Microsoft Will Drop $1B on Xbox Warranties

Boston police talk boy into shutting off PlayStation

(NEWSER) - A Boston teen's excessive video game playing caused his mom to call 911 this weekend. Angela Mejia awoke at 2:30am to find her son still playing Grand Theft Auto IV, so she unplugged his PlayStation. "I want to help my son, but I can’t find a way," lamented the stressed-out mom. The video-addled 14-year-old argued, so she called the cops, who managed to persuade the son to hit pause on his life of virtual crime. More»

(NEWSER) - Microsoft is developing a 3-D camera for its Xbox 360 that would allow users to control games through body movements instead of a remote, the Wall Street Journal reports. Unlike the Wii, gamers would not hold any type of hardware to swing a tennis racket or the like. Insiders think the device could be unveiled at an expo in June, but the unit will likely not be released until next year. More»

Games made by gamers for gamers coming to XBox Live

(NEWSER) - Microsoft says it's going to bring democracy to video game creation and distribution, MSNBC reports. Microsoft's game-making kit has been a popular download, and the company is now introducing a way for gamers to share the games they make with millions of fellow enthusiasts. They plan to launch a YouTube-style XBox Live Community this fall where gamers will share, play, and rate their creations. More»

Floundering console still costs twice as much as a Wii

(NEWSER) - Sony is easing up on the retail price of its struggling PlayStation 3 by $100. The console will now cost $500—$20 more than the Xbox 360 and twice as much as the bestselling Nintendo Wii. Sony's CEO had promised to hold the price, but poor receipts appeared to necessitate a reboot. "Our initial expectation is that sales should double at a minimum," one exec says. More»

But Microsoft says it doesn't have to pull products yet

(NEWSER) - If you live in Germany and you like Microsoft products, you may want to stock up: A court ordered today that Microsoft remove Xbox 360 and Windows 7 from shelves, after ruling that Microsoft had infringed on Motorola Mobility's patents. But nothing will be pulled yet, Microsoft says, because it has been granted a preliminary injunction against Motorola, preventing Motorola from enforcing the German court order. More»