The QJ.Net team has been polling the public to find the features you want to see. We have asked the questions, and we have read your answers. It is with this in mind that we are proud to announce our newest feature, the top 15 most popular articles from our comprehensive news coverage. As you have probably noticed, we recently implemented the "Jump It Up" feature to all of the QJ.Net sites, allowing you to vote for the articles you like. We are now taking this a step further and showing you the news you have voted for at the top of each of our sites.

This new feature will, in effect, keep the most popular articles posted in the last 24 hours at the top of each site for easy access. Every site will have its own list, reflecting the most "Jumped" articles from that specific site. The list will be ever changing and constantly updated showing the articles that have been voted most popular by you, our readers!

Your feedback is important, and we want to hear your thoughts. What do you think of this new feature? Lets hear your opinions in the comments section below!

Xboxic has been able to track down and preform an interview with another of the team of 6 hackers that have created the method for running backup games on the Xbox 360. This interview has been edited down to the hardcore information, eleminating all of the "how are you, who are you, what do you do" questions, as those questions don't really get answered in this type of circumstance anyway. The interview is a great read, but for those of you that just cannot stand to read the full thing, here are the basic points from Xboxic:

• The hack is completely unfit to be applied to a modchip.
• Anyone selling a modchip based on this is a scammer.
• Trying to replicate the hack without having multiple years of experience at this kind of thing will most certainly brick your 360.
• Microsoft will quite probably be able to detect fake firmwares very soon as the cat/mouse game commences so you will get your ass kicked out of Xbox Live for the rest of your life.
• Watch out for brickware. Some moron will release one probably.

For those of you who want to read more, you can find the full interview at the link below.

Ubisoft's shares have risen 4% following the record sales numbers of their recently released Xbox 360 title Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter. With more than 240,000 copies being sold in North America since launch and 120,000 in France Germany and the UK in 3 days, GRAW has become the fastest selling Xbox 360 title to date. Currently ranking No. 2 on the "All Formats" charts in Europe (just behind the multi-platform FIFA Street 2), GRAW is current Europe's fastest growing title and is closing the gap quickly.

"Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter had the best ever first-week sales performance for our company and is looking like a major commercial success," said Ubisoft chairman Yves Guillemot.

Electronic Arts today announced that Burnout Revenge for Xbox 360 is now available at retailers across Europe. The next generation debut of the Burnout franchise brings with it a suite of online features set to define automotive anarchy. The Xbox 360 enables Burnout Revenge to deliver the most spectacular crashes in the series' history. Next generation crashes mean vehicle deformation and Hollywood-inspired special effects with bigger explosions than ever before.

Burnout Revenge dons two jaw-dropping new online features that revolutionise the Burnout racing experience. Live Revenge is all about short tempers and long memories – it tracks your rivals and calls out those that need payback in each race all the while tracking your hit list as you take them down. Get involved in sharing your most epic crashes or fastest laps with your mates with the all new Save and Share feature that lets you highlight the most explosive moments from your replays so you can share them via Xbox Live.

Burnout Revenge also still features multi-level tracks designed for fighting, massive vertical takedowns, explosive crashbreakers, a huge array of gameplay modes and wide open crash junctions for epic crash sequences that put Hollywood to shame, Burnout Revenge redefines speed and aggression for the ultimate in vehicular combat. Burnout Revenge will release under the EA brand and was developed by Criterion Games in Guildford, UK.

PSP homebrew developer Nytrix, from our forums, has confirmed an earth shattering breakthrough in the Xbox 360 hacking scene today. As you know, we earlier, reported on the issue of backup games being playable on the Xbox 360. The author of the video was unwilling to give out the technique that he used to accomplish this feat. However, Nytrix has gone above and beyond and determined the methods used and claims to have duplicated the procedure, along with providing more information on exactly how and why this is possible. Apparently this is only applicable (at this time) on the Hitachi drives that come with the Xbox 360, however we expect to see breakthroughs in all drives very soon. Here is a quote from our forums from Nytrix.

As you can see, he has found the flaw in Microsoft's self professed "bullet proof security" by simply modifying the firmware of the DVD drive to allow backup copies of official games to boot. Now as simple as this may sound, it does require some advanced soldering skills, and will probaby not be within the means of the average person. However, with this astonishing breakthrough, we do fully expect to see Xbox 360 DVD ROM's for sale on ebay with the hacked firmware soon.

Check out our previous coverage of this topic with a video of it in action [here].

[While we do not support piracy here at QJ.NET, we will always cover the news. Reporting on something is not the same as encouraging it - just like reporting a murder on the 10 o'clock news does not encourage you to kill people. A member of our forums has confirmed what was shown in the previously released video and shared the resources he used to do duplicate it - without giving an indepth "how-to" that might be construed as encouraging the piracy of Xbox games. It is our belief that this breakthrough is the first step in getting unsigned code and homebrew programs to be executed on the Xbox 360 and is a valuable piece of information that could positively benefit the Xbox 360 Community.]

As I am sure everyone is aware, online gaming is growing by leaps and bounds. With titles such as Guild Wars City of Heroes and, the largest MMORPG on the market, World of Warcraft pushing subscription revenues through the roof. DFC, a San Diego based gaming industry research company, has published a report detailing the rise of revenues to $2 Billion in 2005. What also may come as a shock is that over 50% of all subscription revenues in 2005 came from Asian countries, most notably South Korea, China and Taiwan.

The report predicted that in 2011, North American revenues would pass Asian revenues, and account for up to 35% of the whole. With an estimated $6.8 Billion in revenues in 2011, DFC predictes $3.06 Billion of that will be coming from the US and Canada. While online gaming is mostly restricted to PC's currently, DFC has predictedthat by 2011, online console gaming will account for as much as 29% of global online gaming subscription revenues.

It would seem that some interesting news has come to light regarding the overheating issues with some Xbox 360's. Apparently, modcontrol.com (in conjunction with gamestore24.de and konsole24.de) has found what could be at least a partial cause of overheating in some Xbox 360 consoles. On the GPU heatsink, there is a heat conductive compound that helps transfer the heat from the chip to the heatsink.

  

From the factory, this compound is covered with a layer of foil to protect it from dust an other contaminants that could reduce the conductivity. It would appear that on many Xbox 360's, this protective foil was never removed when the heatsink was installed, and could be a factor in the overheating issues experienced by many. Many users are now cracking open their consoles (this voids your warranty) and checking their systems, many finding the same problem. Although, it should be noted that some of the poeple that are finding the foil still in place have experienced no overheating problems.

Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announced Over G Fighters exclusively for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Over G Fighters is the only modern jet fighter game to deliver intense and exciting aerial combat showcasing the awesome power of modern aircrafts on Xbox 360. Over G Fighters is being developed by Taito Corporation and is scheduled to ship worldwide in North America and Europe.

 

In Over G Fighters, a terrorist organization threatens the world's peace and security as players take to the skies in a united world air force. Players command more than 30 of the most powerful jet fighters ever conceived and battle for air superiority in massive dogfights in the skies above Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Players combat enemies in the air and on the ground with challenging and dangerous strike missions against well defended targets deep in the heart of hostile territory.

 

 

"With Over G Fighters, Ubisoft is delivering one of the most comprehensive and accurate flight titles ever created," said Tony Key, vice president of marketing at Ubisoft. "Harnessing the power of the Xbox 360, Over G Fighters depicts a precise recreation of the world's most distinguished jet fighters in battle and further demonstrates Ubisoft's strength in the next-generation air combat genre."

 

Key Features:

Fly the world's most powerful fighters: Fly every modern jet fighter in the Western arsenal including the F-22A Raptor, the US air superiority fighter of the 21st century. Face more than 90 Western and former Soviet enemies and get in the cockpit of the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C Fighting Falcon, F/A-18C Hornet, Su-27 Flanker, MiG-29A Fulcrum, and F-117A Nighthawk.

 

 

Attempt more than 80 intense missions in a modern-day global conflict: Players take the fight to the enemy in aerial battles all over the world and face massive, challenging missions with interlocking sub-missions. After successfully completing the sub-missions, players will attack the most challenging primary mission objective.

 

Check six: With 360-degree cockpit views from realistic, highly detailed and functional instrumentation. Players will feel the G-forces and hear the roar of jet engines in 5.1 channel stereo as they ignite the after burner.

 

Get right into the action: Kick the tires and light the fires! Players can jump right into the action and instantly engage in dogfights either one-on-one or in massive dogfighting "furballs."

 

Flight data recorder: Players can save their combat triumphs and learn from their defeats by recording and replaying their aerial exploits.

 

Xbox Live online gaming service for up to eight players online: Engage in head-to-head dogfights or cooperative team play between squadrons on huge detailed maps with varied geographies.

 

 

 

The third expansion pack for Final Fantasy XI (the first, Rise of the Zilart, was included with the North American release of the game), Treasures of Aht Urhgan offers gamers an entirely new continent, filled with new treasures and foreboding lost locales, for this ongoing MMO adventure. Players will uncover the tales and legends surrounding the the Aht Urhgan Empire. Treasures of Aht Urhgan also has mew jobs, including the highly requested Blue Mage and Corsair, have been added to expand battle strategies even further.

Atari and Sabre Interactive have finally put out a good solid fact sheet for the weapons in their upcoming title, Timeshift. TimeShift empowers players with the gift of time manipulation, including the ability to slow down, stop and rewind the world around them, allowing them to move freely while opponents and game objects are frozen in time. Featuring complex time control puzzles as an integral part of gameplay, TimeShift takes first-person action games in an entirely new direction. Read the full list of weapons and descriptions with pictures at the link below.

 

KnuckleDuster

This small caliber one-handed pistol has excellent accuracy at all distances in primary fire mode. The primary mode shoots individual bullets with a zero blast radius and medium shot power. The ammo cartridges are small, so frequent reloading is required. Due to the small size of the cartridges, you can carry a large amount of spare ammunition. Alt-fire mode is rapid but less accurate and uses ammunition much more quickly than the primary mode.