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FaceBreaker, Madden 09 Demos on Xbox Marketplace

Demos of EA Canada's FaceBreaker and EA Tiburon's Madden NFL 09 are now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace in all regions.

The demo of Madden NFL 09 is a 1.09GB download, and does not feature a real game. Instead, you take the "Madden Test", a mini-game using the game's holographic interface.

This year's Madden NFL will be in stores August 12 for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP.

Meanwhile, a 955MB download will net you the demo for the arcade boxing game FaceBreaker. The demo contains a Fight mode with a selection of three characters and two rings, playable solo or with a friend (offline only). Additionally you can create your own character in the Boxer Factory, which then also can be used in the Fight mode.

FaceBreaker will be released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii (as FaceBreaker K.O. Party) in September.

Nintendo Exploring Holographic Data Storage

A recently uncovered patent for holographic storage technology was co-signed by Nintendo, indicating that the console manufacturer is investigating new methods of data storage for future projects.

The patent, filed jointly by Inphase Technologies and Nintendo, concerns "miniature flexure based scanners for angle multiplexing." The document was filed in March 2007, and was issued in February 2008.

Inphase Technologies is a Bell Labs spin-off venture, with the stated goal of "becoming the first company to bring holo...

PlayStation Network to Gain 'Competitive Edge' Over Xbox Live, Says Uncharted Developer

Naughty Dog designer Richard Lemarchand believes that new social networking and connectivity features in the works for the PlayStation 3's online PlayStation Network may give the service an advantage over competitor Microsoft's Xbox Live.

Speaking with IGN, the Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3) lead developer said that the PlayStation 3's trophies build off of groundwork laid by the Xbox 360's Achievements, adding that the social aspects offered by the system could "become the norm across all gaming systems."

"I like the fact that you can pull them up and look at them in-game anywhere you are on the PS3 interface," Lemarchand continued. "I think there's going to be other things coming down the pipe that's going to give PSN as a whole a competitive edge."

Lemarchard declined to offer specific details on the upcoming additions, but stated that he was excited by the internet connectivity and user-oriented con...

Wii Lightsaber Demonstrated by AiLive, LucasArts Beaten to the Punch

Since the Wii's inception, fans have been clamoring for a 1:1 motion-accurate lightsaber game from LucasArts. And while Nintendo's announcement of the Wii MotionPlus accessory caught developers off guard, it appears that progress is being made toward that ultimate goal--albeit it by an unlikely source.

LiveMove 2 is a piece of middleware designed to help developers easily incorporate Wii MotionPlus support into their games. Produced by AiLive, the tools were demonstrated in a short video (below), which shows a developer using a laser sword to knock around objects, including a human figure. [videofeature] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acND4sO3pJs [img] http://cdn.shacknews.com/public/images/videopreview/feature/lightmove2.jpg [/img] [/videofeature]

General British Wants You!

Attention space cadets: we have an incoming communique from Lord Big Daddy General British. Put down your space keyboards and pay attention. The General never repeats himself, unless he's playing two characters at once.

Do you think you have what it takes to live forever? Do you have any idea what an honor it is to be immortalized by General British himself? Do you have any "spare DNA" he could put "into space"?

Of course you do. This is Operation Immortality. Begin transmission, bitches. [videofeature] http://cdn.shacknews.com/public/videofeature/operation_immortality.flv [img] http://cdn.shacknews.com/public/images/videopreview/feature/operation_immortality.jpg [/img][/videofeature]