Thanks to achievement motivators from Xbox 360 Achievements, their NBA Live 07's "1,000 People Online Achievement" marathon spurred a success. Every Xbox 360 user who connected online with the EA Sports game, at the launch date and time, received the special achievement as long as the current online user total ticked at 1,000 and above.

The event was scheduled to start at 8 p.m. GMT, but thousands had already received their event Achievement as far back as 45 minutes before the scheduled launch time. Some were kind enough to stay on so that late entrants would have little to worry about in attaining the Achievement, although there were still those few who just left after grabbing the achievement.

The event, spurred by collaborations with MyGamerCard.net, Xbox360Achievements.org and Xbox360Fanboy.com, succeeded, with their gratitude to the patient members who set up their rooms and managed them so well.

Click the "Read" link below to get a more detailed account of the event.

 

For some people, getting Achievements is thing to feed your pride and ego. Self-fulfillment is always a good feeling, after all. If you talk the talk, walk the walk, and manage to kill everything else on the map, then consider you ticket to Gamercard-glory signed and stamped with approval. You might be the gamer-of-pure-pwnage, but what if you come across an Achievement that can't be gained without the help of others?

One of NBA Live 07's Achievements is to be online with 1,000 other people at the same time. How the hell could you pull of such a feat? The folks over at Xbox 360 Achievements are going to help you on that area. They're going to attempt to pull of this Achievement by holding an event where you just simply have to log-on to the game online.

Although this certain event has already been attempted before, those plans never really pulled it off solely because when it was announced, only a short time frame was given before the actual event was scheduled. Now, X360Achievements is making sure word gets spread around by scheduling their online party a couple of weeks ahead.

The date is set on February 25, Sunday, 8 p.m. GMT. To make it easier on you guys that's the same time as 9 p.m. in Central Europe, 3 p.m. in New York, mid-day in California. EA has confirmed that you do not need to be playing the game, you're still counted in the roster if you simply listen to the ESPN radio service.

Sporting goods company Adidas, together with Microsoft, is currently hosting a raffle of some sorts for users of Xbox 360 and fans of basketball title NBA Live 07. The good thing about this is that there's no purchase necessary. Just head on to the raffle's official site (via the Read link below) and enter your email address. The event is open for countries U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, South Korea Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.

Aside from the fabulous prizes to be given away, fans can also look forward to obtaining codes that can be used to unlocked special 5ive elements in the game. Fans can get the codes by visiting the official online sites of Adidas and Xbox as well as visiting retail stores Dick's Sporting Goods and Foot Locker.

If all of those still isn't an NBA VIP experience for you, just take a look at this grand prize package. The other prizes can be viewed via the Read link as well.

GRAND PRIZE: NBA All-Star 2007 VIP Experience

• Get treated like a star with an all-expense paid trip to Las Vegas to watch the NBA All-Star game; then get your game on with either of the following via Xbox Live: KG, Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan, Adam Morrison, Josh Smith, Gilbert Arenas, Nene, Cory Maggette, and Sebastien Telfair.

Prize package includes:

• Tickets for two to the 2007 NBA All-Star Game
  
• Admission for two to the All-Star Jam Session and Rookie/Sophomore game
• Xbox 360 console and custom faceplate
• Xbox Live subscription and EA Sports NBA Live 07
• US$ 250 in cold cash

Okay, some of you may know this already, but this is for those who don't really follow competitive sports games that much. Just in case you're into sports-based electronic gaming but you aren't really in the loop, here's a quick run through of the important details regarding EA Sports' NBA Live Challenge 06.

Not really interested? Well, the prize money for the champion is $50,000. Now are you curious? Okay, cool.

So what's the Challenge all about? Well, the consumer event allows competitors and fans from across the country to compete for that huge wad of money we just mentioned. The regional tournaments for the thing take place in 8 US cities. There have been many competitions for electronic games before that offered prize money, but this is the first official one from Electronic Arts.

The competition will tour several cities and you guys can register online or on the tour site. Registration should begin two hours before the official start of tournament play. Registration is $10 per person. Online registration started last October 2.

A good thing about this tourney is that you can register and compete in multiple cities. So if you sort of don't do well in one area, you still have a chance if you travel and follow the tour to the next area. To be fair, if you win the tournament in one city, you can no longer compete. We're thinking that some of you veterans who are used to travelling from tourney to tourney will like this.

Game on, people.

You can now get your favorite teams' themes for NBA Live 07 from Xbox Live Marketplace! Now, we know you guys are probably still mad from all the game flaws that a lot of Xbox users are experiencing in the game, but just in case you're one of those who still haven't given up on EA, or was not part of the group who sent the complaint letter to the company, then maybe this bit of news might still be of use to you.

Themes for every single NBA team is now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace and are worth 150 points each. Whether you're a fan of Dirk Nowitzki's jumpshots, Jason Kidd's passes, or LeBron James dunks, you have the power to choose and have your machine represent the team you support. Remember that these are available in all Xbox Live regions, so go ahead and dribble your way to the Marketplace.

We don't think this was what the fans were expecting when they were clamoring for improvements to the game. Jay-Z will be an unlockable character for EA's NBA Live 07 on the Xbox 360 and PS3. To get him, however, you have to go grab yourself a new pair of shoes.

Unlocking him requires you to buy some rubber shoes. Specifically, you have to pick up Reebok's S. Carter Basketball IV. Doing so will net you a code you can input in the game to receive your prize. The code not only unlocks Jay-Z, but gets you two other perks: the basketball team known as the S. Carter All-Stars, and the Reebok/S. Carter Arena.

No offense meant to Jay-Z, because he's great and all, but someone's not going to be pleased with this development after the NBA Live community's letter to Electronic Arts. That, and getting an all-star team and arena named after you in a basketball game is a lot of product placement for a video game archetype that carries a ton of product placement as-is. Keep checking our blog to see if EA does something remotely close to a gameplay fix.

One last thing before we go, though. When he said "H to the izzo" and "V to the izzay," what was he talking about?

Buy: [NBA Live 07 for the Xbox 360]

Being disappointed in a game is one thing. But to be so disappointed, that a bunch of you would actually write an open web letter to the publisher to say (a) "the game sucks," (b) "you're not listening to us," and (c) "we're going to switch to the competition," well, you got to wonder where the publisher or dev team's gone wrong.

Which is what members of the NBA Live Series Center Forum, the largest community forum for the NBA Live series, have done after they played NBA Live 07 - and, well, hated it. Yep, these hardcore fans (as they describe themselves) hated the game enough, to write this open web letter to Electronic Arts to express their disappointment:

For us however, NBA Live 07 is the final straw... Until this release we overlooked any flaws in the game, ones that some of us considered major even if others of us considered them minor. But this release has ignited feelings that EA doesn't care about its fans, which is the reason we are writing today.

The open letter vocally accuses EA of ignoring the fans, from wish lists to bug fixes, not only in NBA Live, but, the letter writers say, in other places like FIFA and Battlefield 2 as well. While they have not entirely given up on EA and NBA Live - their petitions for patch fixes and other wish lists continue. But: If this continues it seems inevitable that more and more players will eventually give up on NBA Live.

You can read more on the letter at the source link below. We'd like to ask you this question, however: do you find NBA Live 07 as bad as these guys found it?

Buy: [NBA Live 07 for the PSP]
Buy: [NBA Live 07 for the Xbox 360]

Doing your holiday shopping list? Well, we got one more list for you to see before you max that credit card. EA just released their Holiday lineup during the X06 at Barcelona, and here are the games for you to pick & choose to shop for the one you love: your Xbox 360.

FIFA 07--it's got independent ball physics, unique player movements, better graphics, and a great online feature. If you want to be in the sidelines rather than upfront, there's a Manager Mode where you can develop your players and strategies before you step into the field. Game will be out by October.

NBA LIVE 07--the freaky skills movement is on, as the Total Freestyle Control will make defenders lives a hard one. Defense has been beefed up in this game just to make it more interesting. ESPN is an exclusive partner and will be giving up-to-date news online. It's out now.

Need for Speed Carbon--customizing your car shouldn't take more than a few seconds in this game--it has the new Autosculpt technology to ensure you get what you want. Tweak to your heart's content. Out by November.

NHL 07--a game that has photo-realistic graphics won't go wrong, add the new Skill Stick system and you're ready to go smash the other opponent's face in. Remember no sticks boys. Out now.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 07--it's got 21 new courses to offer and 50 golfers to choose from (no, it's not Tiger 1, Tiger 2...). UCAP technology just makes Tiger more realistic than ever but it doesn't make losing to him any less painful. Out by November.

Half-Life 2--the entire single player and first two episodes of the continued story in one game. Time to shoot me some critters. Out by 1st Quarter of 2007.

Superman Returns: The Videogame--fly like your favorite superhero and beat some major baddies along the way in this movie-tie-in. Up, up, and away! Out by November.

Looks like you got a lot  of sports and some cool games to choose from this holiday season. Happy shopping!

Whereas Europe's releases this week feature the sport the Continent loves - FIFA 07 - American releases feature the American-invented sport of basketball. NBA Live 2007, NBA 07, and NBA 2K7 come out today for the PSP and Xbox 360, along with another big-ticket item, Just Cause for the 360.

Over at DS territory, the movie tie-up game Alex Stormbreaker rides into American handhelds, along with the equally movie-inspired Disney's The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure.

Here's the complete list of DS, PSP and Xbox 360 games for the week starting Monday:

Nintendo DS:

• 09/25: Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure
• 09/25: Mario vs Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
• 09/26: Mage Knight Destiny's Soldier
• 09/27: Alex Rider: Stormbreaker
• 09/29: Bubble Bobble Revolution
• 09/29: Rainbow Islands Revolution

Sony PSP:

• 09/25: NBA 07
  
• 09/25: NBA Live 07
• 09/26: Spectral Souls

Xbox360:

• 09/25: NBA 2K7
• 09/25: NBA Live 07
• 09/26: Just Cause
• 09/26: Import Tuner Challenge

With NBA having long gone global with their international players being counted among the league's elite, it's only logical that the game's soundtrack goes global as well. EA has just revealed the soundtrack for NBA Live 07, and global artists such as Canadian Ghislain Poirier and Brazilian hiphop outfit Braza have made the cut.

2006 breakouts Gnarls Barkley and Rhymefest from the US will also be in the soundtrack, and to further add a global touch, Finnish rapper Redrama will also be rhyming his way into the game. EA's worldwide executive of music and marketing Steve Schnur said, "Our goal was to further define the global cultural phenomenon of hip-hop--and help shape its future--via one of the hottest sports videogame franchises on the street today."

To live up to the "07" part in the title, the soundtrack will also feature artists that are considered to be the faces of hiphop's future such as Kanye West's protégés Rhymefest and Lupe Fiasco. British rapper Lady Sovereign, whose much-awaited Def Jam debut album has been long delayed, will also be featured in the game. The artist's album though won't be hitting stores until later this year. Here's some of the songs in the soundtrack:

Army of the Pharaohs - "Gorillas"
Bossman - "Hand Clap"
Braza - "Son Do Braza"

The full list awaits after the jump!

Pre-Order: [NBA Live 07 PSP/XBOX 360]