Source: Straight from the horse's mouth...an official correction in a Nintendo press release.

The official story: Nintendo could not be reached for comment as of press time.

What we heard: When talking about the two recently released gaming consoles, Nintendo's Wii is largely regarded to be plentiful when compared to the scarce PlayStation 3. Even though Nintendo's console has sold out across the United States, gamers have found that getting a Wii has been much easier than purchasing one of Sony's new consoles.

Nintendo reported that 600,000 Wiis were sold in "the Americas" in its first eight days in retail, with almost half a million being sold in the United States. Shortly after the Wii's launch, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said Nintendo was on target to ship 4 million Wiis worldwide by the end of the year.

Yesterday, Nintendo sent out a press release touting the sales success of Nintendo hardware in November, saying that of the 3.9 million systems sold in the US in the month, 2.1 million (55 percent) carried the Nintendo brand.

The press release also carried the statement, "Despite spot shortages in some locations, well more than a million Wii systems will be available in the United States by the end of the year."

For those gamers still waiting to get a Wii for the holidays, well over a million Wiis is indeed good tidings. Unfortunately, Nintendo may accidentally be playing the role of Grinch.

About four hours after the initial press release hit the wires, Nintendo sent out an updated version with one major correction. In the head of the updated release from Nintendo's PR agency, a correction reads, "...we are advised [by Nintendo] that the fourth paragraph, last sentence which reads, 'Despite spot shortages in some locations, well more than a million Wii systems will be available in the United States by the end of the year,' should be disregarded. (Emphasis added.)

Two days after launch, Fils-Aime told Reuters that approximately 2 million Wiis would be available in the US by early January, with 1 million available in early December. But with yesterday's updated release, Nintendo doesn't seem too sure about that number.

Yesterday's European launch (remember--they don't get the PS3 until spring 2007) and last week's Japanese launch may be bad for American gamers. Nintendo could be feeling a pinch on supply and may be moving some units destined for the US over to those regions.

On the other hand, Nintendo could simply be covering its bases, not wanting to promise something it can't deliver in light of the incredibly high demand for the console.

Bogus or not bogus?: It's still speculative, but also very fishy. Rumor Control will abstain until we hear back from Nintendo.

Source: A post on the Xbox.com forums, regurgitated with skepticism (but not fact-checking) by Team Xbox, Computer and Video Games, and Joystiq.

What we heard: When Microsoft released the Fall Update for the Xbox 360 on October 31, reports that it was "bricking" some systems--rendering them unable to play games or even boot up properly--quickly flared up online. Web sites specializing in the Xbox modding scene speculated that the bricked systems were an intentional byproduct of the update. According to them, Microsoft wanted to break consoles that had been tampered with to do things for which it wasn't intended, like play pirated copies of games. Microsoft required that anyone wishing to take their Xbox 360 console onto the Xbox Live service download the update.

While initially quiet on the subject, Microsoft the next day acknowledged problems that affected "less than 1 percent" of Xbox 360 owners who installed the update onto their consoles. The company said it was working with those affected to resolve the issue, and released an updated version of the Fall Update.

That apparently didn't satisfy everyone, as earlier this week, a poster on the official Xbox.com message boards waded into the middle of a 60+-page thread about the Fall Update problems and claimed that he had filed a class-action lawsuit against Microsoft in the matter.

A handful of gaming Web sites picked up on the news and passed it along, each of them noting that it was an unconfirmed report from a message board poster.

As it turns out, the poster was telling the truth. GameSpot obtained a copy of the original complaint, which was filed in a Washington district court. The suit accuses Microsoft of breach of contract, negligence, and violation of the state of Washington's Consumer Protection Act (CPA). Stating that the affected consumers number in "at least the thousands," the suit contends that Microsoft is refusing to repair or replace the broken systems unless the users pay "up to $140" to ship it back to the company.

The plaintiff is demanding that Microsoft pay at least $5 million in damages for breach of contract to those affected by the Fall Update problems, and an additional amount of at least $5 million in damages for an unfair or deceptive act under the CPA. Should Microsoft argue that it had no agreement to breach with the affected users, then the plaintiff contends Microsoft was negligent, and should be made to pay at least $5 million in damages.

[UPDATE] The official story:�A Microsoft representative issued the following response to the matter:

"A small percentage of consoles (less than 1 percent) were affected by the Fall Update. An updated version of the Fall Update was made available on Xbox Live on November 1 which eliminated issues relating to new or refurbished consoles malfunctioning after applying the Fall Update.

"Users affected by the initial Fall Update would have seen an error message and should call Xbox Support (1-800-4-MY-XBOX in the US and Canada). Microsoft is making every effort to resolve this issue for its customers as fast and easy as possible. It's also important to note that Xbox Support is paying for the shipping and repair/replacement of all Xbox 360 consoles that malfunctioned as a result of the Fall Update on October 31, before it could be fixed on November 1. They just need to phone Xbox Support and give them the proper error message indicating it was the Fall Update that affected their console."

Bogus or not bogus?: Fortunately for those reporting without a net, not bogus.

Source: A passel of tech and gaming news sites across the Web.

What we heard: Another company entering the console gaming market may seem like financial suicide given the cutthroat nature of Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft, but one name has been repeatedly bandied around as a distinct possibility.

Apple Computer, which has experienced a boom since it brought the iPod to market in 2001, was most recently rumored to be getting its game on in May, with an ultrasecret gaming division being established internally. Further proof that Apple was targeting console gamers came in September, when Apple announced games for the iPod, including Pac-Man, Zuma, and Tetris.

Now, there are more rumblings that Apple is indeed trying to enter the mainstream gaming sector. Several tech Web sites, including AppleInsider.com, are reporting that Prudential analyst Jesse Tortora believes that iPod games may just be the beginning for Apple.

"We think the video game market represents a distinct possibility for Apple, especially considering that it recently announced the availability of video games for its iPod through its iTunes store," the analyst said in a memo, according to AppleInsider.

The design and function of Apple's recently released and upcoming products make for an easy transition into gaming, says Tortora. "The game console device could be morphed out of some combination of the MacMini and iTV, while the handheld player could be developed as an enhancement to a future version of the widescreen iPod."

Tortora also believes that Apple has hired a slew of game developers for both hardware and software.

But why would Apple risk getting into the gaming business? According to Tortora, to defend its turf. Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3 are being billed as more than just gaming machines, with downloadable media threatening Apple's iTunes store. By creating a console that also doubles as a media hub, Apple could preserve its position as the leading downloadable media provider.

The proliferation of headlines on the subject made many causal observers think that Apple was considering a move into the console space. However, a closer look showed that Tortora didn't say that the Empire that Jobs Built was going into gaming, all he said was that it might, if it is so inclined. "We think the video game market represents a distinct possibility for Apple," said Tortora. (Emphasis added.)

The official story: Requests for comment from Apple were unanswered as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: For now, an Apple gaming machine remains a rumor. Bogus until Apple says otherwise.

Source: The ever-enthusiastic showbiz rumor mill known as Ain't-It-Cool-News.

What we heard: In June 2005, the interests of gamers and film geeks collided. That's when Variety revealed that Vin Diesel would be donning the well-pressed suit of Agent 47, the titular assassin of the best-selling Hitman series from Eidos, in a forthcoming film version.

A gamer since the Dungeons & Dragons era, Diesel helped produce and starred in one of the best-reviewed film-based games of all time, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. Given Diesel's passion for game-movie synergy, news of his casting raised hopes that the big-screen Hitman would be superior to subpar adaptations of the subterranean Uwe Boll subgenre.

In February, Midway Games and MTV Films announced that Diesel would star in both the game and film versions of The Wheelman, an all-new property. A trailer for the game was on display at E3 2006...where nary a word was heard about Diesel's involvement in the Hitman film.

Indeed, little news about Hitman surfaced over the past year until today, when Ain't It Cool News reported that Diesel was off the project. According to the site, he is being replaced by actor Timothy Olyphant (pictured), most famous for his role as the emotionally tortured and often-violent town sheriff in the HBO series Deadwood.

The AICN report says that a script for Hitman by screenwriter Skip Woods (Swordfish) has finally been green lit by 20th Century Fox, one of the studios that pulled out of the Halo movie this fall. The movie is now reportedly being produced by French filmmaker Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element), who has all but retired from directing, along with the project's original producers Chuck Gordon, Adrian Askarieh, and Daniel Alter.

The official story: While many sites republished the story as though it was a news release, nothing has yet been publicly confirmed by 20th Century Fox. As of press time, Eidos reps still hadn't heard back from the producers of the film on whether the Olyphant casting was a lock.

Bogus or not bogus?: Though its record is spotty, AICN has a knack for breaking major stories before the trades. However, nothing is official...yet.

Source: Play-Nintendo.com, citing the game's Yahoo Group's Web page.

The official story: See below.

What we heard: In April, gamers were pleasantly surprised when news broke that a Nintendo DS, Wii, and PC game based on the PBS art show The Joy of Painting was in the works. The show, which ran in the 1980s and early 1990s, was hosted by the late Bob Ross, who painted landscapes with "happy little trees" and "happy little clouds." Ross became a cult hero not only for his artistic abilities, but also for his soothing voice, brown afro, and amicable demeanor.

Little was known about the games except that they were scheduled to be developed by AGFRAG Entertainment Group, a small studio largely concentrating on PC flash games.

Unfortunately, the trees, mountains, and clouds won't be happy to hear that the game is currently in limbo. On the Bob Ross Game Yahoo Group, which the developers used to keep gamers up to date on the project, the following message was posted:

"AGFRAG is no longer involved in the development of ANY Bob Ross Game. Please contact Bob Ross Inc. for further information. Thank You." (emphasis in original.)

GameSpot contacted Joseph Hatcher, head of AGFRAG to confirm the message. Hatcher reiterated the previous statement, saying, "We will not be developing the game on any platform." Citing legal reasons, Hatcher was unable to give details of his company's decision. However, he did leave the door open for the game to live on. "We are not saying it is canceled in anyway," he told GameSpot.

Following his conversation with GameSpot, Hatcher updated the AGFRAG Web site with the following message:

"I'm sorry that we have disappointed so many people on a certain project. Please realize we did what we felt was best, with the cards that were dealt to us and the situation we were in. We have learned from the experience and we won't make the same mistakes twice. The companies we dealt with were
professional in every way and we enjoyed working with them while we did and appreciated the opportunities they presented to us. You won't hear anything about our next game until it's almost on shelves."

While it is possible that another developer may hop onboard, Bob Ross Inc. would be hard pressed to find another taker for what looks to be merely a cult project.

Bob Ross Inc. did not have any news of the game posted on its Web site as of today. Requests for comment from Bob Ross Inc. were unanswered as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: Unlike Bob's tranquil landscapes, the picture does not look good. Not bogus.

Source: An interview with Der Reggiemeister on MTV News.

What we heard: Nintendo certainly is chatty this week. On Monday, the company announced that it had sold 600,000 Wiis and more than 450,000 copies of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in just eight days. This week, Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime told a news conference in New York that "all systems are go for reaching the 4 million [worldwide Wii shipment] target we have in our financials by December 31."

While in New York, Fils-Aime took time to speak with MTV News correspondent Stephen Totilo. They discussed Wii's Virtual Console, which lets consumers download and play NES, SNES, Genesis, TurboGrafx-16, and N64 titles. The subject quickly turned to whether one of the biggest hits for the latter system, Rare's 1997 James Bond shooter GoldenEye 007, would get a second life on the Wii.

"Would I love to see it on [the] Virtual Console? Absolutely," said Fils-Aime. "But there are a lot of issues there...Suffice it to say we would love to see it, so we're exploring all the rights issues."

The official story: Unfortunately, the aforementioned "rights issues" are a bit of a sticky wicket. Since Activision now owns the James Bond license, presumably it would be the company Nintendo is talking to. However, as of press time, reps for the publisher had not responded to requests for comment.

Nintendo reps also hadn't replied to queries on the matter as of press time. Nor has Microsoft, which bought Rare in 2002, clarified whether or not the studio has any say on whether GoldenEye 007 comes to the Wii. All a rep would say is, "We're working on an answer for you...Stay tuned!"

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus that Nintendo is considering it. But, given the rights rigmarole, it's more than a little iffy that a Wii GoldenEye will happen.

Source: The UK Web site for Official Xbox 360 Magazine.

What we heard: Side-scrolling action games got a real punch in the face when Double Dragon was unleashed on arcades in 1987. The game took brawlers to the next level by incorporating cooperative gameplay and the ability to pick up weapons dropped by fallen enemies...as well as hours of butt-kicking. The game was a massive hit in arcades and was even the basis for a big-screen adaptation starring Party of Five's Scott Wolf.

Double Dragon's popularity has made it a logical candidate for rebirth on Xbox Live Arcade. According to OXM.co.uk, fans of the series won't have to wait too long.

OXM doesn't mention any source for its information, only saying that it has been confirmed. Among the features allegedly included in the game is cooperative play over Xbox Live and enhanced graphics. OXM apparently also already knows how big the game will be--12.56MB.

With classic games like Contra, Defender, and others headed to Xbox Live Marketplace, Double Dragon seems destined for the platform. Now all Microsoft needs is Double Dragon to appear on its on-demand video service...synergy!

The official story: Microsoft rep: "We have not made any announcements at this time."

Bogus or not bogus?: Nothing is official yet, but this is looking not bogus.

Source: Xboxic.com, citing German Xbox site Xbox-Archiv.

What we heard: Xbox Live Marketplace is an online store where gamers from all over the world can download various types of content, such as games, demos, trailers, and dashboard themes. However, because of various regional agreements and the occasional timed exclusive, not all content is available in all areas.

It didn't take gamers long to figure out they didn't have to live in a certain country to get access to that country's content. Xbox Live users could simply set up a dummy Xbox Live account, put in a false address from abroad, and download what regional agreements said they couldn't.

That loophole may not be exploitable for too long. Soon, according to Xbox-Archiv, Microsoft will begin policing Xbox Live accounts and deleting "dummy" accounts. The reason stems largely from the recent addition of on-demand video content to Xbox Live and the multitude of regional restrictions movies and televisions have.

Xboxic has posted a rough translation from Xbox-Archiv, which claims to have known about the plan for weeks but is only reporting on this now as other sites have written about it. The site claims that Microsoft will shut down Xbox Live accounts with IP addresses that do not match the user's information.

Xbox-Archiv claims to have gotten the information from a "confidential discussion," and Microsoft has yet to make any announcements. Still, if Microsoft wants to get its on-demand service off the ground, it has to keep its content suppliers (that is, film and television studios) happy, which means obeying copyright agreements.

[UPDATE] A Microsoft representative posted the following on the Gaming-Age forums:

"Details aren't all in yet--BUT, I do know for a fact that we are NOT banning the accounts. We are blocking downloads in cases where gold accounts are being used to gain US content in foreign marketplaces."

The official story: Microsoft was unavailable for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: It will happen sooner or later. Not bogus.

Source: Several forum posts on the Epic Games Web site by Mark Rein, vice president of Gears developer Epic Games.

What we heard: Last week, Gears of War became the fastest-selling Xbox 360 game to date, moving�more than�1 million copies in a fortnight. Around the same time, self-styled "Gearheads" were whipped into a frenzy when Jeff Bell, Microsoft's corporate vice president of global marketing, let slip in an interview that a Gears of War trilogy is in the works.

Now comes word that Gears of War could go beyond a mere trifecta of shooters.�In a�post that went up shortly before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Rein�asked, "If we can keep making quality games that fans obviously love...then why would we have to stop at three? I don't see the Metal Gear Solid, Mario, Grand Theft Auto or Final Fantasy series (among others) stopping at three and they're still delivering compelling entertainment content that's easily worth the money (see Unreal Tournament as well)."

Though Rein's comments were rhetorical, they do raise the possibility that the Gears of War series could be open-ended. That was enough to send the rumor mill into overdrive, with some fanboys even floating the possibility of a real-time strategy spin-off��la Halo Wars.

The official story: Despite the widespread speculation, not even a Gears sequel has been officially confirmed by Microsoft, which hadn't commented on Rein's words as of press time. However, in a subsequent post, Rein said Epic is just taking it one game at a time. "If Gears had flopped we certainly wouldn't be thinking about a sequel," he wrote. "So when we said, 'Let's wait and see how the first one does before we commit to a second,' we definitely meant it. Likewise the same is true for third or fourth, or seventh or tenth. : ) I think we made it clear that this game is part of a bigger story and, if this one did well, then the story would unfold in another one."

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus that a GOW sequel is a lock. As for confirmation of a fourth installment or spin-off? Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, people--bogus.

Source: A GameDaily interview with Jeff Bell, Microsoft's corporate vice president of global marketing.

What we heard: Though it might not be Halo 3, there's little question that Gears of War is a monster hit for the Xbox 360. Less than two weeks after its release, the game surpassed Halo 2 as the most-played title on Xbox Live. It has topped charts in the UK and was second only to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on Bestbuy.com's sales rankings for the week of November 13 to 19. As of November 21, two weeks after its release, more than 1 million units of the game had sold worldwide.

In addition to its popular success, Gears of War is also arguably the best-reviewed game of the year. Besides earning a 9.6 from GameSpot--tying the Xbox 360 Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion as the highest-rated game of 2006--Epic Games' shooter enjoys a sparkling 95 metascore on Metacritic, which averages dozens of game-review Web sites' ratings.

Given Gears of War's ability to tickle critics and mint money, a sequel is a near certainty. However, the GameDaily interview with Bell appears to reveal Microsoft has even grander plans for the game. When outlining his company's holiday ad blitz, the marketing guru gushed about Gears' burgeoning popularity. "Gears of War is a popular culture phenomenon in the making," he said, referencing a semicontroversial television advertisement. "The goal of this ad is to establish Marcus Fenix as the hero of the Gears of War trilogy. The intention is to create emotional connection with him that is lacking in typical third-person action title marketing." (Emphasis added.)

The official story: "Whenever a title enjoys the type of attention Gears of War is receiving, there is bound to be speculation and discussion about future installments. While we are discussing future plans for this very exciting franchise, we have not made any formal announcements."--Microsoft rep.

Bogus or not bogus?: Though it might be a ways off--the original took over two years to develop--Gears of War 2 is pretty much a lock, particularly given its (SPOILER ALERT) cliff-hanger ending (END SPOILER). As for a third, Bell's words appear to unofficially confirm comments made by Epic's meteoric lead designer Cliff Bleszinski, who has said on numerous occasions he wants to make Gears a trilogy along the lines of Halo. Now, it would appear Microsoft does too, though they're not talking about it openly...yet.

Source: A pair of message board threads from Nintendo's official forums, supplemented by other reports from around the Web.

What we heard: Last month, some Xbox 360 owners downloaded the Fall Update to the system's dashboard only to find that it had turned their systems into a giant paperweight. Now it appears that one of the first system updates to the Nintendo Wii has similarly affected a portion of the fledgling console's user base, and Nintendo's official forums have attracted numerous reports of broken Wiis.

Apparently the systems in question began exhibiting problems immediately after downloading updates from the WiiConnect 24 service. Specifically, the systems begin giving out the error code "110213." Several of the posters reported getting through to Nintendo's customer service, only to be told that the problem couldn't be fixed from their end and the consoles would need to be sent in to Nintendo for repairs at the company's expense.

According to the Wii error code troubleshooting page, the troubleshooting advice given for that particular error code is to call Nintendo customer service at (800) 255-3700 to resolve the issue.

It appears that some people are having issues with their systems as a result of the update, but the game giant's lack of comment--or even acknowledgement--of the complaints makes it hard to judge the scope of the problem. Nintendo's customer service line has been bogged down for much of the day, insisting that callers try to reach service representatives at some later time when they aren't so busy.

While GameSpot hasn't been able to confirm the Wii-bricking firsthand--all units in the office run smoothly--problems like this are far from unprecedented. Add to that Nintendo's relative inexperience with releasing online firmware updates, and it's not surprising that a glitch affecting a small percentage of Wii users could slip through.

The official story: As of press time, a Nintendo representative had not returned GameSpot's requests for comment.

Bogus or not bogus?: Tentatively not bogus.

Source: Semiobscure game-news site Amped IGO.

What we heard: Way back in March, rumors surfaced that had Activision developing a modern-day Call of Duty game and Electronic Arts working on a far-future Battlefield title. The latter has since come to pass, with the hit shooter Battlefield 2142. However, the latest entry in the former franchise is the solidly reviewed Call of Duty 3, which retains the series's World War II setting.

According to Amped IGO, there's a perfectly logical explanation for COD3 being set in WWII. The site says that, rather than repeat the confusion that followed the simultaneous release of Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 2 for Xbox 360 and PC and Treyarch's Call of Duty 2: Big Red One for current-gen consoles, the two internal studios are now alternating installments in the series. Treyarch will reportedly work on odd-numbered games like Call of Duty 3, which is based on the groundbreaking COD2 engine. Meanwhile, Infinity Ward, which created the franchise and the COD2 engine, will work on even-numbered installments, presumably laying the technical groundwork for a Treyarch sequel.

The alternating scheme would explain why COD 3 returned to WWII's killing fields. As for Call of Duty 4's setting, Amped IGO knows it takes place during modern times...and that's about it. The site did have some intriguing gameplay details, though. Apparently, enemies in the game will have 16 critical points on their craniums, allowing players to shoot off their helmets or even their ears.

Speaking of ears, the Amped IGO article contains some news that will be music to PC Gamers' ears. First and foremost, COD4 will be released on the PC and next-gen consoles, unlike COD3, which skipped the PC. Second, the game will sport a much more robust multiplayer element and feature 54-player battles.

The official story: Activision reps had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: Given that this is the second rumor about a modern-day COD, this is looking less and less bogus. Besides, how many times can the franchise go to the WWII well?

Source: Gaming site Punchjump, citing Best Buy's "retail protocol for selling the PS3."

The official story: See below.

What we heard: It's time to face the facts: If you haven't preordered one already, you will likely not be able to get a PlayStation 3 on November 17. Though the odds are dismal, retailer Best Buy, according to Punchjump, thinks that gamers should be able to get some next-gen gaming on that day.

The site claims that those who try and get a PS3 on launch day and come away empty-handed will be eligible for a special Xbox 360 deal. Those who purchase an Xbox 360 premium pack ($399) and two games ($39.99 to $59.99 each, depending on title) will be offered a third game for free. The deal is said to be valid from November 17 to November 19.

While the deal appears to be an easy way for Best Buy to cash in on the holidays without having a large supply of hard-to-find PS3s, there doesn't seem to be much truth behind Punchjump's claim.

GameSpot contacted Best Buy's corporate branch to inquire about the supposed deal, but they weren't aware of such a plan. "This does not look to be an offer that we are running," said a company representative.

A similar answer came from a local Best Buy store. "I haven't heard anything about that," said an employee.

Punchjump doesn't list a source for its claim, perhaps because the site was too busy reviewing pot stickers. We'll take Best Buy's word.

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus.

Source: A tease in the weekly newsletter of developer Bungie and the subsequent fallout from gaming message boards.

What we heard: Halo 3. Just say the game's name and rumors begin flying. However, this time around, the latest rumors have some serious legitimacy. Developer Bungie is notorious at keeping a tight lid on its projects, but every once in a while it unloads a megaton of information.

On the company's most recent Weekly What's Update, which is posted every Friday, community manager Frank O' Connor says the following: "A bunch of stuff is going down to celebrate the fifth anniversary of a little game we like to call Halo... Next year, Halo 3 will conclude the story arc begun all those years ago and next week, we'll take a long lingering look at the series to date. There will also be some pretty BIG surprises and maybe announcements. Who can say?"

Naturally, this sent fans of the flagship franchise into a tizzy, with many speculating that news of the game's release date and demo would soon surface. While Halo rumors usually aren't nearly as sticky as a well-placed plasma grenade, these could very well be legitimate--all one needs to do is look at recent and upcoming events.

The news is likely to break in this week's Weekly What's Update, which (surprise!) is also the day the PlayStation 3 launches in North America. The timing for some big news makes perfect sense, with Bungie and Microsoft dangling a carrot in front of disappointed gamers who leave electronics stores empty-handed this weekend.

So what will this big news be? Chances are it could answer one of the biggest questions about the game--its release date. It's probably that Bungie will announce a release window--that is, summer 2007 or Q4 2007. Currently, the game has only a vague "2007" release date, though conventional wisdom has the game launching in November like its two predecessors.

As for the chance of a demo announcement, it's more possible than one might think. In addition to last month's Halo 3 demo rumor, the game's multiplayer portion has already been played by people outside of Bungie, indicating that some content is ready to go.

On a more conservative route, the least Halo fans should expect are the first real details, screenshots, and hopefully, gameplay video.

The official story: Microsoft rep--"We have nothing to announce at this time."

Bogus or not bogus?: Big news is definitely coming, likely some art assets and a release date. As for a demo? We have our trigger-fingers crossed.

Source: UK game-news Web site Computer & Video Games.

What we heard: Back in July, Valve Software CEO Gabe Newell made a surprise appearance at Electronic Arts' Summer Showcase. He was there to help unveil several new games that EA would distribute: the dimension-hopping shooter Portal, the resurrected Team Fortress 2, and the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Half-Life 2: Episode Two.

At the time, Valve said all the new games would go on sale alongside the PC version of Half-Life 2: Episode Two in the fourth quarter of 2006. That didn't last long, though. Just over a month later, Valve's director of marketing, Doug Lombardi, revealed that all versions of Episode Two would now launch in the first quarter of 2007. "It's just sort of classic Valve being overly aggressive on our dates," Lombardi told the Eurogamer Web site, a delay that he later confirmed himself.

Now, it appears that the game's release has slipped yet again. According to Computer & Video Games, Lombardi now says Valve is "now targeting summer 2007" for the release of Episode Two, which comes with Team Fortress 2 and Portal. (The PS3 and 360 versions of the game also include the original Half-Life 2 and Episode One.) No reason was given for the delay, but knowing Valve's perfectionism--and history of missing deadlines--it wasn't entirely unexpected.

The official story: Lombardi, who seems to spend a lot of time in Europe these days, proved too elusive to be asked for comment.

Bogus or not bogus?: C&VG; is usually pretty solid, so this looks not bogus. Also, don't be surprised if Episode Two ends up on many gamers' 2007 holiday shopping lists.

Source: A picture snapped at a Microsoft Gears of War launch party last night by Flickr poster Plaid Ninja.

The official story: "We have not made any announcements at this time. Regarding a larger hard drive, it is always a possibility. The device is modular and there's the possibility that different hard drives will be available in the future. To reiterate, we have no plans to announce such an accessory in the near future."

What we heard: The specter of a 100GB hard drive has been brought up a number of times before, most recently last month in the form of a presentation at the Korean X06 event. And just like every other time it's come up, Microsoft is pointing out that it hasn't made any announcements. So since those previous rumors weren't followed by announcements of a larger hard drive, why is this one any different?

Well, for starters, yesterday Microsoft announced its impending introduction of on-demand video content for the Xbox 360 in the form of downloadable TV shows and film rentals, some in high-definition. With full-length HD movies taking up 5GB on the hard drive, there will soon be more demands than ever placed on 360 players' 20GB hard drives, many of which are already packed with ripped music, downloaded content, and Xbox Live Arcade games.

However, the appearance of a larger-than-normal hard drive at Microsoft's press event last night is a far cry from confirmation that the company will release such hardware options into the consumer market anytime soon. The gaming press is well accustomed to trying games out on non-standard hardware, from development kits to debug units; it doesn't mean those things are going to show up at Wal-Mart next week.

That said, Microsoft designed the system with a detachable hard drive in the first place, so larger drives are a very likely part of the company's master plan. And given yesterday's announcement, the crunch of hard drive space is likely to become a problem for gamers sooner rather than later. Still, for the moment, there's nothing concrete.

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus for now.

Source: Posts on message boards like the official Xbox forums and Team Xecuter, followed up on by articles at mod-savvy sites like Xbox Scene.

The official story: A Microsoft rep said the company had no comment at this time.

What we heard: Microsoft released its Fall System Update for the Xbox 360 today and Internet forums were quickly buzzing with reports that the update had "bricked" users' consoles, rendering them unable to play games or even boot up normally.

While Microsoft is staying mum on the subject, the bulk of speculation is that the Fall Update is intended to brick Xbox 360s that have been modded. However, some posters are reporting problems with unmodded consoles being bricked, and forum-goers at Xbox Scene are saying that the update is not consistently bricking modded consoles.

Furthermore, Team Xecuter is reporting that bricked consoles can still be repaired relatively painlessly, and that Microsoft isn't banning GamerTags or specific systems from Xbox Live, something that would seem a distinct possibility if the company wanted to come down hard on modders.

So what's the deal here? If Microsoft intended to brick modded consoles, it didn't do a very thorough job of it (perhaps a warning shot to make people think twice about modding systems?). If it's an unexpected bug with the Fall Update, it seems convenient that it's happening primarily to modded systems.

Still, the few reports of the Fall Update bricking unmodded systems are troubling. While fixing the system might be an easy thing for people who cracked their systems open in the first place to mod them, it's still not something the average gamer is bound to be capable of doing.

Whether intentional or not, it seems the Fall Update is turning some Xbox 360s into paperweights. But with varying reports about who it's happening to and why, and Microsoft not explaining what's going on, there's no sure way to say which 360s will be affected by the problem.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus.

Source: Worthplaying.com citing an Avalanche Studios interview in Swedish game mag Kong.

What we heard: Though not a raging success in North America, Just Cause has been fairing quite well in retail in the UK, where it stayed on the region's top 10 all-formats list�for four weeks after its September release. This success was apparently enough of a sign to begin work on a sequel, according to Internet reports.

Gaming site Worthplaying.com cites an article in Swedish gaming magazine Kong, in which Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios (also from Sweden) apparently cops to a sequel's development. Worthplaying says Avalanche CEO Christofer Sundberg reveals that his studio is already working on a sequel and that the game will abandon the Far Cry-esque island paradise for a "VERY large city environment" (caps in original).

The game will also reportedly go multiformat again but this time will�focus on the next generation--specifically the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Though taking translations from foreign publications often ends up in a game of "telephone," this bit of scuttlebutt is likely legitimate. Avalanche has a grand total of one game under its belt (Just Cause), and given the game's success and potential, it seems like a smart business move to pump out another one of Rico Rodriguez's adventures.

The official story: Eidos rep--"We don't have any comment on this as of yet."

Bogus or not bogus?: Officially? Bogus. Unofficially? Not Bogus.

Source: Scans of Swedish gaming magazine LEVEL, partially translated by a poster on Gaming Age Forums.

What we heard: Last week, Bungie mentioned in its weekly update that it had shown off early builds of Halo 3 to a variety of gaming press outlets and that magazine articles on the visit would start hitting mailboxes shortly.

It appears that Swedish mailboxes are plum stuffed with Halo 3 news, as purported scans of the latest issue of LEVEL have hit the Internet with gobs of info about Bungie's highly anticipated first-person shooter. The multiplayer-focused sneak peek dished out details on new weapons, vehicles, and features for the game, some of it expected, some not so much.

First, the bad news for hermitic gamers: According to the magazine article, Halo 3 won't have bots. If Halo 2 is any indicator, there shouldn't be any shortage of human opponents to frag online, but antisocial players or those who tire of powergaming play styles won't be able to fake their multiplayer fix. According to a translation on GAF, LEVEL quotes a Bungie rep as explaining that the developers would rather spend that time working on the weapons, levels, and netcode for the game.

Speaking of weapons, Halo 3 will apparently feature a few new ways to off opponents. The Spartan Laser should help players open up vehicles like so many sardine cans, while the self-explanatory nail grenade should be a real hit at parties. There's also a Brute spiker to play with.

As for new vehicles, the Mongoose ATV that was once intended for Halo 2 will be available. Although it lacks firepower of any kind, the Mongoose seats two and should be good for getting Spartans where they need to be ASAP. And while it isn't quite a vehicle, the "Man Cannon" will launch players across the map unprotected on air streams. Gamers launched by the cannon will be vulnerable to enemy fire, but they'll also be able to fire back.

Bungie's also switching up some of the familiar Halo gameplay, according to the scans. For one thing, the X button will no longer reload. Instead, players will use the left and right bumpers on the Xbox 360 controller to independently reload their primary and secondary weapons. As for what the X button will do, Bungie is keeping that under wraps for now. In another tweak, players' secondary weapons will be visibly slung over their backs at all times, so players will no longer be able to conceal the fact that they're carrying around four-foot plasma swords in their pockets.

Finally, the scan indicates that�the limited-edition release of Halo 3 will be called the "Legendary Edition" and will come packed in a replica of the Master Chief's helmet. The four-disc set will include the game, documentaries and developer interviews, Red vs. Blue content along with other Halo tie-ins, and HD cutscenes from the whole Halo trilogy.

The official story: Microsoft isn't talking, but Bungie today put up a news post acknowledging that magazine scans with new Halo 3 content had started hitting the Web and threatening a permanent ban for anyone posting them on the company's forums.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus, although we hope the term "Man Cannon" is the result of a translation error.

Source: The aptly named Blizzard Entertainment fan site Blizzplanet.com.

What we heard: For years, rumors have bounced around that Blizzard is secretly developing a third installment in its groundbreaking Diablo role-playing series. Just this past February, a flurry of speculation followed the posting of several job listings for leads to join "the team behind Diablo I and II" for "an unannounced PC project."

Now, the rumor forge is heating up again, thanks to an interview with Richard A. Knaak, author of three Diablo-based books--Diablo: Legacy of Blood (2001), Diablo: The Kingdom of Shadow (2002), and Diablo: Moon of the Spider (2006). Knaak has also written novels based on Warcraft and the Dungeon & Dragons Dragonlance spin-off. He is currently penning a series of novels featuring the classic fantasy character--and future massively multiplayer online role-playing game hero--Conan the Barbarian.

To promote his forthcoming Diablo book, Diablo: The Sin War: Book One: Birthright, Knaak spoke with Blizzplanet.com and took questions from its readers. However, the biggest bomb came from a site staffer going by the handle "Medievaldragon," who casually asked if his latest book--the first of a trilogy--would "impact in the storyline of Diablo 3 the game."

Knaak responded candidly, saying, "The ramifications here will be used for any future project...and I ain't writing for a dead game. ." (Emoticon in the original.) Later, when asked by a reader about Diablo, he repeated his loaded words. "I am not writing for a dead world...but a world with dead," said Knaak, adding, "'Nuff said!

The official story: As it has in the past, Blizzard danced around any inquires about the status--or existence--of Diablo 3. "We love the Diablo universe and are definitely interested in returning to it at some point in the future," a rep told GameSpot. "However, at this time, we're wholly focused on completing the upcoming expansion for World of Warcraft."

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus that someday there will be a new Diablo game. But with the WOW expansion being delayed until 2007, it appears that Blizzard has�its hands full at the moment.