Author: The enConnected Team

Following the blockbuster success of it’s last two titles in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, Rockstar must have had an enormously hard time figuring out how they would convince gamers to pony up for their upcoming edition. As the new gameplay trailer for Grand Theft Auto V shows off perfectly, they needn’t have worried. Really, the only thing they had to do was deliver more of the same.

The trailer, which you can watch above, talks about all of the new revolutionary changes that the new title bring to games, but let’s be clear right now. Rockstar is delivering more of the same, only better. Better game mechanics, better graphics, better customization.

Grand Theft Auto is scheduled to debuted on September 17th.

 

Approaching Attractions: Grand Theft Auto V

What better way to quell some of that midsummer craving for summer blockbusters than a sale on the latest to hit the Xbox Video Store? Nope, we can’t think of anything either.

Right now users can pick up Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters for $13.99, Django Unchained for $15.99, A Good Day to Die Hard for $12.99, Here Comes the Boom for $14.99, The Last Stand for $13.99, Parker for $14.99, Mama for $13.49, Silver Linings Playbook for $13.49, Dark Sides for $16.99, Flight for $9.99, Parental Guidance for $13.49, Broken City for $13.49, Zero Dark Thirty for $14.49, Texas Chainsaw for $13.99, The Guilt Trip for $9.99, Stand Up Guys for $14.49, The Haunting in Connecticut 2 for $16.99 and Free Samples for $9.99.

Remember, The Xbox Video Store doesn’t list how long things will be on sale for, so these deals could literally go the way of the United States’ budget surplus at any moment – grab these deals as quickly as you can.

Please don’t take this as encouragement to run out an purchase Hansel and Gretel. enConnected and it’s subsidiaries are not responsible for televisions and video equipment that were broken in a fit of rage following bad programs.

New Releases Sale: Get Hansel & Gretel, Django Unchained and More on the Cheap

After two years of relative absence from the music scene, no we’re not counting that off album with Kanye West, Jay Z is finally back to put some lyrical context on the mad times we live in. Or he could just be rapping about being a father and his new kid. To tell you the truth, Magna Carta Holy Grail‘s promotional material has been a little all over the place.

Starting today, everyone can pick up the album at their favorite music store including Xbox Music, though it hasn’t arrived there for some reason just yet. (We’ll update you when it does.)

Have you already listened to the album? Was it everything you thought it would be? Are you now forced to live with the realization that when Jay Z leaves rap all we’ll be left with is Kanye’s experimental production tendencies and bad Kim Kardashian jokes?

The Culture: Jay-Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail Arrives Today

Sure, the Xbox One is all hot stuff, but let’s be real. We wouldn’t mind hearing slightly less about what’s coming to users who shell out $500 for a new Xbox, and more about the updates coming to the console that’s already in millions of living rooms around the world. Starting today, Microsoft is taking sign-ups for beta users of the update coming to the Xbox 360 sometime this year.

In a post on MajorNelson, Microsoft says that this dashboard update will “improve overall performance for Xbox 360 users. This update will also put an end to the Microsoft Points micro-transaction system that Xbox LIVE users have had to put up with for some time. Instead of culling through sign-up requests, the update will be open to anyone who navigates to the Dashboard Beta application on their 360.

During this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, Microsoft also said that the look and feel of the Xbox One would be coming to the Xbox 360 later this year.

Those who get the 2013 Xbox 360 Dashboard Update will be required to agree to a non-disclosure agreement, for what Microsoft says is “security reasons”. However, let’s be serious here. Opening this thing up to everyone pretty much guarantees that it’ll be leaked in detail.

As enConnected Social user Mark Richey points out, this update beta will be open to all Xbox LIVE enabled users except for Japan. Microsoft does indicate that it will make its way to Japanese users at some point.

Microsoft has not said when these beta users can expect the update on their systems.

Microsoft Opens up BETA for the 2013 Xbox 360 Dashboard Update

It might be Day Four of the Xbox LIVE Ultimate Game Sale, but most would agree that the deals have been reasonably sane until now. Starting today, Xbox LIVE users can pick up digital versions of Bioshock Infinite and Tomb Raider on the cheap. How cheap? Local new human-interest stories, cheap.

Deals include Bioshock Infinite for #39.99, Tomb Raider for $19.99, Gears of War Judgement for $29.99, Metal Gear Rising: Revengence for $29.99, Hitman Absolution for $9.99 and XCOM: Enemy Unknown for just $19.99.

Remember, these deals are in addition to the deals that are running until July 8^th. Those deals include discounted digital copies of Crysis, WWE ’13 and more.

Xbox LIVE Ultimiate Games Sale Day 4: Bioshock Infinite, Tomb Raider

Yes, we’re away in celebration of the July 4th holiday in the United States, but don’t fret. While we get our fill of canon blasts, patriotic tunes and fireworks you can still checkout some of the lovely posting that’s been going on in The Social, enConnected’s online community.

Don’t fret. We’ll be back tomorrow with all the latest Xbox, Windows Phone, and Windows entertainment news you can possibly handle.

Happy July 4th

It doesn’t take much for some users to see the value in picking up a special edition Xbox 360 controller. Seriously, we know folks who’ll instantly pick up anything that’s labeled “special edition”, just for kicks. For those of us who aren’t as easily swayed comes the new Special Edition Gold controller for the Xbox 360. As its name might suggest it’ puts your money right where you can see it — figuratively of course.

According to Microsoft’s Larry Hyrb at MajorNelson, the new controller will go on sale this August for $54.99. It won’t be available in all stores though, instead GameStop and the Microsoft Store will get dibs on these babies. Those outside the use will be able to pick them up at other retailers.

We’re inclined to think that you shouldn’t be making it huge Xbox accessory related purchases this close to the launch of the Xbox One, however if you’re already in the market for a new controller anyway, why not?

Microsoft Introduces New Gold Edition Controller for the Xbox 360

On this, the eve before July 4^th Xbox LIVE users can pick up a few new titles for their Xbox 360 on the cheap including a few entries in the Lego series.

Until 7 a.m. Easter Standard Time tomorrow, the Xbox LIVE Ultimate Games Sale will enable users to pick up Lego Lord of the Rings for $14.99, and Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes, Hasbro Family Game Night 3, Monopoly Streets and Kinect Sports 2 for $9.99 each. Rockstar Table Tennis will also be available for the seriously low price of just $2.99.

These are in addition to the titles that are on sale throughout the entirety of the event including WWE 2013, Perfect Dark Zero, and Dragon Age Origins. You can check out a full list of those titles here.

 

LIVE Ultimate Games Sale Day 2, Legos Included

While any number of things could have doomed Microsoft’s experiment with modernizing the Windows experience, none of them were as out unpredictable as the nature of the Windows Store. Would developers turn to it to sell their wares? Would users find a centralized place to download all of their applications useful?

The jury is still out on the second question, but following the announcement that Windows Store now has over 100,00 apps we’re inclined to think that Microsoft has at least made a good start with the other part of the equation.

For comparison, it took Microsoft’s Windows Phone about seventeen months to reach this stage. Windows managed to make it to 100,000 applications in about eight months.

100,000 Applications Now Available in the Windows Store

Instead of heavily discounting games as part of the Xbox LIVE Deal of the Week, Microsoft has chosen to celebrate the July 4th holiday with slightly more fervor during the Xbox LIVE Ultimate Game Sale. Microsoft will discount a new slate of Xbox 360 titles each day. As of right now, users can pick up all of the following titles on sale.

For today only, all Xbox LIVE users can pick up Assassin’s Creed 3 for $14.99, Borderlands 2 for $9.99, Far Cry 3 for $19.99 and Max Payne 3 for $30.00. We’d suggest getting these right now, as Microsoft will put a different slate of games on sale every day until July 8^th.

Some titles will be available at deep discounts throughout the entire promotion including Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway for $4.99, Far Cry Instincts Predator for $4.99, Crysis for $4.99, Command and Conquer 3 Red Alert for $4.99, WWE ’13 for $14.99, Mass Effect for $4.99, Prey for $2.99, Bulletstorm for $4.99, Perfect Dark Zero for $2.99, Dragon Age Origins for $4.99, and Divinity 2: The Dark Knight Saga for $4.99.

Of course, we’ll continue to post each day’s deals during the promotion.

Microsoft Begins LIVE Ultimate Game Sale