Video Games

According to Gamespot, Microsoft has recently extended its warranty from a mere 90 days to 1 year for the Xbox 360.  Plus, it’s retroactive, meaning that this warranty covers any Xbox purchased up to a year ago.  Microsoft has changed its warranty length simply to catch up to the standards of Sony and Nintendo, both of whom offer the one-year warranty on their next-gen consoles.  Additionally, Microsoft will extend your warranty another 90 days if you register your Xbox 360.

Bethesda recently developed some add-on content for their huge Xbox 360 RPG, Oblivion, and have put it up on the Xbox Live Marketplace for free under the name “Mehrunes Razor.”  Mehrunes Razor used to cost 250 pts, but because of the festive spirits of Bethesda, Oblivion owners can obtain this expansion for free.  Be warned, the pack will only be available free until December 31st, so hop on this deal!  Here’s the game-description from Major Nelson (via YouNEWB):

The lost Ayleid City Varsa Baalim has been unearthed by a rogue Telvanni arch-mage, in pursuit of a fearsome Daedric Artifact, Mehrunes Razor, which he believes will give him the power he needs to topple the Imperial reign - but what horrors lie in wait beneath the Valus mountains; and can you overcome them to claim Mehrunes Razor as your own?

Features:

A fully-featured quest takes you deep into the fringes of the Niben.
Earn the fearsome Mehrunes Razor, with the ability to kill foes instantly.
17 new magic items to discover!
Conquer the largest dungeon in all Cyrodiil.
Thwart a plot to overthrow Imperial rule in Tamriel.
12 new books, notes, and journals to help you unravel the mystery.

Gran Turismo HD, a sim racing game made by Polyphony Digital, is a game to be reckoned with, for it sports a wide-range of vehicles, landscapes, and effects, and the long-anticipated High-Def (1080p) format.  And come late December, Japanese PS3 owners will be able to download the GT:HD demo at no cost, while their American counter-parts still wait for its release.   The demo will feature “10 cars and two layouts of a single track.”  However, there is some bad news for fans eager for the full version of Gran Turismo: HD: “the full version of the game has been canceled, as the Polyphony Digital team is switching its focus to the next PS3 installment of the series, Gran Turismo 5.”

YouNewb breaks down the cost of a Wii, according to a Japanese economics site:

* Graphic tip/chip 29.60
* CPU 13.00
* DRAM 7.80
* Optical disk drive 31.00
* Power supply 11.30
* Production cost 19.50 (with the half price of PS3 editorial staff calculation)
* Cost total 158.30
* Wholesale price 195.99 (with 8 applying of price calculation)

The grand total is $158, so selling them at $200 to retailers would mean that Nintendo can take in a big profit. Amazing. I’ve heard from a game programmer that the Wii is not actually more than a glorified Gamecube, technologically. Rather, it’s their new control system that’s the innovation.

Here’s a photo of the magazine page, for you japanese speakers:

Despite the menacing name of “death adder,” Razer’s latest corded mouse is a guaranteed hit.  Equipped with “the so-called 3G infrared sensor at the heart of the mouse, boasting an impressive 1800 dpi resolution, as well as Razer’s trademark 1000 Hz “Ultrapolling” technology and a barely there 1ms response time,” this mouse is further outfitted with rubber-coated buttons on top, and Teflon feet beneath for smooth-sliding.  The DeathAdder, however, is tailored solely for the use of right-handed people, and it will hit the market just in time for Christmas for only $59.99.