Joystiq reports that a “trusted source” relayed information on a new detailed “avatar” customization that  Microsoft is readying – they look very much like a cross between the already existing Nintendo Mii and PlayStation Home custom avatars.

Here is the text from the above image which was submitted by X3F reader who took an independent survey by  Intellisponse  for Microsoft-

“Avatars” are digital personas available this holiday for all Xbox LIVE connected members and this spring for all new console owners.  ”Avatars” will be used in place of the gamer picture you have today and give you a much more lifelike, animated, and fully customizable persona for you to reflect who you are online.

In case you missed something from the supposed Intellisponse survey leak (via NeoGAF), here’s what was scavenged.

• ‘Avatars’ to be Microsoft’s answer to Miis and Home
• First video of Silicon Knight’s Crucible: The Evil Within
• Forza 3 to require 2 DVDs, ‘over 400 cars and 100 tracks’
• Guitar Hero 4 priced, new touch-sensitive guitar
• ‘Lips’ is Xbox 360 karaoke with wireless mics, store, DIY tracks
• Powers & Titans – multiplayer superhero game for 360, PS3, PC
• Spider-Man vs. Marvel Zombies creeping to Wii, 360, PS3
• Tony Hawk to get board peripheral on 360, PS3; new Spider-Man to use Wii Fit board
• Ultimate Band coming to 360, PS3, works with Rock Band instruments; new trailer for Wii
• Xbox Live getting massively competitive social games – Jeopardy, Millionaire, etc.

We should expect an official announcement from Microsoft at E3 which begins in one month, July 15th- July 17th at the  Los Angeles Convention Center.

[source]

Send me a msg over Xbox LIVE if your interested in joining Team Inhaled. InhaledCaffine

Visit our new website InhaledGaming!

According to the NPD figures which were released today, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has officially sold over 9 Million copies worldwide since it’s release!

In addition, the Variety Map Pack we recently released on Xbox Live and soon to be released on PS3 in a week; has broke Xbox Live Marketplace records pulling down over 1 Million downloads within it’s first 9 days. Not to mention pulling down Xbox Live Marketplace in the process when it launched.

Some cool numbers we pulled recently to see just how much gameplay that actually is, shows that Xbox LIVE members played more than 30 million sessions and logged over 30 million hours of gameplay!! We’re talking 1.9 billion minutes logged in the first 9 days!!

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[gametrailers 32456]

Despite what the internet might tell you (including some “official” sources), the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare variety map pack has  NOT  been delayed until the 10th. As of right now we’re pushing certification for an on-time release for  April 3rd or 4th. As of right now though, I’m being told that it’s a good chance it will be released worldwide (except for Japan) tomorrow night / early-Friday morning.

With that said, we also have a new video up on Gametrailers that show off the new maps in action, so check it out above.

For those of you asking when you should take off work, I’d take off Friday, as it looks like they should be available late Thursday night / early Friday morning, which means Friday you should be able to play all day. Also, those of you who have tokens already (either from Game of the Year edition or won them at the Gamestop event we held) you’ll be able to use them as soon as the Map packs are available on Xbox Live.

Update for those of you who bought the Game of the Year Editions:

I see a lot of questions for those of you who have the Game of the Year Editions and visited http://gameoftheyear.callofduty.com/ where all the April 10th delay date rumors spawned from. However, I wanted to let you know that I am currently working to get that changed so that it reflects the correct release date of the maps (April 4th) as well as allows users who buy the GOTY edition to redeem their code for a token as soon as the maps are available (on April 4th) instead of April 10th. I hope that clears up any confusion and I will keep you updated if anything changes, but I wanted to let you know I’m working to make sure you’re taken care of.

[source]

[UPDATE] Just to confirm CoD4 maps are available for download. I personally downloaded the Variety Pack at 9am (PST) – 800 MS Points and 446mb download took less than 5 minutes.

For more about this story you should visit his website, McFearsome.

Scheduled for November 2008 release on Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console. The announcement was made today at GDC2008 along with the debut of the following teaser trailer.

The free XBOX Live Arcade game promised by Microsoft as compensation for the issues Xbox LIVE service was experiencing over the past month has been announced.

Undertow (normally 800 Microsoft Points) will be available to download by XBOX Live Gold and Silver members from Wednesday 23rd January at 10:00 2008 till Sunday 28th January 2008 at 08:00 (Pacific Standard Time Zone) for free.

Here is the official letter from Microsoft:

An Open Letter from Marc Whitten about Xbox LIVE this Holiday
Published January 3, 2008

Dear Xbox LIVE Members:

During this past holiday season you helped us break a number of Xbox LIVE records. This included our largest sign-up of new members to Xbox LIVE in our 5 year history and just yesterday you broke the record for the single biggest day of concurrent members ever on the service.

As a result of this massive increase in usage we know that some of you experienced intermittent Xbox LIVE issues over the holiday break. While the service was not completely offline at any given time, we are disappointed in our performance. I would like to take this moment to thank each and every one of you for your patience and understanding as our team has worked around the clock to return the service to a stable state.

At the same time we would like to offer a token of our appreciation to all of you in celebration of record success for the service. And as a thank you for your loyalty during this holiday period, we will be offering all of our Xbox LIVE members around the world access to a full Xbox LIVE Arcade game that will be available to download free of charge. In the coming weeks we will be sharing the specific details of this offer with you.

Thank you again for helping make Xbox LIVE everything that it is today!

Sincerely,

Marc Whitten
General Manager, Xbox LIVE
Gamertag: Notwen

Updated January 18, 2008

We’re pleased to announce that from 2:00 a.m. PST Wednesday, January 23, 2008 through 11:59 p.m. PST, Sunday, January 27, 2008 you can download the full version of the recent Xbox LIVE Arcade game, Undertow free of charge.

Developed by Chair Entertainment Group, Undertow is one of the highest-rated and best looking games available on Arcade. Undertow redefines aquatic based shooters through a mix of high-definition graphics, intuitive controls and multiple modes of game play action. The game features a full story driven-single player campaign, on and offline co-op, and multiplayer for 2-16 players over Xbox LIVE for Gold subscribers. Players battle for control of the oceans as one of three selectable races, each with four unique, upgradeable units.

Major Nelson announced at his blog that users who already purchased the game should contact Xbox Live support (800-4MY-XBOX), and they’ll be “taken care of.”

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Huxley features:

I. FPS IN A PERSISTENT WORLD
Huxley delivers the excitement and rich gameplay experience of an MMORPG while combining the knuckle-whitening action of an FPS. Players can communicate with each other in a virtual online city, and participate in side battles with the intuitive PvP (player vs. player) system. Everything a character does in the Huxley world directly affects the success of not only the individual, but also of their race and party; from battles to behaviors, all interactions are linked to the survival of a character’s entire race.

II. LARGE-SCALE BATTLES
Huxley goes past traditional death match FPS gameplay by challenging players to adapt to new forms of combat to protect the interests of the camp. Servers will be solely dedicated to accommodate millions of users engaged in fast paced, large-scale combat. Players will require strategy and cooperation to achieve victory. Extensive multiplayer battle modes are available each with a variety of unique fighting techniques and special characteristics.

III. ADVANCED A.I. AND QUESTS
Huxley has advanced A.I. that rivals other online games. Enemies in Huxley demonstrate remarkable intelligence, which can be used to a player’s advantage or demise. Quests in Huxley will take players on paths of intrigue to uncover conspiracies resulting in confrontations. Each quest is continually updated so players feel as though they are enjoying a new story mode every time they play.

IV. CHARACTER GROWTH AND UNIQUE PLAY STYLES
The characters in Huxley are continuously growing, which is rare in FPS games. Players are able to enhance their own combat styles by obtaining out-of-this-world weapons and new skills, which in turn continuously challenges players to adopt different gameplay styles as they progress.

CUMBERLAND — Two misdemeanor counts of disrupting a school operation have been filed against a Frostburg State University student who allegedly made an Internet threat of “shooting up the school,” according to district court documents.

The charges were filed in a criminal summons issued by a district court commissioner following consultation between the C3I Unit and Allegany County State’s Attorney Michael Twigg.

Although the charges against 19-year-old Allieu Shaw of Gaithersburg are on file, there was no record this morning that Shaw had been served the summons. A trial date is set after the defendant is served a summons.

Shaw faces a maximum penalty of one year jail time and/or a fine of up to $5,000.

He was taken in handcuffs from FSU’s Annapolis Hall, Room 148, at about 2 p.m. Tuesday after the C3I Unit learned of his location.

The university has placed Shaw on interim suspension pending an administrative hearing to be conducted by FSU.

According to court records, Shaw was playing the game “Call for Duty 4″ in the XBOX Live gaming system with players around the country when he allegedly stated the threat of “shooting up the school.” The statement reportedly contained a description from Shaw concerning “how he was going to do it.”

Shaw was playing the role of first-person shooter on a live audio feed when he made the alleged threat.

Another player, Kaipo Damurand of Oregon, contacted the Frostburg Police Department to report Shaw’s alleged threat.

C3I began an investigation at 6:19 a.m. Tuesday after learning of the matter from the Frostburg Police Department.

The incident prompted an immediate response from FSU, local law enforcement and the Allegany County Board of Education, which ordered its schools in Frostburg to be in “lock-in” status when they opened at about 8 a.m. In addition, the Eckhart Alternative School was placed on lock-in status and St. Michael School in Frostburg was made aware of the threat of violence at FSU.

State troopers from Allegany, Garrett, Washington and Frederick counties responded to the campus along with Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, Frostburg Police Department and FSU Police, which has an officer assigned to the C3I Unit.

FSU spokeswoman Liz Medcalf said there were 40 police officers patrolling the campus at one point Tuesday.

Students, staff and faculty were notified of the threat by the FSU emergency alert text messaging system as well as by internal e-mail. The communication urged all to immediately report any observations of suspicious activity.

As the university community and the rest of the city pondered the frightening possibility of violence shattering the typical calm of the Mountain City, police working with Microsoft and XBox Live tracked the Internet provider address to Shaw and his room at Annapolis Hall.

After Shaw was taken into custody, he reportedly told investigators that “he was joking and had no intention of following through with the threats,” according to the court documents.

At 2:10 p.m. Tuesday, police executed a search warrant at Shaw’s room. Apparently no weapons or evidence relating to the threat were found.

A search of the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Web site did not show any other criminal cases pending or any charges previously filed against Shaw.

[source]

Click the picture to view full detail.

Here is the original image it was based on:

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a fantastic game. The single-player experience is easily Infinity Ward’s best work to date. Calling it intense may be an understatement. The overall story is standard action movie fare, but the relationships built over the short five hours of play are surprisingly strong. Though the single-player lacks length, the multiplayer should keep you invested in COD4 for the long winter. This is a truly fantastic multiplayer offering that’s as deep as any other online game available.

Infinity Ward has done it again. Call of Duty 4 is a winner.

[source]

As life goes on I’m finding that I still sluff off most of my responsibilities

And I realize that I can be easily distracted from what’s going on around me

So I wanted to…uh…(cough) hold on a minute

just a second…
What did you want again? Oh right…I was singing a song…

I’m sorry for the way that I’ve behaved
Over the last twenty seven days
I’m sorry for the times you asked and pled
But I never heard a word you said
When you were telling me to take out the trash
And you were warning me we were low on cash
I’m sorry that I acted like a slob
I’m sorry I got fired from my job

I’m sorry that the house hasn’t been cleaned
The kids fought and I didn’t intervene
I’m sorry that I haven’t made our bed
I didn’t feed the dog and now he’s dead

Because I’m on the couch like everyday
Livin off of Mountain Dew and Frito Lays
I’m sorry for the weight that I’ve started to gain
I’m sorry that my man boobs are causing you pain

And yes I know that your folks came over
And I never said hello
And I missed our toddler’s first steps
And your birthday yes I know

And I suppose the very worst of it all
Was when I missed the birth of our new baby
But I had a very good reason babe
See I was playin Halo 3

I was playin Halo 3
I was playin Halo 3
Hanging out with Master Chief
Edition Legendary

Yeah, I was playin Halo 3
See, I was playin Halo 3
Just hanging out with Master Chief
While I was playin Halo 3

I’m sorry that I missed the toilet, dear
Cause I was trying to play while looking in the mirror
I know that it must have seemed so cruel
When I didn’t pick our son up from school

I’m sorry that the car got repossessed
I bought the flat screen instead of making payments
I’m sorry that all I could see was my game
When you came down in your new lingerie

And I know you’re threatening to leave me
You’ve found a man you’re going to wed
And I’m sorry ya’ll will never get married
Cause now he plays Halo with me instead

I know it’s really hard on you
And it’s got you feelin blue
It must be just like Deja Vu
From when I was playing Halo 2

I was playing Halo 2
I was Playing Halo 2
It almost split up me and you
When I was playing Halo 2
But now I’m playing Halo 3
On my Xbox 360
Just hanging out with my online peeps
While we’re playing Halo 3

Been waiting to grab a few new Arcade titles? This weekend is the perfect time as we’re having our first ever LIVE Arcade price drop.

For the 48 hour period beginning at 12:00 a.m. GMT on Sunday, September 2 and continuing until 11: 59 p.m. GMT on Monday, September 3, the following Xbox LIVE Arcade games will be available for half their usual price:

Small Arms – 400 Microsoft Points (normally 800 Microsoft Points)
Easy to pick up but hard to put down, “Small Arms” is a frantic multiplayer action game with the feel of an arcade shooter.

Zuma Deluxe- 400 Microsoft Points (normally 800 Microsoft Points)
Explore more than 20 realms in Adventure mode and put your skills to the test in this fast-paced puzzle game.

Gauntlet - 200 Microsoft Points (normally 400 Microsoft Points)
The original dungeon crawler lets four adventurers explore and fight together as a warrior, valkyrie, wizard, and elf.

Dig Dug – 200 Microsoft Points (normally 400 Microsoft Points)
Experience the fast-paced action of this quarter-cruncher from 1982 as you take control of Dig Dug himself and vanquish Pookas and Fygars.

Remember: If the game is available in your region, it will be available for the ‘sale’ price during the above time.

IGN says: What to say, what to say? Irrational’s first-person shooter / adventure game / RPG / “insert genre here” has, after two hands-on sessions, lived up to our expectations. Across any internet and print video game publications, few things negative have been said so far, and for good reason; it’s a lot of fun. It blends an intelligent plot with immersive visuals and sounds, offers a number of interesting gameplay options, and, most importantly, understands that player choice is of chief importance. We’ve already written way too much about this game and spoiled bits you probably would have rather found out for yourself, so we’ll stop this write-up here. Just note the release date. Barring some sort of programming catastrophe, this should be a damn good one.

The Darkness
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Starbreeze AB
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Release Date: June 25

IGN says: Following the acclaim of Chronicles of Riddick is a tall order, but the guys at Starbreeze Studios are attempting to do it with their comic book adaptation of The Darkness. Thrusting players into the mind of Jackie Estacado, 2K’s anticipated shooter brings several cool things to the table. Non-linear storytelling, destructible environments, and several multiplayer options join the already-neat ability to control Darklings with a variety of powers.

Skate
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Black Box
Genre: Sports
Release Date: September

IGN says: Gamers have become accustomed to smacking buttons quickly to pull off a number of improbable moves. But the days of Tony Hawk’s arcade action may be coming to a close with the introduction of EA’s Skate. Built to be a realistic physics-based experience, EA’s foray into skating is going to awaken gamers to new possibilities. Skate’s open world and laid back attitude encourages gamers to spend hours touring the city and teaching themselves new tricks. You won’t have to go it alone, as the fictional city of San Vanelona is packed with professional skaters looking to throw down challenges and pass along knowledge. If you’ve been waiting for something to break away from the Tony Hawk mold, Skate’s a summer must.

Eternal Sonata
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Developer: tri-Crescendo
Genre: RPG
Release Date: September

IGN says: Though Blue Dragon may be the higher profile Japanese RPG coming out for Xbox 360 this summer, don’t overlook Eternal Sonata. This may very well be the sleeper hit of the year. Infused with musical themes throughout, the game actually takes place inside of Frederic Chopin’s mind as he dreams on his deathbed. It sounds a bit morbid, but the vibrant and beautiful art style of Eternal Sonata suggests otherwise. The unique battle system that combines turn based elements with some real time combat also makes use of an interesting shadow system that puts a new twist on maneuvering your squad.

John Woo Presents Stranglehold
Publisher: Midway
Developer: Midway
Genre: Action
Release Date: August

IGN says: Chow-Yun Fat and John Woo have teamed up once again to bring Inspector Tequila’s next adventure to home theaters. But rather than follow the classic Hong Kong classic, Hard Boiled, with another movie, the pair has hooked up with Midway to create a game instead. And what a crazy game it is, what with its unbelievable gunfights, nearly total environmental destruction, and Hollywood-like production values.

Madden NFL 08
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Tiburon
Genre: Sports
Release Date: August 14

IGN says: Madden has yet to wow anyone with its next-gen offerings. That’s going to change this year. EA is throwing everything and the kitchen sink into Madden 08. On the gridiron, you’ll be witness to some brutal mid-air collisions. A price will be paid for going over the middle. Along with big hits, gang tackles, and an improved hit stick, Madden 08 sees the return of owner mode. Once again you candecide the financial fate of a franchise. The last two years have been a letdown, but Madden 08 puts the franchises back on track.

Mass Effect
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: BioWare
Genre: RPG
Release Date: Summer

IGN says: We aren’t really sure when Mass Effect will finally release. It may wind up slipping into the fall or winter. Call its presence on this list as a hopeful inclusion. It is, after all, one of the most highly anticipated games of the year across all consoles here at IGN, and with good reason. BioWare has a tradition of excellence on Xbox consoles with Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire. Mass Effect is not looking to break that streak. With gorgeous visuals, a promising sci-fi story and an entire galaxy to explore, this is one RPG that everyone should have on their list of games they need to play.

Turok
Publisher: Touchstone
Developer: Propaganda Games
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Release Date: September

IGN says: This isn’t what you think it is. Disney Interactive’s Turok revival shouldn’t be the slipshod mess that its predecessors were… not by a long shot. A new development team, a higher profile publisher, and a hefty budget already bodes well for the returning franchise — but what’s truly promising is the game’s new high-level AI. Animals and enemies work in tandem to react realistically to the player’s moves, and they can even get so caught up in the moment that they’ll start fighting amongst themselves. The bevy of new weapons and sweet visuals isn’t bad either.

Two Worlds
Publisher: SouthPeak Interactive
Developer: TopWare Interactive
Genre: RPG
Release Date: August 7

IGN says: Most of the world should finally be putting the last few hours into The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. So what’s next? Two Worlds is looking to fill the void. It’s got the whole medieval theme down pat, a wide variety of skills and abilities to level up, and a vast world to explore at your discretion. Plus it has dragons. If that isn’t enough, Two Worlds also has an online multiplayer mode so you can quest with friends. If it sounds ambitious, that’s because it is. After a series of delays, it looks like Two Worlds may actually make it out this summer. Let’s hope the extra time was sufficient to clean up the bugs that traditionally plague games with as much freedom as Two Worlds.

Virtua Fighter 5
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: AM2
Genre: Fighting
Release Date: Late Summer

IGN says: The series that is and always has been the definitive 3D fighter is finally coming to Xbox 360. We recently got our first look at Virtua Fighter 5 in motion on the Microsoft console and can now say that the wait will be worth it. The 360 version is prettier than the PS3 version and still has the fantastic gameplay that made Virtua Fighter 5 an arcade hit. The 360 controller may not be ideal for a fighting game that requires as much precision as a Virtua Fighter game, but the hardcore need not be worried – a HORI arcade stick is on the way to release alongside the game.

Medal of Honor: Airborne
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: EA Los Angeles
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Release Date: Late Summer

IGN says: The Medal of Honor franchise has been around for quite a while. So long, in fact, that many gamers have stopped paying attention thanks to some less than thrilling additions to the catalog. Thankfully EA seems to have pulled themselves out of the doldrums with their take on the Airborne infantry drops over Europe during World War II. Aside from genuinely good visuals and fast-paced gunplay, Airborne’s most interesting aspect is in the level design. Players won’t begin levels in a set location but will instead be dropped from a plane above the level to land in any number of locations. This will create a number of very different scenarios for the player to overcome on their way to finishing objectives, which are spread across the map and can be completed in any order. It’s a new look for the franchise and, we’re hoping, a good one.

Overlord
Publisher: Codemasters
Developer: Triumph Studios
Genre: Action
Release Date: June 26

IGN says: Are you one of those people who kicks cats for fun? Yes? Please commit yourself to a mental health ward immediately. Now if you’re one of those people who fantasizes about kicking cats but doesn’t actually go through with it, you might enjoy this game. It puts you in the role of an evil warrior in command of an army of Minions. The gameplay proves to be something like Nintendo’s Pikmin, but ensconced in a molasses of shadows and tittering spiky things called Minions that presumably daydream about punting cats. By ordering around Minions you’re ultimately trying to gather pieces to rebuild a generically named Dark Tower, which serves as the source of your malevolent might. Intrigued? This one’s in stores real soon, like next week.

BlackSite: Area 51
Publisher: Midway
Developer: Midway Studios – Austin
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Release Date: September

IGN says: Moral choices and multiple story paths are all the rage in videogames these days, and those two concepts are at the core of Midway’s alien sequel, Area 51. But what you do and how you do it isn’t all there is to it. Blacksite also loves to flaunt its epic boss battles (which include enemies so big they dwarf entire military bases) and “Massive D” environmental destructibility that puts previous shooters to shame. Sure it may not have the brand recognition of a Killzone or a Halo, but don’t underestimate it — Area 51 could be one of this summer’s brightest.

Blue Dragon
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Mistwalker
Genre: RPG
Release Date: August

IGN says: When a game is being put together by Hironobu Sakaguchi, you take notice. He is, after all, the father of Final Fantasy and one of the most respected RPG designers around. Sakaguchi isn’t the only person of note behind this title, either. Akira Toriyama, creator of Dragon Ball Z, is responsible for the character designs. Japanese 360 owners have already made Blue Dragon a hit and now the highly anticipated RPG is about to hit North America. Due out in August, this three disc epic looks to offer more quality turn-based, traditional Japanese RPG than the rest of the Xbox and Xbox 360 libraries combined.

Project Gotham Racing 4
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Bizarre Creations
Genre: Racing
Release Date: September

IGN says: Project Gotham has always been relied on to launch consoles and services. The first PGR launched with the original Xbox, PGR 2 helped kick of Xbox Live, and PGR 3 shipped with the release of Xbox 360. PGR 4 is the first in the series without any of the launch pressure. And Bizarre is taking that more relaxed atmosphere to add a few new features. For one, PGR will finally feature actual AI drivers who will attempt to score kudos by drafting off your car and pulling powerslides. The new dynamic weather system will make things interesting, as a rainy race can quickly turn to snow. Microsoft hasn’t announced a date yet, but retailers are expecting PGR 4 in early September. So, at least for now, this is a game for the end of summer.

TimeShift
Publisher: Vivendi
Developer: Saber Interactive
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Release Date: September

IGN says: There have been other games that allowed players to manipulate time, but none with as interesting a development history as TimeShift. Just a few yards short of the finish line, Sierra requested that the game be rebuilt from the ground up. It’s rare that developers get a second chance at making a game and it’s clear that TimeShift has benefited greatly from the redesign. The graphics are much darker and much more detailed and the new SAM suit helps players to confront the obstacles in front of them in a greater variety of ways. The game still places a heavy emphasis on using the player’s control of the flow of time to solve encounters but it’s a much more refined and polished process than it was the first time around. We’re very anxious to see how it comes together in the end.

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