By Reuters

SAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft Corp sold 28 million units worldwide of its Xbox 360 video game console through the end of 2008, expanding the Xbox’s lead over rival Sony Corp’s PlayStation 3 console in worldwide unit sales, the company said on Monday.

Xbox 360 product management director Aaron Greenberg said 2008 “was our biggest year ever in Xbox history” despite a sluggish global economy that’s battered US retailers this past holiday season.

Rising unemployment and tighter credit have dented US consumers’ purchasing power and most retailers have posted dismal sales results in recent months.

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By Agence France-Presse

OTTAWA — A Canadian boy who ran away from home after his father took away his Xbox game console has been found dead in a cornfield, local media said Wednesday.

Brandon Crisp, 15, took off on his bicycle from his Barrie, Ontario home on October 13, provoking a massive police search with help from 1,600 volunteers that turned up no clues except for his abandoned bicycle with a flat tire.

Xbox-maker Microsoft and others had offered a 50,000-dollar (39,000-dollar US) reward for information on his whereabouts.

Wednesday, police said only that hunters had found a body in the search area.

The daily Toronto Star said on its website Brandon’s parents had been notified it was their son, and students at his school were told the sad news at an afternoon assembly.

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By Agence France-Presse

OTTAWA — US software behemoth Microsoft has doubled a cash reward for information on the whereabouts of a Canadian boy who ran away from home after his father took away his Xbox game console, it said Tuesday.

Brandon Crisp, 15, took off on his bicycle from his Barrie, Ontario home on October 13 — Canada’s Thanksgiving holiday — and rode east along an old rail line.

He has not been seen since.

His father told local media he had removed Brandon’s Xbox, built by Microsoft, after noticing changes in behavior since Brandon started playing “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” online.

The boy started skipping school, stealing money and ignoring his studies, his father said.

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By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippies — Two members of the Filipino gaming console forum PinoyXbox were named the Philippines’ Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVP).

The husband-and-wife moderators of PinoyXbox, Philip and Joanne Ortiz, will join the ranks of 20 other Filipino MVPs, a recognition given to the best Microsoft professionals and advocates.

In a letter to the PinoyXbox forum, Microsoft Philippines Technology Specialist Jojo Ayson said the Ortizes were recognized under the Xbox MVP category, which gives recognition to people who made significant contributions in the promotion of the Xbox gaming platform.

There are now a total of three gamers from the Philippines who have been awarded with MVP titles, Ayson said.

Overall, there are only 42 Xbox MVPs worldwide, excluding the Ortizes, and 16 awardees for the category of “Games for Windows MVPs.”

Ayson said MVPs are given certain privileges, including exclusive access to special websites that feature early releases of Microsoft products, and subscription to software support.

“In the case of Philip and Joanne, it could be game titles or some products related to the Xbox 360,” Ayson said, citing the experience of Rodriguez who gets new Microsoft PC games.

The MVP title is refreshed every year, which means all MVPs will have to continuously update their blogs and forum presence.

“Remember that this award comes after the fact that the awardees have been advocates of Microsoft products. They have to continue promoting their passion for these products,” Ayson said.

Philip Ortiz told hackenslash that their MVP status is a rare opportunity that recognizes their efforts in promoting gaming in the country.

He added that it could be a step towards the country bring recognized as a potential market for Xbox games.

“Perhaps Microsoft would finally bring the Xbox as a product in the Philippines. It may not start with the Xbox 360 but perhaps when the next Xbox comes,” Ortiz said.

Incidentally, a PC gamer, Adrian Rodirguez (Deadaimgames.spaces.live.com), was awarded as MVP for his PC gaming advocacy.

By Agence France-Presse

SAN FRANCISCO–Microsoft said Sunday it is cutting the price of its 20-gigabyte Xbox 360 video game consoles and rolling out a model with three times the memory space to take its place.

The US technology giant’s announcement comes two days before the official start of a major Electronic Entertainment Expo at which video game console makers will be striving to portray their hardware as superior.

Microsoft said it will trim $50 from Xbox 360 models with 20 gigabytes in the United States or Canada, cutting prices to $299.

An upgraded Xbox 360 Pro model with 60 gigabytes of memory will hit markets in those same two countries in August with $349 price tags, according to the Redmond, Washington-based firm.

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