Official X360 Launch Titles, Accessories Revealed

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November 14, 2005 - Let's put the unfortunate confusion of X05's mysterious "launch title" announcement behind us. However you or Microsoft or your mother want to define "launch window" -- is it the time it takes caramel to melt and drip into your little sister's crayon box? -- what gamers really want to know is which X360 games can we actually buy on November 22?



Today, at last, Microsoft released the official list of Xbox 360 games set to be available on, or even before, November 22 in North America. All told, 18 games are supporting Microsoft's step into the next generation:

Amped 3 (2K Sports)
Call of Duty 2 (Activision)
Condemned: Criminal Origins (SEGA)
FIFA Soccer 06 Road to 2006 FIFA World Cup (Electronic Arts)
GUN (Activision)
Kameo: Elements of Power (Microsoft)
Madden NFL 06 (Electronic Arts)
NBA 2K6 (2K Sports)
NBA LIVE 06 (Electronic Arts)
Need for Speed Most Wanted (Electronic Arts)
NHL 2K6 (2K Sports)
Perfect Dark Zero (Microsoft)
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie (Ubisoft)
Project Gotham Racing 3 (Microsoft)
Quake 4 (id Software and Activision)
Ridge Racer 6 (Namco)
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 06 (Electronic Arts)

Tony Hawk's American Wasteland (Activision)
Microsoft-published X360 titles are priced at a suggested $49.99, suggesting other publishers will offer similar prices. At the very least, it's doubtful we'll be paying $70 per next-gen title as some had feared.

The Xbox 360 launch is also supported by 13 accessories to make the retail frenzy complete:

Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
Xbox 360 Controller (wired)
Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter
Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote
Xbox 360 Faceplates
Xbox 360 Hard Drive (20 GB)
Xbox 360 Headset
Xbox 360 Memory Unit (64 MB)
Xbox 360 Play & Charge Kit
Xbox 360 Rechargeable Battery Pack
Xbox 360 Component HD-AV Cable
Xbox 360 S-Video AV Cable (U.S. only)
Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable

Finally, Microsoft will offer 12-month and three-month Xbox Live Premium Starter Packs and between 12 and 15 Xbox Live Arcade titles when the new console hits.

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Condemned Stalks Retail
The action-horror title arrives for Xbox 360.

November 15, 2005 - SEGA sent out word today that Condemned: Criminal Origins is now shipping for the Xbox 360, adding one more title to the growing list of games available ahead of the console's launch.



Developed specifically for the Xbox 360 by Monolith (F.E.A.R., No One Lives Forever), Condemned has players use their instincts, forensic tools, and melee combat to track serial killers and bring them to justice. The game features a first-person perspective, advanced physics courtesy the Havok engine, and "highly sophisticated" artificial intelligence.

For plenty more on the title, be sure to check our complete Condemned coverage so far

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Need for Speed Most Wanted Arrives
Pick your platform and your ride.
November 15, 2005 - Electronic Arts announced today that Need for Speed Most Wanted, the latest entry in the long-running racing series, is now shipping to nearly any platform you care to name, including the Xbox 360.



Combining illicit street racing and tuner customization with over-the-top strategic police pursuits, Most Wanted lets you customize your rides that include a wide range of vehicles from the BMW M3, Porsche Cayman S and Lamborghini Gallardo to Mazda RX-8, Ford Mustang GT and Mitsubishi Eclipse. All told, the game offers more than 36 cars. Players also will have to master the art of strategic cop evasion to make it to the top of the Blacklist.

Need for Speed Most Wanted is now shipping for PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, PC, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance. The PSP edition, known as Need for Speed Most Wanted 5-1-0 and offering exclusive content like Tuner Takedown mode, is also headed to stores.

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Xbox 360 Leads the Way in High-Definition Entertainment


Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates (L) and CEO Steve Ballmer (R) play the Xbox 360 Fight Night, Round 3 video game with boxing commentator Al Bernstein (C) during Gates’ keynote address at the 2006 International CES. Las Vegas, Jan. 4, 2006.
Click for high-res version.

Just a month after the global launch of the new Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, Gates discussed the product’s strong momentum in delivering high-definition hardware, games and digital entertainment experiences. Xbox 360 is on track to be the fastest-selling video game console ever, forecast to ship between 4.5 million and 5.5 million units worldwide by the end of June 2006.

Gates noted that Xbox 360 has also become a powerful application for high-definition television, adding that nine out of 10 Xbox 360 owners currently own or intend to purchase a high-definition television set.* He announced that more than 50 new high-definition Xbox 360â„¢ games will be available by June 2006.

Building on Xbox 360 leadership in high-definition experiences, the company announced plans to deliver a new Xbox 360 external HD DVD drive in 2006. The new drive will offer millions of Xbox 360 owners the ability to easily enjoy HD DVD movies and will provide consumers with even more choices for experiencing high-definition content, in either physical or digital form.

Using Xbox 360 and the Xbox Live service today, consumers are already able to access high-definition entertainment such as Xbox Live Arcade titles, game demos and high-definition movie trailers. Consumers can also use their Xbox 360 system to access high-definition television and movies from their Windows XP-based Media Center PC.

Gates’ keynote also showcased the momentum behind Xbox Live, announcing that more than half of all Xbox 360 owners are already connected to the online games and entertainment service, which boasts a worldwide community of more than 2 million members. He demonstrated Electronic Arts Inc.’s forthcoming EA SPORTS™ “Fight Night Round 3,” scheduled to be available in February 2006, and announced that a free, playable high-definition demo of the game is now available at the Xbox Live Marketplace, a one-stop digital download center where consumers can access high-definition games, music and movie content from leading industry partners.