It seemed a bit strange for me, but I suppose there’s nothing wrong with larger storage capacities. Two online retailers, Amazon German, and another South African retailer recently listed two new models of the Xbox 360 Elite, which feature 250gb hard drives. This comes a mere week after Microsoft announced plans to phase out the Premium bundle in favor of the Arcade and Elite models, slashing the current price of the Elite system by $100, effectively matching the PS3’s latest price point.

According to Kotaku, the latest bundle has been given the title “Super Elite” or something along those lines by the South African retailer, and comes bundled with two wireless controllers for roughly $650 USD. This seems incredibly steep considering what you’re getting for the price, but I’m sure someone out there will want it. I’ve yet to see the new bundle pop up anywhere local, so I’m sure if or when the US will see it, or if it’ll be more reasonably priced if that should happen. Do you think that we really need a new console with that much storage capacity? I can certainly understand why someone would want it, but seeing as I’ve had a 60 gb PS3 since launch, and I’m just now starting get down to my last 10 gbs of free space, I’m having a hard time seeing the need myself. On the other hand, it’s gotta be nice to know you have it. Don’t you think?

Somehow I don’t see it happening, but I wouldn’t be too shocked if it did. Recently, an executive over at Electronic Arts hinted to the idea of Sony and Microsoft will be rolling out new versions of their current consoles before moving on to the next generation of their respective consoles.

To be perfectly honest, I feel we’re still too early in the actual life cycle to be discussing these topics, even then, some people might look at the upcoming Natal and PS3 motion hardware as a form of upgrade as it is. Rich Hilleman, Chief Creative Officer at EA, on the other hand, seems to think that we should be speculating now by stating, ”I expect we’ll see a PlayStation 3.5 before we see a PlayStation 4, and an Xbox 560 before we see an Xbox 720.”

I’m fond of the idea of providing consumers the opportunity to upgrade their consoles, but not if it comes at the price of completely replacing their current models, or having to pay a like sum. It already bothers me that there will be some titles that I just can’t play on my Nintendo DS that will work perfectly on the Nintendo DSi. I’d hate to think that a console which I already paid $300+ for would be reduced in a similar manner.

I was very sad when I first read this, because I remember a day when we didn’t have to fork over extra cash just to get the most out of our systems. It looks as though that’s really no longer the case, and Microsoft finally joinned in on that by removing the HDMI cable that came with the originally Xbox 360 Elite models. That said, it’s not quite going for the original asking price of $479 these days, having slashed the price of the console to $399 last September. While I’m sure there were some enhancements to manufacting that helped them bring that price down, I’d hate to think the majority of that cost was the HDMI cable itself, especially when I’ve seen them going for as low as $24.

While this model of the console makes it the most expensive console on the market, some could argue that it’s still a great deal, and if you look hard enough, you might find it as low as $299, or even better at $269. Though, I’m not too fond of either of the games that come bundled with the holiday package–at least that one comes with the HDMI cable. Lego Indiana Jones was okay, but Kung-Fu Panda? Really? Something tells me that they couldn’t give that game away for free. I suppose if you have kids who loved the movie though, they might enjoy it. Someone has to, right? Either one of these would make a great gift, and with the holiday season coming up, it’s never too early to buy your presents, so keep those deals in mind.

[Image Source: Microsoft]
[via Kotaku]

Square-Enix’s Yoshinori Kitase recently spoke regarding the 360 version of the upcoming game, Final Fantasy XIII. Many gamers have been wondering how exactly they plan on fitting the game onto the console, and if the quality of the game will suffer due to the size limitations of the media they would have to use, namely, DVDs. According to Kitase, they’re currently aiming for 3, though there is no confirmation on the exact number just yet, meaning there might be more, and definitely not any less. “This is not the final count as we’re still working on it, but we’re aiming for about three discs for the Xbox 360 version,” he explained.

In an attempt to appease the fans on both consoles though, he went on to state “The 360 version and the PS3 version should be pretty much equal, both in terms of content and the visuals as well. Since the hardware is different, there might be some subtle differences if you compare screenshots side by side, but the team’s being very careful about the compression of the data and the visuals, so that it’s exactly the same on both.”

I remember the days when announcing that a title would have multiple discs was a major selling point. It would clearly show that you’re getting quite a bit of game for your money. While I’ve actually played a few RPGs on the 360 that span multiple discs, such as Lost Odyssey, I can’t say that it really takes away from the game. As for the damage this could do to the graphics, we’ll just have to wait and see when people compare the two versions side by side.

[Image Source: Square-Enix]

You read that right, MTV is reporting that the upcoming Xbox 360 title, Avatar: The Game, will be the one of the first titles that actually require an HDMI connection for the full 3d experience. That means that not only will you need a compatible television, but an Xbox 360 capable of using HDMI. Early adopters of the 360 should take note, as their consoles are not equipped with an HDMI port. This is assuming your Xbox didn’t red ring at some point, causing Microsoft to send you a new system.  Assuming you have a PS3, HDMI, and a TV capable of displaying 1080p, you’ll be able to get the full 3d effects from the get go. Later model 360 users who also have the aforementioned should also be good to go.

The reason the developer is giving for the HDMI requirement has to do with the 1080p aspect ratio. Apparently the only way the 360 will be capable of properly rendering the effects requires that resolution via HDMI out. It should also be noted that the Wii version of the game will not be capable of the full 3d experience. Avatar: The Game is based on the James Cameron movie of the same name and is due out this December.

[Editor’s note: A reader pointed out–rather rudely, mind you–that the 360 is capable of displaying 1080p via RGB. I assume he meant through component, but rather than trying to argue the difference between rendering and upscaling, I’ll merely point out that these were the claims of the developer. I simply reported them. I also clarified as to what I believe he meant by changing the above paragraph to read “rendering” rather than “display.”]

In a recent interview with Kikizo, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction Lead Designer Steven Masters mentioned that his team “could absolutely execute on PS3,” and that the game’s current Xbox 360 exclusivity is merely due to boardroom politics. The obvious conclusion to draw from that statement is that Microsoft inked a deal to prevent the title from being released on other consoles. Smart move, especially considering the amazing reception the game has recieved so far with the press. I even had the pleasure of watching a ShamWow-esque pitchman show off the game at E3 which, all kidding aside, looked spectacular.

Masters went on to elaborate by saying “…Ubisoft as a company now has a lot of experience with PS3. Our processes, tools, techniques are very well-developed– we could absolutely execute on the PS3 if we had the opportunity, but like I said it was a business decision.” At least that means that we can expect Assassin’s Creed 2 to look amazing, despite the fact that we won’t be seeing Conviction released on the system. On the bright side, I own an Xbox 360, so I’ll be buying the game any ways. If you own one, I suggest you do the same. After all, it’s been awhile since we’ve seen any Splinter Cell titles as good as this, and if you’re a fan of the series, you won’t be disappointed.

Microsoft recently reiterated it’s long time stance on Blu-ray, bluntly stating that it still isn’t even being considered. These statements come after Toshiba announced that they’re looking into Blu-ray development, having previously supported their own HD-DVD format, which failed to secure a market during the brief format war. In a statement released by Microsoft, they went on record to defend their current strategy of distribution with digital downloads and streaming via Netflix. They pounded their proverbial chest, going on to mention the overwhelming number of titles available on their Xbox Live! network, which is currently around 20,000, 5,000 of which are currently available in high definition.

I find it sad, considering they were so quick to jump on the HD-DVD bandwagon when it was first introduced to the market. I even own one of their HD-DVD players. I don’t really regret it, considering I’m one of those guys who just has to have everything. How else was I going to watch Serenity in HD– at the time, it was exclusive to the format. With so many shows and movies going Blu-ray these days, you’d think that’d be a market that’d be easy to tap. It’s not like introducing the drive as an add-on would actually hurt their sales numbers. If anything, it’d hurt their competition even more, as being a Blu-ray player is one of the major selling points for the PS3. Am I alone on this one?

[Image Source: Microsoft]

LucasArts announced today that big things are in store for The Force Unleashed later this fall. In addition to a new level that continues the story, they will be releasing a special edition of the game dubbed The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition. In addition to the previous levels released in the original version of the game, this new title claims to “show gamers the deepest, darkest side of the Force in a story that puts them on a collision course with Luke Skywalker himself.” It will also include the DLC and an all-new exclusive bonus level.

It was unclear if the new level they plan on releasing is the same as the one included in this special retail version of the game, however the way they worded the press release leads me to believe that they’ll be different. The new downloadable level they mentioned takes place on Tatooine, and involves the Emperor sending you to dispatch Obi-Wan Kenobi, leading you to Jabba’s palace, and a show down with the infamous Boba Fett. It sounds pretty exciting so I hope that you haven’t sold your copy of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. If you have, or you just want it, you can a buy a copy for relatively cheap if you look in the right places.

It’s been confirmed that Halo 3: ODST, like it’s predecessor Halo 3, will not be running at full HD. Instead it will use the same 1152×640 resolution that Halo 3 employs, though I can hardly see how this will keep anyone from buying the game. Having had more than one opportunity to sit down with the title at E3 and again this weekend at San Diego Comic Con, I can verify that any Halo fan will absolutely love it. The game features the same amazing game play, and the new levels will satisfy anyone who has been craving more, since Halo 3 launched last year.

Bungie went on record stating that the graphical enhancements were due to the hard work of their artists and not the  engine itself, which is borrowed from the previous title. This means they used the same tools to go back and really add some extra finish to the engine which they have already had quite a bit experience working with. No doubt we’ll all get to see how that pays off when Halo 3: ODST launches this September. Until then, you can always sharpen your skills online.

According to a recent PushSquare interview with Tecmo, the developer went on record explaining that they are currently in love with developing for the PS3 right now as it has highest specs. This strikes me as odd as many developers have found that the ease of development for the Xbox 360, and the additional memory that the console makes available tends to steer most developers towards choosing the Xbox as the lead console for most projects. That said, Tecmo proved with Ninja Gaiden Sigma that programming for the PS3 wasn’t a big challenge for them, and even stated that they can’t understand the complaints from other devs.

They went on to explain that their recent shift in development is merely because the specs better suit their games. While I’m not privy on the details, I can only assume this means that the lack of space on standard DVDs results in compressed textures and sound. No doubt they’re excited about their upcoming title, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and with their recent merge with Koei, it wouldn’t surprise me if we start seeing more PS3 exclusives from both of the development teams. I’d love to see other developers eager to take on the PS3, but I honestly hope they don’t abandon the Xbox all together. The market is still huge and ignoring it is probably a bad business practice.