Xbox 360 Fanboy

Following hand in hand with Xbox Live coming back online are two new (and previously promised) Xbox Originals titles to the Xbox Live Marketplace. Both the 5.39GB Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and 1.61GB Metal Arms: Glitch in the System are now available for 1200 Microsoft points each to all Xbox Live regions except folks in Japan. And because it's an icky Monday and we're feeling crabby, we have to mention that that these and all Xbox Originals titles do not feature any achievements OR come with paper manuals. We know how infuriated some fanboys get without their paper manuals.

Since we know that 94.8% of all Xbox Live users adore Microsoft's Xbox Originals program (it's a scientifically proven fact), we know there's a good chance that you'll be uber excited to hear that two new titles will be added to the catalog next week. On Monday, April 21st, both Ubisoft's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Metal Arms: Glitch In The System will be available for purchase off the XBLM for the standard 1200 Microsoft point price. So ... yup, more Xbox Originals titles next week ... what more achievement complaining can be said?

Update 3: It seems that as every hour progresses the timer (above the five decoded files) adds another hour to the countdown. Stay tuned until we get a confirmation on what exactly is happening.

Update 2: The timer now states the countdown will end at 5:50PM EST.

Update: Apparently the decrypter on the Ghost Recon site went on a lunch break. The new countdown, set to expire at 1:50PM, has just added an additional 2 hours. The new countdown now ends at 3:50PM EST.

Last week we reported an interesting development occurring across all of Ubisoft's Tom Clancy branded websites. First, a flash overlay of a smoking dossier (or black box) appeared over the official Ghost Recon website that provided users with no functions or information. The next morning a menu appeared allowing site visitors to click into an alternate reality game called MACSAT7 Recovery which expanded the flash window and revealed five audio and video files in the early stages of decoding. Soon reports flew in that other overlays, with what appeared to be wreckage from a downed helicopter, began appearing on the official sites for Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six and the upcoming End War that all pointed to the original Ghost Recon site.

After carefully conducting mathematics we realized that each of the five files were counting down to the date and time they would be decrypted, and thus available to analyze for information, but we also noticed an overall timer that was counting down to around noon on April 2. Moments ago the ARG came to an end and we were surprised to see a new countdown has emerged for 1:50PM 3:50PM EST.

Could this be the rumored Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 3, which is said to end the trilogy's stay in Mexico, or the highly expected Firehawk? Only time will tell.

Update: At the time of this story the Rainbow Six website wasn't acting properly, however it has been reported that it too is pointing to the Ghost Recon website via a similar overlay. This story has been updated to include the Rainbow Six site.

In the early hours of the day this morning one of our readers helped us spot a strange overlay on the official Ghost Recon website. Visitors of the site were treated to a smoking dossier (which might be a black box after all) but nothing could be done other than close off the overlay and scratch your head.

Today, both the End War, Splinter Cell and Rainbow Six sites have received similar flash-based marketing treatments. Each site includes an overlay of smoking items that appear to be from a wreckage which, when clicked, redirects visitors to the official Ghost Recon website -- home of the original mystery.

While it could all end there, today the Ghost Recon site updated with new information and a mysterious countdown timer.