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Microsoft’s still-unannounced next-generation Xbox console will ship with a new control pad, a 500GB HDD, a “much-improved” Kinect motion sensor and the ability to run multiple games/apps simultaneously, according to a Kotaku source who claims to be in possession of a development kit for the machine said to be codenamed Durango. According to Kotaku’s article, all Durango SKUs will not only ship with a Kinect sensor, but they will also only function when one is connected.

This latest next-gen scuttlebutt follows in the still-crashing wake churned up by another round of rumors that XBLAFans reported on just last week. The sources behind those rumors also asserted that the so-called Xbox 720 would bring with it a new and improved version of Microsoft’s motion-sensing technology.

Regular next-gen rumor followers will be familiar with Kotaku’s latest rumor source, who goes by the handle “SuperDaE.” He, as Kotaku identifies him, caught gamers’ attention last summer when he attempted to sell what he said was an Xbox Durango dev kit on eBay. Interestingly, SuperDaE said the sale was intercepted by Microsoft and prevented from going through on account of copyright issues. Microsoft has not acknowledged as much and is unlikely to considering that it has so far done everything short of wave its collective hand in front of a Kinect sensor like some sort of Jedi Knight and confidently state that there is no next-gen Xbox whenever the subject has been broached.

SuperDaE’s information, which was supposedly gleaned from a score of Microsoft whitepapers, points to the next-gen Kinect sensor being capable of tracking up to six gamers simultaneously (up from two in the current version) and 25 of each player’s skeletal joints (up from 20). Color and depth resolution and depth range are said to be getting dramatic increases, and “Active IR resolution” is reportedly being added to Kinect’s specs. The whitepapers say Kinect will always be watching users and that it will automatically detect players and associate them with their Xbox Live accounts.

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Speaking to Polygon, Telltale CEO Dan Connor revealed that “anything is possible” for the second season of the studio’s hit episodic adventure game, The Walking Dead. Of particular note, …
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Konami has announced that a revised version of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Decade Duels will release on XBLA.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Decade Duels Plus is an updated release of a game that …
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Supergiant Games have revealed that Bastion sales have reached 1.7 million across all platforms. The action-RPG was first released on XBLA as part of Microsoft’s 2011 Summer of Arcade …
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The Behemoth recently announced that they are looking for 10,000 players to participate in a closed beta test of their upcoming Battleblock Theater beginning sometime in either February or March. The beta program will give willing testers access to story levels, the level editor and a few levels of all arena modes. However, we’ve not had a lot of details on what these arena modes actually are, until now that is. For The Behemoth have just published some details on their developer’s blog on the multiplayer games we can look forward to:

• Soul -Steal enemy souls and run away. Stomp, punch, kick or kill your opponent to capture their soul. The longer you have their sweet, sweet spirit, the more points you or your team will get. Don’t forget that you’ve got a soul too, so you better make sure that doesn’t get stolen in the process!
• Muckle – Beat and kill the enemy team. It’s that simple. One, two and land those punches. Give them a good uppercut. Use those weapons you earned. Get points for being the most powerful team.
• Challenge – Score the best time. How fast can you go through a level? Or a better question would be: How much faster can you go than others? Prove to everyone that you’re the best of the best at finishing before anyone else… In this context it’s a good thing!
• King of the Hill – Stand on the crown blocks. They’re golden and shiny. You can’t miss them. The only problem is your enemies can’t miss them either! Keep your opponents off those blocks and do your best to stay on them for a multitude of points.
• Color the World – Color more blocks than the other team. You’ll start off with a “blank slate” of greyish blocks and end with a kaleidoscope of colors – unless you’re really good or really suck, then you’ll only see giant blocks of color.
• Grab the Gold – Grab more gold than the other team. A floating whale spits out gold. Your objective is to take those pieces to the safe. It’s that easy. Just remember to keep them safe from your opponents!
• Ball Game – Get the ball in the basket. When you play this mode, you’ll be grabbing, passing and dunking in no time! Just remember to put the ball into your opponent’s hoop and not your own!
• Horse – Ride the horse to the stables. You’ll have a chance to use your sneaky skills to steal the other team’s horse. Lead the horse all the way back to your own stable to get your haul of points.

You can sign up for the beta here, but to guarantee a spot then best look out for one of our daily giveaway contests. Hit the jump for some screenshots of all modes described above.

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Capcom Unity announced the full list of titles for its upcoming release: Capcom’s Arcade Cabinet. The 8-bit games, originally released in 1984-1988, will be grouped in five different packs and …
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Released this past Wednesday, the axe-wielding dwarf Glóin is now available for Guardians of Middle-earth. He joins a cast of over 20 different playable …
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Focus Home Interactive has officially announced Obscure, a new 2.5D side-scrolling action title set to hit Xbox Live later this spring. Set in the same universe as 2005 survival-horror title, ObsCure, and its 2007 sequel, players will find themselves taking on the role of four students who must slash, bash and blast their way through hordes of gruesome monstrosities. Casting aside the doom-and-gloom atmosphere of its namesake, Obscure touts highly-stylized, blood-drenched animation, caustic humor and arcade action that emphasizes combos and chain attacks in order to multiply your score and rack up points.

Each playable student-character comes with their own unique skills and abilities, enabling you to tackle each non-linear level and grotesquery in a variety of ways. Along the way players will complete objectives, discover new weapons and encounter a bestiary of horrors; earning experience to level up their characters by excelling above the score goals, which can then be spent on more abilities, skills and weapons. At any time players will also be able to backtrack through completed levels, bringing along their newfound prowess and unlocked arsenal in an effort to best their old scores.

A vital part of any high school experience, Obscure aims to deliver on a robust social feature set. Up to 4-player cooperative multiplayer, online and local, means players can split up to more quickly complete their objectives or band together to increase the odds of survival.

Obscure is being developed by Mighty Rocket Studio, an independent developer comprised of some of the original ObsCure development team. To see the angsty teenage gorefest in action, hit the jump for the official teaser trailer.

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Most of us consider Easter eggs to be self-referential or homages to fans or favorite games. RedLynx takes a unique spin on the …
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Fresh off the news of a new sequel trilogy of Star Wars films (with J.J. Abrams confirmed to direct the first) comes news …
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