Posts by Xav De Matos at Xbox 360 Fanboy

Xav de Matos
Toronto, Canada - http://www.thelevelgrind.com

It’s Xav de Matos. That’s like Have with a Z. Public Relations major by day, gaming journalist by night. Xav has been in the industry for over five years with stints in retail management all the way to blogging for Xbox360Fanboy.com; part of AOL’s Joystiq Network. Xav's GamerTag is: Snypz. Why is Xav writing in third-person? Xav doesn't know.

Battlefield: Bad Company demo dropping June 5

Posted May 9th 2008 11:20PM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: News, Xbox Live Marketplace

Anyone who wasn't lucky enough to experience the closed beta of the slightly controversial EA first-person comedy-shooter (not kidding), Battlefield: Bad Company, will soon have their chance. Today EA announced that a demo for the DICE developed title will hit the Xbox Live Marketplace and PSN on June 5. The single and multiplayer demo promises to showcase what was in the beta as well as the wacky characters found in the campaign mode. Gamers who decide to pre-order the title from select retailers will be treated an early download of the demo beginning May 29.

For those at home keeping score you'll remember pre-ordering and playing the demo will give gamers access to two of the five controversial weapons found in the beta. Pre-ordering gives gamers access to the QBU88 Sniper Rifle while downloading and playing the demo nets players the UZI Submachine Gun.

Battlefield: Bad Company ships on June 25.

Community Content Recap

Posted May 9th 2008 8:30PM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: Fan stuff

Each week, X3F showcases the best in Halo 3 downloads with Community Content. To find out how to set up your Bungie.net account, click here. Submit your own ideas at: comcon [AT] xbox360fanboy [DOT] com

Ordinarily at this time of day you'd be shaking your head at lame machinima and commenting on the latest entry into our weekly Halo 3-centric feature, Community Content. This week is slightly different.

After unleashing user-generated content for nearly four months we thought now would be a good time to recap all the content we've ever recommended in our weekly Community Content feature.

Missed a few weeks? Looking to spice up that copy of Halo 3 you still hold onto for dear life? Check out our super-list of Community Content after the break!

Continue reading Community Content Recap

Rumor: Napster creator to join EA

Posted May 9th 2008 11:30AM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: Rumors

Eons ago, when many of you were in diapers, Shawn Fanning developed a program called Napster. The program was widely praised for its ability to allow users to trade media with each other freely. Eventually the music industry caught up to Fanning and Napster and the whole thing, as they say, is history.

Fast-forward to today. According to a report on Techcrunch, Fanning is poised to sign away his new company, the co-founded gaming social networking site Rupture, to publishing powerhouse Electronic Arts for $30 million. According to the story, Fanning and fellow Rupture founder Jon Baudanza will retain positions within EA and further speculates that EA has purchased the site for its data and stat tracking technology that allows users to chat and share gathered information with Rupture subscribers.

What's that old saying? Oh yeah. Big brother is watching you! Look out behind you! We can't believe you fell for that dude.

[via BigDownload]

New setting for Call of Duty 5, Bond game powered by Call of Duty 4 engine

Posted May 9th 2008 10:30AM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: News

After a recent earnings call, Activision outlined plans to release a new entry into the Call of Duty series by the end of its 2009 fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2009. "We'll launch on all four platforms we've participated on in fiscal [year] 2008," Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith said, refering to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare's debut on the Xbox 360, PS3, PC and Nintendo DS; a PS2 and Wii version are also in the works.

Griffith also revealed that Call of Duty 5 will see the franchise move into a new "military theater." Long-standing suspicion has been that Call of Duty 3 developer Treyarch would return the franchise to its World War II roots but Griffith's comments seem to debunk that setting rumor. Griffith did not mention whether Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare developer Infinity Ward or rumored Treyarch would take the reins as the Call of Duty 5 developer.

On the subject of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Griffith revealed the James Bond licensed title that is currently in development by Treyarch will be powered by the CoD4 engine and release around the time of the latest Bond film, Quantum of Solace, this fall.

The only question to answer now is which war could Call of Duty 5 be based on. The answer? Civil. Muskets = Win.

Trials and tribulations of Gamertag recovery

Posted May 8th 2008 6:00PM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: Xbox Live

Either its happened to you in the past or claimed the time of someone on your friends list but recovering Gamertags has proven to be a chore. Fed up with the (way too long) 20 minute recovery process the team at THEBBPS decided to seek out another solution. In their search for answers around the Xbox 360 DRM issue the only notable solution was to access a Gamertag profile from a memory unit.

We wonder why gamers are forced to spend around $20 for a basic 64Mb unit to rid themselves of the trouble of wanting to play at another person's house with their profile. Well, mathematically it makes sense, $1 a minute for the 20 minutes it takes to recover sounds about right.

Oh, DRM. Fall in a well and die, kthxbai.

MK vs DC includes 'modified fatalities'

Posted May 8th 2008 4:30PM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: News

When Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was announced we assumed that the game's violence level would be downgraded to accommodate the new partnership, apparently we were only slightly correct.

In an interview with GameTap, Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon notes the team at Midway has never mentioned the loss of fatalities in the latest installment of the franchise. "We did acknowledge that we won't be able to do the same kinds of outrageous moves, like tearing someone's [sic] head off and the spine being attached to it," he says, adding, "My response is that, no, we're modifying fatalities. But I have every intention to keep finishers."

With that said, we're forced to wait for new video and screens of the game to understand what Boon's definition of "finishers" really is. Is Mortal Kombat really only about violent end-match animations or is that statement akin to claiming Grand Theft Auto is only about killing people? We suspect we'll find out soon when more information on Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe becomes available.

[via Joystiq]

Introducing Joystiq's newest sibling: Big Download (Beta)!

Posted May 8th 2008 12:00PM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: News

Have you ever found that there was something missing from the Joystiq family? We've got your Xbox 360 news covered here at X3F and those other guys have their sites too. Even handhelds have a place to call home along with MMO aficionados and WoW addicts, but something has been missing. Until now.

Today we're happy to give PC gamers a place to call their own with our new sister site, Big Download. In partnership with out good friends at GameDaily, we're taking the protective cover off the beta version of our fully-featured, fast and free PC downloads engine married to a news and features blog powered by the Joystiq Network.

At Big Download you'll get all the news and features you've come to expect from a Joystiq family member, with some familiar blogging faces (like me!), along with a file tracking system that remembers your favorite games and best of all, no waiting in line for downloads. Big Download offers you a one-stop shop for free of charge access to demos, patches, mods, trailers and more!

We invite you to visit us and start poking around while we tinker away at our new baby. Like any modern web product we're launching in beta version -- there may be kinks and rough edges to be worked out, so bear with us, mind the dust and be sure to send us any feedback you have so we can make all the final fixes. So drop in, mind the dents and join us because before you know it we're going to drop that beta tag and come out guns-o-blazing. Big Ol' Guns.

We hope to see you at Big Download, where all the news is big and all the downloads are above average!

CNN's Beck 'could care less' about games, bloggers are 'losers'

Posted May 8th 2008 11:15AM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: Videos

Glenn Beck, host of CNN's The Glenn Beck Program, has added his name to the list of concerned citizens against the violence and sexual content found in Grand Theft Auto IV. In a recent interview with Dr. Cheryl Olson, co-author of Grand Theft Childhood, Beck lashed out with indifference toward gaming and then proceeded to 'dis' bloggers.

"I will tell you that all these video gamers ... they're bloggers, as well as video gamers - they're writing all kinds of stuff about me [that] I'm the enemy now of video gamers. I could care less about video games. Video game bloggers? They're losers ..."

For someone who could care less about gaming he sure does have his share of opinions on the subject. Watch as Beck wastes Dr. Olson's time by ranting about his personal life as an internet joke when he realizes the good doctor wouldn't be able to add to his sound-byte reel of uninformed gaming hatred.

Our favorite part? Beck cashing in on the Grand Theft Auto IV hatred for ratings and advertising dollars and then proceed to accuse the 'game industry' of giving GTAIV an M-Rating purely for monetary reasons. Say it with us now. Irony.

Rumor: Beyond Good & Evil sequel in the works

Posted May 8th 2008 10:45AM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: Rumors

According to a post on PSLegion that outlines the latest rumors from PSM3's "Insider," Ubisoft may still release a sequel to the 2003 critically acclaimed title, Beyond Good & Evil. While the third-person adventure game was revered as a critical darling when it hit last-gen consoles and PC, the title was a commercial disaster. Within months of its release BG&E had been reduced from $50 to $20 but could never achieve the success seen by other popular Ubisoft debuts that year; Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell.

Other Xbox 360 related rumors from "The Insider" include:

Prepare for a Leisure Suit Larry movie ... (*sigh*)
EA is returning to Springfield for another Simpsons game ... (Are bug fixes optional?)
Call of Duty 5, currently in development by Treyarch have been working on the game for two years, far longer than the standard nine month process ... (Nine months? That explains CoD3. Ba-Zing!)

Rumorang the BG&E sequel talk for now, but we've heard this before and we hope it's legit!

Ninja Gaiden 2: Ryu has daddy issues

Posted May 7th 2008 4:45PM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: News, Videos

We didn't think hardcore ninja types had daddy issues but this latest clip of Ninja Gaiden 2 tells us otherwise. It showcases the ultra-ninja Genshin versus the father of Ninja Gaiden star Ryu Hayabusa. In the clip Ryu's father Joe Hayabusa (seriously, his name is Joe) faces off against the ultimate bad-dude before Ryu walks in and screams out for his father's safety, and probably because he never played catch with him as a kid.

After the jump you can check out another cutscene that features the werewolf boss, Volf (seriously who names these characters?). Surprisingly Volf reminds us of Kelsey Grammar's portrayal of Beast in X-Men 3. Well-spoken werewolves FTW!

[Thanks, Christan H.]

Continue reading Ninja Gaiden 2: Ryu has daddy issues

Would You Rather ... Episodic Edition

Posted May 7th 2008 4:00PM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: Fan stuff, Polls

In our continuing effort to bring you fresh and interesting content, X3F presents Would You Rather ... a weekly feature that asks you the hard questions. The point? If you had to choose one or the other, which would you go for?

This week for WUR we're talking episodic content. With games like Penny Arcade: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness on the horizon for XBLA we're wondering what your opinion is on distribution and pricing.

Assuming that when it's all said and done you'd spend the same amount on an entire season of content, which would you prefer? Purchase an entire season of content for a final total price and download each episode when they are available (akin to one of the purchase models of Sam & Max from GameTap) or purchase each episode/content pack separately like the current Xbox Live Marketplace model?

Feel free to share the reasons for your vote in the comments. We'll share the results of the poll during the next edition of Would You Rather ... which hits X3F every Wednesday.

Last weeks WUR results can be find after the jump ... steal this info!

Continue reading Would You Rather ... Episodic Edition

Fight Night Round 4 announced, Mike Tyson included!

Posted May 7th 2008 3:30PM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: News

Two years since the last title in the series, and the closing of the development office responsible for the franchise, EA has announced plans to release Fight Night Round 4 sometime next year for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Few details on the new release exist besides the mention of a new physics and gameplay engine (will it bare the Freestyle brand too?). The most interesting addition to the series is the inclusion of former World Champion Mike Tyson, his first videogame appearance in ~~over~~ nearly a decade. Insert ear-biting joke here.

[via Joystiq]

EA reveals casual sub-brand, Freestyle

Posted May 7th 2008 2:00PM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: News

Attempting to appeal to a more casual audience, Electronic Arts announced in a press release the introduction of a new sub-brand of EA Sports called Freestyle. Focusing on making sports titles more accessible to a wider range of gamers, the Freestyle brand logo will signify that a game includes simpler control schemes for casual players.

"The launch of EA Sports Freestyle is an exciting milestone in the evolution of the EA Sports brand," said Peter Moore, president of EA Sports. "EA Sports Freestyle will be a perfect complement to our core portfolio of games that our loyal fans are deeply passionate about, and will provide compelling opportunities for new audiences looking for a lighter gaming experience and an easier entry point into EA Sports."

The first title to include the new Freestyle branding will be EA's cartoon-mischief style boxer Facebreaker which releases on the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii later this year.

Customize your Nascar 09 experience

Posted May 7th 2008 1:00PM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: News

With the popularity of customization in Forza Motorsport 2 and the Need for Speed series in mind, EA Sports has decided to allow gamers to customize their rides in the upcoming NASCAR 09.

The all-new Paint Booth feature allows fans to customize every aspect of their vehicle from paint down to sponsor logos. Fans of the series will also be happy to know that all vehicles will be available for online play and will be visible in their complete customized form.

NASCAR 09 from EA Sports ships this June.

[via GameStooge]

'Big-ish' Fable 2 news expected next week

Posted May 7th 2008 11:45AM by Xav de Matos
Filed under: News

Lionhead community manager Sam Van Tilburgh must have been writhing from his recent wisdom teeth removal because he let it slip that something "big-ish" would be announced for Fable 2 next week.

"A lot is happening, if you are anxious to find out something new about Fable 2, I suggest you make sure you've got access to the internet, next week! Yes we are planning something (quite) big-ish." Van Tilburgh wrote in an update on Lionhead's community site.

While comments on the point theorize about possible features, we'd be happy for a release date confirmation.

[Thanks, mossman93]

Next Page >

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Even more Banjo-Kazooie 3 screenshots surface Viva Piñata and Scene It? sequels are real! Bid on Ken Levine autographed copy of BioShock	Get to know EA's Facebreakers Wii Warm Up: A day for moms Protothea might not be terrible
Rumor: CoroCoro Comic reveals Pokemon Platinum Promotional Consideration: Advertising with Power, revisited Meet the heroes of Lagaard	Worldwide PSP releases for the week of May 11 Sora no Kiseki the 3rd website revealed Phantasy Star Portable box art revealed

Xbox 360 Fanboy

Battlefield: Bad Company demo dropping June 5

Community Content Recap

Rumor: Napster creator to join EA

New setting for Call of Duty 5, Bond game powered by Call of Duty 4 engine

Trials and tribulations of Gamertag recovery

MK vs DC includes 'modified fatalities'

Introducing Joystiq's newest sibling: Big Download (Beta)!

CNN's Beck 'could care less' about games, bloggers are 'losers'

Rumor: Beyond Good & Evil sequel in the works

Ninja Gaiden 2: Ryu has daddy issues

Would You Rather ... Episodic Edition

Fight Night Round 4 announced, Mike Tyson included!

EA reveals casual sub-brand, Freestyle

Customize your Nascar 09 experience

'Big-ish' Fable 2 news expected next week

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