Microsoft and Bungie agree to start seeing other people.

REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 5, 2007 — Microsoft Corp. today announced a plan for Bungie Studios, the developers of the “Halo^®” franchise, to embark on a path to become an independent company. Microsoft will retain an equity interest in Bungie, at the same time continuing its long-standing publishing agreement between Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie for the Microsoft-owned “Halo” intellectual property as well as other future properties developed by Bungie.

The critically acclaimed Xbox 360^®-exclusive “Halo 3” achieved $300 million in global sales in its first week. Released on Tuesday, Sept. 25, “Halo 3” is the fastest-selling video game ever and already one of the most successful entertainment properties in history.

“Our collaboration with Bungie has resulted in ‘Halo’ becoming an enduring mainstream hit,” said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. “While we are supporting Bungie’s desire to return to its independent roots, we will continue to invest in our ‘Halo’ entertainment property with Bungie and other partners, such as Peter Jackson, on a new interactive series set in the ‘Halo’ universe. We look forward to great success with Bungie as our long-term relationship continues to evolve through ‘Halo’-related titles and new IP created by Bungie.”

“This exciting evolution of our relationship with Microsoft will enable us to expand both creatively and organizationally in our mission to create world-class games,” said Harold Ryan, studio head for Bungie. “We will continue to develop with our primary focus on Microsoft^® platforms; we greatly value our mutually prosperous relationship with our publisher, Microsoft Game Studios; and we look forward to continuing that affiliation through ‘Halo’ and beyond.”

Bungie Studios will remain in its current location in Kirkland, Wash.

Top five things I hate about Gamestop.

1. Pushing their idiotic preorder policy down our throats. I went in the other day and was just talking casually about Halo 3 and the doofus behind the counter says: "Did you preorder it?" After I told him no, he went on to imply that I probably wouldn't be getting it on release day then, as if Gamestop is the only source for video games. You know what Gamestop? If you aren't smart enough to order enough copies to cover walk-in customers, then you deserve to lose the business!
   
   
2. Trade-ins. You might as well walk in with your pants down around your ankles. "Well lets see Mr. Norseman, you have 15 games to trade in and we can give you 20 bucks towards your purchase!" You can also suck my balls! Never trade in games, it is the worst deal ever. Keep them, you never know when you are going to want to play them again. I see teenagers come in with literally 40 games and a system to trade in so they can get the newest thing. It ain't worth it. Steal more money out of your mom's purse, don't support these clowns by making this practice lucrative.
   
   
3. Know nothing chicks hired so the manager can be around an attractive girl a few hours a week. Yeah, I am really gonna ask the giggly blond behind the counter if this year's Madden has fixed any of the previous year's bugs. Managers, go out and get yourself a life so you don't have to hire eye-candy in order to be near an actual woman once in a while. Now before you go off on me, I realize there are some attractive women who are also knowledgeable about games and good employees, but it is the exception, not the rule.
   
   
4. Playing shit after all the employees in the store have brought it home. Time for a dirty little secret here. I used to manage an Electronics Boutique (now owned by Gamestop) and I know you guys have shrink wrap machines in the back room to re wrap opened product. I just don't want to get my game home and find pizza stains on my supposedly new game's manual. Also, stop doing such a crappy job when you shrink wrap a game. It isn't that hard, I used to be a pro at it.
   
   
5. Quit lying to me. I'm not stupid and I probably have been playing games since before a lot of your employees stopped drooling on themselves (last week for some). When I know you are lying to me or in rare cases when I find out later that you lied -- I want you to die. I have no interest in shopping at your store anymore. If you can't tell me the truth or you just don't know then be honest about it.
   

Rings of Death

There you have it, folks. Take a gander at what I was welcomed to when I got home yesterday itching to try out the Tiger Woods 08 demo. Yep, the dreaded Three Rings of Death have struck me again. I called up Micro$oft and they are sending me a box to ship my baby in to them for repair. Luckily, I took my own advice and have a regular xbox and PS2 to play until it comes back. I am worried it might not make it back for the Halo 3 launch though. But what REALLY pisses me off is I was right in the middle of playing Bioshock for Crissake! I probably could pull a few strings and get it replaced at a local Gamestop, but I want to make sure I get the permanent fix and don't have to go through this again. Here are some tips if this happens to you:

1. If you get these three lights AND the light on your power supply is green you are screwed. Don't bother trying any of the troubleshooting tips. They won't work.
2. If you are an Xbox Gold Live subscriber get them to refund the amount of time that you are without your Xbox 360 while it is being repaired.
3. Remove your hard drive. They don't need it. You want to make sure you keep all those hard earned saves.
4. Make sure you eject whatever game you have inside the Xbox 360 BEFORE you ship it out.
5. Always have a backup plan for gaming. In my case having the Xbox 1, PS2 and DS will get me through the repair time.