FREE XBOX LIVE ARCADE TEXAS HOLD’EM GAME DATED

Gamespot is reporting that the upcoming Xbox Live Arcade Texas Hold’Em game will be released via the marketplace on August 23rd at no cost to Xbox Live subscribers.

“Gamers won’t be able to play for money, but that shouldn’t bother too many because the game itself is free, making it the second free game for the Xbox 360 after Hexic HD (available gratis on the optional 20GB hard drive). Card sharks will be able to play standard games, tournaments, and various scenarios, as well as create their own poker variants for up to eight players.” -Gamespot

I may not be a fan of Texas Hold’Em, but I sure am a fan of free stuff. My guess is Microsoft will use Texas Hold’Em as a way to popularize the upcoming Xbox Vision camera, as the game was used to demonstrate the face mapping features of the camera at E3. Check out the Gamespot story here as you do the “I’m getting something for nothing” dance!

THE VILE LAIR NOW AVAILABLE FOR OBLIVION

As announced earlier, Bethesda has released the latest Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion content pack for both the PC and Xbox 360 versions of the game. The pack, entitled The Vile Lair, is designed for characters on the darker end of the spectrum, most specifically those who choose to be infected by vampirism. As per the content descriptor;

“This underwater hideout provides your infamous character with safe haven. Those willingly inflicted (or shall we say graced?) with vampirism will find a means to feed, and if necessary, a means to cure their infliction. Hire evil minions, pray to the dark god Sithis, and a host of other functions await.

Features:

• A multilevel lair for murderous players to find refuge
  
• The Font of Renewal, where a player may purge himself of Vampirism
  
• The Shrine of Sithis where the infamous player may heal and be cured of disease
  
• A Dark Minion, who the player may employ to find gold in a most unseemly manner
  
• A ‘cattle pen’ for vampires to dine
  
• An indoor garden of venomous plants, including the notorious Chokeberry to feed to your enemy
  
• Various furnishing upgrades, including a study room and storage area ” - Official Elder Scrolls Download Store

The pack is available in the Xbox Live Marketplace at a cost of 150 points ($1.87) for Xbox 360 users and on PC via the Oblivion Download Store at a cost of $1.89. For more information on the pack and it’s story, head on over to the Oblivion Download Store and watch as the total cost of experiencing Oblivion continues to rise.

XBOX 360 BATTLE FOR MIDDLE EARTH II DEMO NOW AVAILABLE

A demo for Electronic Arts fantasy RTS Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth II is now available in the Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo weighs in at 848.84mb, so be sure to have something you can play offline while you wait.

MOMMY LOVES YOU MORE THAN ME

Kotaku reports that Nintendo has announced that 2 new models of the ever so sleek and shiny DS-Lite will be made available in Japan.

The first of the 2 new models will be the Final Fantasy III branded DS-Lite. This model will be released on August 24th and should retail for 22,780 Yen (appx $199). The unit will come bundled with a copy of the remake of Squaresoft’s classic game Final Fantasy III which releases on the same day.

The second model will be colored Jet Black, exactly as the european DS-Lite is. This model will go on sale on September 2nd at a cost of 16,800 Yen ($146). As this is just another new color DS-Lite, the contents of the box will remain unchanged from other regular edition DS-Lites.

Nintendo currently has no plans to bring either model to the United States. While I’m sure we’ll eventually be seeing the black DS-Lite, my guess if that if you want the FF3 branded model, you’d best get to your favorite importer real soon – with the demand the DS-Lite has drawn in Japan, I can’t see that model lasting all that long on the open market.

Check out the FF3 edition DS-Lite article at Kotaku here and the Jet-Black DS-Lite article here. I guess now we all know how Jan Brady felt, don’t we? Japan, Japan, Japan – all I ever hear is Japan. *sniffle*

XBOX 360 DEMO OF NCAA FOOTBALL ‘07 NOW AVAILABLE

A demo for Electronic Arts upcoming title NCAA Football 2007 is now available in the Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo weighs in at a whopping 1.05gb, so plan your day accordingly.