DigitalBattle.com

Microsoft banning 1 million Xbox Live users

Information Week suggests that Microsoft has banned over 5% of Xbox Live members because they use modded consoles. Since there are just over 20 million Live members, it means over 1 million accounts have been suspended because they use modded consoles, which makes them play pirated games.

Audiosurf, Project Gotham Racing added to Zune HD

Microsoft’s Zune HD has certainly given the iPod touch a run for its money, and is capable of some serious 3D rendering with a powerful Nvidia Tegra chip running it. However, there haven’t been many games to really test the hardware — or to sell a lot of units — but that should be changed now.

With the latest update, Zune HD adds Audiosurf: Tilt, PGR: Ferrari Edition, Lucky Lane Bowling, Vans Sk8: Pool Service, Piano and Checkers. These are all free game that will be available on the Zune Marketplace. While the games are free, players are forced to watch a short ad before the game starts, which is okay, considering they’re free games.

Game Boy inducted into toy Hall of Fame

It’s always an honor when a great athlete gets inducted in a Hall of Fame — earlier this year for instance, Micheal Jordan was inducted into the NBA hall of fame, and now, more importantly to us gamers, Nintendo’s original Game Boy has been inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame, specifically, the Strong National Museum of Play’s Toy Hall of Fame.

The original 8-bit Game Boy was released in 1989, and its subsequent variations, have sold over 120 million units world wide since then, with the best game being Tetris, selling a whopping 33 million copies.

Congratulations, Nintendo!

Walmart offering $100 gift card with Xbox 360 Arcade

Count this one as one of the really good offers you can get this holiday season: when you purchase a $199 Xbox 360 Arcade at Walmart, they’ll give you a $100 gift card, which you can use on games, accessories, or whatever else Walmart has to offer (which is a lot).

Forking over another $35, alongside the gift card, will get you a hard drive for your Arcade console — still a great deal. But hurry, there’s a limited amount of offers per store.

Sega Mega Drive, Saturn lighters

Sure, smoking may most one of the self destructive habits you could take up but if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it in style. Geek style, that is.

What you see above are Branpresto’s recently announced Sega Mega Drive and Sega Saturn Zipp style lighters. Both of them are available for pre-order right now for ¥10,500 or about around $115.

Of course, if you don’t smoke you can always keep them as collectibles.

via joystiq

Black Wii hitting UK on Nov. 6

Gamers in the UK unhappy with the current white chassis of the Nintendo Wii will be happy to hear that a limited edition black version will be hitting store shelves on November 6th. As for the rest of Europe, you’ll be getting it on November 20th.

This limited edition comes with a black Wiimote, Nunchuk and Motion Plus. If you want the fancy black Classic Controller Pro, you’re going to have to buy that separately.

via techfresh

Peter Moore: disc based gaming a “burning platform”

Speaking PLAY Digital Media conference, EA’s Peter Moore has described sales model for regular, retail disc-based games as “burning”, noting that EA is focused on digital distribution and Moore advised other publishers to do the same. Moore noted that disc based games might completely go away within the next ten years.

…we’ll recognize it 10 years from now when we tell our grand kids, we’ll tell them we used to drive to the store to get shiny discs that have bits and bites on them and we’d place them in this thing called a ‘disc tray,’ and it’d whirl around…and they’ll go ‘What?’”

Check out more or Moore’s thoughts at Gamasutra here.

Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 bundle listed

Several large retailers, including GameStop and Amazon, have listed the upcoming Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 bundle. The bundle is set for release on November 10, and will retail for $399.

The bundle includes a black Xbox 360 with a MW2 face plate, a 250 GB hard drive and two black controllers. A great deal, especially considering the extra controller and 250 GB hard drive.

MP5 Wiimote submachine gun controller

There have been a few odd Wiimote-based controllers over the years, from attachments that made the Wiimote act like a “gun”, to actually looking like a gun, which is the case with Heckler & Koch MP5 Wiimote controller, which comes with built in Wiimote, nun-chuck and Wii Motion Plus, all in one great, black sub machine gun. The controller was spotted at an expo in Hong Kong, so no word on if we’ll ever see it retail.

Konami looking for motion sensing input for PES

Konami has pretty much offered the only viable contender to EA’s FIFA series, the PES, or Pro Evolution Soccer series, which has been a torn in EA’s eye for almost a decade. Developer and publisher Konami has revealed that they’re looking to add motion controller input to the series, as PES producer Shingo Takatsuka mentioned to IGN, saying that the company is “aggressively” looking into both Project Natal of Xbox 360 and the PS3 motion controller as well. However, the most obvious choice for motion controllers, the Wii, wasn’t mentioned.

Top 10 high-res wallpapers of upcoming games

There’s nothing like a slick-looking wallpaper — be it an in-game rendering or artwork — from an upcoming and highly anticipated game. We’ve put together our top 10 wallpapers of upcoming games, although they may vary on your list. Just click the images for a high-res version (it’s easier if you open in a new widow or tab).

10: Forza Motorsport 3

More »

PS3 250 GB Final Fantasy XIII bundle in Japan

While the Aussies (and most likely the Europeans and North Americans) will be getting 250 GB bundles with the standard, black PS3 slim console, the lucky Japanese will have something quite different.

The Final Fantasy XIII bundle in Japan will come with FF XII and a 250 GB white limited edition PS3 slim with Final Fantasy artwork, easily making it the prettiest PS3 by far. The bundle will be available for 42,000 Yen, or $460 USD.

New Xbox 360 wireless N adapter to cost $100

Microsoft’s new wireless adapter for the Xbox360, one that supports the new N standard (offering greater speed and range), has revealed that it’ll cost $100. The older adapter will not be discontinued, rather, it’ll be lowered to $80.

These prices are still far too high, considering that the PS3 and the Wii have WiFi built in. The new adapter, with its high price, will be arriving in stores next month, just in time for the next Xbox 360 dashboard update.

FireCore plug-and-play console comes with Genesis games, plays them too

Not a fan of plug-and-play consoles? Neither were we, until we saw the FireCore, that is. This console is essentially a Sega Genesis remake in the sense that it lets you play Genesis carts. That’s where the similarities end, however, as the console itself actually comes installed with 20 Sega Genesis games that you can play right out of the box.

Want want? Of course you do, Buy.com has the FireCore console up for sale at just $50.

Forza Motorsport 3 250GB Xbox 360 officially coming to the UK

Yet another game inspired Xbox 360 SKU has been announced, this time for Forza Motorsport 3. This announcement is basically just Microsoft coming clean about the 250GB Xbox 360 Elite that we saw appear on Amazon late last month.

Inside the box you will find the 250GB Xbox 360, of course, in addition to 2 wireless controllers, an Xbox 360 headset and Forza Motorsport 3. American gamers need not get excited as this SKU is currently exclusive to the European market when it drops on October 23rd for £249.99 or about $413.