lists originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsarkedobinary-tweedgamerscoremicrosoftradian-gamesxbligxblmxboxxbox-live-indie-gamesxona-gamesFri, 18 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The guy with the half-million Gamerscore]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/17/the-guy-with-the-half-million-gamerscore/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/17/the-guy-with-the-half-million-gamerscore/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/17/the-guy-with-the-half-million-gamerscore/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The only slightly avid gamer Stallion83 (we can only assume Stallion1 through 82 died due to severe thumb inflammation) is half-way to his goal of achieving one million Gamerscore on Xbox 360, having hit the 500,000 mark in Achievement points on Friday. The (long) journey to the half-million milestone began in "early 2006," according to his blog, and ended by unlocking the "Tournament of Chumps" cheevo in Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures for XBLA. (In the fourth episode, "The Bogey Man," specifically.)

You can see a replay of the moment in the video we've popped in after the break. As for one million Gamerscore, Stallion83 writes that, "It's going to be a long process getting to 1,000,000, but hopefully I can make it there someday." Best of luck, and we'll be sure to post about your descendant, Stallion166, when he makes it!

Continue reading The guy with the half-million Gamerscore

JoystiqThe guy with the half-million Gamerscore originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AchievementsFright-of-the-BumblebeesGamerscoremicrosoftMuzzledStallion83TellTale-GamesThe-Bogey-ManThe-Last-ResortWallace-and-Gromits-Grand-AdventuresxboxSun, 17 Oct 2010 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie update images add 250 Gamerscore, 10 'Cheevos to Halo: Reach]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/25/bungie-update-images-add-250-gamerscore-10-cheevos-to-halo-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/25/bungie-update-images-add-250-gamerscore-10-cheevos-to-halo-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/25/bungie-update-images-add-250-gamerscore-10-cheevos-to-halo-re/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This week's Bungie.net news update brought with it more than just info about Halo: Reach's Xbox Live stats -- it also featured a couple of screens showing an extra 10 Achievements and 250 Gamerscore for the just released title. In a segment explaining how to install the game to the 360's hard drive, two screens can be clearly seen with the adjusted Gamerscore and 'Cheevo count (1250 up from 1000 Gamerscore and 59 up from 49 Achievements).

Bungie doesn't directly address the changes in its update, instead hinting at "some new stuff" being added in a "potential second October update." Unfortunately, this hint is dropped right after talk of the regular housekeeping performed on Halo multiplayer, so it's unclear what's being hinted at directly. Halo 3 was eventually lavished with an astonishing 1750 Gamerscore when all was said and done, so the idea of an extra 250 doesn't seem like much of a reach if you ask us.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

JoystiqBungie update images add 250 Gamerscore, 10 'Cheevos to Halo: Reach originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsbungiebungie-studiosbungie-weekly-updatedlcgamerscoreHalo-Reachmicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiosxboxSat, 25 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows Phone 7 Achievements to feature up to 200 Gamerscore points per game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/windows-phone-7-achievements-to-feature-up-to-200-gamerscore/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/windows-phone-7-achievements-to-feature-up-to-200-gamerscore/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/10/windows-phone-7-achievements-to-feature-up-to-200-gamerscore/#comments We just got our hands on the Windows Phone 7 during an interview at GDC, and given our unnatural obsession with bolstering our online notoriety, the most prevalent question in our mind was: just how many Gamerscore points can we crank outta this thing? The answer: A beefy 200 Gamerscore points per game, which will be added to your total Gamerscore, as displayed on your Xbox Live Gamertag profile.

We'll be writing up our impressions of the platform, as well as our interview with its creators, later today. For now, rest assured knowing that when you unlock an Achievement in a Windows Phone 7 game, it totally makes that satisfying "bloop-bloop" noise.

JoystiqWindows Phone 7 Achievements to feature up to 200 Gamerscore points per game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsgamerscoregamertaggdc-2010microsoftmobilewindowswindows-phone-7Xbox-360xbox-liveWed, 10 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Here are your Darwinia+ Achievements]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/30/here-are-your-darwinia-achievements/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/30/here-are-your-darwinia-achievements/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/30/here-are-your-darwinia-achievements/#comments Now that Darwinia+ has passed Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade certification process, you likely have your passport ready for the upcoming trip to Darwinia's action RTS battlefields. According to Xbox 360 Achievements, lending a helping hand to your stick brethren in need won't just net you the warm fuzzies, but will also reward you with some Gamerscore.

There's 200 to be had in total, rewarding players for things like saving Darwinians, crushing invading ant hordes and winning matches on every map in the game. It's a nice, varied list that doesn't look like it encourages too much grinding -- well, except for the Stick Man Slaughter Achievement, which requires you to kill 65,536 enemies.

JoystiqHere are your Darwinia+ Achievements originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsdarwiniagamerscoreIntroversionintroversion-softwareMicrosoftrtsxblaXbox-360xbox-livexbox-live-arcadeWed, 30 Dec 2009 01:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamasutra examines Gamerscore and game completion statistics]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/gamasutra-examines-gamerscore-and-game-completion-statistics/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/gamasutra-examines-gamerscore-and-game-completion-statistics/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/gamasutra-examines-gamerscore-and-game-completion-statistics/#comments
In a new feature, Gamasutra looks at Xbox 360 Gamerscore and game completion statistics in search of a reason why some players stop playing games in their library.

According to the feature, a game's overall difficulty is the biggest culprit from discouraging players from completing a game. Using data of 14,000 players regularly surveyed provided by Microsoft and the top 13 Xbox Live titles in 2008, it was concluded the group unlocked less than half of the possible Gamerscore on average. Gamasutra notes that the selected users in the survey tend to be more hardcore than the average player, so overall completion rates are expected to be even lower.

Another point of the study was to determine the average completion of a game's campaign mode. Using data of games that award campaign completion Achievements, it was determined that only 30 percent of the surveyed group did not play games until the end. Gamasutra theorizes that the reason so many gamers neglect a game's campaign is due to frustration. Having experienced the -- sadly, often horrific -- world of Xbox Live, we'd also guess many of the hardcore gamers examined skipped the campaign in favor of pwnin' n00bs online.

JoystiqGamasutra examines Gamerscore and game completion statistics originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsfinishing-gamesgame-completiongamerscoreMicrosoftstudyXbox-360xbox-liveWed, 28 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Pitchford: Easy Achievements boost sales by up to 40,000 units]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/pitchford-easy-achievements-boost-sales-by-up-to-40-000-units/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/pitchford-easy-achievements-boost-sales-by-up-to-40-000-units/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/pitchford-easy-achievements-boost-sales-by-up-to-40-000-units/#comments We knew that there was contingency of Xbox 360 owners who place a remarkable amount of importance on their largely unimportant Gamerscore -- however, a recent Official Xbox Magazine interview with Gearbox president Randy Pitchford has got us worried about our fellow man. According to Pitchford, developers who tweak their game's Achievements to make them a tad easier to obtain can boost sales of said game "by something like 10 and 40 thousand units."

Yes, Pitchford claims that there are 10 to 40 thousand people out there who purchase games based on their capacity to bolster their e-peen. That represents around $2.4 million being spent on making an inconsequential number slightly larger. Our faith in humanity wasn't just shaken by Pitchford's report -- it was absolutely obliterated. We're gonna go watch Rudy a few times until that faith is restored.

[Image]

JoystiqPitchford: Easy Achievements boost sales by up to 40,000 units originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsgamerscoregearboxMicrosoftrandy-pitchfordxbox-360Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft resets Gamerscores, Toulouse explains why]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/microsoft-resets-gamerscores-toulouse-explains-why/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/microsoft-resets-gamerscores-toulouse-explains-why/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/microsoft-resets-gamerscores-toulouse-explains-why/#comments
Correcting the "miscreants" can be an ornery task. Just ask Stephen Toulouse, Xbox Live's virtual bouncer, and the man responsible for resetting your cheatin' heart (er, Gamerscore) back to zero. A recent wave of Gamerscore resets have hit Xbox Live and Toulouse was on Major Nelson's weekly show yesterday to explain what happened. "A couple weeks ago ... we did a Gamerscore reset pass on several Gears of War 2 players who had illegitimately toggled the 'Level 100' Achievement for a map pack that had just come out," Toulouse told the Major.

According to the show, the mathematics behind how quickly people were earning the achievement were, simply put, impossible. "Any time you earn an Achievement you don't actually have to earn, that's against the terms of use," Toulouse said of the official policing policy, something Microsoft has adhered to since the inception of Xbox Live Achievements. And to those of you who have a sibling or friend to blame on your Gamerscore reset, Toulouse feels little sympathy for you. He told the Major that you probably need to address that person and that it's ultimately "your responsibility" to take care of your console and online representation. Tough noogies, indeed!

JoystiqMicrosoft resets Gamerscores, Toulouse explains why originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 May 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsgamerscoregears-of-war-2larry-hrybmajor-nelsonmicrosoftstephen-toulouseXbox-360xbox-liveMon, 18 May 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[1 vs 100 to feature seasonal Achievements]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/1-vs-100-to-feature-seasonal-achievements/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/1-vs-100-to-feature-seasonal-achievements/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/1-vs-100-to-feature-seasonal-achievements/#comments
1 vs 100 just became You vs Your Gamerscore, as the upcoming game will feature Achievements, Kotaku reports. The game will run in 13-week seasons, with each season allotting 200 Gamerscore in Achievements to gamers that earn them. When a new season starts, new Achievements will be available, adding incentive for players to keep coming back.

This news will surely excite Achievement junkies, since the game will most likely be free to them anyway. If they're a Gold subscriber, that is.

Gallery: 1 vs. 100 (Xbox Live)


Essential reading: Joystiq hands-on: 1 vs 100 (Xbox Live Primetime)

Joystiq1 vs 100 to feature seasonal Achievements originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 May 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1-vs-100achievementsgamerscorexbox-livexbox-live-primetimeThu, 07 May 2009 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Broken Steel Achievements not showing up on Live, fix incoming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/06/broken-steel-achievements-not-showing-up-on-live-fix-incoming/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/06/broken-steel-achievements-not-showing-up-on-live-fix-incoming/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/06/broken-steel-achievements-not-showing-up-on-live-fix-incoming/#comments
Perhaps not realizing that the real achievement is the fun you have along the way, posters on Bethesda's forums are in an uproar about not being credited for the Achievements they earned in the newly released Fallout 3 DLC, Broken Steel.

If you experience the same problem, take heart! Bethesda tells us, "The Xbox Live servers don't seem to be fully synched yet with the additional Achievements. Microsoft is looking into it right now so that the Achievements folks have gotten will show up properly on Live (the game awards them, they just aren't showing up right on Live for some reason). People won't lose any Achievements."

Patience, friends. Sounds like this will be resolved soon.

JoystiqBroken Steel Achievements not showing up on Live, fix incoming originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 May 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsBethesdaBethesda-Game-StudiosBethesda-Softworksbroken-steeldlcfallout-3gamerscoreMicrosoftRPGXbox-360Wed, 06 May 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft targets Gears of War 2 cheaters, resets their Gamerscore]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/28/microsoft-targets-gears-of-war-2-cheaters-resets-their-gamersco/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/28/microsoft-targets-gears-of-war-2-cheaters-resets-their-gamersco/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/28/microsoft-targets-gears-of-war-2-cheaters-resets-their-gamersco/#comments
Major Nelson drops word that Microsoft has taken some very awesome steps toward those glitching Achievements in Gears of War 2. Microsoft was able to target a specific group of people who unlocked Achievements in the game using a specific hack and, as you read this, is in the process of resetting their Gamerscores. Yes, folks, they're having their Gamerscores reset back to zero.

Is this too harsh a punishment, to have all of their Gamerscore reset? Should Microsoft just erase these individuals' Gears of War 2 Achievements?

JoystiqMicrosoft targets Gears of War 2 cheaters, resets their Gamerscore originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cheatingepicepic-gamesgamerscoregears-of-war-2Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[MS 'actively working' on linking Gamertags to new Windows Live IDs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/20/ms-actively-working-on-linking-gamertags-to-new-windows-live-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/20/ms-actively-working-on-linking-gamertags-to-new-windows-live-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/20/ms-actively-working-on-linking-gamertags-to-new-windows-live-i/#comments
Is that Tilda Swinton in the middle?

Having amassed an impressive Gamerscore by slogging through Cabela hunting games, forgettable anime beat-em-ups and the last Iron Man game, it's no surprise that Xbox Live users become agitated when their Gamertags are placed in jeopardy. Earlier this week, it was reported that Windows Live IDs linked to dormant email addresses were at risk of deletion, taking associated Gamertags with them.

However, Microsoft has clarified the situation, noting, "People with dormant Windows Live IDs can continue to enjoy the benefits of their Xbox LIVE Gamertags on their Xbox 360 consoles, including earning Achievements; however, they will not be able to use their expired Windows Live IDs for activities such as account management on xbox.com." According to a company representative, "An Xbox LIVE Gamertag is unrecoverable from the system only when the associated Windows Live ID has become dormant and the Gamertag has been deleted from all Xbox 360 consoles." In other words, a dead Windows Live ID will prevent you from recovering your Gamertag online should you change consoles or attempt account management, such as renewing your Xbox Live subscription.

Microsoft is "actively working" on a solution that should allow you to sever the dead weight of an expired Windows Live ID and link your Gamertag to a new one. In the meantime, Major Nelson recommends you log into your Windows Live ID (do it through xbox.com) at least once every four months. Think of it as an insincere pleasantry with long-term benefits -- like visiting your mother-in-law.

JoystiqMS 'actively working' on linking Gamertags to new Windows Live IDs originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GamerscoreGamertagHotmailMicrosoftWindows-Live-IDXbox-360Xbox-LiveFri, 20 Feb 2009 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TripleTags.com gamercards to include trophy support]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/02/tripletags-com-gamercards-to-include-trophy-support/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/02/tripletags-com-gamercards-to-include-trophy-support/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/02/tripletags-com-gamercards-to-include-trophy-support/#commentsFiled under:


One of the best thing about achievements and Gamerscore on the Xbox 360 is the ability to show it off to the world through the use of gamercards. These embeddable image files (example, above) allowed players to show off their recently played games, and their ever-growing Gamerscores. According to a recent post on TripleTags.com, the popular (but unofficial) source for PS3 gamercards will be getting support for trophies too. Hopefully, this will mean that players will no longer have to manually edit their gamercards with new games. Instead, a new API should allow the gamercard to update automatically with your recent trophy-enabled games and PlayStation level.

(Also, wouldn't it be great if PS3 Fanboy profile pages could show this kind of info? Maybe if you leave enough comments, we can bother our programmers to do exactly that!)

JoystiqTripleTags.com gamercards to include trophy support originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamercardgamerscoretripletagstrophiesWed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Gamerscores transferring to next Xbox console]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/rumor-gamerscore-transferring-to-next-ms-console/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/rumor-gamerscore-transferring-to-next-ms-console/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/rumor-gamerscore-transferring-to-next-ms-console/#commentsFiled under:


A rumor in Game Informer (full text from GI after the break) states that Gamerscores and achievements will be transferable to Microsoft's next console. As far a rumors go, this is one many Xbox 360 owners might pray Microsoft wouldn't prevent from becoming a reality.

Achievements and Gamerscores are two features of the Xbox 360 that have developed a strong following, particularly among "ch33vo-holics." We can already imagine the internet hissy-fit temper-tantrum freak out we'll see if the Xbox faithful can't transfer their data. Although the next console is still years away, it would be unfortunate to envision Microsoft not allowing gamers to transfer their data effortlessly to the next system.

[Via X3F]

Continue reading Rumor: Gamerscores transferring to next Xbox console

JoystiqRumor: Gamerscores transferring to next Xbox console originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 May 2008 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementachievementsgamerscoreXbox-360xbox-720xbox720Wed, 14 May 2008 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamerscore cheaters get punished and branded]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/gamerscore-cheaters-get-punished-and-branded/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/gamerscore-cheaters-get-punished-and-branded/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/gamerscore-cheaters-get-punished-and-branded/#commentsFiled under: ,

Fresh from his much deserved vacation, Major Nelson sends word that last night, Microsoft dealt with Gamerscore cheaters / boosters with a highly concentrated dose of punishment.

Those gamers who Microsoft targeted as being the greatest Gamerscore abusers have just had their entire Gamerscore wiped to a more appropriate 0GS. This wipe also prevents abusers from being able to go back and earn Gamerscore from already unlocked achievements, but they'll still be able to live a pure life and earn new achievements in the future. But we have to say the best punishment of all is the fact that all Gamerscore cheaters will now carry a mark of shame (seen above) that's branded on the cheater's Xbox.com Gamercard. How fashionable. You can learn more about the punishment, how cheaters are targeted and what goes down over on Xbox.com. Also, be sure to heckle anyone you see sporting the mark of shame. Give it to 'em good, make 'em cry!

JoystiqGamerscore cheaters get punished and branded originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamerscoremicrosoftxbox-liveTue, 25 Mar 2008 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The Club nods at Gears of War's 'Seriously' achievement]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/10/the-club-nods-at-gears-of-wars-seriously-achievement/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/10/the-club-nods-at-gears-of-wars-seriously-achievement/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/10/the-club-nods-at-gears-of-wars-seriously-achievement/#commentsFiled under: , ,


For the thorough achievement hunter, there are an elite series of Gamerscore garnering goals that the softcore gamer is not likely to possess, such as Dead Rising's Zombie Genocider achievement, or, well, most of the achievements from Chromehounds. One stands out above the rest, though, requiring a great deal of time and skill to earn -- the "Seriously" achievement from Gears of War. Getting 10,000 kills in ranked multiplayer earns you 50 Gamerpoints, and hopefully, a concerned intervention from a few of your closest loved ones.

Bizarre Creations' latest project The Club gives a hearty nod towards the life-consuming achievement with one of their own -- the cleverly titled "No, Seriously" requires you to kill 10,001 opponents in ranked online matches. Oh, we see what you did there. We'll have to wait until Feb. 19 to see if the game is good enough to merit that kind of time investment, and if Bizarre ripped anything else off of Gears -- such as a steroid-infused protagonist that speaks with the eloquence of Tourette's suffering sailor.

JoystiqThe Club nods at Gears of War's 'Seriously' achievement originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementgamerscoregearsofwarmultiplayernoseriouslyPS3seriouslythe-clubtheclubXbox-360xboxliveSun, 10 Feb 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Old Spice Experience Challenge returns ... sort of]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/old-spice-experience-challenge-returns-sort-of/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/old-spice-experience-challenge-returns-sort-of/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/old-spice-experience-challenge-returns-sort-of/#commentsFiled under:


We're sure you all have fond memories of the Old Spice Experience Challenge, which tasked gamers with earning enough gamerscore points to qualify for Fusion Frenzy 2, which was comparable to sprinting to the top of a steep hill to pick up your complimentary knife wound. Now, the challenge has returned, and while you're still getting prizes for points, it's with a very different structure.

This time, you're not just competing with yourself, you're competing with your friends, and the more of them you can get in on a competition, the better prizes will be up for grabs. You'll fight against all of them for a set period of time and the top earner gets the goods, which range from a $20 Best Buy gift card to an Xbox 360 HD DVD Player. Like last time though, prizes are limited, so you'll probably want to get your friends together soon if you want a showdown for the best swag.

JoystiqOld Spice Experience Challenge returns ... sort of originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsgamerscoreold-spiceXbox-360Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Devil May Cry 4 for PS3 gets achievements, required installation [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/devil-may-cry-4-for-ps3-gets-achievements/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/devil-may-cry-4-for-ps3-gets-achievements/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/devil-may-cry-4-for-ps3-gets-achievements/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The German version of GamePro (via NeoGAF) has published its review of Devil May Cry 4 and revealed some interesting features for the PlayStation 3 - namely, achievements. Similar to the Xbox Live counterpart, you'll be able to perform certain actions and earn recognition, which can then be seen by your friends.

From what we gather, this is only for DMC4, however, and not a console-wide feature, so don't expect to start bragging about your PSN gamerscore anytime soon. The idea of PS3 achievements, rumored once to be called entitlements, were denied by Sony leading up to the console's launch.

The review also confirmed Sixaxis functionality in the form of tilting to adjust the camera, and noted a 5GB required installation before you can play the game. The 1UP podcast this week also confirmed this, saying it took 25 minutes to complete the installation process, so don't expect to play the game as soon as you get home from the store.

[Update: Upgraded emphasis on 5GB installation]

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

JoystiqDevil May Cry 4 for PS3 gets achievements, required installation [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementscapcomdevil-may-crydevil-may-cry-4devilmaycry4dmcdmc4entitlementsgamerscoreneogafplaystation-networkPS3psnMon, 07 Jan 2008 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[New Avatar game awards 1K gamerpoints in 2 minutes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/18/new-avatar-game-awards-1-000-gamerpoints-in-two-minutes/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/18/new-avatar-game-awards-1-000-gamerpoints-in-two-minutes/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/18/new-avatar-game-awards-1-000-gamerpoints-in-two-minutes/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Gamerpoint addiction is a serious problem, people. Did you know that 1.2 million Americans buy awful games every day, just to harvest the sweet gamerpoint nectar that lies within? That's close to 60 million dollars a day that could be donated to charity, or, at the very least, spent on good games. We've got good news and bad news for these people. The bad news? You're going to be buying another bad game soon. The good news? You'll only need to play it for two minutes.

Apparently, the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Burning Earth (Avatar: The Legend of Aang - The Burning Earth for our European readers) thought it would be much, much harder to rack up a 50 hit combo than it actually was. We wonder when someone will start up a Gamerpoint Regulation Council that will make the distribution of points between games like Avatar and games like Guitar Hero III a tad more uniform.

[Thanks, jstroh]

JoystiqNew Avatar game awards 1K gamerpoints in 2 minutes originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>360AvatarGamerpointsGamerscoreXbox-360Sun, 18 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Originals won't have achievements]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/xbox-originals-wont-have-achievements/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/xbox-originals-wont-have-achievements/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/xbox-originals-wont-have-achievements/#commentsFiled under: ,


C'mon, you can tell us. You're an addict, aren't you? You've got a 40K gamerscore and you simply can't justify any gaming time if, well ... you aren't being compensated for it. Bad news then, junkie. The recently announced Xbox Originals (downloadable versions of original Xbox games) won't have achievements. It all makes sense if you think about it: these are unaltered disc images. If they didn't see fit to go in and remove things like demos or trailers that could actually crash your 360 if you select them, it stands to reason they weren't going to add achievements.

Now, the good news. Your gamertag won't be permanently sullied with achievement-related proof that you were playing Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space. Seriously, what's wrong with you?

[Via X3F]

JoystiqXbox Originals won't have achievements originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AchievementsGamerscoreXboxXbox-360Xbox-OriginalsFri, 16 Nov 2007 12:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Major Nelson: don't share accounts or cheat at Gamerscore]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/30/major-nelson-dont-share-accounts-or-cheat-at-gamerscore/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/30/major-nelson-dont-share-accounts-or-cheat-at-gamerscore/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/30/major-nelson-dont-share-accounts-or-cheat-at-gamerscore/#commentsFiled under: ,

Major Nelson has posted a warning on his blog to all the folks out there thinking about sharing their Xbox Live accounts or using altered game saves to cheat at Gamerscore. In short, don't do either one. Major Nelson uses the example of giving someone your account so they can gather all the skulls in Halo 3 for you. If said person were to download XBLA games or movies onto that account, there is basically nothing Microsoft can do for you. The only recourse is for Microsoft to cancel the account altogether, and you'll still be out any MS Points spent by whoever you gave your account to.

Major Nelson also lays down a warning to anyone using artificial means to increase their Gamerscore. He notes that such accounts may have their gamerscore removed altogether and any achievements earned on such an account will not be able to be reacquired. And, as you might expect, such an account (and the console on which it resides) could also be banned from Xbox Live entirely.

We're not sure what prompted the warning (an increase in one or both activities perhaps), but we're sure it's good advice. Besides, what's the point of cheating to get Gamerscore? Where's the fun in that? Remember kids, if you cheat to inflate your Gamerscore, you're no better than a pro athlete.

JoystiqMajor Nelson: don't share accounts or cheat at Gamerscore originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cheatinggamerscorehacksTue, 30 Oct 2007 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Big Brother Microsoft is watching ... with portals]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/19/big-brother-microsoft-is-watching-with-portals/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/19/big-brother-microsoft-is-watching-with-portals/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/19/big-brother-microsoft-is-watching-with-portals/#commentsFiled under: ,

You may think that the guys handing consumer relations for Microsoft have it easy (discounting, of course, the occasional bout of scarlet unpleasantness). But we're not sure we could handle the kind of scrutiny they put their new employees under. Take this poor sap who was allowed to work from his home ... as long as he'd agree to a portal in his living room.

Selfish as we are, we're less concerned about Nelson Rodriguez's plight than we are about the implications. Think about it for just a moment: Microsoft in bed with Aperture Science? Can that really be good news for anyone?

JoystiqBig Brother Microsoft is watching ... with portals originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Oct 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamerscoreportalXbox-360xbox360Fri, 19 Oct 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Study: More Xbox 360 achievements = better reviews, more sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/17/study-more-xbox-360-achievements-higher-reviews-and-unit-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/17/study-more-xbox-360-achievements-higher-reviews-and-unit-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/17/study-more-xbox-360-achievements-higher-reviews-and-unit-sale/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A new study by Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR) suggests that the Xbox 360 achievement system (here called "accomplishments" for some reason) has an effect on the title's success. According to the press release, EEDAR found a "strong connection between a game title's diversity of Accomplishment types with that game's profitability -- pointing to the idea that the more diverse the Accomplishments available to the user, the more enjoyable the game, higher review scores, more units sold."

We're hesitant to conclude that the number of achievements is a causality for gamer enjoyment, although we know of a few people who swear by their gamerscore (and a handful of games whose sales, but not necessarily reviews, were greatly increased because of their achievements). We wonder if the correlation is instead a sign that developers who spend more time ensuring the quality of their games also extend that hard-work towards the achievements, as well. If Valve's The Orange Box sells a bajillion copies, it's not necessarily because it has 99 ways to up your gamerscore.

JoystiqStudy: More Xbox 360 achievements = better reviews, more sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsgamerscoreresearchstudyXbox-360xbox-liveWed, 17 Oct 2007 14:25:00 EST<![CDATA[X3F Achievements 101: Pre-E3 lull]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/08/x3f-achievements-101-pre-e3-lull/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/08/x3f-achievements-101-pre-e3-lull/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/08/x3f-achievements-101-pre-e3-lull/#commentsFiled under:


Welcome to another edition of the weekly Gamerscore whoring extravaganza, X3F Achievements 101. As usual, I'll discuss the last week in unlocking Achievements, or discuss any news that's especially pertinent to the Achievement obsessed. Unfortunately, this week was pretty light, with E3 just around the corner, there wasn't much spare time to grind through any games. I didn't rent anything this week, but I did get my feet wet with Rainbow Six: Vegas, as well as made a couple discoveries whilst playing some Arcade titles locally with friends.

Continue reading X3F Achievements 101: Pre-E3 lull

JoystiqX3F Achievements 101: Pre-E3 lull originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AchievementAchievement UnlockedAchievement WhoreAchievements 101Achievements101AchievementUnlockedAchievementWhoreGamer ScoreGamerScoreGamerscore WhoreGamerscoreWhoreX3F Achievements 101X3fAchievements101Sun, 08 Jul 2007 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Sony to reveal massive changes to the XMB and PS Store at E3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/27/rumor-sony-to-reveal-massive-changes-to-the-xmb-and-ps-store-at/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/27/rumor-sony-to-reveal-massive-changes-to-the-xmb-and-ps-store-at/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/27/rumor-sony-to-reveal-massive-changes-to-the-xmb-and-ps-store-at/#commentsFiled under: ,

It seems every couple weeks we get another rumored list of new features/changes for upcoming firmware releases. They rarely come true and are usually quickly debunked, but are kind of fun regardless. Still, this most recent rumor is pretty juicy and comes from a PS3 Forums regular. Supposedly Sony is going to be showing off a huge overhaul to the XMB and the PlayStation store at E3, with heavy Home integration and the implementation of several features that have been long request. We've broken down the info into tasty little bulleted tidbits:
  • Folder support for all sections of the XMB including Games, allowing you to organize your plethora of demos/ps1 titles/PSN games.
  • User Profile page accessible directly from the XMB that shows off the your gamerscore, profile info and trophies. The page will also be viewable in your Home apartment.
  • PlayStation Store is getting completely redesigned to make it more console accessible and to pave the way for the additional content Sony plans to release by the end of the year (videos, movies, music, etc).
  • You'll be able to select your trophies for use as a t-shirt graphic in Home so everybody can check out your Loco Roco skillz without having to go to your house.
A lot of the things mentioned sound reasonable. For example, the PlayStation Store will have to be revamped if Sony wants to offer a wide range of content there. As it is, it's unbelievably slow and really isn't conducive to prolonged sessions of browsing through content. Also, Phil Harrison has previously mentioned increased integration between Home and XMB, and Eric Lempel recently commented that Sony is indeed working on a gamerscore type of system. But still, take this rumor with a big ol' salt lick -- at least we won't have to wait long to find out if it's true!

[Thanks Joe!]

JoystiqRumor: Sony to reveal massive changes to the XMB and PS Store at E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamerscoreps storePsStorexmbWed, 27 Jun 2007 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[X3F Achievements 101: Dragonriding Swashbucklers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/24/x3f-achievements-101-dragonriding-swashbucklers/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/24/x3f-achievements-101-dragonriding-swashbucklers/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/24/x3f-achievements-101-dragonriding-swashbucklers/#comments
So the previous week has come to a close and I'm back with another glorious edition of X3F Achievements 101. The past seven days had some serious grinding behind it as I finished off the amazingly tedious Eragon. Hopefully Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End be a third time's charm for film-to-game adaptations. I'll also give my interpretation of the release of the Halo 3 Achievements, which took the interwebs by surprise this week. Either way, there's a lot to cover from the past week, so let's get started.

Continue reading X3F Achievements 101: Dragonriding Swashbucklers

JoystiqX3F Achievements 101: Dragonriding Swashbucklers originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AchievementAchievement WhoreAchievementsAchievements 101Achievements101AchievementWhoreEragonGamer scoreGamerScoreGamerscore WhoreGamerscoreWhoreHaloHalo 3Halo3P o t CPirates of the CaribbeanPirates of the Caribbean At World's EndPirates of the Caribbean At Worlds EndPiratesOfTheCaribbeanPiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorld'sEndPiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEndPOTCX3F Achievements 101X3fAchievements101Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:45:00 EST<![CDATA[New Gears of War achievements reward the dedicated]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/13/near-gears-of-war-achievements-reward-the-dedicated/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/13/near-gears-of-war-achievements-reward-the-dedicated/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/13/near-gears-of-war-achievements-reward-the-dedicated/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

New Gears of War achievements are coming June 14 at 2:00 a.m. GMT, which for those in the US means tonight at 10:00 p.m. EDT. A newsbrief on the GoW page outlines the eight new achievements for the Annex gametype and the Hidden Fronts multiplayer map pack.

These achievements are not for those looking for a quick way to upgrade their gamerscore, however, and are primarily for those who want to show off that they've logged in hundreds of hours of game time. Achievements are listed after the break.

Also included in the download is a patch that fixes a number of bugs in the game and multiplayer. The Annex gametype is currently available for free. The Hidden Fronts map pack is 800 MS points now but will go free September 3.

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy; thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading New Gears of War achievements reward the dedicated

JoystiqNew Gears of War achievements reward the dedicated originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsepicgamerscoregears of warGearsOfWarmicrosoftxblmxbox liveXbox-360XboxLiveWed, 13 Jun 2007 15:25:00 EST<![CDATA[X3F Achievements 101: Bots, Bosses and Babalities]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/11/x3f-achievements-101-bots-bosses-and-babalities/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/11/x3f-achievements-101-bots-bosses-and-babalities/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/11/x3f-achievements-101-bots-bosses-and-babalities/#commentsFiled under:

X3F Achievements 101 is back, and on its regularly scheduled time slot of Sundays. Initial response to our first edition was rather positive, so we're glad you like the concept and hope you enjoy reading, and even participating in the column. Emails with Achievement tips also came in at a good pace, and I look forward to playing and trading with you. One particular email stood out, which came from Casey over at brains-N-brawn.com, and the steps he took to get Achievements in one of the most time consuming Arcade games, Bejeweled 2.

Continue reading X3F Achievements 101: Bots, Bosses and Babalities

JoystiqX3F Achievements 101: Bots, Bosses and Babalities originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jun 2007 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AchievementAchievement UnlockedAchievement WhoreAchievementsAchievements 101Achievements101AchievementUnlockedAchievementWhoreActionCrack DownCrackDownGamer scoreGamerScoreGamerscore WhoreGamerscoreWhoreMicrosoft-Game-StudiosMortal KombatMortalKombatPac ManPac Man CEPac Man Championship EditionPac-ManPac-Man CEPac-Man Championship EditionPac-manCePac-manChampionshipEditionPacManPacManCePacManChampionshipEditionRealtime-WorldsRiot-ActSaints RowSaintsRowSandboxShadow runShadowRunU M K 3Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3UltimateMortalKombat3UMK3X3F Achievements 101X3fAchievements101Mon, 11 Jun 2007 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Readers pick best webcomic: time to retire]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/01/readers-pick-best-webcomic-time-to-retire/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/01/readers-pick-best-webcomic-time-to-retire/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/01/readers-pick-best-webcomic-time-to-retire/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Coming on strong this week is 2P Start, whose 1337 Gamerscore nets them the top honors as this week's best game-related webcomic.

Coming in second place is Digital Unrest, while the third place trophy has been divided in half between Penny Arcade and VG Cats. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!

Continue reading Readers pick best webcomic: time to retire

JoystiqReaders pick best webcomic: time to retire originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 May 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2p start2pStartdigital unrestDigitalUnrestgamer scoreGamerScorepenny arcadePennyArcadevg catsVgCatsweb comicWebComicxbox liveXbox-360XboxLiveTue, 01 May 2007 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Eets Achievements edibly available]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/24/eets-achievements-edibly-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/24/eets-achievements-edibly-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/24/eets-achievements-edibly-available/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yesterday, to go along with the announcement of the double header Wednesday with Eets: Chowdown and Pinball FX, the guys over at Xbox 360 Achievements uncovered all the Achievements for Eets: Chowdown, while having had Pinball FX's set for a while now. So go ahead and take a quick peek and what you'll be shooting for in the puzzle game. We're kinda craving a Double Marshoburger ourself. That being said we're kind of curious
why "Smoreland" is worth 0 Gamerscore. Anyway, the game looks promising, will you be playing it tomorrow?

JoystiqEets Achievements edibly available originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AchievementsEetsEets ChowdownEets: ChowdownEets:ChowdownEetsChowdownGamer scoreGamerScorePinball FXPinballFxXbox LiveXboxLiveTue, 24 Apr 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TMNT: The new king (Kong) of easy achievement points]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/tmnt-the-new-king-kong-of-easy-achievement-points/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/tmnt-the-new-king-kong-of-easy-achievement-points/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/tmnt-the-new-king-kong-of-easy-achievement-points/#commentsFiled under:

Ubisoft's TMNT title learned a couple things from Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie, their video game adaptation from last year. First, long names are best left as acronyms (PJKK: TOGotM). Second, spice up a less-than-stellar licensed game with 1000 additional reasons to buy it regardless. Yup, it looks like TMNT is poised to take away the easiest 1000 Xbox 360 achievement points crown from the previous king, err, King Kong.

Let's see what the critics have to say about the game's easy points:
  • IGN says "the new king of easy Achievement Points has arrived."
  • GameSpot offers, "There are also achievements to consider, but they also happen to be incredibly easy to acquire, with many of them relegated to points for beating levels and pulling off individual special abilities. Even still, the better graphics and achievements ultimately make the 360 version the best by default."
  • Finally, Team Xbox says, "If there's one good thing about TMNT, it's the fact that the game steals the title of 'Easiest 1000 Achievement Points' from Ubisoft's own King Kong. You'll probably be able to get all 1000 in less than 4 hours."
We wonder if achievement points will really be a quantifiable factor in picking which console to buy that multiplatformer on.

JoystiqTMNT: The new king (Kong) of easy achievement points originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AchievementPointsGamerscoreTMNTUbisoftXbox-360Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Oblivion's new achievements from Shivering Isles]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/17/oblivions-new-achievements-from-shivering-isles/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/17/oblivions-new-achievements-from-shivering-isles/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/17/oblivions-new-achievements-from-shivering-isles/#commentsFiled under: ,

Xbox360Achievements.org posted the achievements to Oblivion's newly hatched first born Shivering Isles. And if you're keen to remember, Oblivion will be the first game to go over the 1000 Gamerscore limit with its Shivering Isles expansion adding an additional 250 Gamerscore points (per Microsoft's new Gamerscore rules). The sad part of all this expansion happiness is that the achievements are rather ... how do we say this ... dull. They lack that creative flair, that personality, and RPG originality. Bethesda must have used up their creativity reserves on the actual game, because they included a rather lame achievement which guarantees a 20 Gamerscore boost just for purchasing the expansion called the "Tourist" achievement. Oh well, a huge expansion offering an additional 250 Gamerscore points ... who could possibly complain?

[Via Live Gamer]

JoystiqOblivion's new achievements from Shivering Isles originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Mar 2007 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elder scrolls oblivionElderScrollsObliviongamerscoreoblivionoblivion shivering islesOblivionShiveringIslesshivering islesShiveringIslesSat, 17 Mar 2007 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live hits 6 million users, 4 months earlier than planned]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/06/xbox-live-hits-6-million-users-four-months-earlier-than-planned/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/06/xbox-live-hits-6-million-users-four-months-earlier-than-planned/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/06/xbox-live-hits-6-million-users-four-months-earlier-than-planned/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

According to Microsoft's John Porcaro, the population of Xbox Live has hit the six million mark. However, being a member of Xbox Live could mean anything from paying for a Gold account to plugging an ethernet cord into your console and giving yourself a Silver account to download demos. At E3 last year, Microsoft was looking to hit the six million mark in June 2007, thus their exuberant remark that they beat their target by four months.

Also included on the announcement is a momentum list, for those who love statistical trivia. (Did you know that there are 2 million messages sent over Xbox Live every day?) What we don't see in the momentum list, however, is the number of Gold members and the retention rate of a Gold account. We do know, however, that the average XBL Gold member has 22 friends. Sure, six million is an accomplishment, but we want to know how many premium accounts they're selling. That will be the real test.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

JoystiqXbox Live hits 6 million users, 4 months earlier than planned originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Mar 2007 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamer scoreGamerScorexblaxblmXboxxbox liveXbox-360XboxLiveTue, 06 Mar 2007 18:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Machine used to unlock Xbox 360 Achievement Points]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/27/machine-used-to-unlock-xbox-360-achievement-points/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/27/machine-used-to-unlock-xbox-360-achievement-points/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/27/machine-used-to-unlock-xbox-360-achievement-points/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

xbot
Just 60 of 'em. Yep, $60 for parts and a long day's worth of labor birthed the "xBot," a monstrous lil' bugger that latches onto the Xbox 360 controller and presses 'Start' and 'B' like, well, like a machine. Car mechanic David Harr assembled the xBot to unlock a pair of Perfect Dark Zero Achievements, which require playing 1,000 (offline) multiplayer matches in both Deathmatch and DarkOps modes -- each worth 30 points. Since matches don't need to be completed to register as "played," Harr calculated that it would take him roughly 40 hours to start, exit, and restart enough matches to unlock the Achievements; he would use just ten to assemble his xBot. Muahahahah!

While some whine that Harr's 'workaround' is unethical, the Seattle mechanic argues, "This is not playing online on Xbox Live -- it is not playing against other people ... This is a one trick pony, getting you just 60 points. It's not stepping on anyone's toes." We say, let him have his 60 points.

JoystiqMachine used to unlock Xbox 360 Achievement Points originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>360AchievementPointsAchievementsGamerscorePDZPerfectDarkZeroSeattlexBotXbox-360Xbox360Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Real Time Worlds has MS raise total Achievement limit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/15/real-time-worlds-has-ms-raise-total-achievement-limit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/15/real-time-worlds-has-ms-raise-total-achievement-limit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/15/real-time-worlds-has-ms-raise-total-achievement-limit/#commentsFiled under: ,


When David Jones of Real Time Worlds was looking at the ideas for Achievements for Crackdown, they had at around 200 or so to choose from. Jones said he wanted to just reward gamers for doing what they do best, having fun. When Microsoft told them they were allowing a total of 50, David felt that would cripple the whole concept of how they were going to approach the game's Achievements. So, when Microsoft recently altered their policy on Gamerscore, they also moved the total Achievements to 80 at Real Time Worlds' request. This gave Crackdown some breathing room with the upcoming 100 and potential 250 Gamerscore add-ons. Hopefully with proper feedback, their new content will be as fun and fulfilling as the current list. What Achievements would you want to see on top of the current set in Crackdown?

JoystiqReal Time Worlds has MS raise total Achievement limit originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Feb 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AchievementsCrack downCrackDownDavid JonesDavidJonesGamer ScoreGamerScoreMicrosoft Game StudiosMicrosoftGameStudiosReal Time WorldsRealTimeWorldsThu, 15 Feb 2007 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Rewards Revamped [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/14/xbox-rewards-revamped/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/14/xbox-rewards-revamped/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/14/xbox-rewards-revamped/#commentsFiled under:


Due to issues with the servers overloading at the Xbox Rewards site, the guys at GamerscoreBlog announced that they would be extending the Old Spice Challenge to April 15th. This gives you an extra month three days to rack up your Gamerscore by 1,500 and they even added supply to the rewards so that more gamers can win. When we got word that the policy had been updated, there were brief hopes of broadening the access to the program, but given how much traffic they're getting, that obviously was not the case. Still, they say the site will be back up and running within the next 48 hours. If you haven't gotten in already, are you going to try now that the rules have been amended?

[Thanks PacoDG]

Update: Barbie says "Math is hard."

JoystiqXbox Rewards Revamped [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Feb 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AchievementsGamer ScoreGamerScoreOld Spice ChallengeOldSpiceChallengeXbox RewardsXboxRewardsWed, 14 Feb 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stuttering start for Microsoft Rewards program]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/13/stuttering-start-for-microsoft-rewards-program/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/13/stuttering-start-for-microsoft-rewards-program/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/13/stuttering-start-for-microsoft-rewards-program/#commentsFiled under: , ,

error.
The Xbox Rewards program remains deadlocked today, following yesterday's launch, which apparently drew more prospective registrants than anticipated. If you've yet to register -- perhaps planning to leisurely earn your 'rewards' during the allotted month -- you've likely already missed out. 'Cause guess what? All those rewards are limited to finite numbers; paltry numbers when compared to Xbox Live's user base.

This isn't an 'Old Spice Challenge,' it's a Competition -- and no doubt there are enough registered players teens already racing to gobble up those prizes. If you're lucky, you might score (possibly another) copy of Contra, since 70,000 download codes will be handed out. But even the '100 Microsoft Points' prize (limited to 6,000 winners) could be gone by week's end. Bah, who wanted Fusion Frenzy 2 anyway?

Hint: Try this link.

JoystiqStuttering start for Microsoft Rewards program originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Feb 2007 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>360AchievementPointsAchievementsContraFusion Frenzy 2FusionFrenzy2GamerpointsGamerscoreMicrosoftPointsOldSpicePromotionXbox-360Xbox360XboxRewardsTue, 13 Feb 2007 17:33:00 EST