Microsoft Offering 20GB HDDs Refurb For NXE Upgrade

It emerged last week that Microsoft's NXE upgrade would require 128MB of free space and might therefore be out of reach to some Arcade owners.

Microsoft promised that some kind of 'storage solution' was in the works and has just released details of an upgrade program to ensure under-specced consoles can receive the dashboard replacement.

www.xboxstorageupgrade.com recommends either clearing some space by removing saved content or entering your Serial Number and Console Id to see if you are eligible for either a free 512 MB memory card or a 20 GB hard-drive for $19.99.

UPDATE: We are checking the validity of this. The link seems genuine, but nothing has shown up through the usual MS sources and there have been rumors that this is a phishing scam. Microsoft has been contacted for comment.

UPDATE 2, Electric Boogaloo: Microsoft have confirmed that the site is genuine.

Enjoy the New Xbox Experience and Xbox LIVE![Xbox Storage Upgrade via Xbox.com - thanks to Magnum1024k for the tip]

NXE To Require 128MB, Microsoft Offering 'Storage Solutions' For Arcade Owners

At 128MB, the New Xbox Experience will be too big for some Xbox 360s to handle.

The entry-level Arcade box has no onboard hard drive, but Microsoft has promised to release 'Storage Solutions' to help out those who will otherwise miss out on key features.

Speaking to Xbox 360 Fanboy, LIVE's Major Nelson said, "To help ensure all Xbox LIVE members are able to download the New Xbox Experience and enjoy its new features, Microsoft will be offering storage solutions to the Xbox LIVE community. We are not sharing details of this offering yet."

MS to offer NXE 'storage solutions' to those in need [Shacknews]

Yakuza 3 Lady Girls Spotted With Brown Man

And we're back with more thrilling female cameo info about Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (aka Yakuza 3)! SEGA announced that fashion model Ayana Tsubaki would be appearing in-game as an oil massage therapist, joining seven models from Japanese magazine Koakuma Ageha. They talk it up as in-game nightclub hostesses. At SEGA's Tokyo Game Show booth, three of them showed up, including Sayaka Araki, Shizuka Muto and Osaka-native Rina Sakurai who I interviewed for the arcade book I wrote. She's a really nice, smart person. About appearing in-game, Sakurina said it was really strange for her to speak the Tokyo dialect.

Pic of the three models with the very brown Rya Ga Gotoku creator Toshihiro Nagoshi after the jump.

Submarine Played Nowhere Near North Korea

Right up front at Namco Bandai's pyramid building arcade was this classic: Submarine! Better still Ash had never played it. Watch as he first falls in love and then seconds later loses interest in the game. Now with less North Korean arcade action!

Yoshi Ono on 'Saving' Street Fighter

Want To Fight Ken and Ryu's Master? Here's How

Gouken, known for teaching Ken and Ryu, is making an appearance in Street Fighter IV as a computer-controlled challenger. Today, the game's official blog offers details on how to face off against this opponent, things like: do not use any continues, do not lose the first round in any fight and get a certain number of "perfects" depending on what the machine is set to. Easier said than done. But who said this was going to be easy?

「剛拳、見参！」 [SFIV Blog - thanks, TurboIIFC (Lino Martinez II)!]

What Should Be the Official Console of The Next Great Depression?

With the economy on the ropes and a recession running around like death at the masquerade, it seems inevitable that we're going to be dealing with question eventually, so let's get to it now.

NPR argued yesterday that video games could serve as the mass opiate of this generation's great depression. In the 30s that role was served by nickle movies, but today's audience can perhaps get more bang for their buck, more distraction for their dollar with a game.

So which one will best help people to forget their worldly woes?

Back In The Day, Seven Year Old Writes About Space Invaders

Taito's Space Invaders went supernova in late 1970s Japan and even caused a national coin shortage! Yokai Attack! co-author Matt Alt was a gaming nut back then, putting an endless stream of quarters into arcade game after arcade game. When he was seven years old, he sat down and composed his first opus space invaders, based on the classic Taito title. Recently found at his grandparents' house, it reads: