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Microsoft’s Xbox adds ‘Gears of Wars’ and ‘Viva Pinata’ to its gaming titles
MUMBAI: Microsoft Entertainment & Devices Division has announced the launch of Gears of Wars (GoW) and Viva Pinata for their next generation gaming console Xbox 360. The launch was complimented by the announcement of some of the forthcoming gaming titles Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, Lost Planet, Superman Returns, Call of Duty 3 on Xbox 360. |
Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division country manager Mohit Anand said, “We are delighted to bring to our Indian gaming enthusiast‘s the two biggest and most anticipated games Gears of War and an unusual game about habitat, Viva Pinata from Xbox 360. GoW is one of the best games visually available on Xbox 360 and one of the finest games available on any platform today. Viva Pinata, on the other hand is more of a family game where gamers have to turn a misused plot of land into a beautiful garden overcoming various challenges. Xbox 360 today has over 35 titles of different genres available and will additionally be releasing more innovative and enthralling games for the gaming enthusiasts in times to come.” The titles will be priced at Rs. 2,510 each and will be available to gamers through Microsoft‘s network of resellers across major cities in the country. |
An official release issued by the company stated that Gears of War sold about 1 million copies worldwide within two weeks of its launch and has been the fastest selling game on Xbox 360 in 2006 and ever on Xbox 360 platform. It is a third-person tactical action/horror game and is the first game developed by Epic Games exclusively for Microsoft Game Studios and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. GOW thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind‘s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet and utilizes the breathtaking new Unreal Engine 3 to create cinematic, beautifully rendered interactive environments with high-definition visuals for a gaming experience that truly ushers in the next-generation. Viva Pi?ata is created by video game developer Rare Ltd. and Microsoft Game Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system.Viva Pi?ata invites game-players to escape to Pi?ata Island, where wild-roaming, living pi?ata animals are looking for a home. Viva Pi?ata from Rare and Microsoft Game Studios is rated “E” for Everyone and is available exclusively on Xbox 360. |
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
