First Impressions: "Xbox Tournaments App"

Everyone knows that video game developers these days could care less about making a quality product, and more about the money making part of it. Often times games are released half-assed, or require additional DLC purchases for you to get features that should have/could have been included with the game without too much more effort/investment from the developer. Well it seems the guys & gals over at Virgin Gaming have taken it a step further with what appears to be legalized gambling via the Xbox 360 console. Upon downloading the "Xbox Tournaments" app, and signing up for an account I found out (much to my dismay) that the tournaments only included sports titles, and that it had a sort of wager system where a players could put in real money (via credit card, or what have you) in hopes of securing a larger monetary prize. At this point I haven't really looked too closely at the offerings of the app, but these first impressions have me questioning the motives behind the people at Virgin Gaming as well as the potential for future thefts by hackers.

Ultimate Dodgeball (XBLIG)

K-Dog Games returns to the indie forefront with one heck of an interesting sports title. Not only is Ultimate Dodgeball a fun, and engaging gaming experience, but people are actually still playing this game online. It's a rarity to find online indies that are still being played weeks after their initial release. A year, or two ago I actually reviewed one of K-Dog Games' sports title that dealt with hacky sack. Just as I found that title to be fun this game also beams with such quality. It features a nice selection of multiplayer oriented gameplay modes, and options to choose from which is always a plus. If you like to play alone then fret not though as Ultimate Dodgeball offers AI oriented matches as well. When I tell you that this game offers more bang for your buck I'm most definitely not lying.

"Francis Says Fix Xbox Live!!!"

Today a friend of mine (@icecreamdee) took the time out of his day to share with me one of the most hilarious, and very true videos relating to Microsoft's Xbox Live membership practices. Anyone who has ever owned an Xbox 360 knows that a yearly membership fee can add up to a lot in the long run. Not only do you pay retail price for a game, but you also have to pay to be able to play it online. Francis pointed this fact out as well as some other very true statements. I'd like you to look past his rage, and think for a moment about what Francis is saying. He tells it like it is as hilarious as it may be. I think Microsoft definitely needs to reconsider their whole Xbox Live membership policy. Times are tough, and money is tight for a lot of us. Eventually gamers won't be able to continue supporting their Xbox Live gaming hobby. Help spread Francis' word by sharing this article, and video.