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Microsoft is on a roll these days, bringing Xbox games to the Xbox 360, organizing local gaming events and trying to make sure at least first party titles are available here on Day 0. With Xbox LIVE turning five, they’re getting even more generous. According to an official press release, Microsoft will celebrate the five year milestone and the 2-year anniversary of Xbox LIVE Arcade by giving away free downloads of Carcassonne to to all 8 million members, in addition to showing their gratitude to those that have been supporting them since 2002 with 500 Microsoft Points.
Carcassonne will be available for download via Xbox LIVE Arcade from 12:01 a.m. PST on Nov. 15 through 11:59 p.m. PST on Nov. 16. Or, if you want that in local time, between 10:31 a.m. IST on Nov. 15 and 10:20 a.m. IST on Nov. 16. And oh, it looks like our prayers have indeed been answered and the most awesome Psychonauts will indeed be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. What did we tell you, huh? Now to just sit back and wait for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time to join its friends on the Xbox 360!
Hit the jump for the official press release.
In what concludes our coverage from the Microsoft Xbox LIVE India press event last week, we have a quick two-minute chat with Country Manager Mohit Anand. Just right after Robbie Bach and Alan Bowman decide to hightail it out of the conference hall, those sneaky critters! We discussed with Mohit on whether there’s an expected LIVE subscription target, what GFW Live will mean for India, and the whole deal with Ubisoft. Although that last question doesn’t particularly hold much relevance, especially in light of Tech2’s recent report on Assassin’s Creed, it was something we felt that needed to be addressed. In which case, Mohit doesn’t know the reason himself! So much for that inquiry.
But seriously, do I nod too much in these videos?
Did you know Alan Bowman first started playing on an Atari? Neither did we, until we spoke to him, that is. Sitting down with us for a casual chat at the New Delhi presser for the Xbox LIVE India launch, Xbox Asia Pacific’s Director, Alan Bowman, a self proclaimed “casual gamer” (aren’t we all? Oh wait, we forgot about those 2 billion CS 1.6 jerks here) talks about his gaming habits and more importantly, working with local developers to generate “educational content” for Math, Science and the other subjects which will use the Xbox 360’s videogame prowess to help kids learn better. We think this is a great idea (even though Vijay for some reason seems to be very interested in “The Arbiter teaches typing”) and one that’s in line with the Games for Change initiative’s aim of deconstructing the myth that games can only be used as “practice” for deranged schoolkids with guns. Are you watching, huh, Jack Thompson?
Damn kids these days. Getting to learn with an Xbox 360 whereas we had to do it the old fashioned way. At least I had fun sneaking comics inside my textbooks.
So you thought all we did at the Microsoft Xbox LIVE India presser was just gorge on great food and kick each other’s asses in Halo 3? Nah, we actually took the time out to do, you know, real videogame journalism and all that jazz. First up in a series of video interviews, we’ve got the awesome Robbie Bach, positively beaming after the Xbox 360 Arcade announcements and the latest NPD numbers that put his baby on top. Talking to our two stalkers at yesterday’s launch event, Robbie talks about Games for Windows LIVE, Microsoft’s commitment to the Indian gaming market, and regional restrictions and how they’re slowly disappearing from the system. And oh, if you like Bollywood related content, Vijay just called them “crap”. Everybody, sic him! (I too, think they’re crap, but nobody sic me.) We’ll have more interviews with Alan Bowman and Mohit Anand later in the day.
Prefer to download the video? Here you go.
Download Video Interview with Robbie Bach (WMV/4.3 MB)
Remember the little big Microsoft announcement that we talked about some time back? With over 2 hours to go before the clock hits zero, we’ve got some news that will totally make you want to hug us. That’s how awesome we are. So revel, Indian gaming fans, in the knowledge that Xbox LIVE will be launching on November 5th, just in time for us to get our chainsaws revving in Gears of War.
Talking to the press at the Shangri-La hotel in New Delhi a couple of hours back, the Microsoft Awesome Foursome - Robbie Bach (President, Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division), Alan Bowman (Director, Home and Entertainment Division, Asia Pacific), Ravi Venkatesan (Chairman, Microsoft India) and Mohit Anand (Country Manager, Entertainment and Devices, Microsoft India) - knocked everyone over with a barrage of announcements.
Waiting for a game can be so tough, especially here where we’ve had to wait eons for some titles, or face the unhappy prospect of importing the damned things from Play-Asia. With Microsoft releasing all first party titles on Day 0, we were kinda surprised when PGR4 failed to follow in Halo 3’s release footsteps. With still no PGR4 on shelves, we contacted Microsoft for an official word, and while they haven’t mentioned a reason for the delay, they’ve promised that racing freaks should be able to get their hands on the game “by the end of the month or early next month.” Good news for those suffering from PGR withdrawal symptoms, I suppose, although we’re still waiting for an official comment on the release date of Gears of War PC. In the meantime, I suppose I can always amuse myself by riding around on top of a Ghost in Halo 3 co-op.
Everybody loves the holidays. Nothing reminds you of the drudgery of work like goofing off on a holiday, gorging on snacks and going 10 rounds on Halo 3’s Isolation. Makes you appreciate those summer holidays you had as a kid, it does. And if you are one of those who want to buy an Xbox 360 but strangely couldn’t find a good enough reason (yeah, right) to do so, there’s no better time than now.
With Diwali just around the corner, Microsoft India has decided that the best way for us to celebrate the “festival of lights” would be to get three flashing red ones. I kid, I kid. No, the proper way to indulge ourselves in the world of the Xbox 360 would be with - not one, not two, but three - holiday offers that’s bound to shoot extreme happiness into the hearts of gamers who don’t yet have the 360. For people like me, though, it just sends a thousand hot knives stabbing into the chest, but that could also be thanks to my all-Pringles diet.
Hit the jump to sink your teeth into the juicy details.