Microsoft cancels all first party Xbox 360 games outside the US

[toythatkills]

Source.

I am happy to announce that we?re doing an Xbox 360 System Update Preview program for our next release, and the opportunity to sign up is now available. We are conducting an open call for US based participants* for a public preview to help us prepare for an updated Xbox 360 disc format. This is an important update as we continually strive to improve our products and we could not do so without the help of our great Xbox community. As part of the preview program, you will receive a copy of Halo: Reach along with other possible rewards.

Much like we did last year, you?ll need to visit the Microsoft Connect site from this link and sign in with your Windows LIVE ID that is connected to your Xbox LIVE Gamertag. Once you complete the survey that is presented to you, the Connect site will provide program related updates and you will receive a mail once the selection process is completed.
A couple of points before you head off to register:

We?re looking for multiple thousands of participants, so your chances of making it in are good.

This opportunity is open to Xbox LIVE Members in US region only*.

To avoid any problems, read the survey carefully and double check all the information you provide.

While both Xbox LIVE Gold and Silver members can sign up, priority will be given to Gold members in the selection process.

*Due to disc distribution limitations, this beta it will be limited to residents of the United States only.

Looks like Microsoft have completely lost the ability to get disks to people outside the US, so I assume that all their games are cancelled. I hope nobody was looking forward to Gears of War 3 or Forza 5 or Halo 19 or anything

[Flabio]

That would be news to me, given I'm, you know, first party and outside the US...

It's not exactly unusual to limit a beta to the US you know.

[Daragon]

I'm probably missing something here, but how would this suggest all first party games are being canceled?

Presumably the current disk format will still exist.

[toythatkills]

That would be news to me, given I'm, you know, first party and outside the US...

Sorry

I'm probably missing something here, but how would this suggest all first party games are being canceled?

(it was a joke)

[Ouenben]

Kotaku

TTK you feeling okay? you're acting crazy again. All that time away from the forums do you in?

[EvilBoris]

They are upgrading the Ban hammer

[Ouenben]

And April 1st is Friday TTK!

[toythatkills]

And April 1st is Friday TTK!

You can tell jokes on other days!

EDIT: Can't you?

[GordonJ]

You can tell jokes on other days!

EDIT: Can't you?

Well, they have to be good jokes on any other day, it's only April 1st jokes that are allowed to be really bad

[toythatkills]

Oh. I messed up real bad here.

[sj33]

As a side note, oh no it's this day again! Believe no-one until tomorrow!

[teddymeow]

If MS are trialing a new disc format would that not require another console change or is the 360 drive capable of reading more than standard DVDs?

This also flies in the face of the MS line of "discs will soon be obsolete that's why we won't use Blu-ray!" Surely that would be easier than developing another format.

[sj33]

Methinks it's not actually going to be a new 'format' in that sense, but maybe some kind of new encrypted format to combat piracy (or maybe some higher density file format to increase capacity?). It obviously has to work on existing hardware since they're asking thousands of people to trial it on their existing consoles.

[toythatkills]

It's just to stop pirates pirating new games. So old games will still work, but new games on the new disk format won't be copyable any more.

[Richie_uk]

My money is on new anti pirate software installed onto a regular DVD9 disk.