E3 2009: Microsoft Conference

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Microsoft made an impressive conference by all accounts in this year’s E3. Apart from all the game announcements it has also unveiled improvements to the service it provides to Xbox Live users. Xbox Live is undeniably the X360’s strongest feature and together with the camera controller it has announced could it be headed towards that golden Wii path?

1. Controller free gaming

In what may be considered the most important announcement, MS revealed that it will be releasing a camera controller, Project Natal, for the X360 which “promises 3-D motion recognition that will turn your entire body into a game controller.”

This camera controller “tracks your full body movement in 3-D, while responding to commands, directions and even a shift of emotion in your voice.”

Impressive accessory but will only be as good as the actual content using this. I have not found a release date for this but as soon as i do i will let you know.

Want to read more about this? Link

2. X360 getting Facebook and Tweeter

As you know Xbox Live users can connect their MSN accounts. Now, “using the New Xbox Experience interface, users can browse the various aspects of the social networking site (Facebook), including photos, messages, friends, status updates, and so on.

Facebook users will be able to post screenshots and text from in-game with new Facebook Connect functionality, with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 set to use Connect.

Twitter will also be coming to Xbox 360, enabling users to browse and post “tweets” directly from their Xbox 360.

Both Facebook and Twitter will be coming to Xbox Live sometime this fall.”

Original story at Shacknews. Link

3. Games on Demand service heading to X360

This does exactly what it says on the tin. Starting this August you (not you) will be able to download complete retail versions of games via Xbox Live. This includes games like Crackdown, Bioshock, COD4:MW, Mass Effect and Assassin’s Creed.

However, most likely players located in Cyprus will not be able do so judging from the restriction on downloading original Xbox titles via Xbox Live. We will find out in August.

Read more at Edge. Link

About the Author

Costas

Costas Taliadoros is an accountant by profession but a gamer at heart. He was born in Nicosia in 1977 and was raised by Donkey Kong. At a very young age he started piloting F-15 Strike Eagles over the Iraqi and Libyan deserts and has also seen action in an M1 Ambraams tank somewhere in Eastern Europe fighting against the Soviets. As the years went by, he was integrated into Civilization until he finally conquered the world and sent the first human mission to Alpha Centauri. He graduated from the International Superstar Soccer academy and moved back to Cyprus to start his career. In this dark period of his life he fought and swore against 3 more Master Chiefs on a 4-way split-screen all day and night. It was around this period that he also started traveling to Live in many places around the world but mostly the USA. There, he met a lot of young American teenagers who were willing to discuss topics like his mother and the colour of his skin in great detail. It only strengthened his belief that he still has a lot to learn in this life. Nowadays Costas can be found on a couch playing games with friends and foes, with beer in close proximity. He is just a non-professional “writer” who loves games, books, comics, football, and running. He is also writing in the video-game site he co-founded, www.forevergamers.com, and on his personal blog, www.lostingames.net.