It looks like Microsoft and Remedy Entertainment are finally getting ready to spill more details about their upcoming psychological action thriller, Alan Wake (Xbox 360, PC). The game will apparently be present at this year's Tokyo Game Show according to a Vista gaming contest. More in the full article.

We're letting the readers know about the release of vmcNetFlix Beta v1.0.22, a plugin that will enable you to stream Netflix movies from your Vista Premium Media Center PC to your Xbox 360. Further details on its features are available in the full article.



Download: vmcNetFlix Beta v1.0.22 (x86)
Download: vmcNetFlix Beta v1.0.22 (x64)

Still hoping Ensemble Studios just might be making a PC port of the Xbox 360-exclusive Halo Wars RTS? A recent rumor indicated that this could be a possibility, although Microsoft says otherwise.

Details are up ahead in the full article.

Microsoft Corporation chairman Bill Gates bid the Consumer Electronics Show a bittersweet farewell as he opened it for the last time in his legendary career. After showing a cool video of what he'll do after stepping down from Microsoft, Gates talked about the next 10 years in the electronics scene, earmarking touch screen, faster, and more accessible connectivity, and HD technology as the future's pillars. Head on to the full article for more details.

After Sony had its big ad campaign for the PlayStation 3, it's about time that Microsoft followed suit as well. The software and gaming mogul is said to be setting aside a hefty US$ 300 million in advertising most of its wares. More details in the full article.

Online media distributor CinemaNow has announced that it's stepping up efforts to bridge its services from the PC to home TVs by becoming compatible with Microsoft's Windows Vista and Xbox platforms.

Though CinemaNow isn't offering movies and other content on the Xbox Live network just yet, the retailer does work around it and brings similar results. Users can download movies from the CinemaNow site and store them with copyright protection in their PC. If the computer detects an Xbox on the home network, it gives the subscriber an option to have the playback shown on TV.

In addition to the Xbox stream feature, CinemaNow is also offering an update that allows Internet Explorer to work in conjunction with its proprietary Media Manager application to give people the ability to burn content on a DVD. Everything is legal and accounted for with every transaction of this sort.

CinemaNow has some 7,000 films in its library but critics have written it off due to its limitations. Recent blockbusters take long or never appear on its servers, while past hits can be hard to find. Some pundits even expect its clientele to shrink as cable networks and brick retailers take measures to win back some of the market earlier lost to downloadable content media peddlers.

Despite the costly extended warranty project for the Xbox 360, Microsoft remains optimistic and confident that their entertainment and devices division, the department in charge of the Xbox 360, will be better for the next fiscal year.

Although Microsoft has estimated that their extended warranty project will cost US$ 1 billion, it's been reported that the actual figure amounts closer to $1.2 billion. They have declared a total loss of $1.89 billion for their entertainment and devices division.

Microsoft added that it would have been a greater loss had there not been a reduction in the cost of manufacturing the console. Factors that contribute to the loss is the decrease in sales of the Xbox 360 and PC Games. Sales of 360 accessories and the Zune helped offset the loss however.

However, being the giant that it is, US$ 1.89 billion for Microsoft as a whole is just a drop in the bucket. The revenues of their entertainment and devices division for the fiscal year ending on June 30 is up 28%, reaping in US$ 6.08 billion despite the warranty extensions. Microsoft itself garnered US$ 51.12 billion, a 15% increase from last year. The revenue comes from increased sales of hardware, software, TVs, mobile devices and the strong presence of Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007.

1989 - The Berlin Wall stands, and America is faced with the very real threat of invasion. This is the premise of Massive Entertainment's eagerly anticipated war epic World in Conflict. This game presents a frighteningly authentic scenario of what could have been if the tide had turned during the Cold War.

This new RTS game which plunges the world into chaos will be available for the Xbox 360 and the Windows Vista this September. A collector's edition will also be released, where gamers will get a basket of extras and, as unorthodox as it sounds, an authentic piece of the Berlin Wall. Clutch it every time one of your tanks explode.

Pre-ordering allows players to secure their own individual names for multiplayer mode.  Pre-ordering will also unlock exclusive multiplayer maps for the Demo and the Beta Event scheduled for this month.

And without further ado, fresh off the MassTech Engine, here's the latest batch of World in Conflict screenshots:

  

  

We've got a bigger batch of screens behind the Full Article link below, which includes developer comments on certain details, plus concept artwork!

The 16-bit classic RPG-turned shooter Shadowrun got a new lease on life with its Microsoft Xbox 360 iteration, but in the aftermath of its release, critics find themselves with mixed reactions on how the game turned out to be. If you're one of the many fans who are having second thoughts on whether to get the game or not, this is your chance to make up your mind.

There's a demo of the FASA title right in the Xbox Live Marketplace and it features a lone map which you can use to play against bots or other users in public rooms. The array of weapons and magic you can use is pretty limited, but we still appreciate the fact that there's a free pop before buying or renting it.

Shadowrun was initially popularized in the SNES and Sega Genesis game systems as an RPG but Microsoft and the developers decided to give it a first-person makeover where magic meets mechanics. The most important aspect of the game, however, would have to be the fact that players from Windows Vista and the Xbox 360 could cross over using their respective Live systems for more fun.

Several hours ago, Xbox 360 and Windows Vista owners were greeted with the news that Microsoft released the Shadowrun FPS for their respective platforms. And while we imagine players who've purchased their copy are enjoying the game's linked play capability, we've picked up another upcoming event, courtesy of FASA.

The game developers has just announced that as part of the ongoing festivities surrounding Shadowrun's release, FASA is planning to run the second part of the Play the Devs Day this Thursday, May 31.

This event will provide gamers with an opportunity to meet up (online) with Shadowrun's creative team, who in turn have several activities such as a Q&A session being planned for the appointed day. The event is scheduled for 3 p.m. (Seattle time), and will be conducted via IRC chat. Players interested in joining are advised to PM the FASA developers via their Gamertag.

Shadowrun (rated "M" by the ESRB) for the Xbox 360 is priced at US$ 59.99, with the Windows Vista port coming in at US$ 49.99. The game includes nine unique maps and three additional map variations, showcasing environments set in a futuristic Santos, Brazil, and its neighboring ancient Ziggurat. Shadowrun includes six training chapters, with four levels of difficulty provided for the game's bots. For the guys who've decided to wait and see if the game's worth buying, expect a demo to be released this June 6 via Xbox Live.