180°

Microsoft Fighting Back Against Xbox 360 Firmware Hacks

According to reports from the Xbox-Scene forums, Microsoft has started shipping Xbox 360 consoles in the UK and Australia regions with an updated Hitachi DVD-ROM drive. The new version of the drive has implemented changes to the hardware designed to make hacking the firmware much harder than before, including changing the firmware chip type, removing debug mode, and encasing the chip with black hard glue to make it harder to access the chip and controller pins.

Phil Harrison6413d ago

They're still using the glue method!

Deceased6413d ago

That is a cheap way of doing it, i would have done so myself. They will find some glue that will screw modders up. Why can't they just play the 360 the way it was meant to be played.

richie007bond6413d ago

hackers spoil it for everyone,devs need to make thier money from the games they make otherwise there wont be any video games market

Spunkmeyer436413d ago

If the prices where fairer then hacking would be no where near the problem it is but they don't have the foresight!!!!

Devilpup6413d ago

We pay up to 119$AUD (89.3USD) for games in Australia. When you buy five games you can nearly buy a whole new Xbox 360. Some are selling for $580 Premium.

I am buying all original this time, but its costing a fortune and im unable to buy the games I want. Also i have to trade in games and not keep them. It really sucks!

Ravenator5296413d ago

HAXORS R TEH SUXORS!

Just play the damn machines! I wonder how many 360's some of these assholes went through before they were able to hack into one?

The Snake6413d ago (Edited 6413d ago )

If you want to drive a top of the line car, you pay more for insurance. Same with being on the cutting edge of the video game industry.
If you're going to be a next gen gamer, you're going to have to accept the fact that you'll be paying next gen prices for your games. Developers, and to a lesser extent publishers, do in fact need money to make games and they need to turn some kind of profit to motivate them to make more.
If you want cheap games, wait until they're a year and a half old. Either that or buy a PS2 or Xbox. Otherwise, you're just gonna have to pony up the cash just like the rest of us.
I don't want to sound like a jerk, but if you don't have the money to be a next gen gamer, you shouldn't be one.

Devilpup6412d ago

I understand your point, what im saying though is us Australians are paying nearly double of what Americans are paying for, for the same game. I doubt the money is going to the makers, more so a huge markup from the stores or something?

It would be better if we could buy directly from the publisher or maker in the first place, that way more profit would go to them instead of shops, perhaps in turn lowering the prices a little as well.

120°

Looking Back At 2008, An Unbelievably Incredible Year Of Video Game Releases

Huzaifa from eXputer: "2008 was home to the likes of Call of Duty: World at War, Dead Space, GTA 4, Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, and many other hits, which is outright remarkable."

CrimsonWing694h ago

I don’t think anything can compare to 2023

lucasnooker4h ago

1998 - the best year in gaming! Metal gear solid, crash bandicoot 3, medievil, half life, ocarina of time, thief, tenchu, resident evil 2, Spyro, tomb raider 3, oddworld abes exodus, banjo kazooie.

It was a different breed of a gaming era. You’ll never understand what it was like back then. The aura of gaming, it was different!

KyRo4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

I second this. Gaming was a lot more varied and fun than it is today. I'm 35 so getting on compared to some here but I got to see all the changes from NES up to now but I've never felt so disappointed in any generation than I have this current gen. I was expecting more from this generation rather than prettier versions of games that came before it. Game mechanics have become so refined that alot of games feel the same and has done for a while now.

Maybe it's time to have a break for a while. I love gaming but I don't feel I get much fun in the traditional sense out of it anymore.

CrimsonWing694h ago(Edited 4h ago)

Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil 2, Abe’s Exodus, and Ocarina of Time are the only things from that list that I liked.

Here’s the 2023 game releases that I personally liked… and big releases that I didn’t care for:

- Dead Space Remake
- Wo Long Dynatsy
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Diablo 4
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Hogwarts Legcay
- Street Fighter 6
- Hi-Fi Rush
- Like a Dragon: Ishin
- Octopath Traveler 2
- Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters
- Final Fanatsy XVI (actually ended up not liking this, but it was still a big deal release)
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
- Lies of P
- Mortal Kombat 1
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Starfield (Ended up hating this one, but big release)
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (I’m an old-school Zelda fan, but didn’t really enjoy this game)
- Alan Wake 2

I mean, honestly I’ve never seen a year of major IP releases like that, ever.

Profchaos1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

Isn't it just a generational thing realistically.

I've been gaming since way back and I some of my favourite games go as far back as the late 80s for me each generation has a year or two of game changing releases one after another before an inevitable dry spell.

I kind of agree gaming had a different feel games hit different because we didn't have the internet nothing got spoiled and you really had to put in the effort to beat a puzzle which could set entire groups of people looking for a solution. But most importantly games were experimental and not as cookie cutter as today even basics like controls were not universal today r2 is shoot l2 is ads garunteed you can't deviate from that in a shooter back then it could of been square, R1 or R1 and circle nothing was standard.

But as time moves on a new generation picks up their controller they are going to be interested in different things that PS1 demo disc with the t Rex blew our primitive 16 bit brains back on launch but to kids today it's laughable.
The new gen of kids coming into to hobby seem to value different things to us there seems to be a huge focus on online play, streamers, gaming personalities, and social experiences, convience of digital downloads. To me I value none of that but that's ok like my parents not liking the band's I would listen to its just the natural cycle.

120°

6 Fun Games Where You Actually Play As The Bad Guy

While the mainstream media always sees things turning in favor of the hero, here are 6 games that own being a bad guy.

Profchaos10h ago

Pretty much all of these games listed are based around a morality system you don't have to be bad and you don't have to be good.

It seems to have left out some real amazing games like red dead redemption 1/2,ass effect and true crime la/ny

Tacoboto9h ago

Armored Core VI?

Ok, I'm really missing something here. Just beat chapter 3 earlier this evening, unlocked A-rank Arena fights. I'm not seeing or sensing any branching paths or morality system and I've done every side mission and arena fight available to me up to that fight.

Is something big coming soon to branch the story?

banger889h ago

No mention of Grand Theft Auto? Saints Row (original trilogy), Manhunt? Also The Suffering (depending on the ending you get).

130°

Essential Video Games Everyone Needs To Play At Least Once

Video games are no longer just a simple past time. Today's games are evolving into true works of art. Offering intriguing narratives, cinematic setpieces, and profound messages, games can entertain us for hundreds of hours.

Read Full Story >>
wealthofgeeks.com
Chard1d 3h ago (Edited 1d 3h ago )

I never got around to mass effect - I’m skeptical that it would hold up if I were to try it now

Furesis1d 2h ago

I would say it does. The combat is a bit shit for todays standards but everything else is great.

anast1d 1h ago

It's worth a play through today.

gold_drake18h ago

the first one is abit the odd one out but after u finished it, believe it it gets tremendously better and better