Microsoft (Page 102)

Following the re-emergence of rumours suggesting Microsoft may support Blu-ray in the future, the company has confirmed it has "absolutely no plans" to support any other optical formats.

Microsoft and Bungie have announced that Halo 3 will be released in North America on September 25, with a European release a day later.

Microsoft Game Studios' Shane Kim has attacked Sony's ambitious PlayStation 3 Home service, stating that he doubts the company can create a compelling virtual environment.

Microsoft games boss Peter Moore has indicated that the company would seriously consider running a research project similar to Sony's Folding@home initiative, on the Xbox 360.

Microsoft will today release the first of its biannual Xbox 360 updates for 2007, due to be available for download via Xbox Live from around 10am GMT.

Microsoft has announced that it is establishing a European base of operations for Microsoft Game Studios. The new publishing arm, based in Reading, will promote MGS games in Europe and manage its relationships with European developers.

The president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division has said he expects the company's console business to finally start making money next year.

Microsoft is finally moving to clamp down on people who set up foreign Xbox Live accounts in order to download content they can't access locally.

The Xbox 360 may still have the largest installed base of all the next-gen consoles in Australia, but the Wii is catching up - with 80,000 consoles sold since December.

Microsoft's chief financial officer, Chris Liddell, has confirmed that the company expects platform exclusive Halo 3 to boost Xbox 360 sales when the game hits the shops later this year.

Software publisher Majesco has announced that it is no longer at risk of being delisted from the Nasdaq index having met stock market requirements.

Microsoft has announced a reduction in losses for its entertainment and devices division, but also a fall in revenues - which the company is attributing to lower Xbox 360 sales.

Microsoft has designed a new colour barcode which can store extra information and be read using webcams and mobile phone cameras.

Nintendo has told <i>GamesIndustry.biz</i> that Easter gift buying and a rise in the number of Wii units shipped to retail contributed to 25,000 units being sold in the UK last week.

Spring Update to include instant messaging on May 7

With the battle of the next-gen consoles now fully underway, Sony's Ray Maguire and Microsoft's Neil Thompson have spoken out to defend their consoles' value propositions - and to criticise the competition.

The latest figures from Famitsu publisher Enterbrain have revealed that the Nintendo Wii is outselling PlayStation 3 by two to one in Japan.

An TV advertisement for the Xbox 360 has been banned in the UK because it promotes and glamorises dangerous driving.

Microsoft's release of the Xbox 360 Elite is unlikely to improve the company's market share in 2007, according to IDC analyst Billy Pidgeon.

Can any of the contestants in this console battle can be ruled out?

UK Xbox boss Neil Thompson has revealed more of the company's plans for 360, explaining the thinking behind the decision to offer consumers a range of hardware options.

While Microsoft is yet to announce an official release of the Xbox 360 Elite in Europe, High Street retailer HMV has indicated the new-spec console will be available by late summer.

SCEA has responded to the unveiling of Xbox 360 Elite, with a senior executive claiming the announcement marks a move towards the universal adoption of high definition standards.

Microsoft's release of the Xbox 360 Elite validates Sony's focus on capturing the early market for high-definition entertainment, according to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter.

Microsoft has confirmed that the new, 120GB-enabled Xbox 360 Elite won't replace the Core or Premium systems, with both still to be available in the future.