I came across this one while surfing Kotaku earlier last night. Apparently MicroCenter is offering a $100 mail in rebate on the purchase of either model of the Xbox 360. My advice to you is this; if you're looking to pick up an Xbox 360 (and with Gears of War out there, who isn't?) and you have a MicroCenter near you, you'd be an absolute fool not to at least swing by and check if they have any in stock. That hundred bucks could easily be used for another wireless controller, a play & charge kit or even a game... like Gears of War.

Check out the Kotaku story here for more details on the offer - as far as I can see, there's nothing else you have to buy to qualify for the rebate.

Posted by nylatenite at 1:35 AM EST

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Well, I think with the cuts Sony made to the number of consoles in the Japanese launch, everyone saw this one coming a mile away. Gamestop has announced that they have received their final shipment numbers from Sony and have found that they cannot cover even the meager number of PlayStation 3 pre-orders they accepted back in October. Word is that each Gamestop will be calling the few people on their pre-order list in the next day or so to let them know the status of their orders. Those that are scheduled to get a console at launch will be given the option of getting a free game or movie worth up to $19.99 if they're willing to wait for the second shipment of systems - which Gamestop advises should arrive well before Christmas. (Of course, last year that means December 23rd in reference to the Xbox 360 I pre-ordered back in May of that year). Those that aren't scheduled to get one at launch will simply be advised that their systems should be in before Christmas.

After finding out about this, I quickly checked my phone and found that my local Gamestop had indeed tried to contact me, but did not choose to leave a message. I guess I'll find out sometime tomorrow whether or not mt pre-order is among the ones slated for the 17th. You know, I've got to wonder - if Gamestop only took about 8 pre-orders per store and Sony can't even meet that demand, what does it say about the number of units that are actually going on sale on the 17th... could that "North American launch numbers cut from 400,00 to 200,000" launch unit rumor be true?

Finally, for those of you who managed to get a pre-order in at Toys R Us, things are still looking good for you right now. Toys R Us has so far maintained that they will be able to honor all of their pre-orders.

Posted by nylatenite at 1:34 AM EST

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There's a huge drop in the quality of the offerings listed below compared to what we've seen in the last few weeks, and for good reason. Would you want your game to come up against the launch of both the PlayStation 3 and Wii?

If you're not one of the lucky folks picking up a PS3 or Wii this week, there are still a few things in the release schedule that could be of interest. Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (360) is sure to find a niche crowd, wrestling fans get a new WWE game in WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2007 (360 & PS2), EverQuest II (PC) expands yet again with Echoes of Faydwer and Final Fantasy III (DS) sees it's handheld debut. See? it's not all bad.

If you're wondering why the PlayStation 3 and Wii launch titles aren't listed below, it's because I'm still waiting to see a confirmed launch lineup for both systems. As soon as Sony and Nintendo let us know what we can expect to see on the shelves come launch, I'll be sure to post it.

• Aircraft Power Pack for Microsoft Flight Simulator X - PC - 11/14/2006
  
• Blitz: The League - 360 - 11/14/2006
  
• Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 - 360 - 11/14/2006
  
• Emperor's Treasures - PC - 11/14/2006
  
• EverQuest II: Echoes of Faydwer - PC - 11/14/2006
  
• Fifth Disciple - PC - 11/14/2006
  
• Great Invasions - PC - 11/14/2006
  
• Hipsoft Puzzle Game Collection - PC - 11/14/2006
  
• March of the Penguins - GBA - 11/14/2006
  
• Medieval II: Total War - PC - 11/14/2006
  
• Model Train 3D - PC - 11/14/2006
  
• My Frogger: Toy Trials - DS - 11/14/2006
  
• Polarium Advance - GBA - 11/14/2006
  
• Teen Titans - XBX - 11/14/2006
  
• Uno/Skip-Bo/Uno Freefall - DS - 11/14/2006
  
• Winx Club: The Quest for the Codex - DS - 11/14/2006
  
• Winx Club: The Quest for the Codex - GBA - 11/14/2006
  
• World Championship Poker: All In - 360 - 11/14/2006
  
• Yoshi's Island 2 - DS - 11/14/2006
  
• Agatha Christie Murder on the Orient Express - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• Asphalt: Urban GT 2 - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• Barbie 12 Dancing Princesses - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Bass Pro Trophy Fishing - XBX - 11/15/2006
  
• Bionicle Heroes - 360 - 11/15/2006
  
• Bionicle Heroes - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• Bionicle Heroes - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Bionicle Heroes - GC - 11/15/2006
  
• Bionicle Heroes - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• Bionicle Heroes - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Capcom Classics 2 - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Capcom Classics Collection Volume 2 - XBX - 11/15/2006
  
• Catz 2006 - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• Charlotte's Web - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• Charlotte's Web - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Charlotte's Web - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• Dance Dance Revolution: Ultramix 4 - XBX - 11/15/2006
  
• Dark Age of Camelot 5th Anniversary Edition - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• Dogz 2006 - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• Drive to Survive - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• EA Replay - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Equestrian Challenge - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Eragon - 360 - 11/15/2006
  
• Eragon - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• Eragon - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Eragon - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• Eragon - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Eragon - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Eragon - XBX - 11/15/2006
  
• F-24: Stealth Fighter - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Final Fantasy III - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• GitarooMan Lives! - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Gothic III - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• Gunpey - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• Gunpey - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Hammy Goes Nuts - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Happy Feet - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• Happy Feet - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Happy Feet - GC - 11/15/2006
  
• Happy Feet - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• Happy Feet - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Hard Rock Casino - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Hard Rock Casino - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Heroes of Might & Magic V: Hammers of Fate - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• History Channel: Civil War - 360 - 11/15/2006
  
• Horsez - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Luxor: The Wrath of Set - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Monster Bomber - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• Naruto Uzumaki Chronicles - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Need for Speed Collection - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• NFL Street V3 - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• NFL Street V3 - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Pimp My Ride - 360 - 11/15/2006
  
• Platypus - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Red Octane Wireless Guitar (Hardware) - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Safari Photo Africa: Wild Earth - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• Shrek Smash and Crash - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Shrek Smash and Crash - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Singstar Rocks - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Sonic the Hedgehog - 360 - 11/15/2006
  
• Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Spider-Man: Battle for NY - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• Spider-Man: Battle for NY - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Star Trek: Tactical Assault - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Super Robot Taisen 2 - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2 - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• Tomb Raider: Legend - DS - 11/15/2006
  
• Tomb Raider: Legend - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Tomb Raider: Legend - GC - 11/15/2006
  
• Totally Spies! 2: Undercover - GBA - 11/15/2006
  
• Victorious Boxers 2: Fighting Spirit - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Warhammer: Battle for Atluma - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• World War II Online: Battleground Europe - PC - 11/15/2006
  
• WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2007 - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2007 Special Edition - 360 - 11/15/2006
  
• WWE Smackdown Vs. RAW 2007 - 360 - 11/15/2006
  
• Xiaolin Showdown - PS2 - 11/15/2006
  
• Xiaolin Showdown - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Xiaolin Showdown - XBX - 11/15/2006
  
• Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force - PSP - 11/15/2006
  
• Brain Boost: Beta Wave - DS - 11/16/2006
  
• Brain Boost: Gamma Wave - DS - 11/16/2006
  
• Mortal Kombat Deception: Unchained - PSP - 11/16/2006
  
• Thrillville - PS2 - 11/16/2006
  
• Thrillville - PSP - 11/16/2006
  
• Thrillville - XBX - 11/16/2006
  
• D.I.R.T.: Origin Of The Species - PC - 11/17/2006
  
• Face Factory 2 - PC - 11/17/2006
  
• Horsez - PC - 11/17/2006
  
• Sega Genesis Collection - PSP - 11/17/2006
  
• Sonic Riders - PC - 11/17/2006
  
• Sonic Rivals - PSP - 11/17/2006
  
• Teddy Factory - PC - 11/17/2006
  
• Tonka On the Job - GBA - 11/17/2006
  
• Heroes of Annihilated Empires - PC - 11/18/2006
  

Please keep in mind these are only estimated release dates and could change at any time.

Posted by nylatenite at 1:06 AM EST

Updated: Monday, 13 November 2006 1:21 AM EST

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Sure, most of us have been playing it non-stop since the middle of last week, but today is Emergence Day, the day when not only did the Locust rise from their subterranean tunnels to overrun the world of Sera, but also the day that Microsoft has decided to celebrate Gears of War launch by holding numerous Gears related contests and sweepstakes on the Xbox Live service.

There's a lot going on today, including a chance to play with/against Gears' lead designer Cliff "CliffyB" Bleszinski - oh, the magic it would be to curb stomp the man responsible for the madness. Here is today's schedule as per Xbox.com;

"Xbox Live® celebrates Emergence Day with 24 hours of special events beginning at 12:01 A.M. on Sunday, November 12 on Xbox Live. Gold members in North America can join online tournaments, download exclusive videos, win cool prizes, and participate in variety of other activities:

• Leaderboard tournament: The 24-hour leaderboard tournament winner receives a one-of-a-kind Gears of War branded guitar as well as an automatic bye to the finals of a global Gears of War tournament planned for 2007.
• Hourly sweepstakes drawings: Prize giveaways mean you could win one of several Samsung HT-P29 Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound Systems.
• Gamer pic and theme: Score the exclusive free Gears of War gamer pic and theme, only available on Emergence Day.
• Game with Fame: Play with legendary heavy metal band and Gears of War fans Megadeth, the game's lead designer Cliff Bleszinski, and other members of the Epic Games team.
• New videos: Check out the never-before-seen videos including a special Emergence Day transmission from Cliff Bleszinski.
• MTV Special: Watch the MTV "Gears of War: The Road to Launch" sneak preview.

Game with Fame Schedule
On Sunday, November 12, The Gears of War development team and some other surprise celebrities will be taking on the Xbox Live community to celebrate Emergence Day. Here's your chance to see how the game is played by taking on the guys that actually built the game! Stick around, you don't want to miss a chance to test your skills against Gears of War designer Cliff Bleszinski.

Dave Mustaine from Megadeth: Challenge this rock star (and avid gamer) at 3 P.M. Pacific / 6 P.M. Eastern. Look for the gamertag GWFMegadeth.

Epic Games Team: 4 P.M. to 6 P.M. Pacific / 7 P.M. to 9 P.M. Eastern. Be on the lookout for the gamertags below. The team members will be popping into existing games or inviting Xbox Live members into games throughout the evening.

• EpicMarkRein: Mark Rein, Vice President
• EpicRodF: Rod Fergusson, Producer
• EpicLeeP: Lee Perry, Lead Level Design
• EpicRayD: Ray Davis, Lead Programmer·
• EpicJimB: Jim Brown, Multiplayer Level Design
• EpicDevTeam1, EpicDevTeam2, EpicDevTeam3, EpicDevTeam4, EpicDevTeam5, EpicDevTeam6: Various additional team members

Cliff "Cliffy B" Bleszinski: 4 P.M. to 6 P.M. Pacific / 7 P.M. to 9 P.M. Eastern

To try your hand against Design Lead Cliff Bleszinski, be on the lookout for Xbox Live Gamertag EpicCliffyB.

If you get the chance to play the Epic guys, we want to hear all about it! Send us an email at xlmail@microsoft.com and let us know what happened. The subject line should be "GWF Epic." Don't forget to include your gamertag and hometown!

Play & Win All Day
Help defeat the Locusts on November 12 and do your part to save humanity (or destroy it, depending on which side you choose), and you'll also be entered in the "Play and Win" contest, with the chance to win one of eight Samsung Integrated DVD players. Each hour, five winners will also receive 1000 Microsoft Points for use in Xbox Live Marketplace.

To enter, just play Gears of War on Xbox Live on Emergence Day. Check back here for the list of winners after the game. If your gamertag is on the list, send a friend request to Xbox Live gamertag GearsPlayWin. Read the official rules.

Warzone Leaderboard Tournament
Win a Gears of War guitar! This customized AX-50 electric guitar from ESP Guitars has a satin silver finish, custom Gears of War graphic, maple neck, powerful ESP LH-100 humbucking pickups, and Tune-O-Matic bridge. At an Estimated Retail Value of $469 with the included case, this menacing guitar is built to rock. The tournament winner will also get an invitation to compete in the finals of the 2007 Gears of War Xbox Live Tournament.

To win, just play Gears of War on Xbox Live on November 12, starting at 12:01 A.M., and own the top spot on the Warzone leaderboard at 11:59 P.M.

Check back here to see the top 25 gamertags on the leaderboard. If you're number one, send a friend request to Xbox Live gamertag GearsTourney to claim your prize. Read the official rules." - Xbox.com

Even if you don't plan on playing in any of the matches, be sure to at least download the Emergence Day gamerpics and theme before they're gone. So what are you waiting for? Move it soldier, move it!

Posted by nylatenite at 12:53 PM EST

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Looks like Toys R Us will be taking a few more Nintendo Wii pre-orders at their retail outlets - at least that's the word coming from the folks at Kotaku who have managed to get their hands on tomorrows retail flyer a day early. However, word in their comments section says that the stores are denying it when people call to confirm, so if you do go out there to give it a shot, please be ready for the possibility of failure. Check out the Kotaku posting here for more details - and good luck.

Posted by nylatenite at 5:53 PM EST

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Okay gang, take this one with a really big grain of salt, but while reading the December 2006 issue of EGM, I came across this little blurb rumor regarding Metal Gear Solid 4 on page 51;

"Fanboys always have their favorites, and most Sony lovers are proud to brag about the PS3 snagging the exclusive rights to Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Unless it comes out on the 360, that is. Yes, as crazy as it may sound, I hear Konami is forcing the game's head honcho, Hideo Kojima, to port Metal Gear Solid 4 over to the 360." - Electronic Gaming Monthly, Dec 2006 issue, page 51

I don't think I need to tell you just how big of a blow to the PlayStation 3 this would be if it turns out to be true. Personally, I'll believe it when I see it.

 UPDATE: 11/11/06 3:57pm - I'm noticing a spike in bandwidth usage at the moment, so if it's in reference to this story, I feel the need to again state this is a RUMOR and was presented in EGM not as news, but in their rumors section.

Posted by nylatenite at 12:21 PM EST

Updated: Saturday, 11 November 2006 4:00 PM EST

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Capcom has announced that they will be releasing a multiplayer demo of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition via the Xbox Live Marketplace on November 23rd and yes, they are aware that's Thanksgiving here in the United States. According to Gamespot, the demo will allow up to 16 players to do battle on one map with multiple weapons, vehicles and four different game types.

"Gamers who grabbed Gears of War this week might have noticed a promotional insert in the package that mentioned a new downloadable multiplayer demo of Capcom's Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. However, Capcom representatives wouldn't talk when asked about how soon that demo would hit the Xbox Live Marketplace.

The publisher finally answered that question today with the announcement that the Lost Planet multiplayer demo would be available to download on November 23, Thanksgiving Day in the US. The demo will allow up to 16 players to play on a single map with multiple weapons, robotic combat suits, and four game types." - Gamespot

Who needs turkey when you've got ice cold combat action anyway, right?

Posted by nylatenite at 12:20 PM EST

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Blizzard has announced that World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade will be released on January 16th in North America. The highly anticipated first expansion to Blizzard's massive hit promises to greatly expand the world of Azeroth and hopefully breathe some life into a game many feel is beginning to get a little stale;

"In World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, players will be able to advance their characters up to level 70, unlocking a world of power and possibilities along the way. Additional features coming in The Burning Crusade include two new playable races (the Blood Elves and the Draenei), flying mounts, new talents and abilities for all character classes, the new jewelcrafting profession, new magical weapons and armor, and many enhancements to player-vs.-player action. The expansion will also lead veteran players through the fabled Dark Portal and into Outland, former homeworld of the Orcs and site of a series of cataclysmic events that helped shape the history of the Warcraft® universe. In this shattered world, players will encounter new challenges and dangers in the form of new outdoor zones, quests, dungeons, never-before-seen monsters, and much more. Over the course of their new adventures in The Burning Crusade, players will grow in experience and power as they uncover the rich lore and mysteries of Outland and do battle with the demonic forces of The Burning Legion." - Blizzard Entertainment

Blizzard also took the opportunity to announce that they've broken the 7.5 million subscriber mark. Daaaaaaamn that's a lot of money. To read about on all this and more, check out Blizzard's latest Burning Crusade press release at this link.

Posted by nylatenite at 2:05 AM EST

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Just a quick note here - at about 9:30pm EST tonight, I checked Gamestop's website to see how they were doing on those ridiculously overpriced Wii bundle preorders and discovered that they've already sold out of them - I guess the saying is true, there really is a sucker born every minute. I don't mean to sound rude, but based on Nintendo's shipping forecasts, I really don't foresee someone needing to buy a bunch of overpriced stuff that they won't use in order to get their hands on a Wii. It almost makes you shudder when you think of what they're going to ask gamers to buy in order to get a PlayStation 3, doesn't it?

Posted by nylatenite at 2:03 AM EST

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In the last few days several PlayStation 3 launch titles have either been cancelled or pushed back. Now when I first saw the PS3 launch list, I already felt that it was a bit light, but if this keeps up, it's going to just be pathetic. Here's the latest from around the old internet water cooler.

• Sonic the Hedgehog has been pushed back a few weeks (Kotaku)
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has been delayed until 2007 (Kotaku, Gamespot, Elder Scrolls Official Forums)
• Electronic Arts has cancelled NBA Live '07 (Gamespot, Kotaku)
• F.E.A.R. is rumored to be delayed until 2007. (Gamespot)

It just seems to be one misstep after another for Sony and the PlayStation 3. With all the reports of the lack of support Sony was giving developers, it's not really surprising to see a lot of the launch games miss the 17th, but I do have to wonder if the fact that Sony's own NBA '07 had something to do with the cancellation of NBA Live '07.

Posted by nylatenite at 2:01 AM EST

Updated: Friday, 10 November 2006 2:13 AM EST

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