Does the shiny new Xbox One that Santa left under the tree work when you turn it on, but not actually do the whole online gaming thing so well? If you’re also a Comcast customer, you could be encountering a big bug. [More]
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Microsoft Promises That New Kinect Is Not (Always) A Crazy Spying Machine
By 11.1.13
With the new Xbox One console only weeks away from launch, Microsoft is doing its best to quell concerns that the new Kinect motion and voice sensor will be spying on users and storing important, sensitive information. [More]
Xbox Owner Tracks Down Stolen Device After Thief Goes Online To Use It
By 10.25.13
Sometimes it’s not enough for thieves to simply steal your electronics — they apparently just have to use them afterwards as well. Which can turn out to be a very good thing that they do if it helps owners track down their stolen tablets, phones or in this case, game consoles. [More]
New Monopoly Teaches Kids The Importance Of Xbox, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and EA!
By 7.26.13
The folks at Hasbro have never had a problem letting everything from towns to universities to movies to big-name commercial brands slap their names on licensed versions of Monopoly, but a new version of the classic board game is unabashedly all about learning the value of today’s biggest fast food, retail, tech, and entertainment companies — everything a growing child needs to get ahead! [More]
Xbox Exec Flees Microsoft To Fix The Failing Virtual Farm That Is Zynga
By 7.1.13
A couple weeks back, Microsoft’s Don Mattrick defended the Xbox One’s most controversial aspects — and irking a number of military personnel in the process — by saying that people who wanted to play a video game console without connecting to the Internet could just buy an Xbox 360. He then had to take it all back when the company decided it didn’t want to lose customers to Sony. Now Mattrick is jumping off the U.S.S. Microsoft to go tend virtual fields as the CEO of another much-derided gaming company, Zynga. [More]
4 Early Concerns About The Xbox One
By 5.23.13
Earlier this week, Microsoft finally got around to showing off Xbox One, the console some gamers have been waiting for since the Xbox 360 came out eight years ago. The company made sure to highlight all the cool bells and whistles of the upcoming device, but also skipped over a number of issues that are already giving some folks reason for concern. [More]
The Xbox One Is Intended To Be An All-In-One Home Entertainment Solution
By 5.21.13
It’s been eight years since Microsoft launched the Xbox 360, a wildly successful gaming console that has gradually evolved into a home entertainment hub for many users. Today, the company finally got around to releasing details of the “Durango” project, its code name for the next generation of the Xbox. [More]
Microsoft To Announce New Xbox Tomorrow; Sony Teases Video Of Playstation 4 Today
By 5.20.13
It’s been three full months since Sony announced — but did not unveil — the Playstation 4 videogame console. And with Microsoft about to announce its follow-up to the Xbox 360 tomorrow, Sony must have figured today was as good a day as any to finally show a glimpse of the PS4. [More]
Could It Be Possible That The New Xbox Will Actually Let Users Play Games Offline?
By 5.6.13
In a world where game makers are releasing titles that demand players always be connected to the Internet or just not play, it’s not surprising that fans of Microsoft’s XBox were worried that the next iteration would also require a constantly-on connection. According to a leaked internal Microsoft email, that won’t be the case. Cue rejoicing. [More]
In-Store-Only Digital Downloads Are Not The Way To Get People Flocking Inside Best Buy
By 4.10.13
For brick-and-mortar retailers, getting customers to walk into their stores has always been a challenge. Today, it’s even more so. But the secret to success in the third decade of the e-commerce era probably isn’t making digital downloads “In-Store Purchase Only.””I wanted to buy some Microsoft points for Xbox…..ummm, I’m not quite sure I understand this one Best Buy,” reader Aaron writes. “Digital Download in-store?” [More]
Microsoft Apologizes For Loudmouthed Creative Director’s Tweets
By 4.5.13
Earlier this week, a Microsoft Studios creative director stepped into a huge, flaming virtual bag full of doo-doo when he decided to make his case for always-online gaming, and possibly gave away information about the next generation of Xbox in the process. Today, Microsoft has had to issue a “don’t listen to that guy” statement. [More]
Next Xbox May Require Internet Access At All Times, Microsoft Creative Director Doesn’t See The Problem
By 4.5.13
After a mediocre showing in the last few Worst Company In America tournaments, Microsoft seems intent on making sure the next generation of its Xbox gaming console earns it a top seed in next year’s bracket. [More]
Raiders Of The Lost Walmart Will Take 10 Minutes To Download This Post Over A 56K Modem
By 1.25.13 — Updated: 8.15.13
Among the readers and tipsters of Consumerist are a brave band of explorers on a sacred mission to advance human knowledge. Their quest: to find really, really old crap sitting on the clearance rack at Walmart, and take photos so we can laugh at it. They are the Raiders of the Lost Walmart. Here are their latest finds from the field. [More]
Microsoft Offers Free Month Of Service To Make Up For Recent Xbox Live Cloud Outage
By 12.31.12
What’s better than an apology? An apology with some free stuff thrown in to sweeten the pot and turn those frowns upside down. Microsoft is apologizing for a recent cloud outage that left Xbox Live users hanging with nary a way to access their saved games and will treat users to a free month of membership to try and make up for it. [More]
Halo 4 Bonus Downloadable Content Says It Works One Way, Actually Works Another
By 11.8.12
With Misty’s order for the Halo 4 Xbox console and a limited edition of the new game, she got a bunch of codes for downloadable content to be used inside the game. In previous editions, some of that kind of content was available to all users of the console it was downloaded to. But no matter what the restrictions actually say, for Halo 4 the content is restricted to the gamertag that downloaded it. She didn’t want one account to hog all of the good stuff. [More]
Time Warner Cable Dangling Free Xboxes To Entice Customers To Sign Up At Best Buy
By 11.7.12
People want free stuff. Cable companies need new customers. Best Buy really, really needs shoppers to set foot in its stores. These three facts have all resulted in a promotion that has TWC offering up free Xbox 360s to new customers who sign up for its Triple Play package while visiting Best Buy. [More]
I Can’t Get Sam’s Club To Take My Money
By 11.7.12
Rhoda wanted to get the new Halo 4 edition of the Xbox 360, and she wanted to get it from Sam’s Club. Presumably, she’s a member, and she says that she has ordered online from Sam’s before. But something about this transaction made the store’s computers unhappy, and the order wouldn’t go through. She called up the company to verify the order and tried again, only to face even more rejection. [More]
If You Fall For This Xbox Live Scam, You Should Probably Stay Offline
By 10.26.12
It’s just a hunch, but we’re pretty sure this important message is not from a real “Xbox Modiator.” [More]
