Looks like a real price cut is coming for the entire Xbox 360 console hardware lineup if the rumors are true. The new pricing is rumored to take affect in early September as follows:

Arcade (no hard drive) to $199
Pro (60GB) to $299
Elite (120GB) to $399

This is a Microsoft rumor and since Microsoft rumors tend to be legitimate leaks: I’m a believer. Plus, ArsTechnica has a proven track record for this kind of thing. (They predicted the 40 GB PS3 and the upcoming 60 GB Xbox 360).

I guess I’m waiting for this price drop before replacing my current Xbox 360 with the 60 GB variant. I’m also hoping the new 60 GB models will be confirmed Jasper models by that time as well.

Bungie had it all lined up with a countdown page and everything. Hype was building and fans couldn’t wait to see what Bungie’s new Halo project as an independent studio was going to be.

Then Microsoft delayed the E3 announcement.

It was a last minute change which didn’t sit well with Bungie’s fans or Bungie’s president. Don Mattrick, head of the Xbox division, wanted to shift that announcement to another event later this year. It’s an understandable decision, but the last minute change of heart wasn’t.

I am curious as to what they were going to show. Halo 3 released just last year so I have my doubts about it being a true sequel. Perhaps its that third person tactical squad based Halo game that was rumored.

December 3rd, 2008.

That is the date U.S. retailers GameStop, Circuit City and Best Buy have set for StarCraft 2. Amazing if true.

With Wrath of the Lich King rumored to be released in the fourth quarter as well, the end of the year PC sales could belong to Activision-Blizzard alone. Remember, this date was chosen by the retailers and it’s not uncommon for retailers to pick a date for unreleased titles. However, what are the chances that three retailers picked the exact same date?

I guess we’ll have to wait for the Worldwide Invitational for more confirmation and details.

What happens when your website’s security system can be circumvented by removing a small section of text? You get leaks. Lots of leaks about various Xbox 360 titles. The source of the leak comes from market research site called Intellisponse. Some of the leaks include proposed Forza Motorsport 3 concepts, potential Call of Duty 5 boxarts and possible details for the upcoming singing game called Lips.

To think that it all started with a little article about the possibility of Avatars, a Mii like option, for the Xbox 360. For more leaky goodness, check this thread. There’s even some Guitar Hero 4 stuff there!

It looks like the iPhone 3G people have been wanting since day one of the iPhone’s launch is finally launching next month. Well that is if these rumors are to be believed. I’d love to get an iPhone, but the lack of unlimited data rate plans for cheap scare me away.

Hopefully, AMD’s Game! initiative will be more successful than their Live! one. If widly adopted, this initiative will help mainstream gamers pick out games and compatible PCs with relative ease. Just match the logos and you’re good to go. If only it included Intel and NVIDIA components…

Next, it appears that Xbox 360 exclusive, Splinter Cell: Conviction is starting over. Can’t say I cared much for the original concept so this news is welcomed.

Finally, Chair Entertainment, developer of Undertow, is receiving a new beginning under the wing of Epic Games. Hopefully, they’ll continue with creating XBLA games.

It looks like AMD and NVIDIA are gearing up for a GPU war next month. That is if rumors are to be believed.

Here’s the rumored break down for AMD:

• Radeon HD 4850 - Hard Launch on June 18th or June 16th for about $229
• Radeon HD 4870 - Soft launch on June 25th for about $349
• Radeon HD 4870 X2 - Q3 2008 for about $529 - $549

NVIDIA’s breakdown which includes the GT200 based cards (formerly known as GeForce 9900 series):

• GeForce GTX 200 - Week of June 16th
• GeForce GTX 260 - Week of June 16th
• GeForce GTX 280 - Sneak peak at Computex (June 3 - 7)

As for performance? We only have preliminaries for the AMD cards.

Game movies rarely work. I don’t know why Hollywood bothers bringing interactive experiences into the passive medium. I just don’t know.

The latest “victim” of this risky conversion is BioShock which will turn last year’s awesome game into a feature film with Gore Verbinski at the helm. Universal Studios is funding the project. I’m curious how it’ll turn out, but I don’t have high hopes. Uncharted, another 2007 game, is rumored to be optioned for movie adaptation. I’m more optimistic for this game-to-movie conversion since it was heavily influenced by movies like Indiana Jones already; it’s just coming full circle back to film.

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I played through Max Payne several times and its sequel at least twice. Needless to say, I like the series. While not officially announced yet, Max Payne 3 will eventually arrive. Maybe not this year or even next year, but some day.

What better way to celebrate the coming of the Max Payne movie than with another sequel? I certainly wouldn’t mind one.

Japanese public broadcaster, NHK, is reporting that Toshiba is planning to end HD DVD production. I have been hearing this for awhile now, but without an official statement from Toshiba: it’s all hearsay for now.

I promise to stop posting rumors of the red format’s death after this article.

Are you surprised? Not I. The latest rumors concerning HD DVD aren’t pleasant. The Hollywood Reporter posted an article a few hours ago stating that Toshiba is going to be pull the plug on the dying Red format, HD DVD.

The Hollywood Reporter cites the reason as follows: ”the substantial loss Toshiba is incurring with each HD DVD player sold — a figure sources say could be as high as several hundred dollars — coupled with a series of high-profile retail defections has driven the company to at last concede defeat”.

The source also states that ”An announcement is coming soon,” and “It could be a matter of weeks.”

It’s time for the HD DVD format-icide watch!