Video Gaming News - November 2005

Redmond, WA (November 15, 2005) - Microsoft today revealed details on the new Xbox Live Marketplace.

From Microsoft:

In anticipation of the next generation console launch, Microsoft today announced that more than 400 pieces of downloadable Xbox Live Marketplace content—including free interactive demos for games like; “FIFA Soccer 06 Road to the 2006 FIFA World Cup” (Electronic Arts), “Kameo: Elements of Power” (Microsoft Game Studios), “Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie” (Ubisoft), “NBA LIVE 06” (Electronic Arts), and “Need for Speed Most Wanted” (Electronic Arts) as well as new music videos from Franz Ferdinand and Audioslave courtesy of Epic Records—will be available to Xbox 360 fans starting November 22nd. Freely accessible to anyone with a broadband connection, Xbox Live Marketplace is a digital download center providing free and premium content for games, as well as entertainment content such as movie trailers and music videos.

Premium Xbox Live Marketplace content will be available for purchase with Microsoft Points. Microsoft Points is a new stored-value system that will let consumers purchase a number of points, and then redeem those points for content online, ranging from gamer pictures and themes to full game downloads on Xbox Live Arcade. Microsoft Points will be available for purchase at participating retail stores and via the Xbox Live Dashboard. In North America, consumers can purchase a card worth 1600 Points for an MSRP of $19.99. Offers in the dashboard will range from 500 points and up.

On November 22nd, Xbox 360 users who connect their console to a broadband connection and create an Xbox Live membership, either the paid Gold membership or free Silver membership, can look forward to content such as:

Amped 3 (2K Sports)
- Game Trailer (free)
- 10 Gamer Pictures (20 points each)
- 1 Theme (150 points)

Call of Duty 2 (Activision Inc.)
- Game Trailer (free)
- 7 Gamer Pictures (20 points each)
- 2 Gamer Picture Bundles (40 – 80 points each)
- 1 Theme (150 points)

Condemned: Criminal Origins (SEGA Corp)
- Game Trailer (free)
- 10 Gamer Pictures (20 points each)
- 1 Theme (150 points)

FIFA Soccer 06 Road to 2006 FIFA World Cup (Electronic Arts Inc.)
- Game Trailer (free)
- EA Sports Trailer (free)
- Game Demo (free)
- FIFA Team Logo Gamer Pictures (60 points each)
- FIFA Team Logo Themes (150 points each)

GUN (Activision)
- Game Trailer (free)
- 5 Gamer Pictures (20 points each)
- 1 Gamer Picture Bundle (80 points)
- 1 Theme (150 points)

Kameo: Elements of Power (Microsoft Game Studios and Rare Ltd.)
- Winter Warrior Pack (200 points)
- Game Trailer (free)
- Game Demo (free)
- 4 Gamer Pictures (20 points each)
- 2 Gamer Picture 5-pack Bundles (80 points each)
- 7 Themes (150 points each)

Madden NFL 06 (Electronic Arts)
- Game Trailer (free)
- EA Sports Trailer (free)
- NFL Logo Gamer Pictures (60 points each)
- Collection of All NFL Logo Gamer Pictures (500 points)
- NFL Logo Themes (150 points each)

NBA 2K6 (2K Sports)
- Game Trailer (free)

NBA LIVE 06 (Electronic Arts)
- EA Sports Trailer (free)
- Game Demo (free)

Need for Speed Most Wanted (Electronic Arts)
- Game Trailer (free)
- Game Demo (free)

NHL 2K6 (2K Sports)
- Game Trailer (free)

Perfect Dark Zero (Microsoft Game Studios and Rare Ltd)
- Game Trailer (free)

Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie (Ubisoft)
- Game Demo (free)
- Game Trailer (free)

Project Gotham Racing 3 (Microsoft Game Studios and Bizarre Creations Ltd.)
- Game Trailer (free)

Quake 4 (Activision, id Software Inc. and Raven Software Corp.)
- Game Trailer (free)
- 7 Gamer Pictures (20 points each)
- 1 Theme (150 points)

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 06 (Electronic Arts)
- EA Sports Trailer (free)

Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland (Activision)
- Game Trailer (free)
- 10 Gamer Pictures (20 points)
- 1 Gamer Picture Bundle (80 points)
- 1 Theme (150 points)

Plus:
- High Definition Music Video "Show Me How to Live" from Audioslave's Live in Cuba DVD
- Music Video "Do You Want To" from Franz Ferdinand's new album, You Could Have It So Much Better
- “Aeon Flux” HD movie trailer from Paramount
- “Pulse” HD movie trailer from Magnolia Pictures
- Penny Arcade Gamer Pictures and Themes
- Red vs. Blue Videos
- High Definition Movie Trailers and Music Videos
- Game Trailers for upcoming games
- …and much more!

The exclusive launch content also includes the next-generation Xbox Live Arcade online service, which is fully integrated into the Xbox 360 Dashboard providing a central destination for Xbox 360 gamers to download new games, access their game collections, check out new releases and experience around-the-game features. Xbox Live Arcade games will be available for 400, 800 or 1200 Points, with a majority of titles priced at 800 points or less.

Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 games that will be available on November 22nd include:

Bankshot Billiards 2 (1200 points) – pixelStorm, Inc.
Bejeweled 2 (800 points) – Popcap Games
Gauntlet (400 points) – Midway Home Entertainment
Geometry Wars Retro Evolved (400 points) – Bizzare Creations
Hardwood Backgammon (400 points) – Silver Creek Entertainment
Hardwood Hearts (400 points) – Silver Creek Entertainment
Hardwood Spades (400 points) – Silver Creek Entertainment
Hexic HD (full version included free with Xbox 360 System) – Microsoft Game Studios
Joust (400 points) – Midway Home Entertainment
Mutant Storm Reloaded (800 points) – PomPom Games
Outpost Kaloki (800 points) – Wahoo Studios
Robotron 2084 (400 points) – Midway Home Entertainment
Smash TV (400 points) – Midway Home Entertainment
Wik: Fable of Souls (800 points) – Reflexive Entertainment
Zuma (800 points) – Popcap Games

In addition, each Xbox Live Arcade game on Xbox 360 offers a fully playable trial version, , enabling gamers to experience their favorite arcade games in high-definition before deciding to purchase.

“We’re incredibly excited about providing gamers with that they want – inexpensive and entertaining digital content delivered right to their Xbox 360,” said Peter Moore, Corporate Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Publishing for Xbox at Microsoft. “Xbox Live Marketplace puts the buying power directly into the consumer’s hands, allowing each person to choose digital content they want, when they want it.”

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