Joystiq [Xbox]

If you're wondering what to do on a cold night, while snuggling next to a warm fire ... may we suggest, reading? Of course, in this scenario, all electricity is out and video games are no option for you. So, if that's what it takes for you to pick up a book (we kid!), you might be interested in something with a little video game flavor.

Coming to bookstores on July 28 is Gears of War: Jacinto's Remnant -- from best-selling sci-fi author Karen Traviss (of Star Wars novel fame!).

Jacinto's Remnant begins moments following the end of Gears of War 2. It's really hard to tell you what the novel is about without spoiling the ending of 2008's Epic Xbox 360-exclusive, but from what we've seen so far, the book looks to paint a picture of humanity's struggle for survival against a new kind of enemy -- itself. Sounds interesting, so far. Excited?

It's never a slow news day when you can find a picture of Master Chief in a letterman Jacket. PWN or Die features a hilarious gallery of images starring Halo's marquee super-soldier, Master Chief. Usually we recognize the Master Chief from his aggressive "Earth saving" escapades, but these "Senior Yearbook images" show us the UNSC powerhouse has a softer side too. If you've dreamt of Sears Family Portrait style images of the Chief, your prayers have been answered. Or your worst nightmares have come true ... either way, check it out.

Developer Binary Tweed has admitted sales of its first Xbox Live Community title Clover have not met expectations. Speaking with Digital Spy, Binary Tweed community managing director Daniel Jones said his team "definitely won't recoup costs" from Microsoft's indie games service alone.

Despite strong critical reception for the title, Jones says the Xbox Live Community Games market -- being re-branded 'Indie Games' in July -- is "prohibitively small to be financially viable." According to Jones, Binary Tweed may only use the Community Games market as an "an arena for proving concepts" in the future.

While Clover has failed to capture much attention from gamers, Jones says having a salable product to showcase to publishers (rather than a demo) has helped open doors for the team's future. "Although I can't talk about specifics at the moment, Clover's critical acclaim has opened doors to Binary Tweed." Jones recommends Clover fans keep an eye on the developer's official site for news in the coming weeks. We recommend you stop playing with that XBLCG Fart app and check out Clover.

Stick a fork in it, E3 2009 is done. Join us for our final late-night Xbox 360 Fancast. We talk about our last day which included Mass Effect 2, Halo 3: ODST, Blur, Need for Speed: Shift and so much more.

Also, we discuss the Joystiq E3 2009 Reader Meet-Up. And discuss Dustin eating Marmite ... and boy does he eat Marmite! Watch the entire thing happen in the video after the break!

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Hosts: Xav de Matos (Snypz), Dustin Burg (SuperDunners), Alexander Sliwinski (Sli Xander), Kevin Kelly (Shazam).

Produced by Xav de Matos

For fans: Xbox 360 Fancast Facebook group

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European gamers are getting their hands on an exclusive special edition of Star Ocean: The Last Hope. Launching on June 5, The Last Hope has already made the trek to North American gamers, but European users have an exclusive pack headed their way to sweeten a possible purchase.

Included in the special edition is the game, a 32-page guide, five Last Hope character cards, a compilation CD soundtrack and limited edition packaging.

While we should be jealous of the bonuses included in the pack, we're more envious of the digistack packing used for the set. Thanks to this special edition, PAL users won't all have to deal with three discs stacked on top of each other, like North American gamers did. Lucky!

Do not be alarmed, Fancast fans -- Richard and Dustin are not on this week's episode of the Xbox 360 Fancast. In fact, internally we decided to skip this week in favor of some last minute (and hectic) E3 planning, but we decided we couldn't leave you hanging without your Fancast fix. This episode features Alexander, (razor model) Kevin Kelly and myself (as your host) discussing Joystiq's Microsoft E3 Bingo Card and other E3 predictions.

It's a different host, a different vibe and much lower production quality than you're used to! Excited? No? Don't get too upset though, because this Friday we have another Xbox 360 Fancast coming at you! That's right... two in ONE WEEK! See... we love you.

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in Zune Marketplace (MP3).
[RSS MP3] Add the Xbox 360 Fanboy Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[AAC] Download the enhanced AAC directly.
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.

Hosts: Xav de Matos (Snypz), Alexander Sliwinski (Sli Xander) and Kevin Kelly (Shazam)

Produced by Xav de Matos

Music: Intro/Outro: "Electromooq" by Uma Floresta.

For fans: Xbox 360 Fancast Facebook group

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Xbox 360 Achievements for Wallace & Gromit's adventure (already ongoing on PC) have surfaced and X360A.org have scooped them up. Like any other XBLA title, Wallace & Gromit's Fright of the Bumblebees includes a possible 200 Gamerscore points to help players pad their personal Xbox profile "baseball card" statistics.

Fans of the famous British-born, stop-motion clay animation series will notice the careful attention Telltale Games put into the achievements -- primarily the the multiple achievements referencing Wallace's love for cheese. Here's hoping the XBLA translation for the adventure game turns out as Gouda as the PC version. Amirite?

Let's just say it before you do ... old! Over a month ago, we spotted signs of future DLC for Tom Clancy's HAWX and were proven correct when Ubisoft revealed the US Eagles pack at the beginning of May. Although we knew aircraft from Russia was next on the list, we've waited patiently. Today, we wait no more.

Ubisoft has finally confirmed a new DLC pack for Tom Clancy's HAWX en route to the Xbox 360 and PS3. The Russian Falcons pack clocks in at 400 / $4.99, adds five new flying, killing machine variations and is available now. If you'll excuse us, we need to translate this Kenny Loggins album into Russian.

In late January, Microsoft decided to trim its community outreach staff by letting go the team responsible for the GamerScore Blog. Among those let go was Chris Paladino, a familiar face to many hardcore Xbox 360 fans. Soon after, Paladino -- along with former Microsoft employees Nelson Rodriguez and Tony Hynes -- formed Promethium Marketing, a company focused on only marketing products they themselves are fans of.

In an interview with Joystiq, Chris Paladino discussed forming the new company, its plans for world domination, Microsoft's decision to dismantle his team and the overuse of Twitter.

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How is Promethium different from other companies that focus on building a relationship with brand evangelists or regular consumers?

We've been doing this for a long time, we have friends at other companies who told us they are using our model, and we've decided to build a company focused solely on products we're excited about. Sure, we like money, but we know there's plenty to be made just doing what we really believe in.

We want to be about trust, authenticity, and transparency. We never want to be in a position where someone has worked all summer to save $60 to buy a game that they feel I sold them with lies.

"It's crucial that we use social media to listen to and communicate [with gamers]."

Often large companies are slow to adopt new technologies or methods of communication, Twitter for example, what do you think major companies are missing the mark on today?

As new mediums are discovered, there's a learning period to figure out what works. Twitter is in that state right now. Twitterers aren't sure where the person writing ends and the brand begins. It's a bit like the blog explosion where every person in a company had a blog, and it ultimately confuses the audience.

What I get most frustrated about is seeing big companies try to take their old template and apply it to a new medium. So Twitter becomes a spam machine, where you link to blandly written press releases or contests. I know we're all learning how to navigate it, so I don't fault anyone, but you can kind of tell when an old broadcast model is being applied on a new medium.

It's a great way to figure out how to have a 2-way conversation, but not everyone wants to use it that way, because they're not fully comfortable yet with the idea of 2-way discussions.


How important is social media in the video game industry?

Modern video games are one of the few products where the customer changes the product through use. I'm not talking about just modding, or level building -- like with Little Big Planet -- but also multiplayer and even fan-written walkthroughs.

You've got a product where the 2nd player is jumping into a different product than was originally shipped, because of users participating, and communicating, and morphing it. Because of that, I think social media is almost more important in gaming than in any other industry.

Since customers are shaping the game experience it's crucial that we use social media to listen to and communicate with those customers.

If you're just going through the social media motions to check a box, though, it loses its importance. You shouldn't be using social media as a way to just build up your own voice and ignore the dialogue. If, on the other hand, you allow it to foster conversations, and you are flexible about how you interact with your fans, social media can be a way for fans to have a better experience with their favorite brands, and a way for companies to save a tremendous amount of money by engaging directly with customers, instead of throwing millions of dollars into the wind.

Social media basically means that everybody has a voice now – it doesn't mean that every user is "great" at using this new power, but with people able to talk to each other directly, customers are a lot less tolerant of old style PR babble. It means you HAVE to adjust your view of customers if you're a PR or marketing professional.

"We've decided to build a company focused solely on products we're excited about."

There are so many types of marketing thrown at gamers in today's industry. In your opinion, what is the most overused method of marketing in today's video game industry? What is the most ancient we need to ditch?

I can't wait for the Twitter fad to be over. It hearkens back to 2-3 years ago where the blogosphere was just copying and pasting the same stories over and over. You see that a bit today with twitter. I love twitter and it's a great tool for informal small talk in a public space, but it's becoming a spam device. On the PR side, I also think we should be doing more than just sending out rivers of box cover art.

Where do you see the game space evolving to... I know, for example, you can't stop playing Quake LIVE, Chris. What's the future of our industry?

I am anxiously awaiting the death of physical media. I really like the ease of playing a game like Quake LIVE in a browser, on a machine that is NOT top of the line.

I like downloading my games through Impulse, Steam, PSN and over Xbox Live w/o having to mess with DRM, or installation, or physically getting off of my sofa to take Gears 2 out in order to play Left 4 Dead.

I also think that the iPhone/iPod Touch IS a gaming platform. It's causing some pain for publishers in terms of price degradation, but I think some companies are starting to figure out how to deliver "premium" content for "premium" prices.

Thanks Chris, and good luck. Oh, and if you do end up conquering the world... all we ask is for you to rename a small island after The 'Stiq.

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Halo Wars DLC, 'Strategic Options,' dropped onto the Xbox Live Marketplace today and Joystiq has five fresh codes to give to you, our tactical readers. Looking to add a little spice to your strategic online escapades? This is the DLC for you! Make sure to enter early because this Joyswag is only happening today. If you want to get in on this action, follow these easy steps below!

• Leave a comment telling us your favorite Halo Wars multiplayer strategy
  
• You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec)
  
• Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day
  
• This entry period ends at 6:00 pm ET on Tuesday, May 19
• At that time, we'll randomly select five (5) winners to receive a download code for the Halo Wars 'Strategic Options' DLC (MSRP: $10).
• For a list of complete rules, click here

Best of luck to all -- and thanks to the Xbox Canada Community Blog for supplying the codes!

If your bucket list consists of watching $2,500 go up in flames, Sole Junkie has a possible solution in the form of Xbox branded sneakers. The shoes, which are not endorsed by Microsoft or Nike, had been placed on eBay earlier this week, but are (unfortunately?) no longer available for purchase.

In an interview with Yahoo! Games, the California-based artist (with sole canvas) mentioned feedback on the Xbox branded sneakers have been mixed. "The video game community hates the price and the fact I may have taken a beloved iconic gaming system and butchered it," Sole Junkie says, but he is adamant the positive feedback outweighs the negative. At that price, we find that extremely hard to believe.

Xbox Japan boss, Takashi Sensui, recently sat down with Famitsu [via 1UP] to discuss Microsoft's successes and failures in the Japanese market since launching the original Xbox in 2002. Unlike other carefully worded and positively spun interviews given when discussing complete failures, Sensui leaves no stone unturned when outlining Microsoft's initial mistakes in the region.

One of the major issues discussed was Microsoft's decision to price-cut the original Xbox, three months after it launched in Japan -- offering early adopters games and accessories as a consolation. "I was like 'Whoa, we're dropping the price already?!'," Sensui told the magazine. "We called it the 'Thank You Campaign,' but it was really more of a 'Sorry About That Campaign.'"

Today the Xbox 360 isn't exactly lighting up the sales charts in Japan, but a steady stream of titles catered to the market have helped spike sales at times throughout the last year -- a plan Microsoft continues today. "I really feel like we're expanding now," Sensui said. "Seeing how the 360 has expanded its sales every year makes me very happy. I truly appreciate the support of the users and the perseverance of all the game developers that made it possible."

THQ has been busy today, dropping demos for both UFC 2009 Undisputed and Red Faction: Guerrilla on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Both demos, which will no doubt square off for your attention this morning, are only available for Xbox Live Gold subscribers.

In the blue corner, the demo for Undisputed features Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua battling for control of the Octagon. In the Red corner, the demo for Red Faction: Guerrilla finally gives players a taste of single-player action, following a lengthy multiplayer beta. Unfortunately, Guerrilla's demo does not feature the (completely realistic) ostrich hammer ... thankfully, the demo for UFC 2009: Undisputed does. Yes, we were surprised too.

Download - UFC 2009: Undisputed Demo
Download - Red Faction Guerrilla Demo

After revealing the patch last month, SimBin has finally updated its exclusive Xbox 360 simulation, Race Pro. Some of the tweaks include: ending a game crashing bug when 12 players joined or left a session; allowing players with DLC to start sessions with those who don't; and some other stuff that would make this a really long paragraph.

More general changes include the enhancement of vehicle deformation and an attempt to offset online leaderboard shenanigans. Check out the long list of changes after the break.

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