'Tis confirmed! Every Extend Extra Extreme will arrive this Wednesday. But Q Entertainment isn't stopping there. They're also dropping the price of LUMINES LIVE! and releasing new skin packs. Good news all around.

Here's the skinny (according to some fun Google Translation):

• Every Extend Extra Extreme arrives this Wednesday for 800MSP. No word yet on if this will be region-limited.
• LUMINES will permanently drop from 1200MSP to 800MSP.
• LUMINES LIVE! Rockin' Holiday Pack will be 400MSP.
• A new Genki Rockets skin called "Breeze Skin(Translation?)" Two Genki Rockets skins ("Heavenly Star" and "Breeze") will be available for FREE to Gold Xbox Live Members until November 14th.

Presumably, Speedball 2 is also arriving this Wednesday but we'll update this story if and when official announcements are made (in english hopefully). Speedball 2 will also be 800MSP.

[Update]: It's doubly official now. Press Release after the break. Also, cleaned up some of the details.

[via gpara.com (amusingly translated here), thanks Buster]

No, Lumines Live! hasn't turned into some game where you have to shoot hordes of invading aliens to save Earth. Q Entertainment has hooked up with Live Earth. Genki Rockets (aka that Heavenly Star girl) will be performing at Live Earth and Q will turn a portion of your DLC purchases into a charitable donation to combat global warming.

Purchase the Tokyo Club Mix Pack (aka SOS Charity Campaign Pack 4 skins, 350 MSP) between June 27th and July 17th and pat yourself on the back. A portion of your purchase with be donated to "climate protection NGOs and causes." Sure that sounds vague, but who cares? You're experiencing the music of the Tokyo Club scene and saving the world to boot! So, put down your digital guns and start dropping blocks.

For those heartless types out there that like the idea of an impending ice age, there are other ways to give Q your money without helping out Mother Earth. Arriving along side the Tokyo Club Mix Pack are the Booster Pack (20 skins, 600MSP), four Gamerpic Packs (5 pics/pack, 100MSP/pack), and a Lumines Theme (150MSP).

Full press release after the break.

With Heavy Weapon just out the door, Microsoft has already announced what we'll be getting next week. The three packs are:

[quote]

Heavenly Star Skin

Cost: For a limited time only, available free for Xbox Live Gold members from Jan. 24 - Feb 21, 2007.

Performed by a new group called Genki Rockets and produced by Q Entertainment’s own Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the song's catchy and uplifting tune combined with equally striking video has caught the attention of many gamers and was recently nominated Best Song at the 2006 Spike TV Video Game Awards. Gamers can enjoy the music video in stunning HD and 5.1 surround sound as they play their way through the falling blocks.

VS CPU Pack

Cost: For a limited time only, 100 MS Points starting Jan. 24 – Feb 21, 2007. (Price after February 21, 2007: 300 MS Points)

Show off your skills by challenging the CPU. This new game pack also includes a stylish skin and character designs that match the theme of each of the stages. A special bonus skin is waiting for you at the very end of the challenge.

Puzzle/Mission Pack

Cost: For a limited time only, 100 MS Points starting Jan. 24 - Feb 21, 2007. (Price after February 21, 2007: 300 MS Points)

“Lumines Live!” is not just about dropping blocks. In Puzzle Mode, you must try to create a certain shape by using the blocks. In Mission Mode, you will be given a mission to clear all blocks within a specified amount of moves. With an additional 90 puzzles to solve and 40 missions to clear, you won’t want to miss this Pack. (The first 10 puzzles and missions are included in the Standard Edition; by purchasing the Pack, the total number is 100 puzzles and 50 missions)

[/quote]

One of the biggest things to note is the price! As long as you pick them up before February 21st, you'll only need to pay 200 points to complete your Lumines Live experience. I wonder if this drastically lower than expected price will be met by those people who were freaking out when the game was first released.

Available now on the Marketplace is the "Advance Pack" for Lumines Live. For the first installment of add-on packs you'll be parting with 600 MS Points and receive: 20 all new skins and an all new leader board.

Do any of you have the new pack? and If so what do you think? Or are you waiting on either of the "VS CPU Mode" or the " Mission/Puzzle mode" before pulling the trigger on this one?

That is correct!

Major Nelsonconfirms that tomorrow's arcade game is indeed, the very anticipated, long - awaited arrival of Lumines Live. Which will set you back a whoppin' 1200 Microsoft Points, and an optional 600 Points (for 22 new skins, and music scenes). So, to complete the 'package' you need 1800 Microsoft Points (About $21).

Will you be buying it?

Eurogamer is reporting that Lumines will be released in "The middle of next month." as confirmed by it's creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi at Nordic Game in Sweden. While this will certainly offend some people, it's good to see that we'll be getting it soon.

You can check out the whole article here.

I have just received my September 2006 issue of the Official Xbox Magazine, which has a pretty nice section of Xbox Live Arcade goodness. While it shares everything that we already know, there is one part that caught my eye, as will yours:

It says that before Labor Day, which is September 4th, we will be seeing four additional arcade games released; Texas Hold 'em Poker, Time Pilot, Scramble, Lumines Live!. Other details include:

- Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 will have Live Play, (Of course?)
- Vision camera will work with Uno, Texas Hold 'em Poker, Hardwood Hearts, Hardwood Spades
- Scramble will feature side by side competitive multiplayer, for two (No co-op?)
- Lumines Live! will be 1,200 Microsoft Points

Xbox.com has removed Frogger (Summer 2006) from the "recent addition" under Xbox Live Arcade today... and put it under a new category, "Coming soon to the Arcade". Along with 4 other Xbox Live Arcade games - Cloning Clyde (Summer 2006), Texas Hold 'Em Poker (TBD), Lumines Live (July 2006), and Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting (Summer 2006).

Who knows what to think? What to believe?

According to Xbox360fanboy.com, Ross Erikson, of the XBLA team, has confirmed that lumines will indeed include Mutliplayer at no extra charge. While this clears up the price of Lumines Live, the question still remains as to when we will see it on the market place.

You can read the entire post here.

Lumines Live, was one of the biggest surprises announced for Xbox Live Arcade during E3. Greg Canessa, the Xbox Live Arcade Group Manager, already had a "release date" of Summer 2006 for the unique puzzler at the time.. and a price which would be 1200 Microsoft Points($15). Of course, there will be extra content to download from the Xbox Live Marketplace, such as licensed music and backgrounds. But, will we have to pay extra for a multiplayer add-on as well? Maybe.

Game Informer interviewed Tetsuya Mizuguchi, in which he said that we may have to purchase the 'Multiplayer expansion' on top of the basic game. "At least that's the way we have it planned right now," Mizuguchi said. It is still being determined whether or not the basic package will include Multiplayer, however.

A bit bold, risky if you ask me. It could turn out to be another 'Oblivion Horse Armor', not good.

Source: Kikizo Games