A few days ago, Major Nelson gave us word of a new tool that Xbox owners could use to regain licenses for their downloaded content such as Arcade games and add-ons. The Microsoft DRM has been a point of considerable debate, as users can only use their content on one registered console without being connected to the Internet. This was exacerbated by the fact that the Xbox 360 has a less-than-exemplary hardware reliability and so many users who had to get their consoles replaced (including myself) found the content that we had paid for crippled due to the games not being played on the console with which they were originally downloaded. Until this new DRM management tool was released, Xbox users had no way of transferring their licenses. Have I lost you?

Hit the jump for more details on what is possibly the most inept remedy I’ve ever seen.
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As any faithful Halo 3 player knows, the new map “Cold Storage” was debuted two nights ago at MLG’s competition at San Diego. The map, which is a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved’s “Chill Out” is Bungie’s final announcement of the new map pack which will also contain the new maps Purple Reign and Moonbase Alpha. Above is some of the first footage debuted at MLG San Diego in which MLG Halo 3 pros Karma and LegendPimps teamed with Bungie developers Shishka and Luke Smith to play a quick 2 on 2 game on the new map.

In all honesty, being a huge Halo fan I’m not very impressed by this announcement. Chill Out never really stood out as one of the best maps in the Halo series, and I was hoping that Bungie would announce a remake or reimagination of Midship, Sanctuary or even Blood Gulch. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how the remake is when the third map pack releases later in the year.

The first downloadable content for Bioware’s sci-fi RPG, Mass Effect, dropped a few weeks ago. Still on the fence about whether or not it’s worth the five bucks? Make the jump and find out!

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Another Thursday, another Playstation Store update … and another disappointment. Honestly, there’s nothing worth mentioning coming out this week, nothing. Yes, there are new Nine Inch Nails songs for Rock Band and new No Doubt (?) downloadable content for Guitar Hero III, but other than that it’s slim pickin’s.

Check the full list of downloadable content, trailers and videos after the jump.

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Joystiq seems to have caught a mistake that Microsoft made on Xbox.com. I guess the folks at Microsoft accidentally posted the rest of Rock Band’s DLC for the entire month. Big “oops” on that. Here’s the leaked info:

Week of Jan. 22: Oasis Pack (440 MS points/ $5.50)

* Don’t Look Back in Anger (160 MS points/ $2)
* Live Forever (160 MS points/ $2)
* Wonderwall (160 MS Points / $2)

Week of Jan. 29: Progressive Pack (440 MS points/ $5.50)

* Siva - Smashing Pumpkins (160 MS points/ $2)
* Working Man - Rush *Cover* (160 MS points/ $2)
* Ten Speed (Of God’s Blood and Burial) - Coheed and Cambria *Cover* (160 MS Points / $2)

I’m pretty excited to hear that Oasis is on their way to this awesome game. I would most definitely hash my money out to play Wonderwall. As for the other pack, you can count me out. I don’t think it’d be fun to play a crappy cover of an already crappy band (no, I’m not talking about Rush, so don’t go apeshit on the comments).

A couple of weeks ago, we brought news that new downloadable maps were coming for one of the best shooters of the year, Halo 3. Earlier today, the maps went up on Xbox Live for a price of 800 MS points. The three maps are detailed below:

* The symmetrical valley of Standoff, with its entrenched bases and fields of boulders is ideal for mid-sized objective and Slayer game types.
* The vast, labyrinthine passages of the Rat’s Nest bring something completely new to the multiplayer experience: an indoor vehicle paradise. Strongly influenced by the Campaign mode, this map is ideal for big team battles.
* Foundry is the ultimate Forge map. Players can edit every single object in this voluminous industrial warehouse, placing stairways, walls, bridges, and tunnels to create an entirely new play space and build almost any kind of map imaginable.

While 800 MS points (or $10) may seem like a lot for three maps that will be available in a couple of months, hardcore Halo fans, such as myself, won’t be able to resist.

As you now know, December 4th will forever go down in history as “Day of the DLC.” In addition to the Bioshock downloadable content released today, Rock Band will get three Black Sabbath songs available for download for 440 points total.

Content: Black Sabbath Pack 01
Price: 440 Points
Availability: United States
Dash Text: [ESRB: T (Teen) MILD LYRICS,MILD SUGGESTIVE THEMES] Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this game song track pack, which includes: “N.I.B.,” “Sweet Leaf,” and “War Pigs,” which are covers of songs made famous by Black Sabbath. PLEASE NOTE: this game song track includes three song game tracks at a discounted rate over individual purchases. Many Rock Band songs are available as both a multipack and as a single track. These songs are exactly the same (unless expressly noted as a special version or remix). Be aware that it is possible to download the same song twice so please carefully consider your purchases. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com. There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

Does War Pigs sound familiar? Guitar Hero II, anyone? I wish they had released a different non-duplicate Black Sabbath song besides the one that had been covered earlier, but all in all this pack might be a good one for anyone who hasn’t played the second Guitar Hero.

By now, I’m sure that you know about my hatred for Bioshock. Dispel that for a moment in your minds and listen to what I’ve got to say; Take-Two just announced that the new Bioshock DLC (for Xbox 360 and Games for Windows) will be available today. The downloadable content, which is free to all users who have the game, includes new plasmids and gene tonics such as:

* Sonic Boom: Hurls creatures and objects back with a blast of force
* EVE saver: Enables Plasmids to use less EVE
* Vending Expert: Reduces prices in the vending machines
* Machine Buster: Increases the amount of damage players deal to cameras, bots and turrets

Additionally, the downloadable content will unlock another achievement, confirming the rumor and giving players who can beat the game on hard mode without dying 100 achievement points. Also, Take-Two has added a widescreen option for all widescreen tv users who had to deal with screen adjusting the first time through.

All in all, this looks like a very solid add-on to a *cough* verysolidgame *cough*. What was that, you ask? Nothing, I just had something in my throat.

[Via Kotaku]

In less than two months, the new Halo 3 Heroic Map Pack will be available on Xbox Live for 800 points. Included in the pack are three new maps — Standoff, Rat’s Nest and Foundry (all of which are detailed below) — that, for cheapskates like me, will become available for free sometime next spring.

Check out the full press release after the jump.

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Nobody told me but apparently November 8th is national “announce your rhythm game’s DLC day,” otherwise known as Boxing Day in Canada. Sure, I might not think the highest of Canadians, but please don’t be offended by what I’ve just said; I know Boxing Day is just fake Thanksgiving.

Anyway, the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine, known simply as OXM to you abbrev. lovers, has revealed a slew of new downloadable songs for Harmonix and MTV Games’ upcoming rhythm game, Rock Band. In addition to the songs that were announced in the past, including tracks from The Grateful Dead, The Who and Nirvana, the following songs will also eventually join the DLC ranks:

- The Police - Roxanne, Synchronicity II, Can’t Stand Losing You
- Queens of the Stone Age - Sick Sick Sick (ew), 3s and 7s (double ew), Little Sister
- Metallica (songs TBA)
- David Bowie (songs TBA)
- Black Sabbath (songs TBA)
- “Punk Pack” featuring songs by The Clash, The Buzzcocks and The Ramones
- Credence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Fortunate Son
- Foreigner - Jukebox Hero
- The Knack - My Sharona
- The Pretenders - Brass in a Pocket
- Radiohead - My Iron Lung
- The Runaways - Cherry Bomb
- T-Rex - Bang a Gong
- Weezer - Buddy Holly
- Wolfmother - Joker and the Theif

Well, then, that was exhausting! In retrospect, Rock Band has a much more solid list of downloadable content than its main competitor, Guitar Hero III. If the boys at MTV Games can afford to make the songs cheaper, say only $1/song, they’d win the DLC battle hands down.