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Xbox Live Arcade Hits discounted games join the next Xbox 360 firmware fall update

November 30th, 2007 by astrotriforce

Xbox 360 2007 Fall Update
Some more new features have been added to the fall Xbox 360 firmware update on December 4th.

These new additions will follow the previously announced “Family Timer” (which limits the amount of playtime the 360 can have per week or even per day, for parents who want absolute control of what their kid plays), Xbox Originals (Original Xbox games that you can download to your 360 via the Marketplace for $15 each) and a new “Friends of Friends” feature that lets you see your Friends’ Friends list. You’ll also be able to set your name, location and a brief bio as part of a social networking-style addition to the service.

1600 Microsoft Points Card for use on Xbox LiveAnd now the update will also include the Xbox Live Arcade Hits program, which will give us a discount for older Xbox Live Arcade downloadable titles. The first group of Arcade Hits will be: Bankshot Billiards 2 and Lumines Live!, both of which will cost only $10 (1200 Microsoft Points) now down from $15. And Marble Blast Ultra, Zuma Deluxe and Small Arms, which will cost $5 ($400) down from $10.

A new “Inside Xbox” news ticker will appear just below your gamercard on the Xbox Live blade. And it will show any update to the service, including new games added that week. There will also be a number of smaller updates, although none the less significant. You can now view previews in full-screen, and there is support for DivX and Xvid video files. People who were minors when they bought the system but are now adults will now be treated as such, and see their chat and IM features enabled. And you’ll also have the ability to change your Windows Live ID (passport) that’s associated with your Xbox Live account. — Via Joystiq

DivX video codec support coming soon to PS3 and also hinted for Xbox 360

November 14th, 2007 by supadupagama

Many DVD Players also support DivXThe popular DivX video codec is soon coming to the PlayStation 3! This support will be added in a future firmware update. DivX CEO Kevin Hell hinted that DivX support is also coming to the Xbox 360!

To quote: “During the SMid Cap conference call with investment firm JP Morgan, Hell was asked if the recent deal that will see DivX codecs shipped with new versions of Microsoft’s standalone Media Center Extenders means that such support will also be arriving on the Xbox 360. ‘Yes!’ was his immediate reply, although he quickly qualified that confirmation with a disclaimer that the deal was still in the negotiation process and had not yet been finalized.” — Via Slashdot

PS: The most recent PS3 2.0 firmware has the ability to detect both DivX and Xvid files, but not yet play them.

PS3 Firmware 2.00 update adds custom menu themes and playlists

November 8th, 2007 by supadupagama

PS3 custom theme AirpaintSony today released the PS3 Firmware 2.00 update. On top of the ability to turn the PlayStation 3 on rem