Press release

Today “Grand Theft Auto” fans will get their next look at the eagerly anticipated “Grand Theft Auto IV” with the release of the third official trailer, “Move up, ladies” on Xbox.com and Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

At 9am, New Zealand gamers can get another glimpse at Grand Theft Auto’s colourful world in HD on Xbox.com and Xbox LIVE Marketplace. While online you can also check out the first two trailers, screen shots, and a preview of the “Grand Theft Auto IV” Marketplace theme.

“Grand Theft Auto IV” is the next chapter of the award winning “Grand Theft Auto” franchise from Rockstar Games and will be coming to the Xbox 360 on day one. In addition to online multiplayer, a first for the series, gamers will experience hours of additional gameplay with two downloadable episodes exclusively available on Xbox LIVE following the release of the game.  Focused on the story of Eastern European immigrant Niko Bellic, “Grand Theft Auto IV” takes players back to Liberty City and promises a cinematic story told like only Rockstar can, an extremely vast and detailed world to explore and gameplay like the series has never seen before.  

For all things Xbox 360 and Grand Theft Auto IV visit:

http://www.xbox.com/en-nz/games/g/grandtheftautoiv

Here are a couple of hi res shots of the new DLC thats set to hit on the 12th December

See what has been going on in the world of Halo 3

http://halo.msn.com/videosHD.aspx

Some very funky movie footage

Exert from the media coverage below

Electronics giant Sony has sparked a major row over animal cruelty and the ethics of the computer industry by using a freshly slaughtered goat to promote a violent video game.

The corpse of the decapitated animal was the centrepiece of a party to celebrate the launch of the God Of War II game for the company’s PlayStation 2 console.

Guests at the event were even invited to reach inside the goat’s still-warm carcass to eat offal from its stomach.

Sickening images of the party have appeared in the company’s official PlayStation magazine – but after being contacted by The Mail on Sunday, Sony issued an apology for the gruesome stunt and promised to recall the entire print run.

Critics condemned the entertainment giant, which produces scores of Hollywood blockbusters each year, for its “blood lust” and said the grotesque “sacrifice” highlighted increasing concerns over the content of video games and the lengths to which the industry will go to exploit youngsters.

At the event, guests competed to see who could eat the most offal – procured elsewhere and intended to resemble the goat’s intestines – from its stomach.

They also threw knives at targets and pulled live snakes from a pit with their bare hands.

Topless girls added to the louche atmosphere by dipping grapes into guests’ mouths, while a male model portraying Kratos, the game’s warrior hero, handed out garlands.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare said it was “outrageous” that the animal’s death had been used “to sell a few computer games”.

A spokesman said: “We are always opposed to any senseless killing of an animal and this sounds like a gruesome death. We condemn Sony’s actions. It is stupid and completely unjustified.”

The party features across two pages of the latest edition of the company’s PlayStation magazine, which was due to hit newsstands on Tuesday but has already been sent to subscribers.

We have reproduced the spread – headlined Sony’s Greek Orgy – here, but have pixellated the image to spare readers the sight of the goat’s decapitated head hanging by a thread of tissue from its corpse, with blood dripping to the floor.

But the magazine’s readers were shown the picture in its full horror.

The article, based on a Sony Press release, shows more vivid pictures from the event under headlines such as Topless Girls! and Flesh Eating?

It asks readers how far they would go to get hold of Sony’s next-generation console, the PlayStation 3.

“How about eating still warm intestines uncoiled from the carcass of a freshly slaughtered goat? At the party to celebrate God Of War II’s European release, members of the Press were invited to do just that . . .”

In God Of War II, which is so violent it has been given an 18 certificate, players follow Kratos into battle against a series of fearsome characters from Greek mythology.

Sony describes it as “an adult-rated, fast-paced bloodbath – and enormous fun to boot”, adding that it is “bigger, better and as brutal as ever”.

One reviewer said the title featured “the most brutal, visceral combat of any action game”.

Former Minister Keith Vaz, Labour MP for Leicester East and a long-time campaigner against violent computer games, branded the stunt “distasteful and irresponsible”.

He said: “The slaughter of animals is not something that should be done to advertise a product.

“Sony as a global entertainment company has a social responsibility. At this event it failed in that responsibility.

“I think people should think very carefully before bringing games like this into their homes.

“I would understand if customers wanted to boycott other Sony products such as their televisions because of this controversy.”

Sony, based in Japan and run by Welshman Sir Howard Stringer, is one of the largest media organisations in the world, boasting global revenues of £40billion from electronics, video games, music, television programmes and feature films – including Spider-Man 3 and Casino Royale.

It is regarded, along with Coca-Cola, Nike and Mercedes-Benz, as one of the world’s most valuable brands.

The company, which released the game in the UK on Friday, admitted that the stunt had been a mistake. In a statement it said: “Sony does not condone or sanction any inappropriate behaviour by its staff or sub-contracted staff.

“It has come to our attention that at the God Of War II launch showcase, an element of the event was of an unsuitable nature.

“We are conducting an internal inquiry into aspects of the event in order to learn from the occurrence and put into place measures to ensure that this does not happen again.”

The party was held last month in Athens in homage to the game’s Greek mythology themes. Revellers partied against the floodlit backdrop of the Parthenon.

The Sony spokesman said the animal had not been slaughtered for the event but had been bought from a local butcher by the Greek company hired to stage the event.

What purported to be warm intestines was actually warm offal.

He said Sony’s UK office had been shocked to see the report in the official PlayStation magazine, which the company licenses to publishing house Future. Sony is this weekend recalling the entire 80,000 print run of the magazine.

The offending article will be removed because of the “sensitivity of the general public over issues of animal welfare”.

The firm refused to say how the goat died. It is unusual for animals in modern Greece to be killed by having their throats cut, let alone by being decapitated.

It is not the first time Sony has been involved in controversy over its games. In 2004, the PlayStation 2 game Manhunt was banned by High Street stores in the UK after it was linked to the murder of a 14-year-old Leicester boy.

Last September the relatives of a family massacred by a New Mexico teenager addicted to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City launched a £317million lawsuit against the entertainment company.

And in November, Europe’s justice commissioner Franco Frattini was so shocked by the “obscene cruelty and brutality” of Sony’s Rule Of Rose PlayStation game that he wrote to all EU governments urging tighter controls on the “dreadful game”.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/15/ben-hecks-ps360-sixaxis-stuffed-xbox-controller/

After obliterating records upon its launch in the UK last week, PlayStation 3 sales have come down to Earth with all the grace of a skydiving walrus using an anvil for a parachute – Joystiq

And just in case you were wondering what a skydiving walrus/anvil combination looks like . . . . . .

MEXICO CITY - Police in vice-ridden Mexico City neighbourhoods hope to take guns off the streets by offering to swap them for computers and video-game consoles.

Police said anyone who turns in a high-calibre weapon like a machine gun will get a computer. Owners can swap smaller guns for cash or Microsoft Corp’s Xbox video-game consoles under the plan.

Premium Xbox 360 console includes 120GB hard drive, HDMI port, new line of accessories and elegant black finish

AUCKLAND 28 March 2007 – Microsoft today unveiled the much anticipated Xbox 360^TM Elite console complete with a sleek black finish, larger hard drive and HDMI port and cables for the ultimate high-definition* gaming experience.

The new premium console, for those who demand superior high-definition gaming and entertainment in their living room, joins the Xbox 360 and Core consoles to offer consumers three choices this winter. The Elite console complements the existing Xbox 360 hardware portfolio to fully cater for the wide range of consumer wants and budgets.

Ideal for the enthusiast, the Xbox 360 Elite video game and entertainment system will include a 120GB hard drive, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, a high-definition cable, and a premium black finish for the console, wireless controller and Xbox LIVE^® headset.

The Xbox 360 Elite console has enough space for a library of Xbox LIVE Arcade games and thousands of songs, as well as downloadable high-definition TV shows and movies available soon on Xbox LIVE Marketplace.** The new 120GB hard drive also will be sold as a stand-alone accessory to give current Xbox 360 console owners greater choice and flexibility in their games and entertainment experience.

Additional Xbox 360 Elite accessories, such as the black Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit and the Xbox 360 rechargeable battery, will also be available separately.

David McLean, Regional Director Xbox Australia and New Zealand, says, “Since Xbox 360 launched a year ago, we’ve been listening to customer feedback and, as a result, we’re very excited to now add the premium Xbox 360 Elite to the top end of the Xbox range.

“With a large storage capacity for games, music, and high-definition TV shows and movies, the new 120GB hard drive will help to satisfy our customers’ appetite for on-demand, HD entertainment experiences offered through Xbox LIVE Marketplace, both now and in the near-future.”

Distinguished by its black finish and signature metallic detailing, the Xbox 360 Elite console will be available in New Zealand in limited supply from this winter, and consumers are advised to pre-order their console in order to avoid disappointment.

The Xbox 360 Elite video game and entertainment system will come packed with components and accessories for the ultimate high-definition entertainment experience:

• Xbox 360 Elite Console. The console is equipped with a premium black finish and three powerful core processors capable of producing stunning HD entertainment (up to 1080p), 16:9 cinematic aspect ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full surround sound, HDMI output and DVD playback with upscaling capabilities right out of the box.

• Xbox 360 120GB Hard Drive. The 120GB detachable hard drive allows gamers to save their games and store television shows, movies, music, pictures, trailers, levels, demos and other content available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace.*** The hard drive will also be sold separately so existing Xbox 360 console owners have the choice to upgrade.

• Xbox 360 Wireless Controller (black). This ergonomic, high-performance wireless controller, now in black, features the Xbox^® Guide Button for quick, in-game access to friends and music. It has a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of 30 hours on two AA batteries.
• Xbox 360 Headset (black). Now available in black, the headset lets gamers strategise or trade taunts while playing games and send voice messages to friends on Xbox LIVE.
• Xbox 360 HDMI cable. New to Xbox 360, HDMI allows consumers to get HD video (up to 1080p) and multichannel surround sound, all from one cable.
• Xbox LIVE Silver Membership. With this, gamers can chat with friends online, collect achievements and gamerscores, send and receive voice and text messages, and access Xbox LIVE Marketplace content such as game demos, HD movies and TV, as well as the best in downloadable games from Xbox LIVE Arcade.
• One-month complimentary subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold. An Xbox LIVE Gold Membership completes your online entertainment experience.**** Those who subscribe to this premium service can engage in competitive online multiplayer matches, tailor their matchmaking via feedback and accomplishments, chat with more than one person at a time, and take advantage of unique privileges in the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and Xbox LIVE Arcade.

The following accessories for the Xbox 360 Elite console will only be sold separately:

• Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit. Complete with a charging cable and a black rechargeable battery pack, the Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit allows gamers to recharge their Xbox 360 Wireless Controller without interrupting their gameplay.
• Xbox 360 rechargeable battery (black). The rechargeable battery pack provides more than 25 hours of gameplay per charge.