We all love video games, right? Today marks the beginning of the annual E3 conference where all the big players make some of their biggest announcements. Microsoft kicks things off at 10:30am Pacific time with their press conference, while Nintendo and Sony hold theirs tomorrow at 9:00am and 11:30am respectively. (more…)

It looks like your Xbox just got a little more purpose. It was announced yesterday that a Hollywood based company, Safran Digital Group, would be producing original shows for the Xbox.

Microsoft, seeking to expand offerings on its Xbox 360 console, has reached an agreement with a company headed by Peter Safran, the veteran Hollywood producer and talent manager, to produce original shows for distribution on the system

Few details were given regarding any of the shows except that they would be targeted for the the Xbox core audience, males 14 to 34. Since I’ve been told I have the mentality of an 8 year old I have no interest on any of this.

[NY Times]

I’ve spent the past two days with my ass glued to my couch rockin’ out with the likes of Pat Benetar, Metallica, and Poison. While it sounds like a stoner’s daydream, I’ve actually been playing Guitar Hero 3 on my XBox 360. After beating the game on its Medium difficulty and suffering a wicked hand cramp as a result, I feel like I’ve experienced enough to recommend it to anyone with a video game console and a desire to have fun. (more…)

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft officially killed off their XBox 360 HD DVD add-on. The only reason I bring this to your attention is because the thing is still a great upscaling DVD player if you’ve got a 360, regardless of the fate of HD DVD. They dropped the price to $119 recently but now that these players are irrelevant, retailers will probably be giving them away soon.

I’ve always heard rumors that using your video game system as a DVD player can wear it down and shorten its life-span, and considering the XBox 360’s 16% failure rate, no one needs to speed up that process. Plus with this thing connected to your 360, you’re not taking up an extra input on your TV or receiver.

It comes with a sweet remote control, it makes DVDs look awesome and you’ll probably be able to find some HD DVDs in bargain bins across the land. Of course if you have a Playstation 3, you have no use for this, and I hate you.

[Engadget]

I’m the kind of guy that loves the idea of starting a new, epic game, especially when said game gets really high reviews all around. Unfortunately, I’m also the kind of guy that quickly gets caught up in other things (namely, life), forgets what I had been doing in said game, and then quits playing it due to frustration at having no idea what’s going on. Call of Duty 4 was different, for better or worse. It’s a white-knuckle action shooter that’s pretty short overall, but it’s definitely worth the cost of admission. (more…)

So you’ve read through our Dumbass’s Guide to the HD Format War and you’ve decided to take the leap, huh? Well I commend you, brave soldier. If you’ve got an XBox 360 and you’re looking to get into the HD game without breaking the bank, then Microsoft’s HD DVD Player is the best and quite possibly the cheapest way to do it.
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Editor’s Note: As of February 19th, 2008, the HD DVD format is dead. Blu-ray has won the war. I liked this guide though, so I’m going to leave it up.

There’s a war going on right now, only it’s not the kind that’s fought overseas with guns and tanks (not yet, anyways). Its battles are fought with marketing dollars, on message boards across the internet and on store shelves. It’s the worst kind of war, besides those ones mentioned before with the guns. Those are worse.

It’s a format war, and it’s causing mass confusion and apathy.

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