Apparently analysts’ opinions and research aren’t enough to keep Microsoft down. During an interview Microsoft’s director of product management, Aaron Greenberg, used the topic of appealing to casual gamers as an opportunity to state that the Wii is still just a toy, and that the novelty will wear off eventually.

Everyone says that eventually the novelty will wear off, right? I think that a lot of the people that are buying that console today are not people that have generally bought consoles in the past, right?

You see they’re not buying games on it, right? They’re buying it, it’s like something they break out when people come over, and it’s maybe a fun thing, but it’s almost like the same people that buy a karaoke machine, you know? They’re not really buying it for games, they’re just buying it as a novelty.

One thing he fails to mention is the viral effect that “breaking” the Wii out in company has. Regardless of the tie-in ratio, the Wii is still selling completely out, although it is, admittedly, a lot easier to find one now. Now, one could assume from that statement that Mr.Greenberg doesn’t think that the Wii should be taken too seriously, right? That’s odd, because early in the interview he was actually speculating that the Xbox 360 “complements” the Wii.

I think for us, we don’t really see the Wii as a direct competitor, we actually very much complement the Wii experience. It’s obviously clear that we’re going head-to-head with the PS3 in this generation. I think what Xbox will be able to do as well as the Wii is grow the market.

I’m pretty sure Nintendo doesn’t see Microsoft as competition either. To be fair, Aaron Greenberg doesn’t actively go out of his way to bash the Wii. All the same, when it comes down to it, this is still him, on behalf of Microsoft, try to brush off the fact that the Wii is outselling the Xbox 360, despite being released significantly later.

Even with all the buzz behind the sequel, Harmonix is still pumping out content for the original Rock Band, announcing next week’s additions to be two tracks from Red Hot Chilli Peppers and two from Rush.

“Snow (Hey Oh)” and “Tell Me Baby” by RHCP will be released alongside “Closer to the Heart” and “Working Man” by Rush. A cover of “Working Man” was previously released as DLC in January.

“This version, however, is an alternate-take master from the same session [Rush] recorded the hit with an alternate solo,” Harmonix explained on the game’s forum. “It has never been released.”

The songs are priced at 160 Microsoft points ($2) each. It will be available on Xbox Live starting July 8, followed by a PlayStation Network release two days later.

Bungie announced on its site that a new multiplayer map for Halo 3 will be released as a free download on July 7. It is a remake of the original Halo’s Chill Out map redubbed as Cold Storage.

Additionally, the studio disclosed that the price of the recently released Legendary Map Pack for the game will be permanently lowered from 800 Microsoft points to 600 Microsoft points beginning the same day.

Proving that there is a market for everything, the original Viva Pinata saw success that guaranteed the sequel. Microsoft has announced that the garden-tending, Pinata-breeding sequel Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise will be released exclusively for the Xbox 360 in North America on September 2, with a European release three days later.

The sequel follows the original’s formula, offering improvements and more environments and piñatas and the debut of cooperative multiplayer.

Following on from the previous report, a list of some of the songs from Rock Band 2 have been posted by Kotaku, who thankfully archived some of the information from the deleted forum post which was host to this following list:

• “One Step Closer” - Linkin Park
• “Peace Sells” - Megadeth
• “Testify” - Rage Against the Machine
• “American Woman” - The Guess Who or Lenny Kravitz
• “White Wedding” - Billy Idol
• “You Oughta Know” - Alanis Morisette
• “Aqualung” - Jethro Tull
• “Bad Reputation” - Thin Lizzy or Joan Jett
• “We Got the Beat” - The Go-Go’s
• “Man in the Box” - Alice in Chains
• “Spoonman” - Soundgarden
• “Drain You” – Nirvana

Harmonix is yet to announce any of the game’s tracks, or any other details for that matter. The game is due out this Fall on Xbox 360, with a PS3 release set for later in the year. It will be compatible with all DLC released so far for the original.

Contradicting their own assurances that the Xbox Live Arcade version of Soul Calibur would have “no major additions or subtractions” over the Dreamcast edition, Namco’s port lacks the original’s substantial Mission Mode.

Mission Mode contained the bulk of the game’s single-player option, having players go through objective-based fights, among other things. It also served as a means of unlocking bonus content which is now immediately available at the game’s outset.

All of the other modes are present. The game was released earlier this week on Xbox Live Arcade for 800 Microsoft points.

SouthPeak Games has announced Raven Squad: Operation Hidden Dagger, a “unique [blend] of real-time strategy and first-person shooter genres.”

In development for PC and Xbox 360, the game is set in the near future, putting players in control of eight mercenaries each with “distinctive skills and weaponry,” with players being able to switch between RTS and FPS gameplay at will.

The game is being developed by Hungarian studio Atomic Motion and will be published by Evolved Games. It is due out this Fall.

Last year was touted as the best year for gaming. There was an unusually high amount highly anticipated games such as Halo 3, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Bioshock, just to name a few. The idea was that after Halo 3, the would be a steady flow of triple-A titles that would keep gamers occupied for the rest of the year, and then some. So what happened? The article will examine several reasons why 2007 didn’t quite live up to the hype and why 2008 will take the title as best year ever for gaming.

Read on »

Having only announced the game, Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos revealed in an AP interview that Rock Band 2 will feature over 80 master tracks, including more female-fronted bands. He noted that the playlist will be released at E3.

Additionally, the CEO noted that the game will not feature any sort of music creation unlike Guitar Hero World Tour. Instead, music creation will be featured in a future title.

“We really felt like we wanted to do it right,” he said. “We’re taking a radically different approach to that problem. It’s something we wanted to take more time to do it right. It’s actually something we’re not focused on in ‘Rock Band 2.’ We’re really focused on other areas related to the music and bringing the community together.”

Rigopulos also talks about peripherals, stating that they will be much better than the ones introduced with the original.

Rock Band 2 is due out this Fall on the Xbox 360 first, with a PS3 release coming later in the year.

While LA traffic is legendary for delaying cars, video game delays have so far been unheard of. Breaking the tradition, Rockstar announced that its two upcoming Midnight Club games have been delayed by one month. Midnight Club: Los Angeles and its PSP counterpart Midnight Club: LA Remix are now scheduled to hit stores on October 7 in North America, followed by a European release three days later; the games were originally meant to ship in September.

No reason for the delay was given. Just be happy that they will be able to make their way through all that traffic and get to places in one piece.

Partying, drinking and picking fights at Vegas will have to wait, as Gamespot reports a delay for This is Vegas, the upcoming open world Sin City action title originally expected later this year. The game has now been pushed back to sometime next year, but the title will be presented at E3 by publisher Midway.

The publisher reasons the additional time to make it a “must-have” title for gamers. This is Vegas is in development for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

G4’s X-Play may have accidentally revealed the first tracks for the recently announced Rock Band sequel during a recent episode. ScoreHero had been vigilant with their DVRs, recording the footage that lists new songs along with downloadable content from the first game.

It can be noted that the coming sequel is compatible with all of the existing DLC from the first Rock Band. So, the tracks presented may be new downloadable content and not the music included in the actual game disc. Even then, it’s an interesting list:

• “Ace of Spades” - Motorhead
• “Anyway You Want It” - Journey
• “Pinball Wizard” - The Who
• “Chop Suey” - System of a Down
• “Panic Attack” - Dream Theater or Finger Eleven
• “Give It Away” - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• “Everlong” - Foo Fighters
• “Kids in America” - Kim Wilde
• “Hello There” - Cheap Trick

Harmonix is currently working on pushing out Rock Band 2 on Xbox 360 this September, with a PS3 version coming later in the year.

Gamers are usually wary of libraries, what with their policies of maintaining silence and housing lots of boring books (well, there are ‘good’ books in there, too). However, residents of Centerville, Ohio can now borrow PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii games from their two community libraries, completely free of charge.

Initial offerings are a little sparse through: Kung Fu Panda, Madden NFL 08, Iron Man, Guitar, Sonic Heroes and Final Fantasy. The libraries will focus on family games and games for players over the age of 10.

Members will be able to keep a game for up to a week, with one extension available.

Having released Battlefield: Bad Company just a few days ago, developer EA DICE has disclosed details of upcoming support for the game. The team is currently working on the much-requested addition of the Conquest multiplayer mode which was a staple for earlier games in the franchise. The pack is currently undergoing certification and testing; it will be added to the game as free downloadable content soon.

Once the Conquest pack is done with, the studio will focus on improving the game’s performance and adding new things. This includes clan support, private rooms, team chat, auto balancing on servers, fixing the VOIP issue on PS3, and more.

“We would like to let you know that we are reading and listening to all of your feedback,” wrote the company on the game’s website. “We are very aware of the different issues you have told us you find most important.”

Activision today announced that they will allow gamers to choose the package for Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, its upcoming entry in the famed superhero franchise.

Starting today, fans can visit the game’s website and vote for their favorite videogame package options, all featuring the web-slinger as he prepares to take on a devastated New York. This campaign will continue through launch, letting fans vote on various aspects of the game’s marketing campaign as well.

In development at Shaba Games and Treyarch for release this Fall, the game has Spider-Man donning both the red and black suits in a bid to stop crime and fight evil. It also employs a different fighting mechanic that will let gamers swing and fight at the same time.

Microsoft Game Studios European business director Peter Zetterberg has revealed that simultaneously releasing a major first-party game on both PC and Xbox 360 in Germany would “basically shoot [Microsoft] in the foot” due to the popularity of the PC platform.

“If we launched a Halo game on PC and 360 in Germany simultaneously, 80 per cent of sales would be on the PC,” he told GamesIndustry.biz. “We basically shoot ourselves in the foot by allowing the German market to choose to play the PC version.”

It may seem that Microsoft is intentionally limiting the PC market to further its console business – a complaint which Blizzard raised – the executive notes that both platforms are “equally important” on a global scale. He, however, notes that the PC is “dominating” because of much wider uses and that they are forced to make Xbox 360 games there.

Read on »

To celebrate the upcoming Independence Day, Activision has announced that the “Top Gun Anthem” will be available as a free download for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Guitar Hero 3.

“The instrumental, guitar-heavy theme was immortalized in the hit film that inspired a generation of young men to awkwardly serenade women at bars, perform perfectly-timed ‘flipside’ high fives and threaten to ‘buzz the tower,” noted Activision.

The movie, originally released in 1986, starred Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer and Meg Ryan among others. The track will be available this Thursday on both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.

While BioShock is claimed by many to have moved many gamers, I personally did not feel the same way. It was a good game, but the Big Daddy-Little Sister aspect could have been presented in a better fashion.

Keeping that in mind, Gears of War 2 voice actor Carlos Ferro today claimed that the upcoming sequel will be “more emotionally affecting” than the aforementioned narrative-driven shooter. Ferro does the voice for Dominic Santiago, the partner of main character Marcus Fenix. He reveals that Dominic will be searching for his long-lost wife while continuing to battle the aliens who threaten humanity.

“[Gears of War 2 is] going to be more emotionally affecting than Bioshock,” he told Official Xbox Magazine UK. “Beyond it.”

Ferro wouldn’t offer details as to how the game hopes to top BioShock’s guilt-inducing Big Daddy battles, though. We will surely find out this coming November when the game comes out on Xbox 360.

Those looking to get their Guitar Hero on while anxiously awaiting Guitar Hero: World Tour are in luck as Activision has announced today that they have begun shipping Guitar Hero: Aerosmith to retailers across the US.

Focused around popular Rock ‘N’ Roll band, Aerosmith, the game will let players progress through Aerosmith’s career, playing at historical venues once played by the band.

The game will ship with an Aerosmith inspired guitar controller along with a load of the band’s songs, also including various songs from bands Aerosmith has played with or been inspired by.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is now available for all major consoles, including the PS2.

As you can see the new guitar controller that will be shipping with Rock Band 2 isn’t anything to write home about. It’s just the classic Fender shape, albeit smaller than a real guitar would be of course, but this time instead of basic plastic they went with an equally classic faux wood grain finish (well real wood grain is classic).