After encountering some problems while reopening the virtual doors to Xbox Live yesterday, Major Nelson is reporting everything is back to working order. However, believing everything we read isn't in our job description (even when the source is one we trust), so we put on our Tron suit and hopped into Microsoft's virtual world to find out for ourselves.

Going through Xbox Live and its Marketplace, we were able to do pretty much everything we normally could. We downloaded the trial game for Rocket Riot, then snagged a free gamer picture, and even pulled down the demo of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. In fact, we even checked out the Video Marketplace, and viewed a preview for the movie Outlander. So, we think it's safe to say that Xbox Live is back to its old self again. Are any of you still encountering issues?

We finally know why 'All Fronts' started vanishing from online retailers. In speaking with IGN, Epic's Rod Fergusson said that the feedback from fans on the original 1600 ($20) price for 'Dark Corners' and the retail release of 'All Fronts' wasn't, well ... favorable. So, Epic decided to mix things up.

Dark Corners will now be offered at a much cheaper price of 1200 ($15). As for 'All Fronts,' it's ditching its planned retail release for an exclusive Xbox Live Marketplace stay, where fans will be able to download the content for 1600 ($20) at 12:00am GMT on July 28.

[Thanks, surinder!]

Paragraph of professional obligation: Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex is this week's "Deal of the Week" from Microsoft. The Xbox Original is available to Gold Members for 800 ($10), 33 percent off its normal price.

Paragraph of professional facepalm: Microsoft, please cease and desist using the term "deal" until company representatives speak with Valve and learn the true definition. Steam does deals -- real deals! These Xbox deals border on insulting and take the metro around fail town.

[Add Crash Bandicoot to your download queue]

For better or for worse, Mutant Chronicles is one of the few films that has debuted on Xbox Live Marketplace before a theatrical release. Set in the year 2707, this sci-fi film is loosely based on the Mutant Chronicles role-playing game. Earth is nearly exhausted of its natural resources and a mysterious "machine" threatens to turn the world into a ravenous wasteland of mutants. Sounds a little like Fallout, doesn't it?

The film is getting a theatrical release today, but you should still be able to check it out on the Marketplace if you want to avoid a trip to the theater. Ron Perlman and John Malkovich star in the film -- but watch out, it has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of only 17%.

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

Couch athletes, rejoice! This week's Xbox 360 digital deal is aimed directly at you. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 fans looking for some new scenery can pick up the Spyglass Hill golf course DLC for 400 ($5), down 33% from 600. The downloadable course brings players through one of the toughest stops on the PGA tour on the historic Pebble Beach Golf Links. It's the perfect DLC if you love the outdoors but hate leaving your home ... and can you really pass up a chance to fist-pump all over more Pebble Beach green?

GameSpy recently sat down with Bethesda senior producer -- lead producer of all DLC -- Jeff Gardiner to discuss The Pitt, revealing a host of interesting tidbits for Fallout 3 fans. The Pitt begins with the player encountering an escaped slave, named Werhner, from Pittsburgh, who claims the leader of The Pitt has discovered a cure for mutations. After disguising themselves as a slave, players will have to "find work, and figure out how to gain audience with raider boss."

New quest lines, "stylized" Power Armor and weapons aren't the only things added to Fallout 3 with The Pitt DLC; new mutated foes will hunt down the player. Trogs (pictured above) are subhuman life forms, heavily mutated by the unique Pittsburgh radiation. "They scurry around on all fours, fear the light, and hunt in large packs," said Gardiner.

The Pitt is expected to add the same amount of game time to Fallout 3 as Operation: Anchorage did; however, players will be able to return to The Pitt when their quest is completed. Three of the four achievements added for The Pitt will be obtained by completing the quest. The last is "much more difficult," involving the collection of one hundred steel ingots found in the area.

Three new perks have also made the travel to Pittsburgh. One adds to the "killing efficacy" of the new Auto Axe melee weapon, another relates to the extreme radiation of the area, and the last is "rewarded after completing a Pitt fight." The Pitt DLC releases on the Xbox 360 and Games for Windows Live on March 24 for 800 ($10).

The third in the Halo Wars "Universe Expanded" videos is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace (for Gold members). Again we see several voices in the gaming industry waxing poetic about Halo. The latest video focuses on exactly how Halo Wars adds to the lore established in other Halo titles. On particularly interesting tidbit, Microsoft's own Frank O'Connor notes that the new elements present in Halo Wars will show up in future titles in the franchise. Who knows, maybe we'll be hijacking Locust tanks or piloting a Vulture in Halo 3: ODST.

Criterion Games has officially announced the price for the upcoming Legendary Cars DLC for Burnout Paradise. Gamers who hunger for choice can download each vehicle separately or together in a discounted package when they release on February 19. The Jansen 88 Special (you know, the not-so-subtle nod to the DeLorean) is priced at $3.99 / 320, while each of the other three vehicles clock in at $1.99 / 160 a piece. The Legendary bundle will also be available for a discounted price of $7.99 / 640.

We know your first reaction would be to get upset that the obvious favorite in the package is priced slightly higher. Think of it as a glimpse into the future. Flying cars are going to be hella expensive. Don't even get get us started on the time traveling or air conditioning options -- we still don't know how those packages aren't on the base models.

[Update: Originally we listed the Legendary Cars pack at 600; however, the price is $7.99 / 640]

With news that the Halo Wars demo on Xbox Live has been downloaded over 2 million times, we tried to think about the why. Why would over 2 million gamers check out this particular demo? We came up with a few reasons:

• Xbox owners enjoy free demos
• Xbox owners enjoy games with Halo in the title
• Xbox owners enjoy free demos of games with Halo in the title

So, as you can see, it's really anyone's guess as to why the demo has become so popular. As soon as we find out that why though, we'll be sure to let you know.

According to a F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin promo insert (Xbox 360 version pictured), a demo for Wanted: Weapons of Fate is set to hit the Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Store on March 5.

Developed by GRIN (of Bionic Commando Rearmed fame), Wanted: Weapons of Fate takes place five hours after the events of the 2008 action flick based on the same comic book property. Like a list of games as long as our arm, Wanted will feature bullet-time and (more creatively) the ability to curve bullets around the environment. Basically, it's the most realistic game ever.

Check out Joystiq's hands-on feature with Wanted: Weapons of Fate.

Dust off those copies of Grand Theft Auto IV and get ready to join the Brotherhood. A brand new trailer for the upcoming Xbox 360-exclusive DLC, The Lost & Damned, has jumped online and features a few familiar faces. Notable cameos include drug runner Elizabeta Torres and GTA IV's main protagonist, Niko Bellic.

Based on the appearance of Torres and her dialog, The Lost & Damned will bring players back to the mission Blow Your Cover, from GTA IV. In the mission, Niko follows Playboy X and Johnny Klebitz (the protagonist in Lost & The Damned) to a heroin deal that eventually goes horribly wrong. Other moments from The Lost & Damned are said to weave into the original GTA IV story, where Johnny Klebitz was a supporting character during a pair of key missions.

GTA IV: The Lost & Damned will release on February 17, for 1600 ($19.99 US). The full trailer can be found after the break.

As the late, great, Kenny Loggins once sang, "Ride into the Danger Zone!" What? Kenny Loggins isn't dead? Awkward. Moving on... On February 11, a demo for Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. will hit the Xbox Live Marketplace for Live Gold members.

The demo, which tracks experience and includes three unlockable fighters to test drive fly, allow up to four Mavericks to play cooperatively. It sports two missions for the upcoming air-combat game: Operation - Off Certification, one of the game's training missions that showcases maneuvers and tactics used throughout the adventure, and Operation - Glass Hammer, another training mission that teaches pilots how to blow stuff up in the air and on land. Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. lands in stores this March.

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Since the beginning of time, man has attempted to unlock the secrets of two ancient mysteries: 1) The meaning of life and 2) how the hell you make an RTS both intuitive and enjoyable using a console controller. On February 5, Halo Wars will attempt to answer the second of life's greatest mysteries when a demo for the title releases on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Will it succeed where others have failed or will it too suffer a tragic fate of mediocrity? We don't know, but this week you have a chance to find out by winning an advanced code for the demo courtesy of Jade, Jake and the entire Xbox Canada Community Blog.

Here's how you win:

• Leave a comment conveying your completely accurate (even though you've never played it) review of the Halo Wars demo.
  
• You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec)
  
• Limit 1 entry per person
• This entry period ends at 5:00PM EST, today (February 2, 2008). We'll randomly select 5 winners at that time to receive an Xbox Live Marketplace code to download the demo of Halo Wars (ARV: $0.00). Please check your e-mail!
• For a list of complete rules, click here

If you picked up your copy of Gears of War 2 used, you now have a chance to get your hands on the elusive gold-plated Lancer, which was -- until today -- only available via a voucher code included with new copies of the game. It's available now on the Xbox Live Marketplace as a free download.

Don't look so surprised. Earlier in the month, Microsoft released the Flashback Map Pack -- another item initially made available only to new buyers of the game -- on the Marketplace. At least this time, the content is free. No word if it will remain that way.

Update: This content seems to only be available on the Xbox.com Marketplace, not on the Xbox 360 Marketplace.

Download the In-game Gold Lancer for Gears 2

[Thanks Travis D!]