Microsoft Corp. and Activision Publishing, Inc. today brandished the latest weapon to help gamers take to the battlefields for the global launch of the year with the announcement of the Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition Console. Infinity Ward’s “Modern Warfare 2,” the blockbuster sequel to the best-selling first-person action game in history, “Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare®,” was the inspiration for the console’s high-speed, low-drag, battle-ready design, which is available for pre-order today at U.S. retailers and in other regions later this week.

Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition

Beginning with “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s” worldwide release on Nov. 10, fans can arm themselves with Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition Console, which features an exclusive design inspired by the epic thriller, more storage space than ever before in a 250GB Hard Drive, two Xbox 360 Wireless Controllers, as well as an Xbox 360 Headset and a Standard Edition copy of “Modern Warfare 2″ for an estimated retail price of $399.99 (USD).

“It’s the highest compliment to the team and our fans to have a special themed Xbox 360 console,” said Vince Zampella, CEO of Infinity Ward. “The precision and detail that’s been put into the console captures the intensity and feel of ‘Modern Warfare 2.’ We can’t wait for our community and fans around the world to see for themselves on Nov. 10.”

The Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition Console was revealed at an exclusive preview event in Los Angeles where guests were the first to experience “Modern Warfare 2″ multiplayer gameplay on Xbox LIVE.

“It is thrilling to bring the exclusive ‘Modern Warfare 2′-inspired Xbox 360 console to Call of Duty fans. Being able to work so closely with the talented team at Infinity Ward on the design has enabled us to develop a console that will set bragging rights around the world,” said Albert Penello, senior director of global marketing for Xbox 360. “These fans deserve the biggest Xbox 360 console ever, and we’re delivering with more storage space than ever before and freedom to enjoy their favorite games and downloadable Game Add-ons, including the first two ‘Modern Warfare 2′ maps that will be available first on Xbox LIVE.”*

Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition Console, will be sold in Europe, the Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia), UK, US, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Australia and New Zealand.

On Nov. 10, Activision Publishing, Inc. will release Infinity Ward’s “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.” The title continues the gripping and heart-racing action as players face off against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse. “Modern Warfare 2″ is rated “M” (Mature – Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Language) by the ESRB. For more information, visit www.modernwafare2.com or http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/c/callofdutymodernwarfare2/.

I’ve been reading a lot of SpeedHunter’s lately, also Kotaku has quickly become my favorite resource for gaming news. I really like the photo-blog style of Speed Hunters and the down to earth commentary on Kotaku. With that in mind I decided to add a little more flare here and there to the photos for this release and I’ve added a bit of personal commentary.

I’d appreciate some feedback as to whether this is something you’d like to see more of in the future or if you’d prefer the more no-nonsense approach that I’ve taken in the past.

Click the link below for more pictures and details.

The email was to announce a deal whereby anyone buying a 360 console in NZ would, for a limited time, receive a free copy of Halo Wars. Good deal! Except, there’s a catch. You’ll get the game if you buy an Arcade, Pro or Elite model, but “this Halo Wars offer does not apply to the Red Xbox 360 Elite console which is exclusive to EB games.”

It would seem that this new rumored “Limited Edition” Red console will be exclusive to EB Games (now known as “Game” in the UK and “GameStop” in the US). It will be interesting to see if there is anything in particular that will make this console desirable to consumers beyond just the color. I would have to be something that’s worth more than a free copy of Halo Wars at least.

While the Halo 2 Collector’s Edition case wasn’t a genuine SteelBook brand product, it was actually imitating that design. As the proud owner of many DVD movies and games contained within genuine SteelBook brand cases I can appreciate both the high build quality and appealing visuals that these cases offer over a standard DVD keep case and even over knock-off products like the Halo 2 case. Really isn’t that what a Collector is looking for? Something that not only protects your investment, but cherishes and embellishes it, particularly us game collectors spending $70 or $80 on a Special Edition here in the USA and equivalent to $100 elsewhere in the world. SteelBooks have raised the bar, I now find it disappointing when a Special Edition game is released without one.

You can imagine how excited I was when I was actually contacted by an employee of Scanavo, one of the companies behind SteelBook. I talked with him at length over email and he was kind enough to send over sample cases that they had produced. I received them today and wasted no time putting them in the photo-booth to share with you here. Not to mention I uploaded them at a higher resolution than I normally do for images here on CE so you can take in some of the details.

I also visited http://steelbook.com for the first time and was quite pleased with what I found there. It’s loaded with pictures of the different cases they’ve made and also features “behind the scenes” content discussing the evolution of the their design and the ideals behind the product from the people who actually designed it. It’s essentially the bonus disc to your Collector’s case. I thought it was a nice touch.

One thing that makes SteelBooks special is that steel is not a material you typically find on store shelves these days, nearly everything is plastics and paper, and if you do happen to find something made of steel there is usually an attempt to hide that fact. Metal can be quite beautiful if crafted properly, and it caries with it an association with high quality and value, while paper and plastic are most commonly associated with cheap or disposable products. Take a look at these comparison shots between the NTSC and PAL releases of John Woo’s Stranglehold Collector’s Edition for Xbox 360. Not only does the SteelBook version look sleek, sturdy and much higher in quality, but the graphics have a 3D quality to them and much better color fidelity.

Lets face it, if you’re going to spend extra to get the best possible version of your favorite game, movie, or TV show then it’s only right that it’s wrapped in metal. Of course I’m preaching to the choir here, as I’m sure most collectors would easily opt for a SteelBook over a keep case when given the option. I consider this write up for the benefit of game and movie publishers out there. Take note: collector’s want high quality and unique cases and SteelBooks fit that bill better than any other case design.

Beyond the build quality SteelBooks can do things that just can’t be done with a paper or plastic case. The natural brushed look, the natural shimmering qualities of the metal, the ability to emboss images and create textures, and most interestingly the ability to decorate with not just gloss and metallic finishes but also flat finishes really make them POP in the right light.

Personally some of my favorite features found in SteelBooks are also some of the things that separate it from other metal cases. The use of clear plastic on the inside of the case with printing on the inside of the metal shell to match the outside makes the whole case feel complete, especially considering that most other metal cases either have an opaque plastic or simply bare metal, the inclusion of additional artwork, coherent right across the inside of the spine is something that’s rarely found elsewhere, and when it is, the case is usually made of cheap paper.

The other thing I like about SteelBooks is the way their spine looks when sitting on a shelf. the curvature of the top and bottom of the case sandwiching the slender spine is slimming and gives it somewhat of an hourglass shape. The outline of the thin metal rails on either side of the spine give it a smooth hard detail that just makes every other case on the shelf look sloppy and inferior. The spine is something that separates real SteelBooks from imitations too, as they’re unable to duplicate the slick and slender design. Not only that but the spine on SteelBooks is built better, using a design analogous to stitch welding, which dramatically increases it’s lifespan. I can’t tell you how many Halo 2 Collector’s Editions I’ve seen on the used rack in stores with broken spines.

As you can see the SteelBooks in my collection are easily my most prized pieces, they have the ability to make a mediocre release stand out on the shelf, and to make a great release a prized possession for fans and collectors. I’d like to thank Dave and the other fine people at Scanavo for sending me these samples and hopefully I’ll be able to share more of this stuff again in the future.

-TS