If you are a Trials HD fan, then you’ll want to check out the Big Thrills Contest. It’s pretty simple…design a track and if you get chosen you’ll win cash and your track will be included in the Big Thrills expansion pack coming later this year.
EDIT: I will have one of the new Xbox 360’s for you to look at ..so come on down
Next week is full of game related activities in LA, and we have just added one more. This time you don’t need to work in the gaming industry, or know someone who knows someone. Anyone that would like to attend is welcome!
What:
Xbox LIVE Tweetup, hosted by hosted by Major Nelson, e, lauralollip0p and Stepto. Plus, Xbox LIVE’s Notwen is scheduled to attend after he finishes his media briefing duties
If you live in the Boston area or are in town for PAX East, I wanted to remind you that we’ll be having the official Xbox TweetUp on Friday March 26th from 9:30am – 11:30am at Microsoft’s New England Research & Development office (NERD.) I’ll be there along with my show co-hosts e, lollip0p and Stepto. We’ll be there with other members of the Xbox LIVE team and community (like DMZilla and litheon.) The doors for PAX don’t open until 2pm on Friday so join us first before you head to the Hynes Convention Center for the rest of the weekend.
There is no registration or admission fee, and you DO NOT need a PAX pass to attend the TweetUp
When: Friday, March 26th from 9:30am to 11:30am Where: Microsoft Nerd (Click for driving or directions via the T) What: Meet members of the Xbox LIVE team and other members of the community Why: We’ve got coffee, juice and sugar laced snacks to get your Friday started, plus the first 300 peoplewho attend will walk away with an exclusive PAX East Hoodie for your Xbox LIVE Avatar - complete with Crackdown orbs in place of the O’s in Boston. You’ll only be able to get one if you come to our Tweet-up on Friday or to the live recording of my podcast on Saturday at PAX. If you got shut out of getting your PAX tickets, then head to the Tweet up since you don’t need a pass to get in!
Come to the TweetUp and we’ll hook you and your Xbox LIVE Avatar up with these:
If you DO have PAX Passes, be sure to stop by the Xbox Booth (#811)where will have some of the newest games to show and for the first time anywhere you can have hands-on time with Crackdown 2. In addition to Crackdown 2 we’ll also be showing the following games in our booth:
We have a full slate of events scheduled for this weeks PAX East in Boston. Starting Thursday, we have a different event each day for Boston area gamers. I am pretty excited to be headed to New England for the events and meet many area gamers.
Thursday, March 25th
I am kicking off our PAX activity a little early with this Pre-Pax 2010 session for area college students. I’ll be doing this at the Microsoft NERD in Cambridge. There is no admission fee, and you don’t need PAX passes to attend, but you will need to register as capacity is limited.
When: March 25th from 5:30pm to 6:30pm Where: Microsoft Nerd What: I’ll be meeting with college students to discuss working in the game industry. If you are a Boston area college student, head over to the Microsoft NERD Facebook group to keep updated on similar events.
Again, this is a free event but you will need to register to attend. Once we reach capacity, they’ll have to close registration.
Edit: We have reached capacity for this event.
Friday, March 26th – Tweetup!
I’ll be headed back to NERD but this time with my show co-hosts e, lollip0p and Stepto. We’ll be there with other members of the Xbox LIVE team and community (like DMZilla and litheon.) The doors for PAX don’t open until 2pm on Friday so join us first before you roll over to the Hynes Convention Center for the rest of the weekend.
There is no registration or admission fee, and you don’t need PAX passes to attend.
When: March 26th from 9:30am to 11:30am Where: Microsoft Nerd What: Meet members of the Xbox LIVE team and other members of the community Why: We’ve got some coffee and sugar laced snacks to get your Friday started, plus we’ll have some giveaways plus the first 300 peoplewho attend will walk away with an exclusive PAX East item. We’ll also have a Surface on hand if you want to get your hands dirty (digitally speaking of course) with one.
If you DO have PAX Passes, be sure to stop by the Xbox Booth where will have some of the newest games to show and for the first time anywhere you can have hands-on time with Crackdown 2.
Also, allow me to draw your attention to the following panels where many of your favorite Xbox LIVE members will be participating:
Friday, 6:30pm: Traversing the Twitterverse, and Beyond! (Manticore Theatre) Join me along with @Xboxsupport’s McKenzie Eakin and Robert Bowling from IW as we discuss Twitter and gaming.
Saturday, 3:00pm: Xbox LIVE Group Therapy.(Wyvern Theatre) WE’LL DO IT LIVE! Join me for the first ever live taping of my podcast. They entire gang will be there, including e, lollip0p and Stepto. We’ll have an hour of fun as we try to record a ‘normal show’ and then take your questions. Come be a part of history.
Saturday, 5:30pm: Podcasting (f)or PR (Naga Theater) I’ll be on a panel to discuss the medium with Julian Murdoch [Freelance Writer, GamersWithJobs.com], Jeff Green [Editor-in-Chief, EA], Ken Levine [Creative Director, Irrational Games ], Shawn Elliott [Podcast Producer, Irrational Games], James Stevenson [Insomniac Games].
Sunday, 11:30am, Enforcement on Xbox LIVE: Tales from the Din Part 2 (Manticore Theatre). Join Stephen "Stepto" Toulouse, head of Xbox LIVE Policy and Enforcement, and members of his team as he walks you through the ins and outs of policing the service. If you saw (or heard) his session at PAX in Seattle last year, you’ll be glad to know his session has been updated with all new content and even more unbelievable stories.
If you plan on attending South By Southwest or if you live in the Austin, TX area we’ve got a couple of events next week that may interest you. First if you are attending the SXSW Interactive conference, make time for Xbox LIVE General Manager Marc Whitten (Gamertag: Notwen.) Marc will be presenting The Future of the Digital Living Room on Tuesday, March 16th at 12:30pm. Hit this session to hear Marc’s view on where entertainment is headed and what role the internet will play in the living room. I’ll be there with Marc to help facilitate his Q&A session at the end of the presentation.
Update: Due to a last minute schedule change, Marc will be unable to attend…but everyone else will be there!
Do you live in the Austin area but don’t plan on attending SXSW? No problem…swing by our Xbox Party at the Six Lounge from 3 until 5pm on Tuesday March 16th. I will be there along with Laura (lollip0p), Eric (DMZilla) and a few more from the Xbox team. Spend a few hours with us and enjoy the Salt Lick BBQ we’re providing (which I am told is quite good) and play some games! We’ll be bringing some upcoming Xbox LIVE Arcade titles for you to get your hands on including Game Room, Perfect Dark, Super Meat Boy (it is Texas…right?) and more.
This event is open to everyone 18 and over (SXSW passes are NOT required.) You won’t need a ticket to get in, but when we reach capacity, we’ll need to stop letting people in…which means no games or BBQ.
Take the afternoon off from work and plan to arrive early to make sure you get in.
Here are the details:
Who:
Anyone in the Austin area over 18
What:
Xbox Party at SXSW!
Why:
To play games, eat BBQ and meet some of the Xbox team
I am in San Francisco today where we are hosting our X10 media event. This invite only event gives our media friends the chance to hear some news, get updates on some of the upcoming games and (more importantly) get hands on time with some of the titles.
Here, in no specific order, are 10 things you need to know coming out of X10 today:
The Halo Reach multiplayer beta will kick off on May 3. You will be able to access the beta via the Halo 3: ODST game disc.
Dead Rising 2 will release in North America on Aug. 31, Japan on Sept. 2 and Europe on Sept. 3.
Dead Rising: CASE ZERO an exclusive download only on Xbox LIVE, will launch prior to the full game and provide a playable prologue that bridges the story between the two titles.
Alan Wake will launch May 18 in North America and May 21 in Europe. Players can pre-order the title to receive the Bright Falls Bonus Pack, which includes exclusive content like Avatar gear, an Xbox LIVE theme, and a “making of” video.
The Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XIII Special Edition Bundle will release starting March 9 for $399, and include a 250GB Hard Drive, two Wireless Controllers, exclusive downloadable avatar items and a Standard Edition copy of the game.
Toy Soldiers will kick off the Xbox LIVE Arcade Block Party on March 3
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction will release at retailers starting April 13 in North America, April 16 in the United Kingdom, and April 28 in Japan.
Lost Planet 2 will launch in North America and Europe on May 18.
If you’re in Las Vegas this week, and you have Super Street Fighter IV skills, the Xbox community needs you! The Capcom team has thrown down a friendly challenge, but I need your help. While the Capcom folks be showing off some of the new characters in the SSFIV in Las Vegas this week, they’re also hosting Las Vegas Fight Club where we’ll put some of the best SSIV players in the ring against each other. If you are in the Las Vegas area on Thursday night (January 7th) and you want to help Team Xbox 360 take on the Capcom Unity folks send me an email (major at Xbox com) with a quick explanation why we should pick you. You must be over 18 and ready to fight. Read Capcom’s blog entry for more details and maybe I’ll see you this week in Las Vegas.
The Inside Xbox crew and I are on are way to Maui, Hawaii for the 26th Annual EA Sports Maui Invitational that kicks off this weekend. I’ll be hosting a reception on Saturday night with all of the teams that are participating in the tournament, and working on some videos during the few days we will be on the island. Watch Inside Xbox for our reports from event and see a few of the sites and sounds of this tropical paradise. If you are an Xbox LIVE Member in Maui, send me an email (Major at Xbox –dot-com) and maybe you can show the Xbox team around your island.
TGS kicked off today and Xbox has just rolled out a few announcements:
Forza fans will see the return of the fan favorite track Fujimi Kaido track to Forza Motorsport 3. You can see a video of the new track and more at Forzamotorsport.net. In addition, a slew of Japanese cars that will be available for Forza Motorsport 3 were also announced.
In Xbox LIVE Arcade news, Snoopy Flying Ace, Toy Soldiers, 0 Day Attack on Earth, Bomberman Live Battlefest and RayStorm HD will be coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade.
A community unlockable level was announced for Joy Ride, along with three new game modes.
We also announced broad developer support for Project Natal. Many of the industries most creative minds have signed up to support Natal. Today in Tokyo at TGS, CAPCOM’s Keiji Inafune, creator of Mega Man and Dead Rising, Sega’s Toshihiro Nagoshi, creator of Super Monkey Ball and Konami’s Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear Solid series will discuss the possibilities for the groundbreaking new experiences that can only be achieved with Project Natal at a special creators panel. I’ll be recording the complete audio of the panel for posting later this week.
I am in Los Angeles at a Modern Warfare 2 press event where we just announced the Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition Console. It is available for pre-order today at U.S. retailers, and in other regions later this week. The package includes the custom designed console, 250 GB hard drive, two wireless controllers and a standard edition of Modern Warfare 2 for US $399.99.
If you’re coming to Seattle for the Penny Arcade Expo this weekend, let me be the first to say welcome. Be sure to stop by the special Xbox table (not the booth) to pick up your free PAX 2009 T Shirt for your avatar, proudly being modeled here by my own Xbox LIVE avatar. All you need to do is stop by the Xbox table on your way to the show floor and ask for one. It’s located on the 4th floor, North Lobby at the top of the escalators (across from the Penny Arcade Store.) . We’ll be handing them out on Friday and Saturday from 1p – 4p while supplies last so don’t wait until the last minute to score one.
If you are dying to get your hands on Halo 3: ODST to try out the new Firefight multiplayer mode, then you may be in luck. Bungie, Microsoft and GameStop have teamed up to give you a chance to experience Firefight and maybe win some Halo swag. We’ve announced that the custom created Halo 3: ODST Transport vehicle that will be making stops at GameStops across the United States and offering you an up close and hands on look of this new Halo multiplayer mode. The tour kicks off this Saturday at 12 noon at the GameStop right down the street from the Xbox offices. Join me and a bunch of folks from the Xbox team as we kick off the tour that may bring the Halo 3: ODST Transport to your area.
Halo 3: ODST Transport Vehicle Stops
City
Seattle (Redmond, WA)
Portland (Hillsboro, OR)
San Francisco (Union City, CA)
San Jose (Antioch, CA)
Los Angeles (Pasadena, CA)
San Diego, CA
Las Vegas (Henderson, NV)
Phoenix (Avendale, AZ)
Dallas (Southlake, TX)
Austin (Cedar Park, TX)
Houston (Tomball, TX)
Memphis, TN
Nashville (Murfreesboro, TN)
Indianapolis, IN
Chicago, IL
Detroit (Shelby Township, MI)
Cleveland (North Olmstead, OH)
Pittsburgh, PA
Philadelphia (Fairless Hills, PA)
Washington, DC (Woodbridge, VA)
Baltimore (Owings Mills, MD)
New York (North Babylon, NY)
Location
Redmond Town Center
Tanasbourne Town Center
Union Landing
Center At Slatten Ranch
Hastings Village
Carmel Mt. Ranch
Whitney Ranch
Gateway Pavilion
Shops of Southlake
Lakeline Plaza
Spring Cypress Wal-Mart Center
Marketplace at Wolfcreek
College Central Shopping Center
Target 31 Shopping Center
The Brickyard Shopping Center
Shelby Town Center
Great Northern Plaza South
North Hills Village
Fairless Hills Towne Center
Smoketown Station
Garrison Forest Plaza Shopping Center
Sunset Plaza
Date
8/22
8/23
8/25
8/26
8/28
8/29
8/30
8/31
9/3
9/4
9/5
9/7
9/8
9/10
9/11
9/12
9/13
9/14
9/16
9/17
9/18
9/19
*For the most up to date list of tour cities, times and locations, visit GameStop.com
After a fantastic week week in Baghdad I am finally back in the office. If you missed it, I posted some photos of a few of the highlights. I want to thank all the members of the military that made the trip one that I will never forget. The Iroq Baghdad event was a huge success, and congratulations to all the winners. We’re in the process of editing the videos, so keep an eye on Inside Xbox starting in July when we’ll start to post them. In the meantime, I have some serious gaming to catch up on.
I am a few hours away from stepping on a plane for the first leg of my journey to Baghdad, Iraq for the Iroq-Band competition taking place next week. I am honored to be asked to support the event, and I am looking forward to meeting many of service men and women that are Xbox LIVE members and blog readers who have emailed me countless tips to prepare for this experience. We’ll be recording a bunch of video for upcoming Inside Xbox segments which will air next month. With all of the travel and security involved in this trip, my online time (blog posts, twitter, twitpics and flickr) will be extremely limited. I will try to post updates to twitter if the opportunity arises, but I want to warn you that I’ll be unusually quiet (which I am sure won’t bother some of you) during my radio silence.
During my absence, my podcast co-host e will be keeping you updated on Xbox LIVE ‘stuff’ here on the blog, while litheon will continue to keep the site and chat online and running as usual.
Thanks and I’ll be back in about 10-days with what I am sure will be extraordinary stories to share with you.
We are just a few hours away from the annual Xbox 360 E3 Media Briefing. This invite only event will broadcast on G4 (check local listings) but if you’re not near your TV, I’ve got you covered with the live blog I’ll be hosting direct from backstage. We’ve also got the IRC chat which is open 24/7 for you game chatting needs. If you’re lucky enough to be in the audience, and you are Twittering, be sure you use the #xboxe3 tag so everyone can keep track of the news.
A couple of details: Limit of two tickets per person (each winner will get two tickets, one for them and one for a guest)
Must be able to be in Los Angeles on the morning of June 1st by 8:30am.
If you win, you will get two tickets to the invite only Xbox Press briefing. This does NOT include tickets to E3 show floor or any other related events.
Winner and guest must be over 18 since we’ll be showing M rated titles
I’ll choose 100 random winners from the emails I receive before this Thursday, May 28 at 12n PT. You’ll win two tickets..one for you and one for a friend. Everything else is up to you. If you get picked, I’ll send you an email with additional details and how to pick up your tickets by Friday at 12n PT.
Good luck and I’ll see you Monday.
*This information will only be used to contact you if you are chosen to win tickets. It will not be used for any other purpose.
If you are in the US, I hope you are enjoying your Happy Memorial Day. Today seems like an appropriate day to tell you about a trip that I will be taking after E3. I am headed to the middle east for the I-ROQ Baghdad event. It’s the second annual RockBand 2 tournament being held at Victory Base in Baghdad, Iraq. The competition, for service men and women on the base, has been underway since May 17th.I’ll be headed over to help host the finals with the base commanders where we will award the best RockBand 2 players in all of Baghdad.
I am very honored to be asked to participate, and very much looking forward to supporting the event and meeting the many blog readers and show listeners that I have heard from the area. For obvious security reasons, I won’t be able to share too much regarding my actual travel and location as I normally do when I cover events, but I’ll do what I can. While I am covert, e and litheon will be keeping an eye on things around here, so you’ll be in good hands. I will be bringing one of the Inside Xbox cameraman with me, so expect some good videos and photos once we return from what promises to be a very exciting journey.
You can find out more details about the event at www.iroqbaghdad.com or follow them on Twitter. I’ll share as many details as I can leading up to the event, but as you can imagine I’ll be pretty busy with E3 next week.
If you are a Trials HD fan, then you’ll want to check out the Big Thrills Contest. It’s pretty simple…design a track and if you get chosen you’ll win cash and your track will be included in the Big Thrills expansion pack coming later this year.
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If you are in the US, I hope you are enjoying your