Amazon Germany has begun taking pre-orders for a 4GB Xbox 360 Slim configuration which more or less confirms Microsoft's earlier $199 Xbox Slim announcement. For 149 Euros, you can get the Xbox Slim with a 4GB onboard drive, rather than a hard drive. While this doesn't seem like much space, it will allow users to get online and download a few Xbox Live Arcade titles. The bundle is set to release on August 20. Although Microsoft didn't permanently lower the price of the Xbox 360 during E3 2010, they have confirmed that they'll be making one soon for $199. This is the previous cost of the Arcade unit, so we're expecting the same level of functionality as the existing Arcade unit. The document released by Microsoft does not confirm any details at all for the $199 unit, such as whether or not it will contain a hard drive, Wi-Fi, or wired or wireless controller(s?). The statement in fact only said that a configuration would be available at the $199 price point. Also confirmed was the existance of the Kinect bundle, although no price points for that have been announced. It's been widely speculated that the Kinect bundle will be $100 more than the Xbox, as a few retail outlets already have price points populated in their pre-order systems. The Xbox 360 Slim started arriving in stores in its $299 configuration late last week. . . .

Wal Mart is selling a Kinect bundle that you can pre-order, offering budget gamers more value than just the sensor peripheral. For $199, you get a Kinect sensor, one game, plus a $30 gift card at Wal Mart. Wal-Mart will allow gamers to select one of these six games for free: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; Kinect Dance Central; Kinect Joy Ride; Kinectimals, Kinect Sports; or Kinect Adventures. Other retailers are setting the price of just the Kinect controller, without bundled games. Microsoft sets the price for Kinect in its online store at $150. Several retailers are now taking pre-orders for Kinect, also listing the price at $150 ($149.99). Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy, and more are setting the same price, with games priced out at the (now) typical $60. We first learned of Kinect pricing from reliable sources that leaked information about the launch of Kinect even before E3 2010. Sources close to Microsoft said over two months ago that Kinect will come out at a price point of $150. This is cooberated by foreign retail sources, with a Swedish retailer leaking the proposed price range of $150-200, weeks before E3. This price leak came on the heels of a release date leak. Kinect's release month had been leaked by the Saudi wing of Microsoft's Entertainment Division. An entertainment program (viewable below) featured an interv. . .

In 1997, Duke Nukem was announced. It's been through at least three engines, two companies, and over a dozen years of 'development' time, but it seems we're on the verge of actually seeing the game released. That is, if this isn't another gigantic joke of an announcement! Duke Nukem Forever will see release on the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Development is being finalized by Gearbox Software. Gearbox released Borderlands, and its three DLC expansions. Gearbox is also responsible for the Brothers in Arms series, one of the most respected PC game series available. 3D Realms, the previous developer for Duke Nukem Forever, essentially shut down their studio last April. It was said that they'd still be around in terms of IP for other incarantions of Duke Nukem (licensing the name for a portable game collection, for example), but there's been no word from anyone out there. At a bare minimum, the people that were actively working on Duke Nukem Forever are long since gone, laid off from 3D Realms. 2K Games had a live booth feed showing several people playing the game. While the video wasn't high enough quality to determine how the graphics look, etc, it did show some interesting scenarios, such as Duke drawing on a whiteboard. Check out these videos below. . . .

In 1997, Duke Nukem was announced. It's been through at least three engines, two companies, and over a dozen years of 'development' time, but it seems we're on the verge of actually seeing the game released. That is, if this isn't another gigantic joke of an announcement! Duke Nukem Forever will see release on the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Development is being finalized by Gearbox Software. Gearbox released Borderlands, and its three DLC expansions. Gearbox is also responsible for the Brothers in Arms series, one of the most respected PC game series available. 3D Realms, the previous developer for Duke Nukem Forever, essentially shut down their studio last April. It was said that they'd still be around in terms of IP for other incarantions of Duke Nukem (licensing the name for a portable game collection, for example), but there's been no word from anyone out there. At a bare minimum, the people that were actively working on Duke Nukem Forever are long since gone, laid off from 3D Realms. 2K Games had a live booth feed showing several people playing the game. While the video wasn't high enough quality to determine how the graphics look, etc, it did show some interesting scenarios, such as Duke drawing on a whiteboard. Check out these videos below. . . .

In 1997, Duke Nukem was announced. It's been through at least three engines, two companies, and over a dozen years of 'development' time, but it seems we're on the verge of actually seeing the game released. That is, if this isn't another gigantic joke of an announcement! Duke Nukem Forever will see release on the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Development is being finalized by Gearbox Software. Gearbox released Borderlands, and its three DLC expansions. Gearbox is also responsible for the Brothers in Arms series, one of the most respected PC game series available. 3D Realms, the previous developer for Duke Nukem Forever, essentially shut down their studio last April. It was said that they'd still be around in terms of IP for other incarantions of Duke Nukem (licensing the name for a portable game collection, for example), but there's been no word from anyone out there. At a bare minimum, the people that were actively working on Duke Nukem Forever are long since gone, laid off from 3D Realms. 2K Games had a live booth feed showing several people playing the game. While the video wasn't high enough quality to determine how the graphics look, etc, it did show some interesting scenarios, such as Duke drawing on a whiteboard. Check out these videos below. . . .

Click here for the FAQ. . .

Well the show has officially moved to its new Thursday night time! Join us in the chatroom for a live broadcast every Thursday around 6pm CST. This week we pile on the news, emails and Rich provides with not one, not two, not even three, but FOUR game reviews including the new LEGO game and the new Crackdown game. We look forward to seeing you on this week's all new Video Games Show! The Video Games Show is created and broadcast every week from St. Louis. Experienced radio hosts Rich Bergin and Nick Kraft team up to bring you two hours of News, Reviews, Commentary, and your Emails. The show can be heard on KSLU Radio in St. Louis, streaming on the All Games Network, streaming live as the show is being recorded at www.videogamesshow.net, and of course here at Stage Select. The show is also available in podcast form in the iTunes store under both the Stage Select feed and the Video Games Show feed. Join the thousands of loyal VGS listeners today! Download the Show (VGS #149, 43.2MB) Listen Now: . . .

FAQ is located here. . .

Microsoft announced that they will be raising the price of Xbox Live, to $60. Monthly memberships are also affected. Starting on November 1, the price of Xbox live moves away from the $49.99 price point and to the new price of $59.99. If you're only interested in being a member one month at a time, that price will move up from the current $7.99 to $9.99. Xbox Live will also cost more in the UK, Mexico, and Canada. In a statement, Microsoft's Major Nelson stated 'Since launching Xbox Live in 2002 we have continually added more content and entertainment experiences for our members, while keeping the price the same. Weandrsquo;re confident that when the new pricing takes effect, an Xbox LIVE Gold membership will continue to offer the best value in the industry. ' Examining the 'value proposition,' it's notable that the only console in the current lineup of EITHER portable OR console devices which require payment to play online is Microsoft's Xbox. Still, they do have a point. In 2006, it was widely speculated that competition from PlayStation Network would drive down the cost of Xbox Live. In fact, several in the industry predicted that Xbox Live would adopt a free model. In fact, quite the opposite has happened. PlayStation Network has begun offering a paid service, and Xbox owners still have a sad choice: play online with friends and pay for the p. . .

In 2006, AMD aquired ATI Technologies (ATI). Later this year, AMD will begin transitioning product brands to the AMD logo, which affects Radeon and FirePro graphics cards. See above for the new logos being used. AMD has conducted branding research, and come to the following three conclusions (taken directly from their presentation slides): 'Recent surveys of 'descrete graphics aware' respondents in teh US, UK, Germany, China, Japan, Brazil, and Russia revealed that: AMD preference triples when respondent is aware of ATI-AMD merger AMD brand stringer than ATI vs. graphics competitors Radeon and Fire Pro brand awareness and consideration very high Results indicate 'permission' to consolidate. under the AMD brand' In addition to surveys indicating that the NVidia brand stands less of a chance against the AMD brand (than the ATI brand), AMD has been consolodating several physical facilities. The transition to the AMD brand not only reflects a better position against competitors, it represents the final stage of merger of the two companies. OEMs will be able to brand the graphics without the AMD logo, see the bottom two graphical examples (only Radeon or FirePro are visible, rather than also having the AMD logo). Likewise, starting in 2011, if your computer has all AMD p. . .

Once in a while a game comes along that sets the standard for developers and players alike. And it probably comes as no surprise that Blizzard Entertainment is often a leader in this trend. How can a game company take so much vacation time between releases and still remain in business? Because they have become so versed in delivering amazing quality and production value with their games that the industry knows they will receive nothing but the best. Our praise of StarCraft II doesn't stem from a mindless love of war-strategy games. In fact, the majority of us are terrible at them, so what a great opportunity for Blizzard to reach beyond their dedicated fan-base and envelope us in their talent for story-telling and entertainment. Both of these factors play a large role in the single-player campaign that StarCraft II offers. We focused much of our attention on the campaign because we felt it might be overlooked since Blizzard games naturally revolve around intense online multiplayer battles. Still, having a truly engaging single-player campaign is an excellent sign of a genuinely entertaining video game experience and StarCraft II does not disappoint. The single-player campaign revolves around a battle-worn James Raynor who, if you are somehow unfamiliar with the StarCraft history, was a primary character in the original. Without diving into spoilers, Raynor must lead the way through a series of inter-linked scenarios against the vile Zerg as well as the Terr. . .

Nintendo announced today that the price of the Nintendo DSi and DSi XL would be lowered to $149.99 and $169.99 respectively, starting on September the 12. While Nintendo doesn't seem to be responding to competitive pressure (because the PSP price point hasn't moved), they have seen lower than expected sales for DS units over the past few months. In a statement, Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of Americaandrsquo;s executive vice president of Sales andamp; Marketing said andldquo;We know shoppers want to get the maximum value out of every dollar they spend, Our new Nintendo DSi prices make it easier than ever for consumers to access the tremendous variety of games, applications and social tools on the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL systems.andrdquo; The start of the Holiday season draws near, and as such, one could speculate that this new price point will enable new promotional deals and / or bundles as December draws near. This is likely to be the last Holiday season where the DS family of systems is pushed, as the Nintendo 3DS is being prepped for release next year. There are over 1,300 games available for the Nintendo DSi / DS family. Additionally, the DSi and DSi XL have over 200 games in their downloadable stores. The most popular games include the Dragon's Quest line, as well as New Super Mario Bros, the Pokemon series (Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs becomes available in Octo. . .

Microsoft announced that they will be raising the price of Xbox Live, to $60. Monthly memberships are also affected. Starting on November 1, the price of Xbox live moves away from the $49.99 price point and to the new price of $59.99. If you're only interested in being a member one month at a time, that price will move up from the current $7.99 to $9.99. Xbox Live will also cost more in the UK, Mexico, and Canada. In a statement, Microsoft's Major Nelson stated 'Since launching Xbox Live in 2002 we have continually added more content and entertainment experiences for our members, while keeping the price the same. Weandrsquo;re confident that when the new pricing takes effect, an Xbox LIVE Gold membership will continue to offer the best value in the industry. ' Examining the 'value proposition,' it's notable that the only console in the current lineup of EITHER portable OR console devices which require payment to play online is Microsoft's Xbox. Still, they do have a point. In 2006, it was widely speculated that competition from PlayStation Network would drive down the cost of Xbox Live. In fact, several in the industry predicted that Xbox Live would adopt a free model. In fact, quite the opposite has happened. PlayStation Network has begun offering a paid service, and Xbox owners still have a sad choice: play online with friends and pay for the p. . .

In 2006, AMD aquired ATI Technologies (ATI). Later this year, AMD will begin transitioning product brands to the AMD logo, which affects Radeon and FirePro graphics cards. See above for the new logos being used. AMD has conducted branding research, and come to the following three conclusions (taken directly from their presentation slides): 'Recent surveys of 'descrete graphics aware' respondents in teh US, UK, Germany, China, Japan, Brazil, and Russia revealed that: AMD preference triples when respondent is aware of ATI-AMD merger AMD brand stringer than ATI vs. graphics competitors Radeon and Fire Pro brand awareness and consideration very high Results indicate 'permission' to consolidate. under the AMD brand' In addition to surveys indicating that the NVidia brand stands less of a chance against the AMD brand (than the ATI brand), AMD has been consolodating several physical facilities. The transition to the AMD brand not only reflects a better position against competitors, it represents the final stage of merger of the two companies. OEMs will be able to brand the graphics without the AMD logo, see the bottom two graphical examples (only Radeon or FirePro are visible, rather than also having the AMD logo). Likewise, starting in 2011, if your computer has all AMD p. . .

Once in a while a game comes along that sets the standard for developers and players alike. And it probably comes as no surprise that Blizzard Entertainment is often a leader in this trend. How can a game company take so much vacation time between releases and still remain in business? Because they have become so versed in delivering amazing quality and production value with their games that the industry knows they will receive nothing but the best. Our praise of StarCraft II doesn't stem from a mindless love of war-strategy games. In fact, the majority of us are terrible at them, so what a great opportunity for Blizzard to reach beyond their dedicated fan-base and envelope us in their talent for story-telling and entertainment. Both of these factors play a large role in the single-player campaign that StarCraft II offers. We focused much of our attention on the campaign because we felt it might be overlooked since Blizzard games naturally revolve around intense online multiplayer battles. Still, having a truly engaging single-player campaign is an excellent sign of a genuinely entertaining video game experience and StarCraft II does not disappoint. The single-player campaign revolves around a battle-worn James Raynor who, if you are somehow unfamiliar with the StarCraft history, was a primary character in the original. Without diving into spoilers, Raynor must lead the way through a series of inter-linked scenarios against the vile Zerg as well as the Terr. . .

Nintendo announced today that the price of the Nintendo DSi and DSi XL would be lowered to $149.99 and $169.99 respectively, starting on September the 12. While Nintendo doesn't seem to be responding to competitive pressure (because the PSP price point hasn't moved), they have seen lower than expected sales for DS units over the past few months. In a statement, Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of Americaandrsquo;s executive vice president of Sales andamp; Marketing said andldquo;We know shoppers want to get the maximum value out of every dollar they spend, Our new Nintendo DSi prices make it easier than ever for consumers to access the tremendous variety of games, applications and social tools on the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL systems.andrdquo; The start of the Holiday season draws near, and as such, one could speculate that this new price point will enable new promotional deals and / or bundles as December draws near. This is likely to be the last Holiday season where the DS family of systems is pushed, as the Nintendo 3DS is being prepped for release next year. There are over 1,300 games available for the Nintendo DSi / DS family. Additionally, the DSi and DSi XL have over 200 games in their downloadable stores. The most popular games include the Dragon's Quest line, as well as New Super Mario Bros, the Pokemon series (Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs becomes available in Octo. . .

Nintendo announced today that the price of the Nintendo DSi and DSi XL would be lowered to $149.99 and $169.99 respectively, starting on September the 12. While Nintendo doesn't seem to be responding to competitive pressure (because the PSP price point hasn't moved), they have seen lower than expected sales for DS units over the past few months. In a statement, Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of Americaandrsquo;s executive vice president of Sales andamp; Marketing said andldquo;We know shoppers want to get the maximum value out of every dollar they spend, Our new Nintendo DSi prices make it easier than ever for consumers to access the tremendous variety of games, applications and social tools on the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL systems.andrdquo; The start of the Holiday season draws near, and as such, one could speculate that this new price point will enable new promotional deals and / or bundles as December draws near. This is likely to be the last Holiday season where the DS family of systems is pushed, as the Nintendo 3DS is being prepped for release next year. There are over 1,300 games available for the Nintendo DSi / DS family. Additionally, the DSi and DSi XL have over 200 games in their downloadable stores. The most popular games include the Dragon's Quest line, as well as New Super Mario Bros, the Pokemon series (Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs becomes available in O. . .

Once in a while a game comes along that sets the standard for developers and players alike. And it probably comes as no surprise that Blizzard Entertainment is often a leader in this trend. How can a game company take so much vacation time between releases and still remain in business? Because they have become so versed in delivering amazing quality and production value with their games that the industry knows they will receive nothing but the best. Our praise of StarCraft II doesn't stem from a mindless love of war-strategy games. In fact, the majority of us are terrible at them, so what a great opportunity for Blizzard to reach beyond their dedicated fan-base and envelope us in their talent for story-telling and entertainment. Both of these factors play a large role in the single-player campaign that StarCraft II offers. We focused much of our attention on the campaign because we felt it might be overlooked since Blizzard games naturally revolve around intense online multiplayer battles. Still, having a truly engaging single-player campaign is an excellent sign of a genuinely entertaining video game experience and StarCraft II does not disappoint. The single-player campaign revolves around a battle-worn James Raynor who, if you are somehow unfamiliar with the StarCraft history, was a primary character in the original. Without diving into spoilers, Raynor must lead the way through a series of inter-linked scenarios against the vile Zerg as well as the Terr. . .

In 2006, AMD aquired ATI Technologies (ATI). Later this year, AMD will begin transitioning product brands to the AMD logo, which affects Radeon and FirePro graphics cards. See above for the new logos being used. AMD has conducted branding research, and come to the following three conclusions (taken directly from their presentation slides): 'Recent surveys of 'descrete graphics aware' respondents in teh US, UK, Germany, China, Japan, Brazil, and Russia revealed that: AMD preference triples when respondent is aware of ATI-AMD merger AMD brand stringer than ATI vs. graphics competitors Radeon and Fire Pro brand awareness and consideration very high Results indicate 'permission' to consolidate. under the AMD brand' In addition to surveys indicating that the NVidia brand stands less of a chance against the AMD brand (than the ATI brand), AMD has been consolodating several physical facilities. The transition to the AMD brand not only reflects a better position against competitors, it represents the final stage of merger of the two companies. OEMs will be able to brand the graphics without the AMD logo, see the bottom two graphical examples (only Radeon or FirePro are visible, rather than also having the AMD logo). Likewise, starting in 2011, if your computer has all AMD p. . .

Microsoft announced that they will be raising the price of Xbox Live, to $60. Monthly memberships are also affected. Starting on November 1, the price of Xbox live moves away from the $49.99 price point and to the new price of $59.99. If you're only interested in being a member one month at a time, that price will move up from the current $7.99 to $9.99. Xbox Live will also cost more in the UK, Mexico, and Canada. In a statement, Microsoft's Major Nelson stated 'Since launching Xbox Live in 2002 we have continually added more content and entertainment experiences for our members, while keeping the price the same. Weandrsquo;re confident that when the new pricing takes effect, an Xbox LIVE Gold membership will continue to offer the best value in the industry. ' Examining the 'value proposition,' it's notable that the only console in the current lineup of EITHER portable OR console devices which require payment to play online is Microsoft's Xbox. Still, they do have a point. In 2006, it was widely speculated that competition from PlayStation Network would drive down the cost of Xbox Live. In fact, several in the industry predicted that Xbox Live would adopt a free model. In fact, quite the opposite has happened. PlayStation Network has begun offering a paid service, and Xbox owners still have a sad choice: play online with friends and pay for the . . .