Just a few days after going gold, Fallout 3 has leaked on to the Internet. While it may seem to be one of the worst console piracy cases of the year, so far it has yet to reach the controversial level that Spore has had and Bethesda has yet to make an official statement regarding the leak.

So far, only the Xbox 360 version has been leaked. Meaning, you’ll have to heavily mod your console after downloading the 6.52 GB file. While the game ships on the 28th of October, many pirates can’t wait that long. And why should they? We’ve all been waiting ten years for this game, it’s about time it got in to the hands of the public. I can’t wait to play it.

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Next month, Microsoft will be totally reshaping the Xbox Live experience. While this is fine and dandy, Microsoft is really looking to get the Xbox 360 into the hands of every teenager on the planet this Black Friday and holiday season. Next up on the checklist is to offer customers free games. Buy the $199 360 Arcade and you’ll get 6 games for free (as you can see in the above image.) Those of you picking up a Pro or Elite version will be treated to LEGO Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda. Not too shabby. It’s also worth mentioning that everyone will score a Netflix trial as well with their system. Schweet!

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Microsoft has announced its New Xbox Experience will launch November 19, bringing a fresh look to the Xbox 360 Dashboard that integrates social features and customizable gamer avatars reminiscent of the Nintendo Wii’s Mii. In order to compete with the upcoming PlayStation Home, Microsoft is adding a slew of avatars, social networking features and more media to the Xbox 360.

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Video games can be lots of fun. Helping sick kids feel better can also feel really good. Why not combine the best of both worlds? Microsoft has done just that by teaming up with the Children’s Miracle Network to sell certain Xbox games for charity. The Xbox 360 Family Games pack will feature Viva Piñata Party Animals, Shrek the Third and Sonic the Hedgehog, all for the price of $29.99. Not bad! At $10 a game and the fact that you’re helping a charity, you can’t do anymore good unless you’re Jerry Seinfeld.

Game hard. Do it for the kids.

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Techradar has posted ten Xbox 360 tricks that you may or may not have missed. Microsoft is never really straightforward with anything it’s ever done. I mean look at it’s new advertisement campaign. What’s going on there?  Regardless, check out these tips, you might find one you never knew about:

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What’s this? The price drop for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is official and not exclusive to just the Arcade version of the Xbox 360? Xbox 360 Arcade will now retail for a price of $199.99, the standard 360 console for $299.99 and the Elite for $399.99. This gives the 360 the “cheapest system” title, taking the place of the $249.99 Nintendo Wii.

So, if you get the red ring of death: don’t worry about it. No need to ship it out to Microsoft for them to fix and send back to you six months later. Just drop two hundred on the arcade and slap your hard drive in it and you’re set for Fallout 3 come the end of October.

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That’s right, this SKU lookup clearly shows a price change from the old $279.99 price to $199.99 for the Xbox 360 Arcade. Damn, a 360 is almost as cheap as a Nintendo DS. Amazing.  Remember kids, the Xbox 360 Arcade won’t come with a hard drive, so gaming online is a no-go unless you shell out an extra $100 dollars or so to get one. That’s the catch. For a price that cheap, gamers everywhere are going to experimentally cooking their home consoles.

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Sony announced Tuesday that it will cut the price of the 80GB version of the PlayStation 3 from $500 to $400 for this fall in an effort to compete with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and to attract “millions of PlayStation 2 users who are on the cusp of upgrading,” Tretton said. However, if you’re one of those said PlayStation 2 users and all you do is play classic game compilations or 2D fighting games, then making the upgrade now holds little favor for your calloused thumbs.

While dropping the 80GB down to the 40’s price, Sony will be discontinuing the 40GB model, forcing would-be customers into a $400 dollar affair. Now, if Sony had kept the 40GB model and dropped its price tag down to $300, that would’ve really showed Microsoft that its got balls. Maybe next year.

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If you really suck at video games or you’re just a no good untrustworthy cheating sonofabitch, then the AcidMods Spit-Fire Controller was made just for you. This Xbox 360 controller mod has two special function buttons which are fully programmable that will give your pudgy fingers an edge against competition that is clearly superior to you in Call Of Duty 4.

Demonstrated in the video are some of the macros that can be assigned to the all new back buttons installed on the controller.  A button in the center of the controller can remap the keys and change their macros.  Shown here we have the player being able to rapidly fire his pistol, as if he was using a turbo button. Cool mod, but will it be cool after it gets you banned from Xbox Live?  Sure it will! They can’t ban ya from a single-player campaign. In your face, Microsoft!

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The long-awaited upgrade from a 20GB to 60GB hard drive for the Xbox 360 Pro could be announced at the company’s E3 keynote next month says TrustedReviews. A source says there’s a release scheduled for August before the 10th. If you’ve got a 20GB hard drive on your 360 and your kicking yourself for not holding out for the 60GB, no worries. You can always buy a separate 120GB drive, though dealing with the transfer can be a bitch.

Sources also say that Microsoft is desperately deciding to make “Wii-style avatars” which I assume means “Mii-style avatars.” Either way, lame idea Microsoft. Get your own avatars and while you’re at it, make Xbox Live free.
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