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We are only a mere three days from Europe’s “Emergence Day” and if
 reports from across the pond are anything to go by, the Xbox360
finally has its Killer-App. In spite of stiff competition from the
usual Xbox360 titles and the newly released Call of Duty 3,
Gears of War has quickly and efficiently curb-stomped,
chain-sawed and blasted its way to the top of the list of Most
Played Xbox360 XboxLIVE! titles. It’s still getting spanked
by Halo 2 in the Most Played XboxLIVE! stakes though.
Stellar reviews have been awarded to Epic Games futuristic
Third-Person Action title across the board, so expect to see it
frequently on your Friends List this weekend. However, will this be
enough to dull the impending US launch of the PlayStation3?
If you’re under the impression that the UK has a long wait for new
console launches, spare a thought for territories other than Japan,
the USA, Europe and Oceania. India had to wait over eight months and
South Africa closer to ten for the Xbox360. However, Microsoft is
very keen to bring its white box of tricks to as many regions as
possible and last week it confirmed the Xbox360 would be launched in
yet another. Brazil will join Chile, Colombia and Mexico in the
Latin America area and Microsoft hopes to make the system available
to the fifteenth largest videogame market by Christmas. Launch
titles includes the usual,
Perfect Dark Zero,
Amped 3 etc, as well as the hugely
anticipated Gears of War. Microsoft’s goal of ten million
Xbox360’s sold by Christmas becomes more likely by the day.
Microsoft’s XboxLIVE! Video Marketplace looks set to go in
the US on 22nd November, 2006, and predictably, Microsoft
have confirmed that they will be bringing the service to all major
territories in the future. CBS, Warner Bros., Viacom, Paramount, UFC
and Turner have all confirmed they will be providing TV Programmes
and Movies for the service, paving the way for such entertainment
delights as South Park, C.S.I., Mission Impossible
III and V for Vendetta. Prices are currently expected to
be around $1.99 (£1.05) for TV Programmes and $3.99 (£2.10) for
Movies. Quite when this will be arriving in the UK is still a
mystery however.
With so much speculation and hype surrounding
Gears of War
it’s easy to forget that the Xbox360 has another stunning
Third-Person Action game on the way. While a Single-Player demo of
the ice planet bug-fest that is
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
has
 been on XboxLIVE! Marketplace since May, gamers have
yet to sample the Multi-Player features. Luckily, that is all about
to change with the arrival of a Multi-Player demo on 23rd November,
2006. A single Map will be offered, Pirate’s Fortress, but the demo
will include four different game types; Elimination, Team
Elimination, Post Grab and Fugitive. Gamers will also have the
chance to get to grips with the games’ mechs, known as Vital Suits.
Initial impressions of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition were
very good, so let’s hope that the game can give Gears Of War
a run for its money when it’s released in the UK on 12th
January 2007.
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