What: Halo 3 DLC Maps
When: December 11th, 2007
How Much: 800 MP ($10) / Free Spring ‘08
Screenshots: My Gallery

There was a bunch of news stories floating around about a Halo 3 news story coming monday.  As expected it was released today, and as I somewhat expected its the release of a map pack.  So are you going to pony up the $10 now for these 3 maps or wait until Spring 2008? more…

What: Blue Dragon DLC - “Six Treasures”
When: Friday 10/26/07
How Much: 200 MP ($2.50) 

Well sadly I still haven’t gotten my greedy little hands on this game.  Blame the bills, blame laziness, or just blame all the other games that are out right now, whatever the case for those of you that DO have a copy of Blue Dragon, your game has been extended past the original 3 discs you bought back in August.  This is the second downlodable content released for Blue Dragon is titled “6 Treasures” and will run you 200 MP ($2.50).

The Six Treasures are as items that provide you with new experiences within the game:

• “Whimsical Mind” – growth item that enhances a few randomly-picked categories by 0-4 levels
• “Way of Thieves” – in-battle item that can steal rare items possessed by enemy creatures
• “Devee Phonograph” – allows you to listen to the “Devee-tribe dance”
• “Nothing Glasses” – visualizes all “nothing” points by means of a star-looking symbol (oftentimes you’ll find a lot of items that contain “nothing”, followed by an English-speaking narrator saying “nothing”).
• “Shuffled Helmet” – item that adjusts magical and speed parameters (Magic +40 / Speed -40). Detrimental when used by itself because the speed parameter goes down by 50 points, but when equipped along with “Shuffled Breastplate” and “Shuffled Splint”, this item can quadruplicate the Magic parameters and reverse the Speed parameters. So it becomes the strongest equipment in the game. (Magic +160 / Speed +40)
• “Spring-wind Scarf” – adjusts characters’ HP and Speed parameters by 20%

In addition to all of the family friendly content on your xbox 360, microsoft just annouced they are bringing another huge arsonal of family friendly content. These include hundreds o downloadable video content, exclusive video content from “The Backyardigans” (one of my sons favorites), and some new xbox live arcade games such as “SHREK-N-ROLL” and “SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam” just to name a few.

Full press release to follow.
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Keep an eye on the marketplace this weekend where you can get your hands on free car to expand your huge selection of cars in Forza 2 - a 2007 SEAT Leon Cupra.  Additionally for 400 MP ($5) you can add 10 additiona vehicles to your forza 2 lineue.

• 2006 Audi R10 (#8 Audi Sport Team Joest) Prototype
• 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi
• 2006 Dodge Challenger Concept
• 2006 Honda Civic Si Coupe
• 2007 Honda Civic Type-R
• 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400
• 2006 Lamborghini Miura Concept
• 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997)
• 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line
• 2007 SEAT Leon Supercup

check out the screensots at the Gamerscoreblog Flicker Account

 
What: Sonic The Hedgehog 2
When: September 12, 2007 5AM EST
How Much: ?
Screen Shots: My Gallery  

They’re at it again – Sonic and his two-tailed friend Tails team up to fight Dr. Robotnik in “Sonic The Hedgehog 2.” The newest addition to the SEGA Vintage Collection, “Sonic The Hedgehog 2” is available for download this Wednesday, September 12, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (2:00 a.m. PDT).

With his new Super Spin Dash and Tails the Fox at his side, Sonic is back and better than ever in “Sonic The Hedgehog 2!” Defy gravity in hair-raising loop-de-loops, bounce like a pinball and race like lightning. Play against friends at home or against others over Xbox LIVE® in this classic game.

· For more details on “Sonic The Hedgehog 2,” please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/sonic2xboxlivearcade

Also, don’t forget to check out the new downloadable content for “Bomberman Live” and “Band of Bugs.” For more details please visit www.xbox.com/livearcade.

Remember that Hidden Fronts Add On for Gears of War?  Well for those of you that decided to wait it out until it was free - you wait is soon to be over.  Starting Monday September 3rd at 5AM EST you will be able to download the Hidden Fronts Map pack completely free.  The pack adds 4 new maps, 250 more achievement points. 
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Then MAKE SURE you follow these steps to play the new updated content (this is for the free as well as premium content).

Crackdown offers some new downloadable content supposed to be available today. There is a free download, a premium paid download, and also some other stuff like a dashboard theme. The downloads will provide new cards, new achievements, new game modes and weapons.

Based on the press release I cannot see if new achievements will be included in the free, or premium download, I will provide an update if I can find out, looking at the achievement list on xbox.com the new achievements are not listed as of yet.

Free Download:

• Improved mission time trials
• Option to repopulate gangs and kingpings after finishing the game
• A vehicle impound garage
• “Keys to the City” - a cheat mode giving you super abilities, create ramps, vehicles and explosions anywhere in Pacific City.

Premium Download:

• Costs 800 MP ($10.00)
• Access to the full Crackdown armory includes: 3 unique vehicles, 4 new weapons, new co-op game types, a cloaking device and dynamic street racing mode.

If a friend has the premium download, but you do not - you can get access to and try out these premium features while playing co-op with them.

Extras:

• Crackdown Theme: 150 MP ($1.87)
• 4 New picture packs - varied pricing

Don’t forget, those with the proper version of the game will also have access to the Halo 3 beta in 6 Days!

Head on over to my photo album to check various pictures of the new content: http://photo.squidpunch.com/v/promo/crackdown/

On Thursday, May 3, at 9 a.m. GMT, Xbox LIVE. Gears of War releases four new action-packed multiplayer maps in the thrilling Hidden Fronts Multiplayer Map Pack. For 800 Microsoft points, COG soldiers and the Locust Horde will clash once again for control of these four dynamic new areas, including Bullet Marsh, Garden, Process and Subway.

Bullet Marsh: In this Kryll-infested swamp, an old generator still powers the area lights. A few stray bullets could easily knock out the generator, leaving combatants to fend for themselves against the Kryll.

Garden: This overgrown and crumbling conservatory still has a working fertilization and pesticide system. This system can pose a serious hazard to anyone who ventures into the greenhouse without first venting the air.

Process: Teams must fight for control of this subterranean Imulsion processing plant, still active despite the cessation of the Pendulum wars.

Subway: Timgad’s Central Subway station used to serve as a central hub for commuters. Now the tunnels are crawling with Locust.

All four of the new maps will be made available at no cost over Xbox LIVE on Sept. 3, 2007.

Well reading around various sites and forums it looks like this downloadable content is finally live and available.  (Except in Austria, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan).  I would love to know what the hold up was.  Go rock out as 4 new heroes for 500 points, or 4 new villians if you prefer also for 500 points.  Or if you like to play both sides of the fence (or just an achievement junkie) get both for 800 points.