Insane

Microsoft recently changed their policy regarding shipping for Xbox 360's in need of service. They no longer provide a box or pay for shipping. Instead, they require that you obtain your own box and foot the bill. One man's response to that poor case of customer service is The Big Box Project, an effort to collect donations to fund the acquisition of a 40-foot shipping container. The cause has already collected over $725.

I want a 40 foot solid steel shipping container with nothing in it but my poor little xbox 360. It's a box they want, it's a box they'll get... it just might be a tad bigger than expected.

In an effort to attract the attention of younger toilet-clogging folks, Roto Rooter is giving away an all-in-one Kohler toilet, complete with an Xbox 360. It's has everything you'd ever need from a john (and way more). The toilet comes equipped with a flat screen HDTV, iPod and dock, TiVo, DVD player, laptop, bullhorn (what?), bike pedals (what?!), beer tap, and fridge.

Not sure about what you'd use the bullhorn and bike pedals for, but if you win, my advice is to tear all that good stuff out and put it where in belongs--in your family room. The contest begins on January 24th on www.rotorooter.com.

[Pimp my John @ WGRZ, via Game|Life]

Two men were arrested today for shooting twenty-one year old Michael Penkala, who was waiting to buy the PlayStation 3 at a Connecticut Wal-mart. William J. Robertson, 20, and Andrew Patnaude, 17, are being charged with robbery and attempted murder according to the Associated Press.

After spending eight days in the hospital, Penkala went home with four new consoles, three of which he bought. The forth was a gift from Wal-mart for being shot at one of their stores. Penkela says he has no regrets about the incident.

While we enjoyed a peaceful PS3 launch last night, some weren't so lucky. One man was shot in front of a Connecticut Wal-Mart last night after trying to resist a robbery. The man is in stable condition, but the two gunman are still at large. Five PS3's were stolen from an Ohio EB Games during an armed robbery. Several were hospitalized after a Circuit City store decided to have their crowd lineup and dash for the door. Police used pepper balls to calm a small riot at another Circuit City in Tyson's Corner (that's not too far from us).

[via Engadget PS3 crime spree, part II: Fall of man]

Here's a hint: it's PS3 buyers. This video was taken at the front lines of the PS3 launch in Japan. The scene looks more like some sort of demonstration (complete with a guy with a megaphone) than a product launch. The video, along with a detailed first-hand account, is courtesy of a brave Kotaku reader.

In a recent forum post on gaming site ScrewAttack.com, Handsome Tom promised to blow up his Xbox if the Dallas Mavericks lost to Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. Well Miami won, but Tom didn't back down on his word. Here is a video full of smoke, flames, and inspirational music as proof. At least that Xbox was so last generation.

The filmmaker responsible for our favorite game to cinema atrocities like Alone in Dark and BloodRayne is now going to fight Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka from Something Awful. Rich responded to the official press release, which challenged Boll's biggest critics to "put up or shut up" and appear in his next box office disaster, Postal, at the same time.

Boll intends to fly five of his harshest critics to Vancouver and put them up in hotel rooms before he dawns boxing gloves and fights them in a boxing ring. Who the hell is paying for all this?

This is not another add-on package, I promise. It's just a video from a dedicated gamer with way to much time on his hands. Now I know what books are really good for.