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Xbox Live Arcade Retail Surprise
Posted by XanTium | June 21 11:13 EST

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Quote

Encouraged by the success of Live Arcade, Microsoft is planning to bring some of its downloadable games to retail.

Xbox chief Peter Moore is pushing to extend the Live Arcade brands to retail, arguing internally that original games like Geometry Wars, retro hits like Smash TV and casual games like Hardwood Hearts will extend Xbox 360's appeal to non-hardcore audiences.
The company is seeking to offer the games to the 'other 50%' of gamers that have not signed up to Xbox Live, while using the titles to showcase the platform as a welcoming destination.

Read More: next-gen.biz

It was all a matter of time, but I wonder if the games will be installed on your hard drive, or just playable from the disk? Only time will tell.

Good idea, the only suprise is that they haven't done it already

Too bad these (form what I can take of it) won't be on the original Xbox. I'd kill for Geometry Wars Evolved, but all I've got is PGR2...

I wonder if they plan on releasing a single disc with all the XBLA games on it, then simply allowing you to phone in, connect (with your PC) or purchase at retail codes to make the trail games full versions.

That would be the most cost-effective IMO... they could give the discs away for free and if someone just wants to buy geo-wars they can purchase a code over the phone to unlock it but still have all the other demos which might encourage them to buy more.

thats a pretty good idea... it would be kinda bulky to have a section of XBLA games next to all the 360 games.

but then, when new games that come out like SF, they would have to either release a stand alone disk, or wait until the next bunch of games comes out.

we will have to see... but my question is.. what is xbox 360 without live?

I hope they are fairly cheap, considering that many of the games's main value comes from the live experience.

Great than they think about the gamers than doesn't have the money to own a broadband conection or people than doesn want to pay for it, not like some company than doesn't think about people than doesn't have that much money to expend on videogames or a HD TV to have some use to the blu-ray you pay 100 dollars more (I'm not saying the name (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)) . Is great IMO.

This post has been edited by pepe2004: Jun 21 2006, 05:37 PM

They need to focus on getting two or three GOOD xbla games out a month instead of new ways to offer the same stuff we have had for months!

QUOTE(ILLusions0fGrander @ Jun 21 2006, 10:30 AM)

thats a pretty good idea... it would be kinda bulky to have a section of XBLA games next to all the 360 games.

but then, when new games that come out like SF, they would have to either release a stand alone disk, or wait until the next bunch of games comes out.

we will have to see... but my question is.. what is xbox 360 without live?

To answer the question, no different really. So you can't download(and pay) for themes/pics, or game demos and trailers. No biggie, I think many could care less or like to wait and be surprised, like myself. I see it as the same thing, w/o having to pay $50/year to MS, and another $50/month to the ISP. Can't play friends online then? So have em over and play together. I think for me its a money issue, I have the money, but its not worth spending an additional $650+/year on. Thats what the 360 without Live means to me, a better deal without the unnecessary fluff.

QUOTE(griffin XXI @ Jun 21 2006, 12:18 PM)

To answer the question, no different really. So you can't download(and pay) for themes/pics, or game demos and trailers. No biggie, I think many could care less or like to wait and be surprised, like myself. I see it as the same thing, w/o having to pay $50/year to MS, and another $50/month to the ISP. Can't play friends online then? So have em over and play together. I think for me its a money issue, I have the money, but its not worth spending an additional $650+/year on. Thats what the 360 without Live means to me, a better deal without the unnecessary fluff.

I'd have to disagree, I wouldn't be enjoying the 360 nearly as much without Xbox Live... to me that is is 80% of what makes the console so great. Messages, friends lists, the whole standardization of the experience across all the games make's it worthwhile. I can totally understand not paying the $50 for multiplayer, while I use it sometimes I can often go weeks or months without using it. But demos, trailers, the XBLA, added content (like Oblivion missions and extra cars in PGR3), voice and text messaging, gamerscore and achievement tracking all make at least plugging your console in a very worthwhile experience. I don't think I'd go out of my way to buy broadband just for Xbox Live, but if you already have a broadband connection it's more then worth the extra $50 for a router to plug it in and get XBL Silver.

Having friends over to play doesn't work well either... have you even looked at the local multiplayer options for the 360 THEY SUCK. most games are going the way of XBL for the multiplayer experience and people who enjoy local multiplayer get shafted, not because of MS but because companies in general are just concentrating more on online play. Unless you're only playing with 1 other person there arn't many options you have for games to play...

meh, I have a friend with 2 27" LCDs a 24" widescreen Dell monitor and 32" SDTV and we had a great time having 4 people with 4 360s playing, screw split screen. But if not for that I agree the local options do suck

QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Jun 21 2006, 11:48 AM)

I'd have to disagree, I wouldn't be enjoying the 360 nearly as much without Xbox Live... to me that is is 80% of what makes the console so great. Messages, friends lists, the whole standardization of the experience across all the games make's it worthwhile. I can totally understand not paying the $50 for multiplayer, while I use it sometimes I can often go weeks or months without using it. But demos, trailers, the XBLA, added content (like Oblivion missions and extra cars in PGR3), voice and text messaging, gamerscore and achievement tracking all make at least plugging your console in a very worthwhile experience. I don't think I'd go out of my way to buy broadband just for Xbox Live, but if you already have a broadband connection it's more then worth the extra $50 for a router to plug it in and get XBL Silver.

Having friends over to play doesn't work well either... have you even looked at the local multiplayer options for the 360 THEY SUCK. most games are going the way of XBL for the multiplayer experience and people who enjoy local multiplayer get shafted, not because of MS but because companies in general are just concentrating more on online play. Unless you're only playing with 1 other person there arn't many options you have for games to play...

Yeah i definitely agree those are cool things to see and have at your command, but it doesn't make the experience any better or more enjoyable when I'm playing games. It's funny after playing on Live the past months and having just recently disconnecting it, I find myself on the other end of the spectrum Twisted; if giving Live a percentage of what makes the console great, prolly just give it a measly 5% for me. Also i just hi speed for the the xbox, no PCs in the home. As far as friends over, to me that goes without saying, is far and away more enjoyable than playing with the general public, i don't even need to explain why. Fifa has been a righteous multiplayer game, when Me and my 3 friends schedules mesh, and my brother and i played through Kameo. For me and the people i know, there isn't anymore time available than that, and thats fine. There will always be games now and in the future, whether they are single player or multiplayer or coop that you can play locally with FRIENDS in the same room, which blows anything Live can offer out of the water. This is of course, just my humble opinion coming from a guy who's played both sides.

QUOTE(lostboyz @ Jun 21 2006, 12:58 PM)

meh, I have a friend with 2 27" LCDs a 24" widescreen Dell monitor and 32" SDTV and we had a great time having 4 people with 4 360s playing, screw split screen. But if not for that I agree the local options do suck

You know what though? I never have liked split screen playing with friends over. I have a 32 inch Sony Wega and I just dont think it is large enough to enjoy any split screen games. Now my cousin has a 100 inch projector and honestly i dont enjoy playing split screen on that either. X-Box Live just enhances multiplayer so much. With out it, the xbox would not be where it is now.

As far as the games being sold to pc people.....I think M$ needs to focus on XB and not XB porting.

Also where is my damn Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat on XBL? I want some new games damit!!!!

Thanks for doing this, MS.

I am a lot more likely to pay for these games if I have them on disc rather than purchase some bogus MS points and have it tied to a paid Xbox Live account.

This way if my Xbox is ever banned for modding, at least I get to keep my arcade games. In other words, I feel better about making physical purchases than "virtual" purchases that I can't back up. Smart move!

there were bugs in geo wars?

ive never heard of either of these explain

I would imagine that if bugs were going to be fixed... they'd be a game update available already.

They should offer those games for "free" with the 256MB memory card or the 20GB hdd for core users, not on a retail CD/DVD. I mean, will the casual gamer who has never accessed live (and prolly has the tard pack) be able to store the games on his console, and if the games only run off the CD with NO OPTION to copy to HDD or mem card then its not live arcade, but just a classics collection we've seen from umpteen companies for all consoles and that have not been too well received. (as in 50 bucks to play some midway games that were mediocre 20 years ago).

I think this is an ok idea, but problem being the cost. when these games are on XBL they can be $5-$10 each becasue no manufatruing costs, cases, shipping, boxes, discs etc.. are required. Now , with this approach, manufactruing costs will most likel ybe added and no one, no one, is going to pay for than $10 to play any of these games

I cant wait for better arcade games. bring out tetris, some old school pac-man, lemmings bubble burst

QUOTE(Joergen @ Jun 21 2006, 01:34 PM)

They should offer those games for "free" with the 256MB memory card or the 20GB hdd for core users, not on a retail CD/DVD. I mean, will the casual gamer who has never accessed live (and prolly has the tard pack) be able to store the games on his console, and if the games only run off the CD with NO OPTION to copy to HDD or mem card then its not live arcade, but just a classics collection we've seen from umpteen companies for all consoles and that have not been too well received. (as in 50 bucks to play some midway games that were mediocre 20 years ago).

i dont think that will work. yes it would be nice if everything was free but it isnt. who would buy a dvd with the games that prob will cost more when you can just download them off the net. as it said it targets people that are not on live. i think its a good idea to get these games to more people. not everyone has dsl or cable. i also think there is less then 1% of people who signed up for high speed for xbox live only.

QUOTE

I'd have to disagree, I wouldn't be enjoying the 360 nearly as much without Xbox Live... to me that is is 80% of what makes the console so great. Messages, friends lists, the whole standardization of the experience across all the games make's it worthwhile. I can totally understand not paying the $50 for multiplayer, while I use it sometimes I can often go weeks or months without using it. But demos, trailers, the XBLA, added content (like Oblivion missions and extra cars in PGR3), voice and text messaging, gamerscore and achievement tracking all make at least plugging your console in a very worthwhile experience. I don't think I'd go out of my way to buy broadband just for Xbox Live, but if you already have a broadband connection it's more then worth the extra $50 for a router to plug it in and get XBL Silver.

Having friends over to play doesn't work well either... have you even looked at the local multiplayer options for the 360 THEY SUCK. most games are going the way of XBL for the multiplayer experience and people who enjoy local multiplayer get shafted, not because of MS but because companies in general are just concentrating more on online play. Unless you're only playing with 1 other person there arn't many options you have for games to play...

I agree! On XBox1 Live was all about multi-player gaming. I never used it, even though I had an account. I too prefer local multiplayer (mainly because all of my friends do not have an Xbox, or they do but don't have Live). I just wish the game companies would invest more in the local multiplayer, it is disappearing quickly... I want CO-OP campaigns!!! I am tired of stupid battle-arena crap all the time... I actually used XBC and XLINK more than Live on the Xbox1, because I could talk my friends into it since it was free (to play one game, online, most people don't want to pay $50 for a years service for 1 game).

With the 360, there is more there than just online gaming. And there are new features being rolled out before the end of the year too... It is actually worth something to me know. I would say it is %33 percent of what makes the console great though, I give the hardware/platform a lot of credit

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