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: Xbox 360 slimming down in 2009 [update]http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/rumor-360-slimming-down-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/rumor-360-slimming-down-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/rumor-360-slimming-down-in-2009/#commentsFiled under: ,

Since it won't go anywhere near the Wii Fit balance board and is extremely likely to die during a heated workout, your obese Xbox 360 isn't going to get thinner in its lifetime. No, that's what the "Xbox 540" replacement is for, claims TG Daily. The site reckons that Microsoft will release a "mid-cycle refresh" of the system in Fall 2009, one built around a new and more compact "Valhalla" internal chipset. (Have we introduced you to Jasper yet?)

The shrinking of innards will reportedly allow a redesign of the system's exterior, much like the PlayStation 2's second iteration. Our fancy next-gen games may be getting bigger on the screen, but much like our Wiis, it seems we'll end up with something smaller to play with. On. Play games on. Multiplayer games. Curses! is there any way out of that one?

Update: Microsoft says it has "no plans to release a new console in 2009."

[Via X3F]

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]]>JasperMicrosoftRumorValhallaXbox-360Ludwig Kietzmann2008-05-13T23:00:00+00:00Report: Xbox 360 Jasper chipset contracted for production, Valhalla on deckhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/08/report-xbox-360-jasper-chipset-contracted-for-production/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/08/report-xbox-360-jasper-chipset-contracted-for-production/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/08/report-xbox-360-jasper-chipset-contracted-for-production/#commentsFiled under: ,

xbox 360
Reports that Xbox 360's Jasper chipset will begin shipping in August continue to hum along, as China Economic News Service has named three Taiwanese companies that have been contracted to manufacture, test and package the pair of 65nm microprocessors in preparation for a summer rollout. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) will build the chips, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering will test and package them, and Nanya will supply flip-chip packaging substrates (which sure do sound important). The Jasper combo will ideally use less power, simplify cooling and, most importantly, cut back on the console's jibba jabba.

Industry analysts have also pegged TSMC as the primary candidate for Valhalla chipset production (in addition to the Jasper contract, TSMC has also built 90nm chips for an older version of Xbox 360). Valhalla is rumored to be a single super-chip that combines the properties of a 65nm CPU and 65nm GPU, and is expected to be incorporated into Xbox 360 hardware in the fall of 2009.

[Via X-bit Labs]

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]]>65nmchipsetjaspervalhallaJames Ransom-Wiley2008-05-08T10:55:00+00:00Rumor: Next Xbox 360 chipsets are Opus, Valhallahttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/rumor-next-xbox-360-chipsets-are-opus-valhalla/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/rumor-next-xbox-360-chipsets-are-opus-valhalla/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/rumor-next-xbox-360-chipsets-are-opus-valhalla/#commentsFiled under:


We know it's a little weird to be pumped for Xbox 360 chipsets, but we here at Joystiq HQ are all pretty excited about "Jasper". When we see each other in the halls we'll often exchange a look and we don't even need to speak it, we just know: It's Jasper. Now, if Jacob Metcalf (the guy who broke the Bungie/Microsoft split story) is right, we'll have to start exchanging an additional two looks for the upcoming "Opus" and "Valhalla".

The first, "Opus" is basically a third-generation ("Falcon") board built to fit first generation ("Xenon") cases, primarily for the recycling of red-ringed systems, giving them cooler, more dependable guts (though no HDMI). The second, "Valhalla", is rumored to combine the 65nm CPU and 65nm GPU into one awesome super chip. It would only require one cooling system, meaning Valhalla would be quieter and (one would hope) more dependable. It would also be considerably cheaper.

Both chips (again, if Metcalf is on the money) are a ways off, with Opus coming in 2008 or 2009 and Valhalla following a year later. As excited as we are for the new builds (even though our eyes are getting sore from exchanged looks) we'll be happiest if this news means Microsoft won't euthanize the 360 as quickly as its predecessor.

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]]>chipsetsfalconjasperopusvalhallaxbox360xenonJustin McElroy2008-02-15T10:00:00+00:00Halo 3 beta adds Banshee on Valhallahttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/halo-3-beta-adds-banshee-on-valhalla/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/halo-3-beta-adds-banshee-on-valhalla/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/22/halo-3-beta-adds-banshee-on-valhalla/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Well, did you enjoy the Halo 3 beta? We hope so, because it's officially over on the Valhalla map, which will now be host to the hot new game Grab the Banshee (C). Those who fire up the newly added Big Team Training mode on Valhalla will now find the flying craft at either end of the map, ready for all manner of non-game related hijinks. Objectives? What were objectives?

Adding awesomeness to injury, you can also apparently fly the craft right out of the level, which is sure to always be entertaining to onlookers who hate playing first-person shooters. If we sound bitter about the Banshee, there's a perfectly good reason ... someone grabbed it before us.

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

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]]>bansheebungiehalo3valhallaJustin McElroy2007-05-22T18:15:00+00:00Halo 3 beta date confirmed for May 16http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/10/halo-3-beta-date-confirmed-for-may/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/10/halo-3-beta-date-confirmed-for-may/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/10/halo-3-beta-date-confirmed-for-may/#commentsFiled under: , ,


What are you still reading for? What more could you possibly want to know? Halo 3. Beta. May 16. Joy. Ok, if you insist, we can tell you a little bit more, straight from Microsoft's official announcement this morning. It's going to be begin at 5 a.m. PDT on May 16 and run for three weeks, until June 6. You'll need to have done the whole "Rule of Three" thing or bought your specially-marked copy of Crackdown and be an Xbox Live Gold member to get all up in heaven. Bungie's reminding fans that it's still a beta and there will be some rough edges, but that it will look "somewhat close" to the final game.

In the beta, you'll get your grubby mitts on three maps, "Snowbound," "High Ground" and "Valhalla," which "represent a mixture of large- and medium-scale combat environments." You'll also get new vehicles, like the Mongoose all-terrain vehicle, and weapons like the new and improved Assault Rifle, Brute Spiker, Spartan Laser and the new Spike Grenades. A lot of the new content is available in a new Halo 3 feature on Xbox Live Marketplace and at Bungie's site called "Quisnam Protero Damno!". So, what are waiting for? Go watch the doc, go buy Crackdown and find a crossword puzzle that'll take you a month to finish.

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]]>betabungiecrackdownhalo3halo3betahighgroundlivegoldsnowboundvalhallaxboxliveJustin McElroy2007-04-10T08:24:00+00:00Today's hottest game video: Halo 3 informationhttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/06/todays-hottest-game-video-halo-3-information/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/06/todays-hottest-game-video-halo-3-information/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/06/todays-hottest-game-video-halo-3-information/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Since the top slots everywhere are totally being hogged by the Halo 3 "Starry Night" commercial from last night, we've decided to go with the top rated user-submitted video at GameVideos.com which is -- Halo 3 information by TM22 from Shatter Studios. Looks like it's Haloverload all over again this week. The info in this video is taken from the EGM article, the released screenshots, and some crudely drawn maps, but they've put it all together with pans and zooms and whadda ya know, it actually looks fairly cool.

That is, if you can get past the metal soundtrack. Heck, we'd rather watch this with Enya behind it or something because ... daymn. That's just ear-grating. But hey, it's a tradeoff for the Halo goodness in movie form, so we'll crank the volume down and enjoy. Check out the video after the jump, and start your jonesing.

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]]>BungiecommercialHaloHalo 3High GroundinformationmapsNail GrenadenewValhallaKevin Kelly2006-12-06T00:00:00+00:00