Yet another gamer relates his story of how Microsoft ruined his Xbox 360 after he sent it in for repairs. Oh, the console was fine. But - probably through some communication breakdown - they ruined the console's sentimental (not to mention monetary) values. You see, the console had signatures and custom artwork from notable members of the gaming community, all of which were erased when the console was sent in for repairs despite the steps the gamer took to assure it won't happen. Read the story in the full article.

More Machinima hijinks in Shadowrun flavor coming your way in this fourth episode of the rip-roaringly hilarious 1-800-MAGIC series, courtesy of Rooster Teeth, the same team that brought you Red Versus Blue. Magic-based antics, satirical comedy and biting wit - all wrapped up in one bloody, foul-mouthed package for everyone to enjoy.

We won't spoil the whole episode, of course, but there's something ridiculously funny about a big tree-like projection sprouting out from the ground and making with the "maybe we should see other people" routine. One thing's for sure, though, the magic that Red versus Blue had is still there, and still going strong. More updates about 1-800-MAGIC and Rooster Teeth's antics as we get them, and in the meantime, enjoy the video!

We believe fans of Shadowrun and machinima videos are having a grand time with the miniseries 1-800-MAGIC. This was conceptualized and turned into a reality by Rooster Teeth - the very same creator of Halo's Red VS Blue. Now, we're happy to tell you that the fourth episode of 1-800-MAGIC is already available.

The miniseries, like we said, is set in the Shadowrun universe. And much like Red VS Blue, 1-800-MAGIC also features two opposing teams with intense yet comical adventures. The series is oftentimes funny and is not afraid to discuss sensitive topics such as racial discrimination.

We have to say, especially for the benefit of those who haven't watched any episode yet, that 1-800-MAGIC is not all about social commentary and heavy subjects. It also deals with multiplayer peeves like system lagging which we believe all of you can related with.

Anyway, enough intro, the fourth episode of 1-800-MAGIC can now be downloaded from Xbox Live Marketplace for free and is available in all regions.

Hilarious antics and rip-roaring dialogue headed your way in this third episode of the brand-new machinima about Shadowrun, Rooster Teeth's 1-800-MAGIC. If you laughed or chortled at all with Halo's Red versus Blue, you'll probably fall out of your seat laughing with this particular series.

Spoilers aside, this episode tackles certain touchy subjects such as racism and racial discrimination - but also speaks about multiplayer peeves, seen as one character tries to convince the others that the system merely lagged, and a certain character did not just teleport. Funny stuff, if a bit on the foul-mouthed side.

No more spoilers! Enjoy the video!

Buy: [Shadowrun (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Shadowrun (Windows Vista)]

We've just picked up word that there's a new package out on Xbox Live Marketplace, just waiting to be purchased and viewed. It's a Red vs. Blue product labelled "By The Numbers: Misfits Picture Pack". The pack contains 8 pictures and is available for purchase at a sum of 80 Microsoft Points.

Red vs. Blue (RvB), for those asking, is a famous sci-fi Machinima by Rooster Teeth Productions. The series revolves around two opposing teams of soldiers fighting a civil war in the middle of a desolate box canyon (Blood Gulch) and is actually a parody of FPS games, sci-fi, and military life.

The series is based on the Halo franchise, and has been running since April 1, 2003. We imagine long-time fans will enjoy this latest treat, which is accessible to all XBL members.

After Guitar Hero II, the next battlefield over Marketplace content with a price point is (sadly) Rooster Teeth's "Red vs. Blue", where Episodes 1-5 are now downloadable to the 360 @ 80 pts per episode.

When Major Nelson announced this in his blog, it seems that the post-Guitar Hero II drama spilled over, as some of the early (and even later) comments exploded over having to pay for something that they believe is essentially free, either via Rooster Teeth's website or video-sharing service. The issue is more complex than this, though, and Xbox Staff member (and Rooster Teeth sponsor) e had to clarify:

It's not as free as you think. On Rooster Teeth's website, the "free view" is rather limited because they follow a "rolling window." Only a given number of episodes from the current season are available for viewing for free at that given week. Every Tuesday night, that window rolls forwards to the next batch.

Oh, and e strongly disapproves of watching the episodes on YouTube... because "If you’re not going to respect Roosterteeth’s intellectual property, just don’t watch."

Other than that, for unlimited access to the RvB archive, you have to be a Rooster Teeth sponsor. Hey, they have to eat, too (as well as all their equipment). US$ 10.00 nets a six-month subscription which also gives you the premiere of the newest RvB ep earlier than the non-paying public, as well as sponsor-only content and bonuses (especially Seasons One and Two).

Finally, there's the DVD. And between the DVD pricing and the Marketplace pricing, it turns out there's no diff. One of Major's commenters did the math: 20 episodes/DVD @ US$ 20.00 per DVD = US$ 1.00 per ep... which is the same price as the Marketplace episodes. Another criticized that approach, noting that unlike DLC, a DVD is something tangible - not to mention tradeable and resellable, and come with cover art and other swag, too.

Overall, our analysis of the response to the RvB news is that it's a lot of carryover from Guitar Hero II, plus the other Marketplace troubles. Plus, the critics do have a point: if the only price to pay on Rooster's RvB archive website is the time it takes for the rolling window to cycle, or that sponsorship is relatively much cheaper, it might have been better for Rooster/Microsoft to release the content for free... or at least cheaper (or with higher definition and bonus content... just to soften the blow).

But still... criticism is one thing, but the spillover drama is something else entirely. A lot of arguments can still be raised about pricing on Marketplace, but one thing's for certain in all this: if you have the DVD, or you managed to download the video during the rolling window, then good for you, no more drama or download needed.

Two things come from Texas: one of them's got horns, and one of them apparently is video gaming.

Or else why would MTV's Gamer's Week 2.0 send Sway Calloway and MTV News' Stephen Totilo off to Austin to do a feature for, well, gaming? Austin is, as MTV finds, home to Dell, the University of Texas in Austin (one tricked out college for gaming and gaming purposes), the Austin Game Conference, NCSoft's Richard Garriott (daddy to Ultima Online and Tabula Rasa), a Midway Games branch, and the Halo-machinima "Red vs. Blue" producers Rooster Teeth.

All that gaming... je ne sais quois in one city... it's bound to produce some degree of craziness that MTV's dying to report on. (We sense a future Punk'd episode idea here.)

You've got Richard trying his hand out in amateur archaeology (his home's full of relics and stuff) and - God forbid - rap music. Visit the Austin Midway Games branch and you'll find whiteboards for brainstorms-while-walking everywhere (why not make them wall-to-wall?), and Razor scooters for in-house transportation (better make those "brainstorms-while-scooting..."). There was an idea for fire poles to make leaving second-floor meetings more fun, but that didn't make it past the drawing board. Aww.

And a lot of the gamers here, apparently, are killer. One local FPS clan fought against a New York-based clan, "basically fed them (the New Yorkers) their own tonsils". Alrighty, these are guys we definitely do NOT want to underestimate in any future multiplayer matches.

You do know that the unofficial motto of Austin is "Keep Austin Weird", right? Now, if we could find some Tauren out in the fields. Because they got horns, you know...

Rooster Teeth announces the premiere of Season Five of Red Vs. Blue, available immediately - to Sponsors. The adoring public will have to wait to Monday for the public versions - hey, Monday's right around the bend! Episode #78, "You Can't Park Here," has been up since the 30th for Sponsors (I knew I should have invested in Rooster Teeth early on). Based on the ending to the miniseries, Season 5 will continue where Part 5 to "Out of Mind" left off. The past season, as well as the "Out of Mind" miniseries, are also available at Rooster Teeth's site. "Out of Mind" is also available on Marketplace.

With Halo 3 rolling up to its takeoff date (yeah, it's a-ways off, but good things come to they who wait, right?), we can bet that the RvB production team's just itching to get their hands on it for future episodes of the series. And with "Out of Mind" having been shot in 720p, we wonder if future high-def episodes will also be made available for the 360 at Marketplace, just like the miniseries.

Oh please do, oh please please do. The only thing that's as fun as - if not more fun than - blasting big holes in the Covenant is Red and Blue teams blasting big holes in each other - or trying to. That and Caboose trying to recite the entire alphabet. And Tex's permanent PMS streak. And...

Pre-order: [Halo 3]