Nintendo 
was rightfully proud of the 400,000 Wii U consoles it sold in the system’s first week, which included Black Friday. But Microsoft has reason to be even prouder.
The Redmond-based company says some 750,000 Xbox 360s were sold over the same six-day time period, surpassing its own expectations and showing that there’s still life left in the console, which has now been available for eight Black Friday shopping frenzies.
Microsoft 
is sending out some early holiday gifts to long-time Xbox Live users.
With the 10th anniversary of the online service upon us, the console maker has been sending some of its oldest subscribers a special present: A brand new, limited-edition Xbox 360.
They 
have no value in the real world (yet), but good luck telling that to the millions of gamers hopeless addicted to Microsoft’s Xbox Achievements. Earning some of these digital tips of the cap can takes hours, if not days or weeks. Yet, for many, many gamers, they’re an integral part of what makes the Xbox 360 such a great console.
Admittedly, the thrill of seeing “Achievement Unlocked” and hearing that pleasing little chime after long hours of hunting down in-game items is often its own reward. Some Achievements, though, can test the mettle of even the most dedicated gamers, remaining just a pipe dream no matter how hard they try. Stretch your thumbs and grab some extra batteries before trying to take down the 10 hardest Xbox Achievements.
Love 
it or hate it, the Xbox 360 isn’t going anywhere soon. It’s the oldest of the current consoles, but despite an onslaught of leaks and rumors, Microsoft has yet to officially acknowledge it’s working on a next-generation system.
In the real world, it’s a pretty safe bet that the next Xbox won’t hit stores before Christmas 2013. That means you’ve got another year — at least — with your current model. And while it might be a little long in the tooth, there’s still plenty of horsepower under the hood.
Despite 
plenty of leaks, Microsoft has yet to officially confirm that it’s working on the next Xbox. But the first one may already have been sold.
An eBay auction over the weekend found a buyer for a purported Xbox ‘Durango’ Development Kit — a system game developers use to create games for the upcoming console. The buyer, who remained anonymous, shelled out $20,100 for the kit, which apparently looks like a black computer tower.
The 
developers of indie game darling Fez have a problem: there’s a major bug in their game. But they’re not going to fix it — and they say that’s Microsoft’s fault.
Released in April on Xbox Live, Fez garnered terrific reviews from critics. But as players explored the game, they found a number of issues. Save files were being corrupted and the game was crashing regularly. A fix was issued last month, but it was quickly yanked because it reportedly caused even more problems.
The Wii, 
Xbox 360 and PS3 have done well for themselves, as over half of all U.S. households own a modern video game console. That also means, however, that a good chunk of the country still isn’t playing along.
With whispers of next-generation systems swirling — and one confirmed to launch later this year — deciding whether to buy a current generation system isn’t an easy one. Should you spend the money now, or should you wait and be a part of the cutting-edge in the months to come? Systems have typically hit the sweet spot in pricing, and there’s a tremendous catalog of games to choose from (many at discount prices, thanks to “Platinum editions” of top-selling games).
As 
the Xbox 360 enters what appear to be its swansong years, Microsoft might find that there’s no such thing as a smooth finish.
A U.S. International Trade Commission judge has ruled that the console infringes on four patents held by Motorola, reports Bloomberg. Worst case scenario? It could result in a blockade of Xbox 360 consoles imported to the U.S.
Microsoft’s 
invasion of the living room is going into overdrive.
Comcast’s Xfinity on-demand service, HBO Go and MLB.tv are now available through Xbox Live — and they’re arriving right as the console undergoes a major transition in how people use it.
Jedi 
wannabes will finally have a chance to join the Rebellion this spring.
After a series of delays, Kinect Star Wars will hit store shelves on April 3…and Microsoft is rolling out all the stops to promote it.
Chris Morris: Journalist 