Gkaruk's Technological Blog

Microsoft's press release at the X06 event in Barcelona was full of surpirses this year and re-affirms their intention to be a serious contender to Sony, if not become the new number one console.

In their press release they announced and showed existing and new unseen titles, including, Project Gotham Racing 4, Halo Wars, Banjo-Kazooie along with a deal between Microsoft, Bungie and Pete Jackson (director of King Kong and Lord of The Rings).

You can find a copy of the full press release here.

In Microsoft press release at X06 in Barcelona were some major surprises.  However, as I blogged back in may the rumoured Xbox 360 HD-DVD price was spot on (well minus £1).

Microsoft has confirmed the HD-DVD will arrive in Europe for £129 in mid-November 2006. This is a stunning price and with HD-DVDs currently listed on Play.com for around £18 a rocking hi-def movie watching piece of kit.

The press release extract for this news is:

...Arriving at retailers in North America, the U.K, France and Germany in mid-November 2006, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player will retail for $199.99 in North America (estimated retail price)* and €199.99/£129.99 (estimated retail price)* in the U.K., France and Germany. The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player comes with the Universal Pictures’ blockbuster film Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” on HD DVD (for a limited time) and the Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote...

I will post the full press release in a new post laters.

Rumours in retail are suggesting converations with Microsoft are putting the new HD-DVD drive for the Xbox 360 at less than 130GBP in the UK.  The device is not due until Sep/Oct 2006 and with the Games Conference in Lepzeig in August where I expect the official announcement to be made.  This is based on the same conference is where Microsoft announced the official Xbox 360 launch and pricing details last year.

For more detail on this head over to CVG.

With adverts for games getting more and more surreal, I came across a Xbox360 TV advaert which appears to have been banned.  Although I can see why it was banned I am sure you will agree unlike most surreal ads, this one gets the point of Xbox360 online gaming across.

Check out the advert here at Google Videos.

Yes, someone has turned a 999.9 gold bar into a 24k Gold Faceplate for the Xbox 360. You may think thats gonna cost alot, well yeh, it does and it starting price is $36,000 on ebay.

From the ad on Ebay:

Check the Ebay auction here.