Microsoft Kinect

Microsoft Kinect

First off, Microsoft Project Natal has been renamed to Microsoft Kinect and will be available on 4th November 2010. I am so getting it for my Xbox 360. The rumored price is USD$150.

For the Xbox 360 Original, Kinect will connect to your Xbox via a USB cable and a power cable is needed for power (doh!). Whereas for the New Xbox 360, you just need 1 cable (see below).

Official Site: Kinect
Fact Sheet: Kinect (docx)
Source: Microsoft Kinect gets official, Video Chat announced

Xbox 360 Slim

New Box 360

Microsoft also launch the new Xbox 360 which is slimer but personally from the screenshot, I think it looks uglier. It will go on sale from today in the US and priced at USD$299

Here is a quote from Engadget:

The new box is crazy sexy in glossy black with touch-sensitive buttons, and Microsoft says it’s “whisper quiet,” with one large fan instead of two — the new 45nm chipset undoubtedly generates less heat to begin with. On the features front, it’s got integrated 2.4GHz 802.11n WiFi, five USB ports, and 250GB of storage on a removable hard drive, although it’s not a standard drive or same drive as the old console, and older Memory Units won’t work, either. Upgraders can use a USB-to-Xbox hard drive connector cable to migrate to the new box, however. There’s also a “custom Kinect port” on the back that looks like an HTC-style ExtUSB port, and it also seems like the power supply has moved inside the case.

Official Site: Xbox 360
Source: New Xbox 360 gets official at $299, shipping today, looks angular and ominous (video hands-on!)

Press Page: Xbox E3 Press Page

Steam for Mac is now available for download and you will get Portal for free!

Portal used to cost money. Until May 24th, it’s free. End of story.
Well, technically speaking, there are some strings attached. Fortunately, they’re entirely decorative. We just like the way they look, swaying in the gentle breeze created by a million people simultanously fainting from shock at the news that Portal is free. Now you have no reason not to try Portal.

“I have a reason,” some of you are probably typing into an angry email. “You see, sir, I own a Mac.”

Well guess what: For the first time ever, Portal is also available for the Mac.

“Capital news! But the excellent puzzle adventure Portal won over 40 Game of the Year awards; Surely it must cost at least five or six hundred dollars.”

You’d think that, especially since it actually won over 70 Game of the Year Awards. But, like we keep saying, Portal is free. Free on the Mac. Free on the PC. But only until May 24th. So you only have a few days to decide if your free copy of Portal is worth the price we’re currently charging – which is you ever-so-slightly moving your index finger just barely enough to click the big red “download” button right there to the left.

Steam: Download Steam For Mac
Steam: Mac Store

YES, finally after 3 years Blizzard announced Starcraft 2 at the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational in Seoul, South Korea on 19th may 2007, we can finally see it in stores on the 27th July 2010!

Starcraft II will consist of 3 games, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty (Terran Missions), StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (Zerg Missions) and Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void (Protoss Missions), this is Blizzard way of milking more money from us. But regardless, I am getting all 3! Now I am left undecided whether to get the Mac version or the Windows version.

IRVINE, Calif. – May 3, 2010 – Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. announced today that its highly anticipated real-time strategy game, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, will arrive in stores throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Mexico, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau starting on July 27, 2010. Players will also be able to purchase StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty directly from Blizzard Entertainment shortly after the retail launch.

“We’ve been looking forward to revisiting the StarCraft universe for many years, and we’re excited that the time for that is almost here,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Thanks to our beta testers, we’re making great progress on the final stages of development, and we’ll be ready to welcome players all over the world to StarCraft II and the new Battle.net in just a few months.”

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is the sequel to Blizzard Entertainment’s 1998 hit StarCraft, which has been hailed by players and critics worldwide as one of the top real-time strategy games of all time. Sporting a vibrant 3D-graphics engine, StarCraft II will once again center on the clash between the protoss, terrans, and zerg, with each side deploying legions of veteran, upgraded, and new unit types. Unparalleled online play for StarCraft II will be available through a new version of Battle.net, Blizzard Entertainment’s world-renowned gaming service. Battle.net has been redesigned from the ground up to be the premier online gaming destination for Blizzard gamers, with several enhancements and new features, such as voice communication, cloud file storage, leagues and ladders, achievements, stat-tracking, and more.

The solo campaign for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty will continue the epic saga where it left off in StarCraft: Brood War. The story line chronicles the exploits of marshal-turned-rebel-leader Jim Raynor and features both familiar faces and new heroes. Players will be able to tailor the experience, choosing their own mission path and selecting technology and research upgrades to suit their playing style throughout the 29-mission campaign. Several challenge-mode mini-games will also be included, with focused goals designed to ease players into the basics of multiplayer strategies.

Official Site: Starcraft2.com
Press Release: Starcraft II: Wings Of Liberty In Stores Starting July 27, 2010

Received my copy of Super Street Fighter IV thanks to Ian from Microsoft!

Cover – Front

Cover – Back

Inside

DVD

Manual

See also: Street Fighter IV For Xbox 360

Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight was officially launch in Singapore yesterday. Pre-ordered my copy of it last week at Funan’s challenger. Showed them my copy of Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars and got straight SGD$15 off the retail price of SGD$69.90, end up paying only SGD$54.90.

I love those goodies that come with the pre-order. In this case, it is 2x free t-shirts, 1x Tote bag and 1x 3D cover art. The full soundtrack and bonus mission are all digital download.

Box – Front

Box – Back

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