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BioWare's Facebook game gives to charity, takes $10 off Dragon Age for PC
by Randy Nelson 
{ Dec 4th 2009 at 6:28PM }
BioWare has launched a browser-based game on Facebook that benefits charity ... and gamers looking to save some scratch on the PC version of Dragon Age: Origins. Called Gift of the Yeti, it's a simple yet surprisingly fun arcade-style dash to deliver presents ... as a yeti subbing for Santa Clause.
Outside of the game, BioWare is playing the part of old St. Nick for hospitalized children, donating $10,000 to the Child's Play charity. And by simply loading up the game, players are presented with a link to the EA Store, where they're automagically given a $10 discount off of Dragon Age for Windows.
The press release announcing the game indicates that it's just the tip of the iceberg for the company's foray into social gaming. BioWare co-founder, Dr. Ray Mazuyka, said of the endeavor, "Gift of the Yeti is a fun, engaging holiday present from BioWare to our fans, the first in a series of compelling social experiences from BioWare Labs." Sure, they likely won't be for consoles -- but who are we to look a gift yeti in the mouth?
Outside of the game, BioWare is playing the part of old St. Nick for hospitalized children, donating $10,000 to the Child's Play charity. And by simply loading up the game, players are presented with a link to the EA Store, where they're automagically given a $10 discount off of Dragon Age for Windows.
The press release announcing the game indicates that it's just the tip of the iceberg for the company's foray into social gaming. BioWare co-founder, Dr. Ray Mazuyka, said of the endeavor, "Gift of the Yeti is a fun, engaging holiday present from BioWare to our fans, the first in a series of compelling social experiences from BioWare Labs." Sure, they likely won't be for consoles -- but who are we to look a gift yeti in the mouth?
Microsoft reveals usage stats for Facebook, Last.fm
by Xav de Matos { Nov 28th 2009 at 1:30PM }
Microsoft also stated the addition of Last.fm -- a music streaming service currently only available for US and UK gamers -- prompted nearly one million new profile activations. In its first week, Last.fm users streamed "more than 120 million minutes" of music to their Xbox 360 consoles. If we've learned one thing from these numbers, it's that people love to click on shiny new boxes.
Whitten: Xbox Live banning 'a cat and mouse game'
by Richard Mitchell { Nov 20th 2009 at 10:00PM }
Whitten went on to state his belief that Microsoft does "a really good job" of monitoring the activity on Xbox Live, specifically in terms of piracy and online harassment. He concluded that the company is "committed to making [Xbox Live] better and better."
The interview also covers the recent integration of Facebook on Xbox, the effect Modern Warfare 2 had on Live activity (hint: a big one) and whether or not we'll be playing Facebook games on our consoles anytime soon. Don't expect a straight answer on that last one though, as the closes Whitten gets is, "In the future, they will move much closer together."
PS3 firmware 3.10 offering Facebook integration today
by JC Fletcher { Nov 18th 2009 at 10:45AM }
Other, less marquee features, include a new grid layout for photos and an updated friends list with the ability for users to change the background color of profiles. You can see the update in action on video here.
Sony announces firmware 3.10 for PS3 with Facebook integration, coming 'soon'
by Randy Nelson { Nov 16th 2009 at 9:08PM }
Sony has revealed via the official PlayStation blog that PS3 firmware 3.10, due "soon," will allow the console to communicate with social media site Facebook. The news comes on the eve of Microsoft's latest Xbox 360 Dashboard update roll-out -- which, among other features, introduces Facebook functionality to that platform.
Once firmware 3.10 is installed, the PS3 will be able to send updates to a user's Facebook wall indicating which Trophies they've just unlocked in games and what they've recently purchased from the PSN's PlayStation Store. Developers will have the ability to access Facebook functionality to send more detailed updates to the site from their games, and these options can (as was the case with Trophies) be patched into titles currently on shelves.
As foreshadowed by screenshots leaked last week, firmware 3.10 brings with it a handful of other user interface tweaks -- demoed by PlayStation Network director of operations, Eric Lempel, in a video after the break -- but, alas, still no cross-game voice chat. At least the friends list is ditching the ugliness introduced with firmware 3.00.
Once firmware 3.10 is installed, the PS3 will be able to send updates to a user's Facebook wall indicating which Trophies they've just unlocked in games and what they've recently purchased from the PSN's PlayStation Store. Developers will have the ability to access Facebook functionality to send more detailed updates to the site from their games, and these options can (as was the case with Trophies) be patched into titles currently on shelves.
As foreshadowed by screenshots leaked last week, firmware 3.10 brings with it a handful of other user interface tweaks -- demoed by PlayStation Network director of operations, Eric Lempel, in a video after the break -- but, alas, still no cross-game voice chat. At least the friends list is ditching the ugliness introduced with firmware 3.00.
Facebook and Twitter coming to Xbox Nov. 17
by Justin McElroy { Nov 12th 2009 at 12:30PM }
If the date seems familiar, you're not losing your marbles: The specific timing for the update was revealed and reneged last month. Now, you'd better hurry up and beat the Chatpad rush at the store.
Rumor: Sony leaks screens of next PS3 firmware, Facebook integration
by Randy Nelson { Nov 11th 2009 at 2:20PM }
Click to enlarge
Earlier today, website Scrawl stumbled upon what appears to be an unintentional first glimpse at a major PS3 firmware update. The somewhat tiny images Scrawl found buried, yet publicly accessible on Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's website, seem to hint at native Facebook integration on the console, along with the ability to change "gamer card" colors (as if the current friends list wasn't obnoxious enough) and view thumbnails of photos in a grid layout.
The images are still up as of this posting, but we'd imagine Sony will be pulling them before too long -- legit or not. After all, these could simply be mock-ups of design ideas meant for internal eyes only, just ... bungled. The one element that isn't design-related, the Facebook settings subsection of User Accounts, has us thinking there's a higher than average chance these aren't simple mock-ups, but rather the result on a Sony slip-up.
We contacted SCEE regarding the images and were told by a spokesperson that the company "doesn't comment on rumor or speculation."
[Thanks Alex!]
The images are still up as of this posting, but we'd imagine Sony will be pulling them before too long -- legit or not. After all, these could simply be mock-ups of design ideas meant for internal eyes only, just ... bungled. The one element that isn't design-related, the Facebook settings subsection of User Accounts, has us thinking there's a higher than average chance these aren't simple mock-ups, but rather the result on a Sony slip-up.
We contacted SCEE regarding the images and were told by a spokesperson that the company "doesn't comment on rumor or speculation."
[Thanks Alex!]
EA acquires social network game dev Playfish for $300 million
by Griffin McElroy { Nov 9th 2009 at 11:30AM }
Not only is that sum of money much higher than the $250 million total teased by the aforementioned analysts in October, it's ... well, it just seems like a lot of money to spend on a studio which actually developed a game called Bowling Buddies. However, considering Playfish's ten titles register 60 million active users and one billion play sessions every month, we suppose EA's making a sound investment. The times, dear friends -- they are a-changin'.
Spore Islands launches on Facebook, prepare to drown in invites
by Griffin McElroy { Nov 6th 2009 at 3:00AM }
If genetic engineering is your bag, Spore Islands sounds like a fairly robust offering -- well, as robust as games built into social networking sites get, anyways. Players can create a species, plunk them down on an island, watch them fight for territorial dominance, improve their stats through evolution, then move them to a friend's island to attempt a hostile takeover. You can check out the game for free on EA's Facebook page -- just go easy on the invites, okay?
PSA: Xbox mandatory update isn't 'The Big One,' adds WPA2 support for wireless adapter
by Ben Gilbert { Oct 28th 2009 at 3:00PM }
Instead, the update brings with it support for the now five-year-old WPA2 security protocol. With that new and improved 802.11n wireless adapter hitting retailers next month, and with WPA2 certification being mandatory for all new Wi-Fi devices as of March 2006, Microsoft seems to be rolling out that addition in software. That's good news for those of you with a four-year-old Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter!
Xbox Live preview 'wave 1' invites out now
by Alexander Sliwinski { Oct 22nd 2009 at 10:45PM }
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Xbox Dashboard update preview invites out this Friday
by Richard Mitchell { Oct 21st 2009 at 6:40PM }
The preview program should roll out sometime next week. In the meantime, keep an eye on those inboxes!
Video Preview: Xbox Live Fall 2009 Dashboard Update, Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm and more
by Richard Mitchell { Oct 19th 2009 at 7:00PM }
Note: We learned after publication that the abnormally priced movie rental has not yet been released in theaters. As such, it has a higher price.
| Last.fm | Zune Video Marketplace | Miscellaneous |
Pachter: Project Natal will cost $50, 'Sphere' no more than $100 [update]
by David Hinkle { Oct 15th 2009 at 11:00PM }
Pachter even likens the future state of a Natal-enabled Xbox 360 to the current state of the iPhone -- with features like Twitter, Netflix, Last.fm and Facebook inside Microsoft's box and its intuitive interface, he says casual or non-playing members of Xbox 360 households will become interested. And then when it's bundled with all new Xbox 360s, he says that'll expand Microsoft's reach even more.
For the motion-controlled competition, Pachter says he'd be surprised if Sony's asking price was over $100, and stresses that both Microsoft and Sony need to keep "the consumer's cost relatively low in order to achieve broad penetration."
[Update: Corrected Pachter's belief that the motion controller would be no more than $100. We sincerely apologize for the misinterpretation and the consequent misinformation.]
