For the past 10 years, BritXbox has went through redesigns and transitions to give you the best community of UK Xbox gamers possible. From the everlasting forums to the expanding front page, the focus has always been about a site for gamers by gamers. This “reboot” as we’re calling it is by far the most significant event to date.
When BXB started, Xbox Live was on 128kb connections and phones were just for phone calls, there were no faces to book or tweets to…twit? Now we’re in the crazy future where we’re more connected than ever and there’s unlimited ways to access the latest rumors and news of the gaming industry. Finally after much feedback, we’re proud to present the new website designed to take advantage of the things we now take for granted.
As console life cycles go, the Xbox 360 has enjoyed one of the longest. With progressive software improvements too, it’s hardly the same console we bought in 2005, but the ground beneath it has also shifted dramatically. As Microsoft prepares for a major Xbox announcement on 21st May, it’s time to ask where the platform goes next.
At once familiar and enigmatic, BioShock Infinite is perhaps the perfect contrast to its forebear. It’s a deliberate reaction of extremes: a stratospheric city replacing the subaquatic; Columbia’s tempestuous society, on the crest of civil war, contrasting with Rapture’s moribund and feral denizens. And yet, both functionally and narratively, this is a continuation of what we’ve seen before.
Infinite is about constants and variables. An opening seaward journey to a lighthouse echoes the original more closely than might be expected, given creative director Ken Levine’s intention to differentiate beyond BioShock 2’s conservative return to Rapture. The thrill of that first sublime descent into Rapture could never be outdone, but over the course of this masterfully nuanced story, Infinite finds reason in the repetition.
Of all the series of games that may have needed a reboot, Tomb Raider was definitely near the top of the list. Okay, yes, we did have the surprisingly good Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light a couple of years back, but that was rather different to the games we had before. While Tomb Raider: Legend, and Underworld were decent, that’s all they were: decent. Our beloved Miss Croft’s stock was falling, and fast; something had to change. So with that in mind, and seeing as reboots have worked so well for the film industry, Crystal Dynamics has decided to start all over again, and wiped Lara’s slate clean.
Tomb Raider kicks off with a bang. A violent storm has torn apart the ship Lara was aboard, The Endurance. After being washed ashore, Lara is attacked and wakes up hung upside down in a cave. These early scenes are important, as they show just how fragile Lara is at this stage. Escaping the cave is her priority, and while this early escapade is rather thrilling, it’s laden with Quick Time Events (QTEs). Don’t be put off however, the game only really begins once you’ve left the cave; and oh boy are you met with a thing of beauty.
With years of rumours about Microsoft swapping the controversial MS Points system for real world currency, it has always been a pipe dream for Xbox Live detractors. It could finally be the real deal.
Starting with the removal of MS points on Windows 8 and Windows Phone, the Xbox 360 remained defiant until now. New reports from The Verge claim that a new gift card system will take effect this year.
With the new Xbox set to be revealed on May 21st, it is expected that the new currency platform will be displayed at the same event. It is expected to be cross-supported on Xbox 3, Windows 8, Windows Phone and Games for Windows Live.
Although possible, it is not guaranteed that the Xbox 360 implement the new system which could cause price discrepancies in the future, depending on how long the Xbox 360 remains supported once the next generation begins.
In the past hour, Microsoft has officially confirmed the date of the Xbox 3 reveal.
After months of rumours and speculation, the official date to mark on your calendar is May 21st, a full 3 weeks before E3. Microsoft aims to steal the momentum from Sony and Nintendo as the next generation console war officially begins this year.
Major Nelson stated on his blog:
On Tuesday May 21st, we’ll mark the beginning of a new generation of games, TV and entertainment. On that day, we’ll be holding a special press event on the Xbox campus and we invite you to join us via the live global stream that will be available on Xbox.com, Xbox LIVE and broadcast on Spike TV if you are in the US or Canada.
On that day, we’ll share our vision for Xbox, and give you a real taste of the future. Then, 19-days later at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, we’ll continue the conversation and showcase our full lineup of blockbuster games.
We are thrilled to pull back the curtain and reveal what we’ve been working on.
A New Generation Revealed
Xbox Campus, Redmond WA
Tuesday, May 21st @ 1p ET/10a PT/18:00 GMT
You can bet the world will be watching and so will BritXbox. Discuss what you expect to happen on our forums.
Bethesda’s Dishonored has been named the best game at the 2013 British Academy of Film Televison Arts (BAFTA) video game awards that took place last night.
Although the first person stealth game took the biggest prize, the real winner was the independent scene that has dominated awards throughout the last year with the rise of digital downloadable titles. Titles such as Journey, The Walking Dead and The Unfinished Swan claimed most of the awards and could be seen as a sign for Microsoft needing to invest more in the independent scene to rival Sony come next generation. Despite Halo 4 getting some nominations, no Xbox 360 exclusive games went home a winner at the prestigious event.
Welcome to the Expansion Pack, the Britxbox podcast. Released every second Thursday, we banter on Xbox news, what’s hot within the BXB community, and the games we’ve been playing: from the latest releases, demos and XBLA games, to bargain bin oldies. With Mark ‘Born2beSlicker’ Lawson, Arnold ‘DogEyedBoy’ Cook and Richard ‘Colonel Red’ Worrall This week we discuss:
As always, feel free to post your comments or questions you have for the crew in the forums, and we’ll maybe read your questions on air. Also don’t forget to rate us oniTunes and follow us on Twitter or @Born2beSlicker.
The five year long tradition of new tracks for Rock band is finally coming to an end, as Harmonix move on to ‘other projects’.
The last weekly update of songs will come on April 2, with ‘what we feel is an appropriate track for the final release,’ said Harmonix.
‘We have managed to maintain a consistent release schedule for a staggering 275 consecutive weeks, releasing over 4,000 songs for the Rock Band Platform, but in recent months we’ve scaled production down as we’ve transitioned resources onto other projects,’ Harmonix said.
The studio added that it has ‘several new titles in development’ and needs developers on those projects to ‘usher these new games along.’ Those requirements prevent the company from maintaining a less frequent, semi-regular schedule. ‘We’re incredibly proud of the DLC milestones we’ve set, especially producing the largest music library of any game available, and we wouldn’t have been able to release as much outstanding content without the support of our amazing community,’ Harmonix said.
More information can be found on the Rock Band Blog and an FAQ on the forums.
The Next Xbox Thread!
until the #XboxReveal