Halo 4 pirates feel the wrath of Microsoft’s banhammer

Halo 4 will definitely be one of the biggest games of the year, so it really isn’t much of a surprise that some Xbox 360 owners are eager to download a pirated version of the game that popped up on torrent sites over the weekend. Microsoft isn’t taking this leak lightly though, as MCV reports that the company is handing out permanent Xbox Live bans to anyone caught playing the game with their console connected to the Internet. In other words, you might want to think twice before taking advantage of those Halo 4 torrents.


Of course, pirated versions of Halo 4 will only work on modded Xbox 360s, and why anyone would take their modded console onto Xbox Live is entirely beyond us. Some particularly dumb 360 owners are doing just that, though, as evidenced by the email MCV posted. The email is from the Live Enforcement Team, and lets the user know that they’ve violated the Xbox Live Code of Conduct. The punishment? Permaban, baby.

Though the email states that users won’t be able to log into Xbox Live during their suspension (which is never-ending in this case), it’s a little unclear at the moment if Microsoft is banning consoles or just gamertags – two very different things. If Microsoft is banning consoles, that means the console will never be able to access Xbox Live again, effectively bricking it as far as multiplayer and Xbox Live Arcade are concerned. If Microsoft is only banning gamertags, then the infringing gamer could just create a new tag and go online with that, which is a far less severe punishment.

In any case, you’re in for some headaches if you’re caught playing Halo 4 ahead of release while your 360 is connected to Live. Microsoft has launched an investigation to find out who leaked Halo 4 ahead of release, but in the meantime, the company is showing us that it has no problem at all with dropping the banhammer left and right. We’re going to go ahead and suggest that you just wait for Halo 4‘s official release on November 6 – yes, its release is still a few weeks off, but we’re thinking that waiting three weeks is much better than having your Xbox Live privileges taken away.


Halo 4 pirates feel the wrath of Microsoft’s banhammer is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Visualized: what Zynga workers do when they’re not playing FarmVille

Visualized what Zynga workers do when they're not playing FarmVille

Zynga’s staffers might have had a laser-like focus on releasing FarmVille 2 this week, but that doesn’t mean the company has forgotten how to take a break. One employee (thankfully, also a Reddit member) has revealed that the developer’s San Francisco headquarters has a giant, 16-screen video wall for gaming in the cafeteria — and yes, they’re playing Halo in that photo rather than some future, first-person version of Mafia Wars. It’s no surprise that the employees aren’t playing their own games all the time; we’re pretty sure that even the most avid Facebook gamers would burn out if they did. Nonetheless, it’s hard not to smile at the thought that the same people urging us to buy new crops are sticking plasma grenades in their spare time.

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Visualized: what Zynga workers do when they’re not playing FarmVille originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 02:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Kotaku  |  sourceReddit  | Email this | Comments

Sharp and Gundam Front Tokyo work on Halo robot vacuums

Sharp has worked hand in hand with Gundam Front Tokyo in order to deliver a range of Halo robot vacuum cleaners which are based on the Sharp Cocorobo vacuum cleaner, where it is able to carry out a conversation with you. We are talking about a vacuum cleaner that is capable of helping you keep the room clean without having it talk back or pull a long face, especially after a particularly long day at work. Basically, Halo is a robot character who has appeared in different Gundam anime and video games, which has resulted in it being a mascot for Sunrise anime studio and Gundam franchise. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Evolution Robotics Mint robotic vacuum ships this summer, Asus Robotic Vacuum Cleaner,

Gundam’s Haro Comes to Earth… as a Vacuum Cleaner

Haro was made more than a few appearances on Gundam’s anime episodes and video games, but now it has landed on earth – as a vacuum cleaner. So that’s probably not the most extravagant of appliances that it can be manifested in, but it’s better than nothing, right? Plus, vacuums are actually pretty useful, anyway.

haro vacuum 1

The Haro robot vacuum is actually the product of a collaboration between Sharp and Gundam Front Tokyo. The vacuums will be based on the Sharp Cocorobo and will be available in two refreshing colors: green and pink – though it wasn’t practical to make a spherical-shaped vacuum, since that wouldn’t fit under your furniture.

Halo Vacuum

These snazzy-looking robotic vacuums are equipped with Cocoro Engine artificial intelligence and come with speech recognition features. Just say the word, and the Haro robotic vacuum will do your bidding.

Halo Vacuum1

It’s also fitted with a camera and LED lights, and comes with remote-controlled maneuverability that allows you to control it using your smartphone.

The Haro robot vacuum will be on display at the Gundam Front Tokyo in Odaiba Tokyo, so if you’re in the area, drop by and check it out.

[via New Launches]


New Halo 4 trailer shows off weapons to dubstep

A new Halo 4 trailer has launched, and this time around it’s all about the weapons, baby. With a dubstep song serving as our backing track, we’re introduced to weapons new and old, and get a chance to see how each one functions in Halo 4. Microsoft has also released a second version of the trailer that ditches the music so it’s nothing but you and the gunfire, so if you hate dubstep, you’re in luck.


A decent amount of the weapons featured in this trailer return from previous games, including the Assault Rifle, the fan-favorite Magnum handgun, the Battle Rifle, the DMR (yes, Halo 4 features both the Battle Rifle and the DMR), the Shotgun, the Rocket Launcher, the Spartan Laser, and of course, the Sniper Rifle. For the most part, these guns seem largely unchanged from the last time we saw them, which longtime fans should appreciate.

In addition to the returning weapons, we also get a look at three brand new weapons: the Saw, the Railgun, and the Sticky Detonator. The Saw is a light machine gun capable of holding 72 rounds at a time and firing ridiculously fast. The Railgun, on the other hand, is a weapon you’ll want to take your time with, as it charges up before unleashing a powerful explosive round. Finally, the Sticky Detonator is a gun that fires a sticky grenade at your opponent and allows you to detonate it whenever you like. Expect to have a lot of fun with that one.

All of these weapons have been detailed in depth over on the Halo Waypoint blog. Halo 4 is scheduled to launch for Xbox 360 on November 6, and even though some fans are hesitant to trust 343 Industries with the franchise now that Bungie has moved on, Halo 4 looks like it’ll be a blast to play. Stay tuned, because we’ll definitely be seeing more Halo 4 media as we inch closer to its release date.


New Halo 4 trailer shows off weapons to dubstep is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Xbox 360 Halo 4 bundle fights new enemies, packs familiar hardware on November 6th

Xbox 360 Halo 4 bundle fights new enemies, packs familiar hardware on November 6th

It’s widely considered a tradition: Microsoft readies a new Halo game, and a new Xbox 360 bundle swings by stores to mark the occasion. The Limited Edition Halo 4 Xbox 360 follows that pattern, with a special (if minor) twist. No one will be shocked by the new Halo-themed artwork or the inclusion of a Halo 4 copy in the 320GB system’s box, but the ring of light on both the console and its two matching gamepads will drop the Xbox 360’s green glow in favor of a distinctive bright blue. At $400, the console arriving November 6th will aim chiefly at the hardest of hardcore sci-fi shooter fans — although murmurs of an upcoming successor console could make the Halo 4 pack an unofficial swan song for Microsoft’s market dominator. Consider the stand-alone $60 special edition wireless controller for a less expensive way to say goodbye.

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Xbox 360 Halo 4 bundle fights new enemies, packs familiar hardware on November 6th originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 10:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  sourceMajor Nelson, Amazon  | Email this | Comments

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn live action trailer released


Anticipation continues to build this morning for the next installment in the Halo series: Halo 4. We already saw the Halo 4 limited edition Xbox 360 be revealed this morning, and now a new live action trailer has been released at Comic Con.
(more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Halo 4 Limited Edition and multiplayer aspect detailed by Microsoft, Halo 4 release date set to November 6, 2012,

Halo 4 multiplayer requirements skyrocket

It appears that users hoping to play the Halo 4 multiplayer mode in the near future will perhaps be needing to clear out some space from their system first, as “at least an 8GB USB flash drive or an Xbox 360 Hard Drive” will be required to take action. This word comes from Xbox’s official feed in which they also say they “highly reccommend” the hard drive option for those seeking out a fully “optimal” experience. Good games and good graphics don’t come cheap!

This next-generation blockbuster game will be popping up on the 6th of November this year and will be the first person shooter to beat for the holiday season. The folks at the Xbox.com blog have suggested that you pick up an official Xbox 360 USB Flash Drive by SanDisk, but remind you that you’re also perfectly welcome to format one of your own USB flash drives for use with your Xbox 360 instead.

The folks responsible for this update have also shown off the Xbox 360 320GB Media Hard Drive, this also ready to rock for Halo 4. The hard drive spoken of also comes with LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (as a downloadable game from Xbox LIVE) as well – so get to swinging your light sticks!

Check out our Halo 4 timeline below as well for more Halo action all the way until Christmas!


Halo 4 multiplayer requirements skyrocket is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.