Microsoft hardware tester Robert Delaware decided to publicize some information on the Xbox 360, namely about a bug that would cause the console to lock up every single time: “If you coordinated the music player with the dashboard, you could get almost every 360 to lock up.” Ouch. That sounds like a pretty big thing to overlook.

Unfortunately for Delaware, he had signed a non-disclosure agreement, so while he felt telling online industry mag VentureBeat was the “moral” thing to do, it also ended up being the “get your own ass fired” thing to do. Is this really a matter of morality? While it is a serious glitch, it isn’t exactly a life-or-death matter either. And of course, caveat emptor. 

[The Escapist]

It was recently reported that upcoming sci-fi survival horror game Dead Space was banned in Germany, China, and Japan. The game’s community managed Andrew Green made this announcement, a few days ago, but a curious lack of information from outside sources leaves more discerning VG news analysts like GamePolitics skeptical.

First, none of the countries in question have commented on the matter, and neither has EA. Second, in Germany you can’t ban a product before its release and Dead Space hasn’t even finished going through that country’s rating process either. Because of these circumstances the whole thing smells fishy, but it’s hard to say what’s really going on here.

[Joystiq]

In a shocking turn of events, Japan seems to be giving the Xbox 360 more love than the average hikkikomori gives a Konata body pillow, totally throwing the rest of the world for a loop by buying all the consoles in the whole damn country.

Microsoft issued on apology on their Japanese site for the console and promised to increase overall production of the console and to deliver a fresh shipment next month. They say, “we ask that you please patiently wait until the console is shipped.” Well, what else could they do, riot?

[Kotaku]

Honestly I think the whole Diablo III art direction controversy is a little silly, but a lot of people seem to care about it, so the gaming community took notice when Art Director Brian Morrisroe stepped down.

Now Blizzard has a job opening for a new Art director for the game, but they say the new guy will merely be carrying forward the vision that Brian already put in motion, rather than changing the look of the game in any significant way. Morrisroe left to “for a startup technology company,” moving onto greener pastures I suppose.

[1up.com]

A very tragic scene unfolded earlier this week in Redmond, Washington state: Microsoft software development engineer Melissa Batten, 36, was murdered by her husband, who then took his own life.

Kotaku says, “Batten, a Harvard-educated lawyer, was a Software Development Engineer in Test for Microsoft, supporting Rare on its 360 titles work.” Her husband had a history of obsessive and verbally abusive behaviors, unsurprisingly. She sought a protection order against him, but to no avail. RIP.

[Kotaku]

Mike Capps of Epic Games, playing industry pundit, says that new consoles from any of the big three won’t even be around until 2012 at the earliest…and 2018 at the latest. THQ CEO Brain Farrell concurs, adding that we might have to wait seven or eight years until the next gen.

According to Forbes’ Chris Morris, who wrote the original article collecting these findings, the graphics technology in development for the next step in gaming infrastructure is going pretty slowly.

I find it hard to agree with such conservative estimates. Although we already know that Sony plans to give the PS3 a ten-year life span, the other competitors will be hungry to produce new consoles first. Nintendo in particular realizes they need to catch up in terms of graphical quality, and I think because of that they will be the first to produce a system in the next gen. They’re also in the best financial position to do so. What do you guys think?

[globeandmail.com / via N4G]

Well, S-E in Japan, has pretty much stated that the games prior to FF7 won’t be seen on the Wii virtual console for a while at least, and with America, and Europe, naturally, on the low end when it comes to this kind of thing, won’t see it for a while either, their reasons? Billing problems, ya, i know, lame.

[JoyStiq]

But in other news, Square-Enix has announced that many projects have been spawned for FF13, with their hope of it lasting 10 years, with many different games, with the very specific programming groups you can almost see whats coming; The normal FF game, the FF tactics like game, the MMO, and the Crystal chronicles-like game, but this is only my thoughts on the matter, the only thing thats for certain is that there are many many games under the FF13 title with the same characters and world, this does have potential for epic, and probably will, but there is still a big chance for a huge waste of time and resources.

[JoyStiq]

Electronic Arts are now facing the consequences of their ill-made decision. They initially saw the Wii as a weak contender in the Console Wars, and have instead poured most of their efforts into the Playstation 3. But now, EA is scrambling around and trying to find there way into the Wii niche. Ubisoft was one of the game publishers who saw the potential that Wii has, with the new Rayman game, and seem to be reaping there rewards as well.

…publishers are scrambling to get titles to the 3.56 million U.S. and Japanese Wii owners who have made the machine the top-selling game console this year.

“Those companies are backtracking,” said Anthony Gikas, an analyst at Piper Jaffray & Co. in Minneapolis. “They’re going to need to get their best-branded product on that platform. That will take a good nine to 12 months.”

[Bloomberg]

Well back in my report of the Harmonix Game “Rock Band”, not much was said. This time though, i come bearing gifts. MTV has signed a deal with the game creators, and with their complete backing saying “It will evolve the music world another step forward.” Whats gonna do it? Well, being able to download new songs off the Internet, and be ready to play them too. Guess what, thats whats going to happen. Guitar Hero Fans rejoice! With that great feature, being able to play the guitar, drums and/or singing along, to a new release is finally possible! With many major Record Labels signed on to provide music, there will be no shortage of songs to choose from, most likely from XBox Live, or the PS3 on-line marketplace.

[GamesIndustry]

Microsoft, in a stunning, and glove removing (and face slapping, in a loony tunes kinda way) statement, said this:

“We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing.

We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else.”

Which, after their release of the Elite version of the Xbox maybe the excitement got into their heads, since, you know there seems to be no Wii’s ANYWHERE in stores.

[Gizmondo]