Oblivion 360 Downloads Begin

Microsoft has been promising additional downloadable premium content for their launch games ever since Xbox 360 debuted, but Bethesda Softworks is already on the ball; Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion owners can purchase the first of many promised premium content packages for the epic RPG.

If you're interested in outfitting your horse with a spiffy armor pack, it'll set you back 200 Microsoft Points (roughly $2.50). PC owners aren't out of luck, though, as Bethseda confirmed to 1UP the same content will be available on their website later today or tomorrow morning for exactly 51 cents cheaper at $1.99.

The company didn't provide an explanation for the price discrepancy, but they did confirm players shouldn't expect swords, maces and other items to be a part of Bethesda's premium content plans. "We want to add new stuff, not different versions of things already in the game," says VP of PR and Marketing Pete Hines.

$2.50 (or slightly less, depending on your hardware preference) isn't too bad for a completely new item, and Bethesda says the price won't fluctuate very much for future items. "We priced it [the armor] at a level we think is reasonable. I would imagine all of our content would be around the same range," he said.

Thanks to by Patrick Klepek @ 1up.com

Scarface Game Coming This Fall

Looks like Sierra has narrowed down the release date for Scarface: The World is Yours to Fall 2006 (the game was previously just listed as a 2006 release).

Thanks, Bluesnews.com.

From Russia With Love Ships For PSP

( READ ATTACHED PRESS RELEASE ) This morning, Electronic Arts announced the shipping of From Russia With Love for the PlayStation Portable. Following the console release, From Russia With Love is based on the classic James Bond film of the same name, putting players in the role of 007, while going through 8 missions. The game includes 16 Bond challenges, new unlockable Bond villains, and multiplayer support.

From Russia With Love(TM) is the first game to put PSP players in the universe of the classic James Bond films. Set in the original 60's Bond era, the game features movie-based missions as well as original, action-intensive sequences, a broad and deep variety of gameplay, social multiplayer experiences, gorgeous women, and classic, upgradeable weapons and gadgetry with modern mechanics. Sean Connery, the original Bond, reprises his role as the dapper Mi6 agent in this innovative, retro-styled and highly anticipated console title from the infamous Bond franchise. From Russia With Love carries the ESRB rating of "T" for teen.

News Thanks to Andrew 'Talon' Wilson @ Game Gossip

Shaun of the Dead Comes Alive on Mobiles

Based on the hit cult movie of the same name, Shaun of the Dead pits players against an onslaught of zombies and un-dead scum set inside the confines of the Winchester Pub...

Ojom GmbH, a leading creator and global publisher of mobile entertainment, announced the launch of Shaun of the Dead for mobile phones. Based on the hit cult movie of the same name, Shaun of the Dead pits players against an onslaught of zombies and un-dead scum set inside the confines of the Winchester Pub.

Rogue Pictures' Shaun of the Dead became a cult hit immediately after its film debut in 2004, as it deftly combining a romantic comedy with the zombie horror genre. It has also received several accolades, including Best Horror Film (from the Saturn Awards) and the Peter Sellers Award for Comedy (from the Evening Standard British Film Awards).

The mobile game preserves the look, feel, excitement, and quirky humor of the movie. Players find themselves defending the pub from a first-person perspective, battling droves of zombies with weapons and household objects including a shotgun, cricket bat, and vinyl LPs from a record collection. Players race against the clock to finish off the assailants and save their friends.

Shaun of the Dead fits into the casual gaming profile and has been specifically designed to allow gamers to defeat the zombies with one hand.

"Shaun of the Dead was a very successful cult film. We feel that we have crafted an equally successful mobile game," said Jason Boatman, director of sales and marketing, Ojom GmbH. "We've given casual gamers something fresh and quirky – a humorous, instantly recognizable and tongue-in-cheek game to enjoy."

"Ojom's Shaun of the Dead mobile game is a perfect example of how creative minds can synthesize great big-screen entertainment into compelling small-screen entertainment. In the current mobile market, we think games are a great way for consumers to enjoy our content on their handsets," said Jeremy Laws, senior vice president of Universal Mobile Entertainment.

Shaun of the Dead will be available to customers of all major wireless carriers in Europe beginning in April. For more information, visit the Ojom website at www.ojom.com.

News Thanks to Rance costa @ GameCload

How Online Services Will Shape the Console War

Next Generation has a piece looking at the role online services will play in this round in the console Wars. With Microsoft's Xbox Live already in the field and both Nintendo and Sony working on plans for their own online environments, there would seem to be quite a bit to talk about. Despite that, the article offers up a pessimistic view of the competition. From the article: "The short glib answer is that online games will probably be a more important feature for console systems over the next several years, but once again the traditional retail model is likely to be the dominant driving factor when it comes to how the new game systems build an installed base."

News Thanks To Zonk at SlashDot

Nintendo annual profit biggest since 2001

The ultrapopular DS and a weak yen dumped $807 million of net income into the Mario factory's coffers last year.

When Nintendo first unveiled the DS in January 2004, many people in the game industry were skeptical. The so-called "innovative machine" was unlike anything that had been seen before, and a lot of detractors laughed off its dual screens as a gimmick.

Two years later, it's the executives at Nintendo who are laughing. Today, the company reported its biggest annual profit since 2001. For the financial year ending March 31, the company took in a whopping 95 billion yen ($807 million) in net income--an 8.7 percent rise from the previous financial year. The earnings beat Nintendo's own forecast, which called for a 14 percent drop in earnings for the year.
In its report, Nintendo cited two main factors for the better-than-expected earnings. First was a weaker than estimated yen, which allowed software and hardware sales in Europe and the US to boost its bottom line more than they normally would. The second factor was sales of the DS in Japan, which Nintendo deemed "favorable." That term smacks of Japanese understatement, as the handheld has been a sensation in the country, selling more than 5 million units and sparking the ongoing brain-training game craze.
Today's news was especially good if you owned a piece of a Nintendo. Instead of the 270 yen ($2.29) per-share payout stockholders were expecting, the company will now dole out 370 yen ($3.15) per share.

story thanks to Tor Thorsen -- GameSpot