Zune to use Microsoft Points

Yesterday, Microsoft announced the pricing and release date for the first of its Zune MP3 players. Set to hit stores on November 14--three days ahead of the PlayStation 3 and five prior to the Wii launch--the 30GB player will cost $249.99, in line with Apple's 30GB iPod.

Zune will also use Xbox Live Marketplace's currency.

However, unlike Apple's iTunes Music Store, the Zune Marketplace won't just deal in real-world coin. It will use a virtual currency well known to Xbox 360 owners--Microsoft Points. According to the software giant, "Users can purchase songs individually using Microsoft Points for 79 points per track." As anyone who's ponied up for a new set of nonrefundable premium gamer pictures knows, that 80 points comes to about $0.99--the same per-song cost as iTunes.

40°

New Android game lets us play The Sims with our own Kpop idols

K-Pop Academy is an upcoming pop star management simulator from the game studio that brought you Tsuki’s Odyssey and Campfire Cat Café.

Read Full Story >>
pockettactics.com
90°

World of Warcraft developers form wall-to-wall union at Blizzard Entertainment

The new unit comprises over 500 developers representing the entire World of Warcraft development team.

Read Full Story >>
gamedeveloper.com
2d ago
XiNatsuDragnel1d 20h ago

Unions in gaming are necessary fr fr

montebristo1d 9h ago

I used to be anti-union, it kills productivity, investment and turns product mediocre. Their games suck anyways though so what was lost? Might as well get their people paid until they are dissolved.

shinoff21831d 8h ago

Unions are necessary regardless of how you feel. You know how fked the working class would be without them. As if we're not already.

montebristo1d 7h ago

No they aren’t, regardless of how you feel. Unions make zero sense for skill based labor. They are for people who press a button every 10 seconds on an assembly line. “working class” is a made up term. I don’t care about corporations or developers, I just want good games lol. Killing your incentives to appease the lowest common denominator doesn’t lead to great games imo

montebristo1d 2h ago (Edited 1d 1h ago )

I wasn’t trying to be offensive if I came off that way. The Union is an old mentality and I can see their usefulness but also the danger. We’re in the age of AI and robots and skill based labor. Unions can be dangerous these days. You could replace your entire workforce in one move. Checkmate. Look to the kiosk replacing workers in the 20 dollar minimum wage era.

Well run businesses don’t need unions. If you need a Union that business won’t survive anyway. Unless it’s propped up by the government with corporate welfare (which is the real issue). If you’re not going to spend some on your workers (Amazon, Google) then your welfare is cut off. No tax breaks. All you put together don’t match their wealth and resources, the union is a traditional memory at this point and counterproductive with this new enemy we face. They need a flying elbow from the top ropes. And by “working class is a made up term” I just mean we’re not a class system and even CEO Bobby Kotick puts in a days work lol. Or did.. It’s just a vague term that doesn’t mean anything no offense lol. People say “middle class” but that can change quick right? Up or down. That’s not a “class system”.

80°

The 'Kawaii' Is A Nintendo Wii The Size Of A Keychain

Modders have cooked up something pretty special – a Wii console which is small enough to fit on your keys. A wee Wii.

Read Full Story >>
timeextension.com