New 'Halo,' 'Grand Theft Auto' exclusives coming to Xbox 360
Microsoft showed its hand for next-generation gaming last week at its X06 show in Barcelona, and it's full of aces.
A real-time strategy "Halo" spin-off is on its way via "Age of Empires" developer Ensemble Studios. Cryptic Studios' "Marvel Universe Online" will be a 360 exclusive.
Rockstar's "Grand Theft Auto IV," while available for both 360 and Sony's Playstation 3, will have two downloadable expansion packs available exclusively to Microsoft's system. These expansions are said to each be the size of the Sony PSP's "Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories."
Meanwhile, those looking to pick up an HD-DVD player may want to give a serious look to Microsoft's 360 add-on this November. The player will cost $199.99 and includes a remote control and an HD-DVD version of Peter Jackson's "King Kong."
PlayStation 3 games are most expensive
Games for the Sony PlayStation 3 will cost $59.99, according to the Sony Style store on the Internet. This figure is $10 more than first-party games on Microsoft's Xbox 360 and the Nintendo's Wii.
Prospective PS3 buyers can now preorder "Call of Duty 3," "Tony Hawk Project 8," "Sonic the Hedgehog," "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance," "Full Auto 2: Battlelines," "Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom" and "Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII."
Wii Web browser free until June
Nintendo recently revealed that gamers who pick up next-gen console Wii will be able to surf the Web from the comfort of their sofa. Opera Software last week announced the price of downloading the browser: free until June 2007.
After June, gamers who want the browser will have to pay an as yet undetermined amount of Wii points, Nintendo's virtual currency that works similarly to Microsoft points on the Xbox Live Marketplace.
The browser will work exactly the same as Opera 9 for the PC, but will take advantage of the motion-sensing capabilities of the Wii controller, according to the developer.
HP acquires Voodoo PC
Hewlett Packard is acquiring gaming hardware developer Voodoo PC, Voodoo founder and chief technology officer Rahul Sood said on his blog last week. Further details have yet to be released.
In a similar deal, Dell last March acquired Alienware, another company known for building high-end PCs for gamers. Dell was also in talks to take Voodoo before the deal was made with HP, Sood said.
-ADAM BENDER
