Quick Jump Daily Digest

Thank you for your interest in the Quick Jump Daily Digest. Get notified of all new content on QJ in our free Daily Digest. To subscribe, enter your email address below and click the subscribe button.

Cancel and Return to page

The Xbox 360 Weekend Warrior: Post-E3 qualms, videogame legislation, and black people (working on RE5)

Posted Jul 27, 2008 at 2:56AM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: Acclaim, David Perry, ESA, Michael Pachter, Ubisoft, xbox 360 titles

Welcome to the fifth installment of the Xbox 360 Weekend Warrior. Last week's 360 Weekend Warrior was basically an E3 extravaganza, filled with big-name news and announcements. This week is a lot more subdued, as we deal with the aftermath of E3, as well as talk about some notable new things in store for our favorite games.

Oh, and we talk about perceived racism and videogame legislation as well. Yeah, this week was pretty weird because of those topics.

That said, this installment of the Weekend Warrior should be a lot shorter than the previous one. Let's jump right into it!

E3 wasn't that great, say some folks - Image 1

Post-E3 qualms: people wished it was better

Despite a pretty awesome showing for Xbox 360 fans, many in the gaming industry found this year's E3 to be a lackluster event... and they weren't afraid to make that thought known.

Michael Pachter said that E3 would become extinct, Ubisoft executive director Alain Corre wished it was situated at a better time and place, and Acclaim Chief Creative Officer David Perry just thinks E3 this year was "broken" and "an embarrassment."

That said, the ESA still plans on bringing E3 to the world next year. Whether it'll be good or not depends on what the ESA's cooking, so we hope they make something tasty for retailers, consumers, and game companies alike.

Link: Pachter: E3 to become extinct soon
Link: Ubisoft: time and place for E3 not appropriate, needs to be bigger
Link: Acclaim Chief Creative Officer: E3 is broken and an embarrassment
Link: ESA: there will be an E3 next year

The power of downloadables: new game info, free films, and XNA goodness

What's up for Xbox 360 fans who love their downloadables? A lot, it seems. Let's break it down into manageable chunks.

Portal for XBLA has been detailed somewhat, and while there are new levels coming for the game, there won't be any added story, sorry to say.

Link: Portal for XBLA gets new content, but no extended storyline

We know that some exclusive Fallout DLC is coming to the Xbox 360, but there are definitely questions that'll come with such an announcement. Unfortunately, Bethesda is remaining mum on the exclusivity deal they've made.

Link: Bethesda not talking on Fallout 3 DLC exclusivity deal

In new game news, The Puzzle Quest expansion is now out for people to download, and it promises some additional hours of questing and new items for you to pick up. Furthermore, demos are coming for Madden 09 and Facebreaker, so you should probably watch out for those.

Oh, and there's going to be at least two episodic games coming out based on the upcoming Watchmen movie. The games are supposed to be prequels though, so we'll see how that pans out.

Link: Puzzle Quest's Revenge of the Plague Lord expansion pack to hit XBLA on July 23
Link: Madden 09 demo for Xbox 360, PS3 out soon
Link: Facebreaker demo coming to PS3, Xbox 360 on July 31
Link: Watchmen episodic games announced for XBLA, PSN, PC

Good news for those who are in the beta for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix! Capcom has changed their minds about not releasing a patch. They're also extending the beta up to September 5. Here's to hoping the upcoming patch for the beta will improve the beta-playing experience some.

Link: Capcom to release beta patch for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Link: Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix patch detailed, beta gets extended

We're also seeing some unfortunate delays this week. Word out on the street is that Bionic Commando: Rearmed and Burnout Paradise's Cagney update are both getting delays. Sadness.

Link: Burnout Paradise: Xbox 360 Cagney update delayed again
Link: Bionic Commando Rearmed Japan launch delayed

The Xbox Live Video Marketplace is also getting some love today, as it will be getting seven free short films in the fall. Most of these films are comedic in nature and will be made by notable Hollywood directors who are more commonly known for their horror titles, so it should be interesting to see how it'll all work out.

Link: Xbox Live Video Marketplace getting seven free short films this fall

XNA Game Studio users also have something to be happy about this week, as Microsoft has released preliminary information on the prices and rates for the Xbox Community Games Initiative. With this initiative, budding homebrew game makers can sell their games to the 360-loving populace, and hopefully make some money off the games they create.

Link: XNA Creators Club Games: prices and details

Lastly, Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace business manager Alvin Gendrano noted that there was power in Xbox Live. Specifically, he mentioned that good downloadable content for games can extend the life of a game and curb the used games market.

Link: Microsoft's Alvin Gendrano: Good DLC can curb used games market

Notable news and views from people in the industry

Let's begin this next section with some notable news for Xbox 360 fans. We'll follow it up with some important views from people in the industry, paying special note to one analyst who says we need an actual Xbox 360 price cut.

First off, we have word that one of the greatest guitar players in the world is making his way to Guitar Hero: World Tour, with three tracks cleared for use. Related to this is a rumored track list for the game.

Link: Make way for Jimi Hendrix in Guitar Hero World Tour
Link: Rumor: Guitar Hero World Tour's list of tracks

In literature news, Epic Games and Del Rey have announced a three-book deal for the Gears of War universe, with the first book set to come out on October 28, 2008.

Link: Gears of War novels revealed by Epic Games and Del Rey

Business news brings us word of another offer from EA for Take-Two. As usual, Take-Two is urging stockholders to stay resolute, calling EA's offer "inadequate."

Link: No dice: Take-Two execs slam EA's fifth buyout offer

One of two stories regarding Resident Evil 5 this week, this first one deals with the game's blood and gore. Simply put, Capcom will ensure that enough mayhem and death gets into the game to satiate everyone's primal needs with RE5. As for the second article? You'll find it a bit below.

Link: Capcom: blood and guts here to stay in Resident Evil series

THQ shared some new details regarding Saints Row 2. According to the devs, the game will allow you to fight in an underground fighting ring, commit insurance fraud, and spray sewage on buildings and people. Yep, that last bit is certainly nasty.

Link: Saints Row 2 gets MA 15+ in Australia, features hinted

We also have some good and bad news courtesy of Ubisoft. The good news is that Ubisoft is doing well financially, at least in terms of first quarter sales. The bad news is that they're delaying Splinter Cell: Conviction.

Link: Ubisoft scores good first quarter sales, Splinter Cell: Conviction delay confirmed

Now it's time for the important people of the week, beginning with a very special analyst named Todd Greenwald.

What's so special about him? Well, he sees the Xbox 360 price cut for what it is, a simple switching of the SKUs. Sure, it adds value to the US$ 349 model, but what Greenwald is calling for is simple: a REAL price cut. Related to this, Microsoft's Don Mattrick explains the actions of the company, saying that Microsoft is offering consumers a choice, which isn't a bad thing in and of itself... but a cheaper Xbox 360 would be nice to have too.

Link: Analyst: Xbox 360 needs a real price cut
Link: Microsoft's Mattrick on the varying 360 models: 'consumers like choice'

Next up is the previously staunch defender of the Xbox 360, Peter Moore. This time, he's got a different opinion of the console war, and he says the Wii's going to win out.

Link: Peter Moore: Wii to win console war with half the market

More Major Nelson speak this time, with word regarding the Xbox Live Experience. According to him, using the experience is optional, meaning one doesn't actually have to use the new system if they like the old one better.

Link: Major Nelson on the new Xbox Experience: 'You don't actually have to use it.'

This time, we've got some fighting words from WildTangent CEO Alex St. John. He predicts that consoles will be dead by 2020, leaving the PC as the winner of the console war. Chances are, you don't agree with that, do you?

Link: WildTangent CEO predicts game consoles will be dead by 2020

QuickJump Musings: Why must Politics and Gaming collide so often?

For our musing for the week, we've got three articles to go through. The first is a rather silly one as it relates to political correctness. The second and third are your usual political in the sense that they're actual legislations put up to help govern people.

In response to journalist N'Gai Croal's earlier assertion that no one black was working on Resident Evil 5, Capcom's Jun Takeuchi said that black people were working on the game. We suppose that to some people, shooting black zombies is some kind of racist abomination, and I can understand that sentiment.

Following this, we have some legislation. First off, New York Governor David Paterson has signed a bill that "establishes an advisory council to conduct a study on the connection between interactive media and real-life violence in minors exposed to such media," and requires that:

new video game consoles to have parental lockout features by 2010, and mandate that games sold at retail disclose the ratings obtained from the gaming industry's voluntary rating system.

The second is a similar bill passed to the U.S. Senate that asks to "prohibit the distribution or sale of video games that do not have age-based content rating labels [and] prohibit the sale or rental of video games with adult content ratings to minors."

Again, these pieces of legislation are understandable and, to some extent, sensible. The problem is that, in the three cases, there seems to be a reactions to something that, otherwise, shouldn't be an issue.

In the first example, we've shot zombies before in video games; race shouldn't be an issue because we're fighting dead people in a land that is predominantly filled with black people.

The second is the regulation of video games. So long as the regulations are fair and don't violate freedom of speech, some form of regulation ought to be good. The problem here is twofold: that politicians are quick to react to videogames as a menace, and that gamers are quick to react to videogame regulation as a violation of personal freedoms.

Obviously, we can't solve any of these problems here in this article, but a possible revelation here would be that the worlds of politics and gaming wouldn't have to collide so much if there was more acceptance; that some things that are seemingly racist aren't racist, for example, or that videogames need some sort of regulation if they're to grow up as a form of art and expression in this day and age.

In any event, some acceptance would make it easier, at the very least to have politics and gaming coexist rather than fight. It saves taxpayers money, it saves people grief, and it saves writers like me from having lengthy QuickJump musings. What do you think?

Link: Takeuchi: black people are working on RE5
Link: New York Governor David Paterson passes video game legislation
Link: U.S. Senator Roger Wicker introduces videogame rating legislation

In any event, that's the Xbox 360 Weekend Warrior for this week. Check back again next week for your daily dose of news, views, and ruminations on all things gaming. Oh, and doughnuts. We think there might be doughnuts next week, too!

This story sucks? This story rocks!

Vote Now!

(0)

(0)

I have no problem with the location of the next Resident Evil game... I'm going to play it regardless... but that won't mean that many young white children (with a few asians I've met thrown in) aren't going to have a blast killing Africans on their big screen T.V's for all the wrong reasons when the game is released...which might cause a lot more controversy after it's released once parents(or Jack Thompson...Lord help us all..) ask for the banning of this game once they start seeing that the game they bought to babysit their child involves killing dark skinned zombies, and teaches them to treat all blacks as such (at least in their eyes because racist parents tend to act overly anti-racist to make their peers believe that they AREN'T racist..) and thats a shame because Resident Evil is one of my favorite game series to play and I don't want to see it get banned or censored or toned down just because some hypocritical parent want's to attempt to appease black people simply because they and their children most likely have never even talked to a black person before and believe everything they see on T.V, or in the movies, or in music and treat us like we're really zombies that only listen to "whiteys bad, whiteys racist, whitey always hates black people" which annoys the hell out of me...

besides I doubt that every single zombie in the game is going to be black considering that there ARE people of other races living in Africa.. but anyways racism in this game should be the last thing that the gaming community talks about when concerning Resident Evil.. we should be more concerned on whether or not this game is going to kick ass or be lackluster...but all will be revealed once on it's release day...

# And on a THIRD note! — Gameeye2 2008-07-27 08:33

I apologize for my lack of spaces in this fortress of text I just wrote >_>

# well. — ShadeyProphet 2008-07-27 14:17

maybe im insensitive, Maybe I just didn't understand that racism is a poison that only white people can feel.

But if you pay a man to do his job, usually he will do it.

but then we all know, there is no such thing as a racist black man, so umm problem solved I guess...

Refresh comments list

Add comment

JComments

HOT GAMING NEWS | LATEST GAMING SEARCHES | FORUMS

QUICK JUMP DAILY DIGEST

Welcome to QJ.Net!

If you want your comments to go live without waiting for moderation, you need to be logged in. Being logged in has its benefits:

Logged in members do not wait for their comments to be approved.
Logged in members can create Profiles to be seen by other users.

So why wait? Create an account or login now! It's easy, quick, and free.

To get started, use the LOGIN boxes, or the REGISTER link below!

Want to learn more about the team who brings you the QJ news?

Read about them now!

HOT FLASH GAMES

QJ.NET Categories
• Apple • E3 • Featured Articles • Gadgets • Games for Windows • iPad • iPhone • MMORPG • Mobile • News • Nintendo 3DS • Nintendo DS • Opinions & Analysis	• Photography • PlayStation 3 • PoV • PS Vita • PSP • Rumors • Science • Site News • Tabula Rasa • Wii • Wii U • World of Warcraft • Xbox 360

Sitemap

Newest Downloads

05/25/2012 - 06/01/2012

Zombiies	06/01/2012
Newo Runner v1.1	06/01/2012
Kurushi Wii v1.0	06/01/2012
Hero City 2 v1.1	06/01/2012
WiiFlow Mod 3.0 r431	05/31/2012
XeBuild GUI 2.061	05/30/2012
edicpopDS v0.3.01	05/29/2012
RGLoader 0v290 Beta	05/27/2012
WiiMod 3.2	05/27/2012
WiiMC v1.2.7	05/25/2012
True Blue Firmeware v2.7	05/24/2012
3DS Video Converter v2.3	05/24/2012
Mobile Assault 1.8.2	05/24/2012
PSP Tools Alpha 0.1	05/22/2012
Newton War	05/22/2012

Most Comments this Month
3D On Your Vita, iPhone an..	(5)
Finally: Star Wars for Gro..	(5)
Diablo III Refunds: Nope!	(4)
Japan Says No To Pirates	(3)
Another Expensive, Full-of..	(2)
Watch This: The Elder Scro..	(2)
Wanna Return to Agent 47's..	(1)
Get a Load of the Doom 3:..	(1)
Co-Op Is Dead...Space 3	(1)
Watch This: Tomb Raider is..	(1)
Feel Like Squashing Some S..	(1)
DS Homebrew: Another World	(1)
On Shelves this Week: Jun..	(1)
Rumor Mill: Green 3DS Plan..	(1)
Gameloft Shows Off Some Gr..	(1)
Changelog For Newest Multi..	(1)
PSP Is Back, Whiter, Cheap..	(1)
What's New From Team Xecut..	(1)
Party like Rockstar—But..	(1)
Rumor: Modern Warfare 4 to..	(1)
Gettin' All Stabby to a Ja..	(1)
The Return of the Killer T..	(1)

Top Jumps this Month
Pokemon Liquid Cryst..	(7)
Naruto Shippuden: Ul..	(7)
Finally: Star Wars f..	(6)
Another Expensive, F..	(4)
PSP Is Back, Whiter,..	(4)
PSP homebrew - LameC..	(4)
Bust Out Your PSP Fo..	(3)
Get Back to the Mult..	(3)
Download full Sid Me..	(2)
Watch This: Tomb Rai..	(2)
Latest Left 4 Dead 2..	(2)
Wii homebrew: WAD Ma..	(2)
PSP homebrew - Lamec..	(2)
What Can J-Runner Bu..	(2)
The Need For...An An..	(2)
PSP Homebrew - PSPDi..	(2)
What's New From Team..	(2)
Custom Firmware PRO-..	(2)
Hellcat Working On R..	(2)
3D On Your Vita, iPh..	(2)
Some Cyber in Your P..	(2)
Japan Says No To Pir..	(2)
Free Ratchet & Clank..	(1)
King of Pirates anno..	(1)
IceTea v1.3	(1)

HOT GAMING NEWS TOPICS

Quick Jump Daily Digest

The Xbox 360 Weekend Warrior: Post-E3 qualms, videogame legislation, and black people (working on RE5)

Related Stories:

Comments

Add comment

Newest Downloads