Xbox News Update, March 3, 2006

The videogame world never sleeps and this week was no different. The final release date was announced for The Elder Scrolls IV®: Oblivion™, a new release from KOEI was revealed, a couple of new Xbox 360™ games went gold, another was slightly delayed, and a slate of Xbox Live® Arcade games were announced by Midway.

Oblivion Date Announced
Finally! Speculation and hearsay no longer need apply. In a press release from Bethesda and 2K Games, it was confirmed that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is finished and will be released on March 20, 2006.

In this announcement, Executive Producer Todd Howard said, "Our most ambitious project ever is finally done. We're excited to get the game into everyone's hands and let them experience it for themselves. We hope they enjoy it. I think it's our best game yet."

You'll be meeting him soon enough.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion marks the first role-playing-game to appear on Xbox 360. For more information, you can find interviews, previews, features, and strategy here on Xbox.com.

Box art from the upcoming Winback 2: Project Poseidon .

Winback Comes Stateside
The KOEI-developed action/stealth franchise Winback is coming to original Xbox® with the release of Winback 2: Project Poseidon. With thirty missions, a host of new weapons over previous Winback games, a new close-quarters combat system, and the ability to experience single missions from three different perspectives, Winback 2: Project Poseidon is set to offer a unique take on a beloved genre. Better yet, the game itself follows soon after the announcement. The game is set to ship in North America on April 18.

Gone Gold
A game goes "gold" when the developer ships off the final code to manufacturers to press and ship retail game discs. Essentially, it is the final milestone in development and a concrete confirmation that the game is finished. The good news for Xbox 360 owners this week is the gold status of:

• Burnout Revenge™: The next-gen version of Burnout Revenge is set and ready to ship. With vastly upgraded graphics, a full slate of achievements, an Xbox 360-specific car you download at kiosks, persistent rivals online, and the ability to save and share clips with anyone on Xbox Live, the Xbox 360 version of Burnout Revenge offers a lot more than just a prettier picture. You can find more details here on Xbox.com.
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter™: The latest in the highly acclaimed Ghost Recon series ships for both Xbox and Xbox 360 on March 7. With innovations like the Cross-Com, a highly intuitive Heads Up Display (HUD), a truly remarkable set of multiplayer options, and some of the most challenging achievements available (Xbox 360 version only), Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter is set to deliver the most refined and feature-rich title on the series thus far. More details can be found here on Xbox.com.

Just a shade longer for your Modern Combat fix.

Battlefield Slips
The highly-anticipated next-gen version of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat™ is nearing completion. Originally planned for March, the title has met with a slight delay. The good news is it's only a matter of a few weeks—expect to pick your copy up at retail the day after it ships on April 11. No further delays are expected.

Midway Classics
Xbox Live Arcade never seems to stop growing, and, thanks to Midway, it won't be slowing down any time soon. Drawing from its well of old-school classics, Midway will bring Defender, Paperboy, Root Beer Tapper, Cyberball, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 to Xbox Live Arcade in the near future.

Article by Ryan Treit