Xbox Press

Get the party started in your living room with smash hits from The Black Eyed Peas, P!nk, Sir Mix-a-Lot and more

Why spend your hard-earned cash on a night out when you and your friends can bring the party home? Get ready to clap your hands, stomp your feet and belt out the latest songs from “Lips,” the singing sensation exclusive to Xbox 360. This July, add new music to your vocal repertoire without breaking the bank with the fresh tunes available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the in-game Get Music Store.

Whether you’re harmonizing in a group or singing duets, the newest Game Add-ons for “Lips” create the perfect reasons to enjoy a night in with your friends. During this month, everyone can shake it to the rhythm of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back”; get get get to know Junior Senior’s “Can I Get Get Get”; or create a romantic mood with Jesse McCartney’s ballad “Just So You Know”; along with other hot tunes available throughout July for 160 Microsoft Points each.

Everyone can also “Get The Party Started” on July 10 with a P!nk song pack, as three of her biggest hits including “So What” will be available to download together for 440 Microsoft Points. With a wide selection of songs available and the Xbox 360 wireless light-up microphones, “Lips” has something for everyone as it brings friends together this summer.

Available July 3:

Baby Got Back – Sir Mix-a-Lot

The Next Movement – The Roots

Shut Up – The Black Eyed Peas

Available July 10:

Get The Party Started - P!nk

Don't Let Me Get Me - P!nk

So What – P!nk

P!nk Song Pack featuring all three songs

Available July 17:

Just So You know –Jesse McCartney

Hey Mama – The Black Eyed Peas

Can I Get Get Get – Junior Senior*

“Lips,” the singing party game from Xbox 360 and iNiS, includes 40 songs on-disc and two Xbox 360 wireless, motion-sensitive microphones.  The microphones are also compatible with other hit music games, making Xbox 360 the premier destination for music game fans everywhere. More information on “Lips” is available at www.xbox.com/lips.

* Song not available in Sweden, Finland and Norway.

# # #

For more information, press only:

Angella Wong, Edelman, (323) 202-1045, angella.wong@edelman.com

Michelle Fang, Edelman, (323) 202-1426, michelle.fang@edelman.com

Have you ever wanted to create your own video game? Now is the time to put your imagination to the test. Microsoft Research’s new game lab “Kodu Game Lab” launches on Xbox LIVE Community Games today, giving aspiring game makers of all ages the chance to bring their own game creations to Xbox 360. For just 400 MS Points, or $5, anyone with a passion for game creation can harness the magic of programming and game development at every level.

Built using Microsoft’s XNA Games Studio, “Kodu Game Lab” is a pick-up-and-create toolset where any aspiring game creators can build their own unique world using a simple image-based creator menu that makes game-making easier than ever. With almost 200 different programming features to choose from, and the ability to share games with anyone on your Friends List, the opportunities are endless.

In addition to a simple image-based user menu, “Kodu Game Lab” enables game creation using only an Xbox 360 controller, right from the comfort of your couch. “Kodu Game Lab” comes equipped with a bridge and path builder, a terrain editor to build unique playgrounds, co-op gameplay for up to four players and 20 different characters with a range of abilities.

What’s more, “Kodu Game Lab” keeps minds active by developing logic, problem-solving and creative thinking skills since it was originally designed as a learning tool for kids.

“As a programmer, I wanted to help create something that unlocked the magic of Xbox 360 in the same way that I was able to unlock my computer as a child and bring my imagination to life through games,” Lead “Kodu Game Lab” Programmer Matthew MacLaurin said. “We had such success with bringing ‘Kodu Game Lab’ into classrooms and after-school programs that we wanted to offer it to any wannabe programmer or creator through the Xbox LIVE Community Games Channel.”

Just in time for summer, “Kodu Game Lab” finds its home among some of the freshest, most diverse and creatively independent games showcased on Xbox LIVE. Get ready to create!

More detailed information about “Kodu Game Lab” and Community Games can be found by visiting: http://creators.xna.com.

For questions or comments please contact:

Jessica Lange, (323) 202-1419, jessica.lange@edelman.com

Paul Levy, (206) 268-2233, paul.levy@edelman.com

For screenshots, please visit:

http://creators.xna.com/press

This October, racing fans around the world are invited to hit the famous tracks of Japan in vivid realism and style with a dedicated collection of Japanese cars in “Forza Motorsport 3,” the highly anticipated racing experience from Turn 10 exclusively for Xbox 360.

“Forza Motorsport 3” again takes racers on a tour through Japan on three legendary tracks with new and improved graphics including:

· Suzuka Circuit: Put your skills to the test on one of the oldest, most famous and dangerous motorsport race tracks in Japan. One of the big dogs of Japanese tracks, the 3.608-mile course requires cat-like reflexes as its 17 turns, highlighted by the quick transitions of the “S” complex, the Turn 11 hairpin, and the tricky Casio Triangle will keep drivers on their A-Game. But don’t fear the throttle, as there are numerous high-speed sections that demand a total commitment from your weighted leadfoot.

· Twin Ring Motegi: Motegi is where the Japanese get their groove on, NASCAR-style. The venue, built by Honda in 1997, is home to a 1.549-mile oval and a 2.98-mile road course. It has held a NASCAR exhibition race in 1998, was part of the CART circuit from 1998 to 2002 and then it went to host the IRL in 2003. In 2008 Danica Patrick made headlines, becoming the first woman to win an Indy Car race at the Indy Japan 300, the only event currently held on the egg-shaped oval.

The Motegi road course doesn’t have the elevation changes of some of the other Japanese circuits but features an intoxicating blend of tight corners and high-speed sweepers. Motegi is the last race on the Super GT schedule so this track is a mix of handling and speed that will take a balanced vehicle and skilled driver to get around cleanly.

· Tsukuba Circuit: Home of the famous Revspeed Super Battle, the original time attack that hit the Japanese tuning scene in 1990, and D1 Grand Prix drifting events, Tsukuba hums to an underground soundtrack where other Japanese venues feature a much more mainstream beat. Consequently, Tsukuba rewards agility over brute power so gamers who can hit their apexes and keep the momentum rolling should do well on this track. If you drift, welcome to heaven.

On the car side of this week’s Turn 10 Tuesday report, we’re focusing our sites on a slice of the Japanese race cars and production cars new to “Forza Motorsport 3.” Whether it’s the impeccably engineered Lexus IS F, Nissan 370Z or fan-favorite Subaru Impreza WRX STi, fans will have a host of Japanese cars to race, drift, paint, tune, and customize, showcasing their true driving and creative stripes. To highlight a few of the cars on this week’s list, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR and Subaru WRX STi immediately come to mind having been dueling it out for decades on the World Rally Championship circuit and more recently on the street and time attack course.

The 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR represents the ultimate iteration of the Diamond Star gang’s awe-inspiring 4G63 engine. This solid Turbo 4 propelled Finnish driver Turbo Tommi Makinen to four consecutive WRC championships from 1996 to 1999. In the Evo IX, the 4G63 is rated at its highest output ever, 286 horsepower, and “Forza Motorsport 3” tuners will find it one of the most willing boost-up partners. Yes, 143 horsepower per liter is merely the starting line.

In the opposite corner we have another rally-bred beast in the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi. Colin McRae (1995), Richard Burns (2001) and Petter Solberg (2003) all power-slid race-prepped WRX STi’s to the WRC driver’s championship. The road-going 2008 STi is motivated by a turbocharged 2.5-liter EJ25 boxer four engine with 300 horses in the corral. So the STi comes out swinging with a power advantage and aggressively broad shoulders that will tempt livery-painters as much as tuners.

Rounding out this week’s car list reveal are the following:

Production	2009	Lexus	IS F
Production	2008	Infiniti	G37 Coupe Sport
Production	2009	Mazda	Mazdaspeed 3
Production	2006	Mitsubishi	Lancer Evolution IX MR
Production	2010	Nissan	370Z
Production	2009	Nissan	Versa SL
Production	2008	Subaru	Impreza WRX STi
Production	2008	Toyota	Yaris S
Production	2009	Honda	Fit Sport
Race Car	2008	Nissan	#12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R
Race Car	2008	Nissan	#23 XANAVI NISMO GT-R
Race Car	2008	Nissan	#24 ADVAN Clarion GT-R
Race Car	1997	Nissan	#23 Nissan Motorsports R390
Race Car	2008	Nissan	#3 YellowHat YMS TOMICA GT-R
Race Car	2008	Toyota	#25 ECLIPSE ADVAN SC430
Race Car	2008	Toyota	#36 PETRONAS TOM'S SC430
Race Car	2008	Toyota	#6 ENEOS SC430

Last but not least, as a part of the title’s pre-order program, fans can vote for their favorite custom Audi R8 5.2 fsi Quattro Livery design from the “Forza Motorsport 3” Design Challenge and enter to win a trip to the Audi Driving Experience at the famed Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Visit the spotlight page on Xbox LIVE or xbox.com/forza3contest by July 5 and vote for the design that appeals to your passion for racing. The winning community-inspired design will then be given some final polish by the experts at Turn 10 and ultimately gifted as an exclusive download for fans who pre-order the game.

“Forza Motorsport 3” is rated E for Everyone and will be available in October 2009. For a deeper dive on the cars in this week’s reveal, please visit http://forza.xbox.com. For assets, press only, visit http://edelmanadmin.psni.com/public/Forza%20Motorsport%203/.

Start July off with a bang by mastering the mayhem of “Worms 2™ Armageddon” and dominating battlefield brawls in “The King of Fighters ‘98 Ultimate Match™.” Both titles release this Wednesday, July 1 on Xbox LIVE Arcade, your premier destination for quality downloadable games.

Rope, parachute, teleport, and Jetpack your way through combat. From the creators of the original award-winning “Worms” comes the hottest digital sequel, “Worms 2 Armageddon.” The original features have been massively extended for Xbox LIVE Arcade, including four player online and offline multiplayer, voice support, a flood of new and iconic weapons (Concrete Donkey anyone?), all new high-definition landscape themes, fresh play modes, and loads of customization tools including hats and new speechbanks. Published by Microsoft, and developed by Team17 Software Ltd, “Worms 2 Armageddon” will be available for 800 Microsoft Points worldwide. The game is rated E10+ for Everyone 10+ by the ESRB. For more details, please visit:  http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/w/worms2armageddonxbla

Originally celebrated for its stellar graphics and gameplay, “The King of Fighters ‘98 Ultimate Match” returns with all new battle moves and 64 total characters. Packed with plenty of punch, now you can challenge opponents from around the world via Xbox LIVE to be crowned King of the “Fighters” dynasty. Published and developed by SNK Playmore Corp., “The King of Fighters ‘98 Ultimate Match” will be available for 800 Microsoft Points worldwide. The game is rated T for Teen by the ESRB.  For more details, please visit: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/k/kingoffighters98umxboxlivearcade/

*Xbox LIVE Gold membership required for online multiplayer

Get ready aspiring music stars, the biggest music event is taking place in the best hot spot ever – your living room! Now you can take the stage solo, or join your friends like true rock stars or power duets, free from the clutter of wires. Grab your friends and get ready to croon along to the best songs on your favorite Xbox 360 music games with the new Xbox 360 Wireless Microphone. Belt out your vocals while playing games like “Lips,” “Guitar Hero Metallica,” “Rock Band 2”* and “Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year” as well as new blockbusters available this holiday, including “Lips: Number One Hits” and “The Beatles: Rock Band.”

Whether you want to jam to today’s biggest hits or revive Beatlemania, the Xbox 360 Wireless Microphone will bring out your best performance with high-quality voice reproduction technology and stylish interactive motion sensors and lights. Available this fall, the Xbox 360 Wireless Microphone will have an estimated retail price of $49.99 (U.S.).

*Compatible with title update through Xbox LIVE. 

###

For more information, press only:

Natalie Edwards, Edelman, (323) 202-1461, natalie.edwards@edelman.com

Ken Zhang, Edelman, (206) 505-6565, ken.zhang@edelman.com

Battle it out in “Fatal Fury: Garou-Mark of the Wolves” on Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday, June 24. This classic Japanese arcade fighter game is the latest release in the “Fatal Fury” series and its coming straight to Xbox LIVE Arcade, your premier destination for quality, action-packed downloadable games.

Hit the streets of Southtown and fight for the tournament win with legendary tactics like “Just Defense,” “T.O.P.” and “Braking.” Train your skills and choose from a variety of characters to maximize your street fighting credit on Xbox LIVE.

Published and developed by SNK Playmore Corp., “Fatal Fury: Garou-Mark of the Wolves” will be available for 800 Microsoft Points worldwide. The game is rated T for Teen by the ESRB.  For more details, please visit: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/g/garoumofwxbla/

*Xbox LIVE Gold membership required for online multiplayer

Listen up rookies! “Halo 3: ODST” drops on September 22, but will you and your team have what it takes to survive the Covenant onslaught in the new cooperative multiplayer mode, Firefight? Firefight will put you to the test as you and your friends assume the role of an ODST squad and fight together to take on increasingly challenging waves of enemies. It’s where new “Halo” heroes will be born, and an opportunity to step into the boots of a legend. If you pre-order “Halo 3: ODST” at participating retailers, you will receive a token to unlock grizzled UNSC hero Sgt. Johnson as a playable character in Firefight.

Fan favorite and “Halo” series stalwart Sergeant Avery Junior Johnson is a tough-as-nails career Marine who has been in more life or death battles than you've had hot meals. He’s survived more infectious Flood outbreaks, greased more Covenant bad guys, and earned more medals than any other twenty soldiers. And now you get to walk a mile in his shoes.
New campaign
Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed developer Bungie, “Halo 3: ODST” is a new game in the “Halo” saga that lets people experience events leading up to the epic story told in “Halo 3” through the eyes of an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), as they search for clues leading to the whereabouts of their scattered squad and the motivations behind the Covenant’s invasion of New Mombasa.
New cooperative multiplayer experience
In addition to a brand new campaign, “Halo 3: ODST” introduces a new cooperative multiplayer mode called Firefight which allows “Halo” fans to experience co-operative gaming in a whole new way: they will be fighting as members of an ODST squad against waves of increasingly challenging enemies across a variety of battlefields. This experience is made even more intense with the integration of “Halo 3’s” “skulls,” which progressively activate as time goes on to alter the gameplay and up the challenge. Players will battle through wave after wave in search of high scores, Achievements and bragging rights.
The complete “Halo 3” competitive multiplayer collection
“Halo 3: ODST” also includes a second standalone disc with three new “Halo 3” multiplayer maps, all original “Halo 3” maps, as well as the “Legendary,” “Heroic,” and “Mythic” Map packs for a total of 24 maps.
Ensure your place in the “Halo: Reach” beta
Purchasing “Halo 3: ODST” will ensure “Halo” fans get access to the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta when the beta goes live in the future. Announced at E3 2009, “Halo: Reach” is the prequel to the blockbuster “Halo” trilogy and is scheduled for release in fall of 2010.
“Halo 3: ODST” is available for pre-order in both a standard package and a “Halo 3: ODST Collector’s Pack” which includes the game and an exclusive, laser etched Wireless Controller. The “Halo 3: ODST Collector’s Pack” is available for pre-order in the US exclusively at GameStop, and is available worldwide at other participating retailers. “Halo 3: ODST” will have a suggested retail price of $59.99 USD and the Collector’s Pack will have a suggested retail price of $99.99 USD. “Halo 3: ODST” is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB and PEGI 16+.

For more information about “Halo 3: ODST” and to download assets of Sgt. Johnson, the “Halo 3: ODST” Collector’s Pack and other assets, visit http://edelman.psni.com/public/Halo%203%20ODST/

#########

The ultimate fusion of strategy and fantasy, “Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers” unleashes an intense level of game play on Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday, June 17. This arcade-style game takes you on a journey through a vast Multiverse of unique worlds where you are deemed a Planeswalker, a powerful mage who battles others for glory, knowledge and conquest. Command an arsenal of creatures and spells as you do battle against the computer or compete online against real-life players via Xbox LIVE Arcade. With numerous game play scenarios, including multiplayer game mode, Duels of the Planeswalkers offers an unrivaled depth in which each game is different from the last.

Looking for laughter? Gaming's first sitcom is now on Xbox LIVE Arcade! In "Sam & Max Save the World," join canine crime-fighter Sam and his hyperkinetic rabbity-thing partner Max to investigate a string of baffling mind-control cases. Can the Freelance Police find the culprit behind this evil plot before the entire world slips into a hypnotic trance? Find out in this six-episode series chock full of comical characters, entertaining exploration, and sarcastic asides!

Published by Microsoft, and developed by Stainless Games, “Magic the Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers” will be available for 800 Microsoft Points worldwide. The game is rated T for Teen by the ESRB.  For more details, please visit: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/m/magicthegatheringdobxbla/

Published by Microsoft and developed by Telltale Games, this award-winning series has been enhanced for Xbox 360 with achievements, widescreen and HD graphic support, and updates to the gameplay controls. "Sam & Max Save the World" is available for 1600 Microsoft Points worldwide (excluding Japan). The series is rated T for Teen by the ESRB.

Chill out from the summer heat with favorites from Keane, Vanilla Ice, Concrete Blonde and Sugababes

When the sun gets too hot outside, come in from the heat and get your chill on with new Game Add-on songs for “Lips,” the singing sensation exclusive to Xbox 360. This June, everyone’s favorite tunes spanning multiple genres will be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the “Lips” in-game Get Music Store to expand your music collection with even more variety. So whether you and your friends like to belt out the high notes or rock to some classic jams, “Lips” and its catalog of music is sure to be a hit at your next summer fiesta.

During the month of June, create new fun summertime memories crooning Keane’s smash hit “Somewhere Only We Know”; stop, collaborate and listen with Vanilla Ice’s classic “Ice Ice Baby”; relive the 80s with “Joey” from Concrete Blonde; or form your own girl group with “Freak Like Me” by Sugababes for 160 Microsoft Points each. With a wide selection of songs available and wireless light-up microphones, “Lips” has something for everyone as it brings friends together this summer.

Available June 5:

I Alone – Live

Somewhere Only We Know – Keane

Joey – Concrete Blonde

Available June 12:

Freak Like Me – Sugababes

Love You Anyway – Boyzone

Available June 19:

Spiralling – Keane

Take Back The City – Snow Patrol

Radar Love – Golden Earring

Available June 26:

Love Like This – Natasha Bedingfield feat. Sean Kingston

Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice

I Want You To Want Me (Live at Budokan) – Cheap Trick

“Lips” singers know using the game’s motion-sensitive LED wireless microphones are the perfect way to show off their creative energy by poppin’ dance moves or adding percussion. So to further celebrate the “Lips” franchise, Microsoft teamed up with CrystalRoc, makers of customized music instruments for artists such as Rihanna and Leona Lewis, to create limited edition “Lips” microphones made with CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements. Each microphone is made with 520 delicately placed gems, with a pair totaling 1,040 Xilion Rose Flat Back crystals. These ultra rare sets are not available for retail sale, but a few lucky fans will be able to win them through upcoming contests and giveaways in North America and Europe. Now you and your friends can definitely rock out and sing in style!

“Lips,” the singing party game from Xbox 360 and iNiS, includes 40 songs on-disc and two wireless, motion-sensitive microphones.  The “Lips” microphones are also compatible with other hit music games on Xbox 360, making Xbox 360 the premier destination for music game fans everywhere.

More information on “Lips” is available at www.xbox.com/lips.

# # #

For more information, press only:

Angella Wong, Edelman, (323) 202-1045, angella.wong@edelman.com

Cliff Jin, Edelman, (323) 202-1466, cliff.jin@edelman.com

Winning song “Shake the World” by ForeverGirl is now available as a free download on Xbox LIVE

Today, Xbox announced ForeverGirl aka Craig DelBonis, 22, from Providence, RI as the winner of the Lips™ Open Mic contest presented by AT&T. The song, which DelBonis originally wrote and produced, is now available as a free download on Xbox LIVE™ and can be played through Lips™, the exclusive music video game for Xbox 360.

Courtesy of Xbox and AT&T, the Lips Open Mic Contest marks the first Xbox LIVE community created song ever released in a music title. Now music fans will be able to sing along to DelBonis’s hit song, “Shake the World” which won the hearts of thousands of people who casted their votes through Xbox LIVE, Xbox.com or via text message from an AT&T mobile phone.

In February 2009, Xbox and AT&T conducted a nationwide online talent search for aspiring artists and songwriters. Participants submitted an original song (score and lyrics) all competing for the Grand Prize of music immortality and the opportunity to have their song made available and playable as a free download for Lips™, the singing game made exclusively for Xbox 360

Scores of entries were submitted but only three finalists were selected including DelBonis, who made fans around the nation with his edgy and upbeat sound. His winning hit will make people sing “get up and dance…dance…dance” at their next Lips™ party.

Below, check out the Xbox interview with Craig DelBonis after crowning him the legendary winner of the Lips™ Open Mic Contest:

Xbox: Tell me more about your love of music.
DelBonis: This could be a very long story (laughs). I have been involved in music since I was 12. My brother bought himself a guitar in hopes of learning, but never got around to it, so I would basically steal it out of his room without his knowing and play along to my favorite songs on the radio. After about a year, he forfeited the guitar to me, and I started playing in bands with my high school friends. One of these bands, Vega, actually took me on a trip halfway across the country. My first tour was quite possibly the best experience I have had in my life to date. Since then I was absolutely hooked into the music world.
After Vega broke up, I spent two years living in the basement of local music studio White Noise Records, trying to learn the tools necessary to record, promote, and package bands into a marketable product. The studio was unorganized at best so I eventually just started making beats on my own to satiate my musical cravings. These beats led to “We Are Forever Girl” (or Forever Girl for short) and where things stand now.
I do have a number of other musical projects; rock based, metal based, acoustic folk based... I love all aspects of music, and really cannot restrain myself to just one. Music is where I belong. I have known this for years, and will never be satisfied in a career anywhere else.
Xbox: How did you find out about the Lips Open Mic contest presented by AT&T and what pushed you to enter?
DelBonis: I will have to credit my winning this competition almost entirely to my wonderful girlfriend. If it wasn't for her, I would have never known about this contest, let alone have been in it. She owns the Xbox in the house, and was surfing Xbox LIVE one day when she came across the contest. She immediately told me about it. There was only about a week left in the contest when it came to my attention, so I almost didn't enter just based on that alone. Coming up with a song and video in a week was extremely trying, but in the end it was more than well worth it.

Xbox: What do you think about having your song be forever available through Lips?
DelBonis: I'm still not actually sure it's fully hit me yet.... probably because my name is not officially in lights. It definitely hits me in waves, though. I get this euphoric feeling. I feel I'm finally on the road to making music my career. I'm finally opening doors.
Xbox: Did you expect to win? What do your friends and family think?
DelBonis: To be completely honest, a couple days after I submitted my entry, I forgot about it. In a national contest, it's hard to convince yourself that you have a shot and that you're the big fish. Getting the congratulatory email saying I was a finalist shot me through the clouds. To actually take the crown - I can't explain it. I simply don't have the vocabulary, or linguistic skills to convey it.
When I saw the other finalists, I was pretty sure I would have the majority vote. I don't want to sound like a braggart or anything. I was simply looking at it for the entertainment value. I really believed my song had the right assets to draw a crowd from all corners.
And the beat is pretty tasty, too.
My friends and family are right up there on cloud nine with me. They can't believe they know someone who is going to be video game famous or even could very well be musically famous. I would be nowhere without their support.
Xbox: Who/why should people download your song and sing it on Lips?
DelBonis: Everyone should download it. It is the elixir of life.
Aside from granting immortality, though, I think it's got great melody. But where I think it will really shine is in a cooperative or competitive mode. I really wrote the song with the Lips video in mind, shooting lyrics back and forth with the thought in mind that it would kind of be like a rap off between two people. I wanted to put a lot of harmonies in there, too, so that the chorus could be sung by both. I feel the song and video also has a great universal sense of humor that is very endearing and accessible.
Xbox: Any singing suggestions to those who do?
DelBonis: Make friends with a robot.
Xbox: What’s song do you love to karaoke too?
DelBonis: MR. ROBOTO. IT IS GREAT.
Xbox: What’s your favorite game?
DelBonis: I love playing Gears of War and BioShock on my girlfriend’s Xbox. Katamari is weird, but another one I play time to time.
Oh and Hexic is awesome.
Xbox: Have you ever played Lips?
DelBonis: My girlfriend owns and loves Lips. Myself, I am a Rock Band man, because I love to play instruments. I love to sing as well, and will find myself playing cooperative with her from time to time.
Xbox: Do you have any plans to have a career in music? If so, tell me more.
DelBonis: How much could I tell you about my love for music, and my desire for being completely inundated with it, without writing you into a catatonic state? My greatest hope is that a record deal could somehow come out of this whole thing. I'm hoping beyond all hope that a certain Mr. big time producer will just so happen to buy a copy of Lips. And this same big time producer will download my particular song. He will be blown away. He will need me. He will call me (after he's done dancing, of course), and I will be famous.

On June 13 and 14 in Le Mans, Sarthe, France, the world’s best drivers and their finely tuned race cars will compete in the oldest and most prestigious endurance race in the world, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

To celebrate the 77^th 24 Hours of Le Mans, Xbox 360 has partnered with Peugeot Sport to host a press event at the Le Mans circuit together with Peugeot Sport’s top driver, Stéphane Sarrazin.  The event, held in Peugeot Sport’s Hospitality at Le Raccordement  announces the debut of the famed Le Mans Le Sarthe and Bugatti circuits as well as a new multi-class racing mode, all to be included in “Forza Motorsport 3”, when the game launches exclusively on Xbox 360 in October.  A consultant to developer Turn 10 on the re-creation of the track for Forza Motorsport 3, Stéphane took some laps on the in-game version of LeMans with press prior to joining his Peugeot 908 teammates to prepare for Saturday’s race.

In the true spirit of motorsport, no “Forza Motorsport 3” experience is complete without the inclusion of the finely tuned and highly engineered racing machines designed by the world’s most prestigious racing teams.  To that end, Xbox 360 also announced at Le Mans the first set of more than 100 race cars that will featured in the game.  For the first time in Forza Motorsport history, fans will be able to get into the cockpit of some of the world’s most famous race cars including the Peugeot Sport 908, the Audi FSI Champion Racing R8 and the Ferrari MOMO Doran Racing F333 SP.  With the best graphics and most realistically performing cars in gaming, “Forza Motorsport 3’ will let racing fans worldwide live out their love of motorsport like never before.

Back in the U.S. this weekend, Xbox 360 and Audi North America invite motorsport fans and media to the Audi Forum New York City for a host of activities celebrating Le Mans.  Among them, Xbox 360 and Audi North America are hosting the AXF-24 Audi-Forza Challenge where nine of North America’s top “Forza” drivers as determined by rankings on Xbox LIVE will compete in a simulated 24-hour endurance competition complete with regular pit stops to refuel and replenish as that challenge themselves and each other on the just debuted Le Mans Le Sarthe circuit in "Forza Motorsport 3."  The competition runs  concurrent to the actual race in France with gamers being split into three teams of three drivers, just like Le Mans racing teams then compete to win an all-expenses paid trip for them and a guest to the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans race hosted by Audi.  Other activities for media and guests include taking their own turns on Lemans in the Forza Motorsport 3 racing pod, witness pit stop demonstrations featuring the real-world Audi R8 and R10 Le Mans race cars as well as view a live broadcast of the race from France.  For more info or to register to attend the events taking place at the Audi Forum New York in Manhattan, visit http://audiexp.com/axf24.html

With unparalleled physics, stunning graphics and more competition and variety than any game before, “Forza Motorsport 3” captures the thrill of Le Mans and brings it from the track to your living room this October. For more information or to download in-game screen shots and video showcasing some of the hottest race cars on the Le Mans in the game, visit http://forza.xbox.com, or http://edelmanadmin.psni.com/public/Forza%20Motorsport%203/

Among the more than 100 race cars in “Forza Motorsport 3” announced today:

Manufacturer	Model
Audi	#2 Audi Sport North America R10 TDI
Audi	#2 FSI Champion Racing R8
Bentley	#7 Team Bentley Speed 8
BMW	#15 BMW Motorsport V12 LMR
Cadillac	#6 Team Cadillac Northstar LMP-02
Ferrari	#30 MOMO Doran Racing F333 SP
Peugeot	#8 Peugeot Sport 908
Peugeot	#3 Peugeot Talbot Sport 905 EVO 1C
Porsche	#17 Racing Porsche AG 962c
Toyota	#3 Toyota Motorsports GT-ONE TS020
Audi	#8 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R10 TDI
Ferrari	#12 Risi Competizione F333 SP

Chill out from the summer heat with favorites from Keane, Vanilla Ice, Concrete Blonde and Sugababes

When the sun gets too hot outside, come in from the heat and get your chill on with new Game Add-on songs for “Lips,” the singing sensation exclusive to Xbox 360. This June, everyone’s favorite tunes spanning multiple genres will be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the “Lips” in-game Get Music Store to expand your music collection with even more variety. So whether you and your friends like to belt out the high notes or rock to some classic jams, “Lips” and its catalog of music is sure to be a hit at your next summer fiesta.

During the month of June, create new fun summertime memories crooning Keane’s smash hit “Somewhere Only We Know”; stop, collaborate and listen with Vanilla Ice’s classic “Ice Ice Baby”; relive the 80s with “Joey” from Concrete Blonde; or form your own girl group with “Freak Like Me” by Sugababes for 160 Microsoft Points each. With a wide selection of songs available and wireless light-up microphones, “Lips” has something for everyone as it brings friends together this summer.

Available June 5:

I Alone – Live

Somewhere Only We Know – Keane

Joey – Concrete Blonde

Available June 12:

Freak Like Me – Sugababes

Love You Anyway – Boyzone

Available June 19:

Spiralling – Keane

Take Back The City – Snow Patrol

Radar Love – Golden Earring

Available June 26:

Love Like This – Natasha Bedingfield feat. Sean Kingston

Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice

I Want You To Want Me (Live at Budokan) – Cheap Trick

“Lips” singers know using the game’s motion-sensitive LED wireless microphones are the perfect way to show off their creative energy by poppin’ dance moves or adding percussion. So to further celebrate the “Lips” franchise, Microsoft teamed up with CrystalRoc, makers of customized music instruments for artists such as Rihanna and Leona Lewis, to create limited edition “Lips” microphones made with CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements. Each microphone is made with 520 delicately placed gems, with a pair totaling 1,040 Xilion Rose Flat Back crystals. These ultra rare sets are not available for retail sale, but a few lucky fans will be able to win them through upcoming contests and giveaways in North America and Europe. Now you and your friends can definitely rock out and sing in style!

“Lips,” the singing party game from Xbox 360 and iNiS, includes 40 songs on-disc and two wireless, motion-sensitive microphones.  The “Lips” microphones are also compatible with other hit music games on Xbox 360, making Xbox 360 the premier destination for music game fans everywhere.

More information on “Lips” is available at www.xbox.com/lips.

# # #

For more information, press only:

Angella Wong, Edelman, (323) 202-1045, angella.wong@edelman.com

Cliff Jin, Edelman, (323) 202-1466, cliff.jin@edelman.com

Winning song “Shake the World” by ForeverGirl is now available as a free download on Xbox LIVE

Today, Xbox announced ForeverGirl aka Craig DelBonis, 22, from Providence, RI as the winner of the Lips™ Open Mic contest presented by AT&T. The song, which DelBonis originally wrote and produced, is now available as a free download on Xbox LIVE™ and can be played through Lips™, the exclusive music video game for Xbox 360.

Courtesy of Xbox and AT&T, the Lips Open Mic Contest marks the first Xbox LIVE community created song ever released in a music title. Now music fans will be able to sing along to DelBonis’s hit song, “Shake the World” which won the hearts of thousands of people who casted their votes through Xbox LIVE, Xbox.com or via text message from an AT&T mobile phone.

In February 2009, Xbox and AT&T conducted a nationwide online talent search for aspiring artists and songwriters. Participants submitted an original song (score and lyrics) all competing for the Grand Prize of music immortality and the opportunity to have their song made available and playable as a free download for Lips™, the singing game made exclusively for Xbox 360

Scores of entries were submitted but only three finalists were selected including DelBonis, who made fans around the nation with his edgy and upbeat sound. His winning hit will make people sing “get up and dance…dance…dance” at their next Lips™ party.

Below, check out the Xbox interview with Craig DelBonis after crowning him the legendary winner of the Lips™ Open Mic Contest:

Xbox: Tell me more about your love of music.
DelBonis: This could be a very long story (laughs). I have been involved in music since I was 12. My brother bought himself a guitar in hopes of learning, but never got around to it, so I would basically steal it out of his room without his knowing and play along to my favorite songs on the radio. After about a year, he forfeited the guitar to me, and I started playing in bands with my high school friends. One of these bands, Vega, actually took me on a trip halfway across the country. My first tour was quite possibly the best experience I have had in my life to date. Since then I was absolutely hooked into the music world.
After Vega broke up, I spent two years living in the basement of local music studio White Noise Records, trying to learn the tools necessary to record, promote, and package bands into a marketable product. The studio was unorganized at best so I eventually just started making beats on my own to satiate my musical cravings. These beats led to “We Are Forever Girl” (or Forever Girl for short) and where things stand now.
I do have a number of other musical projects; rock based, metal based, acoustic folk based... I love all aspects of music, and really cannot restrain myself to just one. Music is where I belong. I have known this for years, and will never be satisfied in a career anywhere else.
Xbox: How did you find out about the Lips Open Mic contest presented by AT&T and what pushed you to enter?
DelBonis: I will have to credit my winning this competition almost entirely to my wonderful girlfriend. If it wasn't for her, I would have never known about this contest, let alone have been in it. She owns the Xbox in the house, and was surfing Xbox LIVE one day when she came across the contest. She immediately told me about it. There was only about a week left in the contest when it came to my attention, so I almost didn't enter just based on that alone. Coming up with a song and video in a week was extremely trying, but in the end it was more than well worth it.

Xbox: What do you think about having your song be forever available through Lips?
DelBonis: I'm still not actually sure it's fully hit me yet.... probably because my name is not officially in lights. It definitely hits me in waves, though. I get this euphoric feeling. I feel I'm finally on the road to making music my career. I'm finally opening doors.
Xbox: Did you expect to win? What do your friends and family think?
DelBonis: To be completely honest, a couple days after I submitted my entry, I forgot about it. In a national contest, it's hard to convince yourself that you have a shot and that you're the big fish. Getting the congratulatory email saying I was a finalist shot me through the clouds. To actually take the crown - I can't explain it. I simply don't have the vocabulary, or linguistic skills to convey it.
When I saw the other finalists, I was pretty sure I would have the majority vote. I don't want to sound like a braggart or anything. I was simply looking at it for the entertainment value. I really believed my song had the right assets to draw a crowd from all corners.
And the beat is pretty tasty, too.
My friends and family are right up there on cloud nine with me. They can't believe they know someone who is going to be video game famous or even could very well be musically famous. I would be nowhere without their support.
Xbox: Who/why should people download your song and sing it on Lips?
DelBonis: Everyone should download it. It is the elixir of life.
Aside from granting immortality, though, I think it's got great melody. But where I think it will really shine is in a cooperative or competitive mode. I really wrote the song with the Lips video in mind, shooting lyrics back and forth with the thought in mind that it would kind of be like a rap off between two people. I wanted to put a lot of harmonies in there, too, so that the chorus could be sung by both. I feel the song and video also has a great universal sense of humor that is very endearing and accessible.
Xbox: Any singing suggestions to those who do?
DelBonis: Make friends with a robot.
Xbox: What’s song do you love to karaoke too?
DelBonis: MR. ROBOTO. IT IS GREAT.
Xbox: What’s your favorite game?
DelBonis: I love playing Gears of War and BioShock on my girlfriend’s Xbox. Katamari is weird, but another one I play time to time.
Oh and Hexic is awesome.
Xbox: Have you ever played Lips?
DelBonis: My girlfriend owns and loves Lips. Myself, I am a Rock Band man, because I love to play instruments. I love to sing as well, and will find myself playing cooperative with her from time to time.
Xbox: Do you have any plans to have a career in music? If so, tell me more.
DelBonis: How much could I tell you about my love for music, and my desire for being completely inundated with it, without writing you into a catatonic state? My greatest hope is that a record deal could somehow come out of this whole thing. I'm hoping beyond all hope that a certain Mr. big time producer will just so happen to buy a copy of Lips. And this same big time producer will download my particular song. He will be blown away. He will need me. He will call me (after he's done dancing, of course), and I will be famous.

Dear Xbox LIVE Members,

Last week we announced that Xbox LIVE has reached a staggering 20 million active members, reinforcing that Xbox LIVE isn’t just an online gaming service; it’s a community. That’s why we’re committed to offering entertainment for everyone on Xbox LIVE, from the core gamers with us since the beginning, to our newest members just learning about all the fun of Xbox 360.

We took a great step toward that goal last November when we re-imagined the Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE with the New Xbox Experience.

I talked then about our commitment to innovation on LIVE, and today we continue to deliver on that promise as we showcase new blockbuster games, technologies and partnerships that will transform the way people think about home entertainment. With Xbox LIVE at the center of your living room, you can watch your favorite movies in instant on 1080p HD and 5.1 channel surround sound with Zune video, or update your Netflix instant Queue and share the fun with a virtual movie party.

You can take your entertainment experiences to the largest social network on the planet with Facebook on Xbox LIVE, and even post a snap shot of your favorite gaming moments through Facebook Connect. And with Twitter, you can stay connected and keep your social circle up to date by reading, posting and replying to tweets right on your Xbox 360.

And for music lovers like me, our partnership with Last.fm will bring personalized streaming radio stations right to your Xbox 360.

We’re also thinking globally, and delivering a custom experience from BSkyB, one of the biggest names in European home entertainment – bringing great local content and live football to our members in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

We’re excited about all the innovations we unveiled today, and I want to share some of the new gaming and community features coming to Xbox LIVE this fall:

· Games on Demand. Xbox LIVE has changed the way you play your games, and now we’re changing the way you access them, with the digital distribution of full Xbox 360 games. The Games on Demand channel will launch with a library more than 30 great games, from classic hits like “Mass Effect,” “BioShock” and “Assassin’s Creed,” to family favorites like “LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga” and “Sonic the Hedgehog.”  You’ll have access to a wide variety of great games, downloadable in only a few hours and at the touch of a button. We’ve also added the option to purchase Games on Demand directly with your credit or debit card.

· Great games on Xbox LIVE and Xbox LIVE Arcade. Xbox LIVE Arcade is keeping the fun rolling all summer long. We are continuing our commitment to quality and innovation by delivering five weeks of downloadable blockbusters with the second annual Summer of Arcade – bringing you the biggest and best smash hits of the season including “Shadow Complex,” “Trials HD,” “Splosion Man ™,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™ : Turtles in Time Re-Shelled,” and “MARVEL™ VS. CAPCOM® 2.” And of course I’m excited to see the launch of our beta season of “1 vs 100” today. I’m also already playing a ton of our newly announced game, “Joy Ride,” and I can’t wait for you to experience it this holiday.

· Avatar Marketplace. Since the launch of NXE, millions of Avatars have been created on Xbox LIVE, giving our members a whole new way to express themselves online, in games, and in their social experiences. Starting this summer, you will see some great new ways to make your Avatar truly your own. First, we heard loud and clear from you that you wanted to get new avatar items as awards when playing games, and I’m happy to announce support for in-game Avatar Awardables. Second, you’re going to see some great new options with animated Props and full costumes to add to your Avatar. Finally, we’re continuing that spirit of customization and self-expression with a virtual closet full of premium clothing and interactive props to download and purchase for your Avatar. Whether its game-inspired gear or the latest fashion trends, there will be creative options for everyone to enjoy. You’ll also be able to easily access the new Avatar Marketplace directly through the Avatar editor.

· User Ratings. We’re adding a five star rating system that lets you easily rate any content in the Games Marketplace. Now you’ll be able to show your support for your favorite games and Game Add-ons on Xbox LIVE and also quickly organize by user rating to find the community’s favorite content. This has been one of your most-requested features, and we’re very happy to bring it to you this summer.

· Performance Updates. We know that the details also matter. That’s why we’re making a series of updates based on your feedback. First and foremost, the entire Xbox LIVE service is being upgraded for improved performance including better guide and friends access. Some other things we’ve done based on your feedback include revamping the friends sorting list, Achievement views and improving our matchmaking support. There’s always room to improve, and your input really matters to us…so keep it coming!

I’ve never been more proud to be a part of this team, and I truly believe that there’s never been a better time to be an Xbox LIVE member – there are more entertainment choices than ever before for our members. With today’s announcements, I can confidently say that an Xbox LIVE Gold Membership is hands down the best value in home entertainment, giving you exclusive access to Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, Sky, Last.fm, “1 vs 100 Live” beta, and the best gaming and entertainment network on the planet.

There’s much more to come, and you’ll hear even more details soon. But in the meantime, we hope you’re having as much fun as we are.

See you online,

Marc Whitten

Gamertag - Notwen

twitter.com/notwen

Xbox LIVE does it. The world’s largest social network connected to TV announced its latest development: Twitter on Xbox 360. Tweet!